The video below touches me on a very personal level. I was a fan about a year and a half ago. Then by God's grace He called me to know Him more. I came to a point where I realized I was only going to church and doing devotions because that is how I was raised. I was frustrated with living the lukewarm Christian life. It completely changed my life when I went from a fan to a follower. Being a fan is easy, it doesn't require much commitment and you look good to those around you. Being a follower is hard most days, but that is what Jesus called us to be.
I am not a fan, are you? I would love to hear your story if you have gone from a fan to a follower.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Monday, July 4, 2011
Fasting and Feasting
America lives and breathes in front of the television screen. Between video games, movies, and television the average American spends 3-4 hours per day in front of the TV. Four hours a day! That means that the average American spends one day out of every week in front of the TV. I would guess that the average American Christian spends 15-20 minutes in the Word of God on a good day. Fifteen minutes a day compared to three hours, I don’t think I am the only one who sees something really wrong with this picture. Many of you right now are thinking, “I don’t spend that much time watching TV and I go to several church activities throughout the week so I am way better than the average American.”
Stop comparing yourself against the average and start looking at what God has called us to do in His word. Maybe television isn’t where you spend much time; maybe it is Facebook or some other activity. We all have areas in our lives that we spend way too much time in. When we die we won’t be wishing we had watched more movies or spent more time on Facebook. All of that does not matter compared to knowing God.
Philippians 3:7-14 says “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith intChrist—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Are you willing to consider the things of this world such as movies, video games, Facebook, etc. as garbage? I am not saying that we just completely abandon these things and live completely separate from them. All of these things can be beneficial in some contexts, but we need to monitor our time on them. We are commanded in the Bible to fast. Most of the time people think of fasting from food, but we can fast from other things. Fasting from the things that consume most of our time can be very beneficial. It is us saying “Lord, I count everything as loss compared to knowing you, and because of this I am giving up an earthly thing to know you more and dedicate more of my life to following You.” Let us start fasting from earthly things and start feasting on God’s words.
Feasting on His word is more than reading a chapter a day and then saying a quick prayer each morning. It is us focusing all of our attention and digging into the Word of God. It is us setting a significant section of time aside just to read and meditate on the Word. I like the term “feasting” because it gives the picture of eating until we are stuffed and overflowing. I believe too many times we try to get through our days with just a snack. A snack will never be enough to give us all the strength we need for each day. Feast on the Word. Also I believe that God has gifted many writers and they have written great devotional books, but let this never replace our study of the Word itself. Nothing should ever come in place of the Word, it is sufficient in itself. Examine your life and ask God to show you where you need to fast and how to feast more on His Word.
Stop comparing yourself against the average and start looking at what God has called us to do in His word. Maybe television isn’t where you spend much time; maybe it is Facebook or some other activity. We all have areas in our lives that we spend way too much time in. When we die we won’t be wishing we had watched more movies or spent more time on Facebook. All of that does not matter compared to knowing God.
Philippians 3:7-14 says “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith intChrist—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Are you willing to consider the things of this world such as movies, video games, Facebook, etc. as garbage? I am not saying that we just completely abandon these things and live completely separate from them. All of these things can be beneficial in some contexts, but we need to monitor our time on them. We are commanded in the Bible to fast. Most of the time people think of fasting from food, but we can fast from other things. Fasting from the things that consume most of our time can be very beneficial. It is us saying “Lord, I count everything as loss compared to knowing you, and because of this I am giving up an earthly thing to know you more and dedicate more of my life to following You.” Let us start fasting from earthly things and start feasting on God’s words.
Feasting on His word is more than reading a chapter a day and then saying a quick prayer each morning. It is us focusing all of our attention and digging into the Word of God. It is us setting a significant section of time aside just to read and meditate on the Word. I like the term “feasting” because it gives the picture of eating until we are stuffed and overflowing. I believe too many times we try to get through our days with just a snack. A snack will never be enough to give us all the strength we need for each day. Feast on the Word. Also I believe that God has gifted many writers and they have written great devotional books, but let this never replace our study of the Word itself. Nothing should ever come in place of the Word, it is sufficient in itself. Examine your life and ask God to show you where you need to fast and how to feast more on His Word.
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