Jesus is our priceless treasure. Because Jesus is worthy, because Jesus is worth it, "the whole church must take the whole gospel to the whole world" (Lausanne Covenant, 1974). As we fall deeper in love with Jesus, we become like Him. To be like Jesus is to love the nations of the world. To love the nations is to proclaim to them the gospel. The gospel is what God has done for us in Christ.
God has all resources. As we abide in Jesus, He pours Himself into us. When we are full of Jesus--His Spirit, His love-this fullness affects our spirits, it "lifes" us, it keeps us sweet and simple. From there we bless others near us; from there we bless the world. The abiding value simply means we take extravagant time with Jesus daily. While we will all do this differently, the essentials are time in God's word, the Bible, and in God's presence, prayer. The specifics are up to you. There will be many variables. There will be seasons of life. But together we declare that above all else we value Jesus. His person, His presence is everything to us, and we will demonstrate this by giving Him extravagant time daily.
How are you drawing strength from Him?
Are you falling deeper in love with Jesus? Are you becoming like Him?
Prayer Focus: Rashaida People
The video below is off a Rashaida woman singing and dancing to celebrate the birth of a child.
Pray as you watch that these people who have never heard the name of Jesus will have access to the Gospel.
11 comments:
That video is amazing - spent time watching and praying for those girls dancing
In my alone time today, I have found myself singing "I give myself away so you can use me!". Today I am feeling empowered by God's word "I will never leave you nor forsake you".
In the passage from today, I found comfort that if we abide in him, he will sustain us! He will cultivate us, fertilize us, and rain on us with his presence so that our fruit will be nourishing to those around us! I'm so thankful for this grat reminder!
My daily reading and prayer time are very important in helping me to grow closer to Jesus.
Check out what a Young Adult Wrote on Her Blog about today's reading:
This chapter is about abiding in Jesus and spending extravagant time with him daily. Every person's quiet time is different; we have the same essential elements, but we all do them in our own way. I've never been one to spend a large amount of time doing these things, just as long as I did them daily. But one of the challenges the journal offers is to tithe your time during the 30 days of the journal. That's roughly 2 1/2 hours every day.
It can sound a bit overwhelming, but when you consider the things you clog your day with like T.V., Facebook, etc, it makes it easier to see how 2 1/2 hours isn't too much to ask. What do you really get from watching that movie or from sitting at the computer playing games? You know the saying "Could've had a V8?" Well, how about "Could've prayed!", or "Could've read the Bible!"
Then, when you start spending extravagant time with Jesus you want to do it more. That time becomes special. I just spent an hour only on reading the Bible. I've never done that before(It's a pretty neat, if I must say so)! I can't wait to see what I'll discover by spending extravagant time with Jesus every day.
Check out Brianna's Blog Post on Abiding
http://briannabelote.wordpress.com/2012/04/06/abiding/
My drive time (which I spend a lot of my day doing) is critical to the success of my day and really my sanity for that matter when it comes to really spending time praying, praising, and worshipping God. Being involved in group devotionals keep me committed to spending time in the Word- although that is an area that I really could make a renewed effort in.
As I hear more and more often in church the encouragement and admonishing to strive to love like Jesus, it really convicts me when I can identify something that I'm doing or saying that might not have been the best choice. As the two of these (time with God and true conviction) become more relevant in these recent times for me, it let's me know that God must be speaking to me that he really does have a plan for me!
My most important time of the day is when I am alone in my car listening to my worship music. I feel like the songs I hear come at the right time and is specifically speaking a message a purpose to me right them. It give me a open heart and mind because I don't have my kids with me to distract my thoughts.It is the time that God really speaks to me. I feel like the more time I devote to the Lord the deeper I am falling in love with him. It is making me become more sensitive to other people's needs around me.
I was shocked at the areas of my day that I could include God...I can spend time with Him all throughout day. He wants too, I've just never invited Him in. I always thought it had to be solitude with Him instead of living my life WITH Him.
I was very intrigued by how God wants to spend what I deem to be "insignificant" time such as, driving, working out, & etc. I'm grateful that this humongous God would take my little time with Him so serious. GOD IS AWESOME!!
Just acknowledging God in the mundane opens up a whole avenue for worship...in walking the dogs, in cleaning the house, in seeing a thunderhead off in the distance, in standing in line at Walmart...every single moment holds the potential for God to intersect our lives...others lives...I must train my thought processes, my eyes and ears, to remain - abide - in Him. Awesome revelation!
As I begin again the reflecting on the journal writings, I was struck with the beginning thought: "Because Jesus is worth it, 'the whole church must take the whole gospel to the whole world!'"
The thought immediately came to mind, I must take the whole of Jesus. I cannot take a portion of Him to those around me. I cannot simply extend others a glass of water or buy them a meal. While Jesus commands that I do these things to those around me, to the poor and the homeless and the widowed, I must also take Him into the situation. I must speak Him into the very presence in which I am offering whatever is needed. Otherwise, the very act of obedience and hospitilaty becomes one that wastes the opportunity to share the whole of Jesus: forgiveness, healing, restoration, and life...eternal life.
Thank you, Lord, for this reminder to take the whole You into each and every situation. Thank You for giving of Yourself...not holding back one bit...so that I may be saved.
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