Now that I have your attention ;)
For the past couple years I have followed a reading that a church in Chicago sends out via email. Here is the link if you are interested. It continues to ground me in the word and I'm beyond thankful and in awe of the Lord working in my life, AT ALL TIMES! I started writing this post back in January, and it has been on my heart to wrap up the thoughts. Fitting seeing as the past week I have decided to lay off the workouts and rest. I want to walk and not run... that dixie chicks song 'Cowboy Take Me Away' seems to be my heart beat the past couple weeks. Being in the fitness industry I find myself getting easily wrapped up in serving an image. Forming the physique can easily take priority over anything else in my life. Yes it's about being fit and the rest will follow, but lets be honest... most of us care about our image and looks to some degree. Not to say that being healthy and working toward fitness achievements is right/wrong, it's not about that. I can tell I'm getting burnt out and overtraining is about to set in. Our body is the temple of the holy spirit and we are called to honor God with our body, not honor our body as God. Time to rest, recover and spend time at the Lords feet. Put others before myself. Pour out not of myself and my strength but out of overflow received from the Father. Then just maybe my dixie chicks tune will change and I'll be 'Ready to Run' ;) Seeing as I have already gone off on a different avenue it would be a good time to dive into the original topic...
This teaching I believe reveals the contrast between what the world grabs for us to walk in and what walking in the fullness/wholeness/whatever of Christ is. (enter whatever super spiritual word works best there) Yes, I am being super spiritual...deal with it! The point is, our culture is grabbing for our attention into a fantasy world. We can so easily give our hearts to other 'lovers' and indulge in temporary satisfaction to fill the desires of our hearts. I'm def guilty of getting sucked into all the 'virtual life' that can take the place of real living and real relationships. How much time do we really spend on facebook, following or favorite twitter stars, and trying to make our own story appear exciting and glorious to the cyber community? I want to share how extremely challenged and encouraged I am by this concept. Seems like the deeper I get in His word the more it reveals the contrast of how I live and what I seek does not always match what it looks like to truly seek and live in His kingdom. The scripture after all says; seek His kingdom above all else...
Some QUESTIONS and A TRUTH that made me evaluate my walk:
1. How important is it for you to have the majority on your side?
2. Would you still follow even if there weren't many people in the crowd?
3. Why do you believe some people feel you have to be on TV, on the radio, have a massive twitter following, be published, etc to have a legitimate voice?
4. How does the life of Christ contrast with a culture that seeks to make a name for themselves?
*That is a tough question!
5. Jesus is not impressed with the number of followers.
*That is a tough truth!For reference sake, the scriptures:
John 7:1-24 (NLT)
After this, Jesus traveled around Galilee. He wanted to stay out of Judea, where the Jewish leaders were plotting his death. But soon it was time for the Jewish Festival of Shelters and Jesus' brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, where your followers can see your miracles! You can't become famous if you hide like this! If you can do such wonderful things, show yourself to the world! For even his brothers didn't believe in him
Jesus replied, “Now is no the time for me to go, but you can go anytime. The world can't hate you, but it does hate me because I accuse it of doing evil. You go on. I'm not going to this festival, because my time has not yet come.” After saying these things, Jesus remained in Galilee.
But after his brothers left for the festival, Jesus also went, through secretly, staying out of public view. The Jewish leaders tried to find him at the festival and kept asking if anyone had seen him. There was a lot of grumbling about him among the crowds. Some argued, “He's a good man, but others said, He's nothing but a fraud who deceives the people. But no one had the courage to speak favorably about him in public, for they were afraid of getting in trouble with the Jewish leaders.
Then, midway through the festival, Jesus went up to the Temple and began to teach. The people were surprised when they heard him. “How does he know so much when he hasn't been trained?” they asked.
So Jesus told them, “My message is not my own; it comes from God who sent me. Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own. Those who speak from themselves want glory only for themselves, but a person who seeks to honor the one who sent him speaks truth, not lies. Moses gave you the law, but none of you obeys it! In fact, you are trying to kill me.”
The crowd replied, “You're demon possessed! Who's trying to kill you?”
