If we could condense all the truths of Christmas into only three words, these would be the words: "God with us." We tend to focus our attention at Christmas on the infancy of Christ. The greater truth of the holiday is His deity. More astonishing than a baby in the manger is the truth that this promised baby is the omnipotent Creator of the heavens and the earth! John MacArthur4
Amazing to me that we don't think more on the truth that God came not to merely redeem, but to instead be WITH us...and more importantly IN US. He came that we might be crucified with HIM and life FOR HIM, so that He coud live IN US and THRU US. Because life isn't really about us...it is about HIM, making much of HIM, celebrating HIM, Loving HIM and being the correct reflection of HIM. We have the gospel confused with a story about us. It is but a small part we play in the epic story of HIM. Don't be confused, God loves us and did give His Son for us, but He did so because it makes much of HIM.
GOD with us...Emmanuel. I am way thankful for those words this Christmas. But more so, that He came so that He could be IN US....because apart from Him I am nothing. He is the I AM. This Christmas, have you made much of HIM or delighted in this world, the gifts of it and self? Or are you choosing to deny self, carry cross and follow, making much of HIM and delighting IN HIM?
How much time have you spent this Christmas delighting on IN the ONE we celebrate? I don't just mean attending church, but seriously thinking on, meditating on, reading the Word of, praying to, fixing your hope on, conversing about, sharing with others about, focusing on? We have forgotten that God's whole intent was not merely to rescue us from Hell, but to instead establish relationship WITH US, by coming TO US and bridging the gap betwen us. In doing this, He provided a way into the Holy Place, a place where no one but HE gets to go. Because HE is in us and we are in Him, we get to go boldly into the throne room, the inner court, the Holy Place. This....this....it the most precious, indescribable gift of all. Not salvation from hell, but the gift of HIS PRESENCE everyday.
ALL FOR YOU
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
no competition
Today, while having lunch at a restaurant, my waiter mentioned that his birthday was next week. He seemed to be pretty bummed about the timing of his birthday, for he mentioned in passing what a terrible time to have one. I wished him a happy birthday and thought that would be the end of it. However, his next comment startled me. He said, “who can compete with Jesus?”
In essence, he was admitting that it was a terrible time to have a birthday-a time when people normally celebrate YOU, because this is the time of year when everyone was celebrating Jesus-and who can compete with Jesus. He is so right. I immediately stopped and said, “you are right, NO ONE compares with Jesus.” And my next thought was, no one COMPETES with Him either. He WINS-hands down, every time.
I have been thinking about that all afternoon. No one compares to Jesus. No one competes with Jesus. People may try. People may even try to get you to make less of Him so they can be more in your life. People may try to deter and keep the focus on them, but in essence when they do they are stealing from Him, what is rightfully His. People may try to make a competition with time, money, affection and energy-but though people may try to compete with Jesus, nothing compares and therefore HE will win every time. To try and compete, puts you in the loser’s seat EVERY time.
We spend life thinking life should be about celebrating us. But in essence, we were created to make much of Him. We don’t do that by making much of self or by demanding that others make much of us. So, while I am sorry the young man feels like he is competing with Jesus, I am glad he understands that no one can win that competition with him. Perhaps, we all need to be reminded. Life just isn’t about celebrating us…it is about HIM.
ALL FOR YOU
In essence, he was admitting that it was a terrible time to have a birthday-a time when people normally celebrate YOU, because this is the time of year when everyone was celebrating Jesus-and who can compete with Jesus. He is so right. I immediately stopped and said, “you are right, NO ONE compares with Jesus.” And my next thought was, no one COMPETES with Him either. He WINS-hands down, every time.
I have been thinking about that all afternoon. No one compares to Jesus. No one competes with Jesus. People may try. People may even try to get you to make less of Him so they can be more in your life. People may try to deter and keep the focus on them, but in essence when they do they are stealing from Him, what is rightfully His. People may try to make a competition with time, money, affection and energy-but though people may try to compete with Jesus, nothing compares and therefore HE will win every time. To try and compete, puts you in the loser’s seat EVERY time.
We spend life thinking life should be about celebrating us. But in essence, we were created to make much of Him. We don’t do that by making much of self or by demanding that others make much of us. So, while I am sorry the young man feels like he is competing with Jesus, I am glad he understands that no one can win that competition with him. Perhaps, we all need to be reminded. Life just isn’t about celebrating us…it is about HIM.
ALL FOR YOU
Friday, December 18, 2009
people
I was driving through town today when I realized I was getting irritated. I wasn’t in a hurry to get to where I was going, nor was I on a time schedule, but I was not able to get to where I wanted, at the rate of speed I wanted. I was behind every slow driver, caught every red light and there was a line at every intersection. There was no reason to be irritated, but I was. I thought to myself….
“I wish these people would get out of my way. I could get to where I wanted to be so much quicker, if it weren’t for these people.”
That is when that voice that I know to be God boomed inside my head. You know the One that puts things in perspective and makes you realize just how wicked you are. Yes, that’s the voice. The One that speaks to your soul and causes you to realize how selfish you are.
And what did that voice say? “Christy, why are you always so interested in your destination. I am more interested in the people seeing Jesus in you along the way, not that you arrive at where you are going. Your destination is already determined, but you are to affect the people in your path. So, slow down…life is about people seeing you love me more than all, not getting to the end.”
