I was listening to podcast sermons all day at work today and some of the ones I was listening to fit in exactly with my last blog entry...
I really felt convicted about living for myself.
The moment we give our life to Christ, it is no longer ours.
There are some things that I want that I have just kind of been "avoiding" because I am not quite sure if they are exactly what Christ has for me.
The sermon I was listening to today was so convicting. When I am one with Christ - His desires are then my desires.
I don't have to "avoid" things I want - but instead, if I feel a desire for something, I need to take it to Him and completely give it to Him, and allow Him to do with it as He pleases.
I am not my own.
I die daily.
Not only should my fleshly desires and attitude die with my old self, but my new self should be in harmony with what Christ wants for me.
Trust me - this is SO difficult for me. Because as I am sure I have stated before - when I want something - I am definitely that person that stops at nothing to get it. But Christ has really convicted me of how important it is to wait for HIS timing and to look to Him for guidance with my desires.
If there is something that I want, that Christ does not want for me - then I definitely do not want to pursue that thing because who knows what harm and damage it could bring to my life and my walk with Christ.
A few "stop-me-in-my-tracks" comments/lessons I heard/learned today:
(Keep in mind - I was working while writing these - so looking over them now - some were a bit difficult for me to decode...but I hope they can still bring encouragement!)
* Holiness is living your life in such a way that the whole world can see YOU are God's property.
Have a HARD attitude about living for the Glory of God - As Christians it's easy to say you don't want to sin "very much" - but a soldier does not go in to war thinking "I don't want to get shot very much" - he says "I don't want to get shot at all". The Bible does not say "do not sin very much". It says do not sin at all.
* How many times do we do things out of the fear of man and not the fear of God. For example - we fear what others think of us - but how many times do we actually fear what God thinks of us?
* We fear because we do not know.
* Preparation will dispel a lot of fear - persecution - suffering - rejection is a normal life when you are living a Christian walk.
* Do not fear because of vindication. God WILL set things right. You will NEVER come up short for obeying the will of God. You will lose NOTHING - but gain absolutely everything.
* Your life is not about you - your career - your money - your spouse - your happiness are all irrelevant - your life is about the glory of God.
* The essence of the Christ Life is the passionate pursuit of holiness - obedience to the Word of God in every area of your life.
* A believer in Jesus Christ who has a hard desire and passion and is striving to be obedient to every aspect of the word of God in every area in his or her life no matter what the cost. - John Politan
* A cross is an instrument of Death - pick up your cross daily - you are going to be put to death every day.
* We die daily. Pick up your cross daily - die daily. NOTHING should be ahead of your walk with Jesus Christ.
* God doesn’t give commands so we can prove how much we love Him - He is giving them to show how much He loves us.
(These notes are inspired by or directly from the somanorth podcasts with Pastor Joe Gordon and John Politan)