Jesus replied, “I did one miracle on the Sabbath, and you were amazed. But you work on the Sabbath, too, when you obey Moses' law of circumcision. (Actually, this tradition of circumcision began with the patriarchs, long before the law of Moses.) For if the correct time for circumcising your son falls on the Sabbath, you go ahead and do it so as not to break the law of Moses. So why should you be angry with me for healing a man on the Sabbath? Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly.”
More Scripture:
So Jesus said, When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will understand that I AM he. I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father taught me. And the one who sent me is with me-he has not deserted me. For I always do what pleases him.” Then many who heard him say these things believed in him. Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:28-32
“No,” Jesus said, “I have no demon in me. For I honor my Father – and you dishonor me. And though I have no wish to glorify myself, God is going to glorify me. He is the true judge. I tell you the truth, anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!” John8:49-50
Jesus answered, “If I want glory for myself, it doesn't count. But it is my Father who will glorify me. You say, 'He is our God,' but you don't even know him, I know him. If I said otherwise, I would be as great a liar as you! But I do know him and obey him. Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad.
The people said, “You aren't even fifty years old. How can you say you have seen Abraham?”
Jesus answered, “ I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I AM!” At that point they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden from them and left the Temple. John8:54-59
SO WHAT IS THIS SAYING?
Well, it's safe to say God was not impressed with just the number of followers. Despite what happened Jesus didn't flinch. The crowd who followed Jesus thinned out. The fickle followers of Jesus were sifted out by some difficult teaching, yet the 12 decided to stay (John 6:66)
Jesus had to deal with some of the stuff that we do walking with Christ. One would be fading crowds. The second is serious misunderstandings from his own brothers! From their perspective they saw Jesus as a public servant and thought since the crowd left maybe he could save the situation and gain some followers. There seems to be a difference between being a fan and being a disciple. The scripture says you are truly a disciple if you remain faithful to the teaching. It's one thing to be a fan of Jesus, press the “like” button for Jesus on facebook and another to become a disciple.
Jesus wants us to stand for the truth, live in the truth, his sons and daughters to be set free by HIS GRACE, and not worry about the number of the crowd.
PRAYER
Then they suggest to pray this. Honestly I had to take a step back and ask myself, can I pray that from my heart? Not to say you have to have a script to talk to God. Learning to pray in His will is what counts I would say. And being real with God, let him handle the ugly. He really does turn the bitterness into something sweet. So yeah, could you honestly pray something along these lines?
Dear Father, we recognize that we live in a culture that is more concerned with the praise of men rather than the praise of God. Help us not to shrink back from proclaiming and demonstrating new life in Christ. May you and your truth be our majority. Continue your great work of weakening all the desires we have to make a name for ourselves. May we know the joys of being your servants and give you all the glory. Most importantly, give us a desire to know you better. We believe that Jesus is the Christ and that we have true life in his name. Amen.
WHAT I TAKE FROM ALL THIS is to be confident in the Lord. What I have to offer and what anyone that is seeking the will of God has to offer is of IMMEASURABLE VALUE! Don't shrink back, but let the light shine. Even in weakness, most of all in weakness. That is where His strength is made perfect. No matter what the number of the following and who is watching, stand for the truth. He will guide me and lift me up, no need to strive to make a name for myself. Be humble, get low to end up high. Seek to exalt His name. He alone is worthy. Walking in humility is glorious, and somehow does attract attention. (John8:50) It's not just something that works for you or doesn't work for you. It's a gift to receive life in Christ and you chose to receive it or ignore it. Or watch as others receive theirs and be envious of it, or even mock it. We are given this glorious gift of life from God and we get to watch as it all unfolds. There is a cost though. It costs giving up your life to receive true life. I have seen people with so little have so much more joy and happiness than those with fame and fortune. Each day we can choose to seek Christ or seek our own fame and fortune. As we follow Jesus every promise He has made us will come to pass. Gosh, that makes me thankful. My business is His business.
The Lord has a forgiving, loving, passionate heart toward us, with an amazing love story waiting to be told. I am going to start calling myself a hopeful romantic, just decided!
Writing this made me want to listen to an old fave! Seriously..i wanna walk and not run...
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