It was then I realized the whole point for my outing was about people. Where I was going, what I was doing was about people. And it was in that moment, I turned the radio up and had a little Jesus party in my car. I didn’t need to run over anyone to get there. I just needed to go where He told me to go and be where He told me to be and not let people deter me on the way or get me frustrated. For it is in going where I am supposed to go and being where I am supposed to be and in not letting life or people deter that…that the world, the people around me see an unfathomable love for Jesus and He gets a ton of glory for that. So sometimes, He allows others to stand between me and my goal, simply so that they can see a life not deterred by them in getting to my destination. I am GOING and won’t be stopped. But instead of being frustrated by those in my way…perhaps a little party going on instead… so they see the passion with which I love my Jesus and want to know why and what makes that happen. It is because I KNOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST and the surpassing value of HIM over all things.
Eph 3:19-21
19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fulness of God.
ALL FOR YOU
“I wish these people would get out of my way. I could get to where I wanted to be so much quicker, if it weren’t for these people.”
That is when that voice that I know to be God boomed inside my head. You know the One that puts things in perspective and makes you realize just how wicked you are. Yes, that’s the voice. The One that speaks to your soul and causes you to realize how selfish you are.
And what did that voice say? “Christy, why are you always so interested in your destination. I am more interested in the people seeing Jesus in you along the way, not that you arrive at where you are going. Your destination is already determined, but you are to affect the people in your path. So, slow down…life is about people seeing you love me more than all, not getting to the end.”
It was then I realized the whole point for my outing was about people. Where I was going, what I was doing was about people. And it was in that moment, I turned the radio up and had a little Jesus party in my car. I didn’t need to run over anyone to get there. I just needed to go where He told me to go and be where He told me to be and not let people deter me on the way or get me frustrated. For it is in going where I am supposed to go and being where I am supposed to be and in not letting life or people deter that…that the world, the people around me see an unfathomable love for Jesus and He gets a ton of glory for that. So sometimes, He allows others to stand between me and my goal, simply so that they can see a life not deterred by them in getting to my destination. I am GOING and won’t be stopped. But instead of being frustrated by those in my way…perhaps a little party going on instead… so they see the passion with which I love my Jesus and want to know why and what makes that happen. It is because I KNOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST and the surpassing value of HIM over all things.
Eph 3:19-21
19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fulness of God.
ALL FOR YOU
survivor
I was watching Survivor last night, which is a rare thing. One, because I seldom watch TV, but two because I haven’t kept up with Survivor and am usually not interested in stepping into something in the middle. But last night, I just sat down beside my man for a few and watched and listened. I was actually eating a yummy apple fritter, so I was really more interested in the down time to enjoy that than the show, but something caught my attention. It was the fact that one of the players was quoting from memory passages of Scripture from Ephesians. I heard God’s Word coming through loud and clear and my ears perked up. A believer in the game of survivor. Oddly enough, he has seen favor as he continues to win immunity, play with integrity and has advanced. Everyone knows he is a threat and everyone sees that he has the potential to win-so they want to take him out. Not because he is bad, doing something wrong, but simply because he will keep them from what they want.
Isn’t that how we view life? We are playing Survivor, thinking we have to outwit and outlast, instead of realizing the whole game is about relationship. And not with the ones you think. We are working so hard to develop a network of people that we think we need in order to be able to get to what we want to win and totally forget that it is all about the ONE who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond what we can think or ask. Oh, we add Him to the game, but we play to outwit and outlast, instead of building the relationship that brings Victory.
We might survive playing the game of life, but I would prefer to be Victorious in the end. Not outwitting or out lasting, but being given immunity and deliverance, victory and redemption in the end. Not interested in a jury of my peers giving me a reward, but in the everlasting reward of the ONE who grants success to those who choose to walk in love with Him. I might not get the affirmation, the million dollars or the reward of being a survivor, but I will achieve the crown of life and be granted to sit on the throne with My Jesus because I didn’t play a game, but was instead a Victor linked to the King.
Many of us are Believers playing the game of survivor, instead of Believers that are walking victorious. Will you spend your days trying to outwit and outlast or walk knowing you have overcome the world and there is no reason to play the game? You have already won! Are you trying to take others out so that you can move ahead in the game?
I Jn 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world-- our faith.
Which are you playing?
ALL FOR YOU
Isn’t that how we view life? We are playing Survivor, thinking we have to outwit and outlast, instead of realizing the whole game is about relationship. And not with the ones you think. We are working so hard to develop a network of people that we think we need in order to be able to get to what we want to win and totally forget that it is all about the ONE who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond what we can think or ask. Oh, we add Him to the game, but we play to outwit and outlast, instead of building the relationship that brings Victory.
We might survive playing the game of life, but I would prefer to be Victorious in the end. Not outwitting or out lasting, but being given immunity and deliverance, victory and redemption in the end. Not interested in a jury of my peers giving me a reward, but in the everlasting reward of the ONE who grants success to those who choose to walk in love with Him. I might not get the affirmation, the million dollars or the reward of being a survivor, but I will achieve the crown of life and be granted to sit on the throne with My Jesus because I didn’t play a game, but was instead a Victor linked to the King.
Many of us are Believers playing the game of survivor, instead of Believers that are walking victorious. Will you spend your days trying to outwit and outlast or walk knowing you have overcome the world and there is no reason to play the game? You have already won! Are you trying to take others out so that you can move ahead in the game?
I Jn 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world-- our faith.
Which are you playing?
ALL FOR YOU
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