Josiah Elias
11-12-10
Don't Forget Jesus
So many times we get carried away with all the Christian routines of our daily life that we tend to forget what is most important. Caught up with the making sure that we read our Bible, pray throughout the day, attend the church services we are normally do and whatever other routines we abide by. I believe it can distract us from our relationship with God, if our motives are misguided.
Now I'm definitely not saying that these things are bad, THEY ARE GREAT! But where the problem comes in is when we lose the focus of WHY we are doing these things. We can read the Bible because we know that its good for us but tend to forget that the reason we're reading the Bible is to better our knowledge of Who God is. Discovering new and hidden things in the scriptures about the character and nature of God. We can pray a routine prayer before we eat a meal or go to bed, forgetting that the reason we pray that prayer in the first place is because we are incredibly grateful that God has blessed us with this meal or given us another day of life and health. Jesus modeled it this way and scripture encourages this.
Psa 119:11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.
Mar 8:6 So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And He took the seven loaves and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and they set them before the multitude.
1Th 5:16 Rejoice always,
1Th 5:17 pray without ceasing,
1Th 5:18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
One topic that I want to camp on for a minute is why we come to church. Many of us go to church because that's just what we do on Sundays or Wednesdays and its been that way as long as we can remember. When that routine because the driving factor as to why you attend a service, you have lost the focus as to why your a Christian. When you attend a church you should be attending because you aim to fellowship with God and other believers. The fellowship with other believers will strengthen your walk with the Lord. Its healthy to have that relationship with other people who are like minded with you. When you are looking to God to give you a message for those who need one you may just wake up one Sunday morning and have a word on your heart for the congregation that will bring life to someone in dire need. Blessed to bless others.
1Co 14:26 How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.
Being a pastor now I know what its like to be sitting in my office, praying and asking God what He would like me to share with the group in a particular service. We strive to hear from Heaven on what will motivate, encourage, edify, convict, and benefit those who hear the words we believe God has given us to deliver. Now on your part, you can come to that same service and if you believe your just coming to hear some speaker, than you will miss what God is trying to do in you. However, if you have the mentality that the minister speaking has been seeking God and has a message from God to the group that day, then it should provoke you to really pay attention and apply the lesson. Not because there is something the minister will say to you that will change your life, but perhaps God has something for you that will change your life and He's chosen that minister to be the messenger. Trust that the message he or she is delivering is from God and listen carefully to it. What is God saying to you through that sermon.
I've heard it said before that if you want your own ministry the best way to get that is to serve another persons ministry. Look at Joshua serving Moses, Look at Timothy under Paul, observe all the disciples under Jesus! They all had incredible ministries but had to serve someone else before they were ever given a platform of their own.
You may have some dreams and visions in your heart, but make sure that you don't forget about Jesus! Don't forget that the reason you serve under a government and authority at a church is to do what is pleasing in the sight of God and to build integrity and character within yourself. God will see and honor in that and bless you with the desires of your heart.
Psa 37:4 Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Now let me be clear on one thing. I'm not saying that your entire relationship with God is dependent upon your church attendance. NO WAY! In fact, you shouldn't have to attend church to be fed. You should be feeding off of the word all throughout the week. Singing Him songs, praising Him, loving others, having quality prayer time with God, and feasting on His word. THEN...when you come together in church you can share with one another what God has been teaching you throughout the week and encourage all those in fellowship with you. What an ideal way to do “church”.
To sum this all up, what I believe God wants me to say to you is this. Don't just follow through with the mundane repetitious routines of life as a Christian without discovering the immense value in what your doing. Your only hurting yourself if your just doing what you do because that's just the way it is. Or that's what you always do. You have to “Delight Yourself” in the Lord. Do these things because you are seeking after God and you see the value in spending time with Him.
I don't spend time with my wife because I have to, I spend time with her because I choose to! I want to! Its a joy! I am investing in a relationship with someone that I love! The same is true with God, we invest in our relationship with Him, because it is the most valuable relationship that we can ever invest in. Time spent with God is never wasted when the goal is to know Him better! To truly spend time with Him! Not just punch in the time clock with 15 minutes of prayer time, or 1 chapter of Bible reading. That doesn't score you any brownie points with God. Better a 5 second prayer from your heart towards God than 5 hours of soaking time with Him when you are not getting to know Him any better.
Joh 15:10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.
Abide in His love. Dwell with Him, be with Him, love Him, honor Him, spend quality time with Him. I promise you, this concept of just simply enjoying God is so vital to our relationship with him. If you don't know how to enjoy God, or have trouble developing that relationship with Him, just email me back and I would love to talk with you and go over some ideas that will help develop your relationship with God. All you need is a willing heart.
Pursue Jesus, don't forget about Him. Read His word, but don't forget about Him. Sing Him songs, but don't just sing songs, remember that your worshiping Jesus. Come to church, but only in pursuit of Jesus. Love other people because that's what Jesus would do. BE JUST LIKE JESUS!!!!
Josiah Elias
~Revival SD~
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