Friday, April 1, 2011

Is Jesus really your everything?


Here is my New Year’s resolution for 2008. To do everything Christ wants me to do and when I fail to do so to get up and keep walking toward where He has called me.
            So many times God just wants us to trust that Jesus is enough for all of our problems. So many times we try to rationalize (that’s hilarious in and of itself) that we know in our own certainly unique situation that no person has ever been through before that Jesus although there to comfort and aid us can’t possibly be the answer in and of himself.
            Well, I’d surmise that you and I when we think that way are, quite frankly DEAD WRONG!
            Jesus is enough.
            I recently read a book by Anne Graham Lotz, “Jesus is my…Everything.”
            How different the world could be if we would just live that way. In most places throughout the United States and I’d venture to say the world we put everything else in front of Jesus.
            Friday night football is my…everything. The “cool pasture party” this weekend is my…everything. The next big concert is my…everything. The next paycheck is my…everything. My kids are my…everything. My family is my…everything. That next step up the ladder at work is my…everything. My church is my…everything. That preacher is my…everything. My friends are my…everything. My blackberry is my…everything. My land is my …everything. My house is my…everything. We could go on and on with just about any hobby, obsession, activity, or even thoughts that you want to put in front of Jesus.
            Is Jesus your…everything?
            I hope and pray He is your all in all.
            Most people think being good will get them into Heaven, I believe the Scriptures say different, I believe all they need is Jesus.
            Most people think their way of believing, their denomination is the best, and their ideas are superior to their peers, I believe Jesus says it’s not about what you believe it’s about who I am.
            In the Bible, Jesus says in the book of Matthew 11:28-30 (English Standard Version), “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest in your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
            God’s desire is to love you and for you to love Him. If your soul is heavy and you are growing tired and weary of this life, there is more. You can live forever when you accept Jesus work on the cross as payment for your sins. Ephesians 2:8 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not of your own doing; it is the gift of God,”
            Page32 of the book says, “God’s appeal to come is striking in it’s simplicity, stunning in its clarity, supreme in its authority, solemn in its inescapability, strong in its necessity, satisfying in its complexity, sufficient in its centrality, successful in its sufficiency.”
            One quote that has stuck with me from the book is this, “If all you attempt is that which you know you can do, or have the resources for, how will you ever discover what God can do?” (p57)
            Do we really trust Jesus with everything? Our checkbook, our savings, our decisions, our thoughts, our… everything, do we really trust Him?
            Who is your Jesus? You see in today’s world we love to marginalize truth and separate fact from fiction, we love to live in the grey area so that we aren’t really wrong but we aren’t really right either. We don’t want to suffer, because that might actually hurt us. We don’t want to fail because we might look stupid or inferior or feel embarrassed.
So what do we do, we make Jesus our Mr. fix it, we try to mold Him to be who we want Him to be, but only when we need Him. Friends I’m sorry to say, there is only one Jesus.
            The Mormons will try to tell you different, the talk shows will try to convince you other wise but I will stand on the promises of God that Jesus is, who God says He is and He did and is doing what God said He would do and is doing and will do.
            Page 74-75 I believe quotes and old sermon I once heard by an African American Pastor S M Lockridge. You can go to YouTube and watch the video “That’s My King!” on the web at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LT7mQda14s
 “My Jesus…his office is manifold, and His promise is sure. His life is matchless, and His goodness is limitless. His mercy is enough, and His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous, His yoke is easy and His burden is light. He is indestructible. He is indescribable. He is incomprehensible. He is inescapable. He is invincible. He is irresistible. He is irrefutable. I can’t get Him out of my mind…And I can’t get Him out of my heart. I can’t outlive Him…And I can’t live without Him. The Pharisees couldn’t stand Him, but found they couldn’t stop Him. Satan tried to tempt Him but found he couldn’t trip Him. Pilot examined Him on trial but found he couldn’t fault Him. The Romans crucified Him but found that couldn’t take His life. Death couldn’t handle Him, and the grave couldn’t hold Him.  My Jesus is ….Everything!”
Take time today to love Jesus. Because if you think about it, He is either your…everything, or He is your…

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