Last time we
discussed that Loving God involves seeing…
1. God is our
Highest Good
Just a couple
more thoughts on Loving God
2. The
Implications of the Incarnation is
(1) A Gospel of
Grace, Not Our Goodness
by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that
is, his body,
and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:20-22
and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:20-22
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. Titus 2:11-14
(2) Abiding in
Jesus… we must abide and participate in the life, the ONLY life that God has
provided.
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard,
which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have
touched--this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we
have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which
was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have
seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our
fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to
make our joy complete. 1 John 1:1-4
But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:3
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5
3. Cultivate a Passion
for Christ
Our passions are
God given and can be used strongly for noble and ignoble purposes. Some of The Enemies of Spiritual Passion include…
Complacency
Erosion of Spiritual Disciplines
External Obedience Only
Loving Truth more than Jesus
Elevating Service and Ministry above Jesus
Greater commitment to institutions than Jesus
A merely functional relationship with Jesus
We must try not
to leak out what God has put in.
Some of the
Sources of Spiritual Passion include….
Growing awareness of God
Sitting at Jesus feet
Imitating the Master
Cultivating spiritual affections
Increasing appreciation for the goodness of
God
focused attention
Willingness to let God break our outward shell
(SELF)
Desiring to please God more than people
Treasuring God
Maturing in trust
O my soul,
above all things and in all things always rest in the Lord, for He is the
eternal rest of the saints. Grant me most sweet and loving Jesus, to rest in
You above every other creature, above all health and beauty, above all glory
and honor, above all power and dignity, above all knowledge and precise
thought, above all wealth and talent, above all joy and exultation, above all
fame and praise, above all sweetness and consolation, above all hope and
promise, above all merit and desire, above all gifts and favors You give and
shower upon me, above all happiness and joy that the mind can understand and
feel, and finally, above all angels and archangels, above all the hosts of
heaven, above all things visible and invisible, and above all that is not You,
my God.—Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Christ
Next Time we'll begin: Holistic Spirituality
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