This afternoon, I was sitted at
'my desk' reading up on a number of things and this awesome friend of mine
tagged me in an article. It's title was 'What
Are You Leading People to Expect from Jesus?'
It really does not seem like that big a deal but to be honest, and the one thing on my mind was 'another motivational type of thing.' Unfortunately, I am very tired of reading feel good articles and listening to feel good sermons emphasizing the power of satisfied needs in Christ. Actually scratch that, the power of satisfied wants in Christ.
'What does that even mean Jess?' you ask
It simply means I'm tired of sermons and teachings that offer Jesus up as a solution giver for all life's problems, an ATM machine for when we're broke and some sort of consolation prize for when we are hurting.
Does God provide, absolutely! Does God heal, absolutely! Does God comfort, again yes he really does! God does all these things of His own will and accord not by virtue of how much we can nag Him into doing them.
I just remembered a tweet this afternoon by Byamukama Joseph about God doing things in His own time and it ties so beautifully into what I am trying to say.
If God chooses to heal, hallelujah. If He does not choose to heal, hallelujah; either way blessed be His name. Whatever He chooses to do, He will do.
We live in such an entitled era where we make the demands and whoever is on the other side, has no option but to make it happen. And this attitude has very easily crept into our relationship with the maker of the universe. Our creator! No, I do not use those two terms lightly. I fear that we do not have any reverence for God. We have fashioned Him in our image and now think we can do and demand whatever we please from Him. He who made us for His pleasure, we have now made for our pleasure.
But how dare we have such a blatant disregard for the sovereignty of God?
I will quote Amy Simpson 'Jesus really is the source of all true satisfaction. He promises blessing to those who are willing to hold out for its future fulfillment: “God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied” (Matt. 5:6). Rather than appeal to people’s consumerist appetites, we can inspire people to know and follow Christ on his own terms—because he is God, he loves us, he is trustworthy, and ultimately he is the only answer that makes any sense. He fills us with “rivers of living water” (John 7:38) that give us a foretaste of the full, quenching invitation to come (Rev. 22:17).'
You can find her article here
It really does not seem like that big a deal but to be honest, and the one thing on my mind was 'another motivational type of thing.' Unfortunately, I am very tired of reading feel good articles and listening to feel good sermons emphasizing the power of satisfied needs in Christ. Actually scratch that, the power of satisfied wants in Christ.
'What does that even mean Jess?' you ask
It simply means I'm tired of sermons and teachings that offer Jesus up as a solution giver for all life's problems, an ATM machine for when we're broke and some sort of consolation prize for when we are hurting.
Does God provide, absolutely! Does God heal, absolutely! Does God comfort, again yes he really does! God does all these things of His own will and accord not by virtue of how much we can nag Him into doing them.
I just remembered a tweet this afternoon by Byamukama Joseph about God doing things in His own time and it ties so beautifully into what I am trying to say.
If God chooses to heal, hallelujah. If He does not choose to heal, hallelujah; either way blessed be His name. Whatever He chooses to do, He will do.
We live in such an entitled era where we make the demands and whoever is on the other side, has no option but to make it happen. And this attitude has very easily crept into our relationship with the maker of the universe. Our creator! No, I do not use those two terms lightly. I fear that we do not have any reverence for God. We have fashioned Him in our image and now think we can do and demand whatever we please from Him. He who made us for His pleasure, we have now made for our pleasure.
But how dare we have such a blatant disregard for the sovereignty of God?
I will quote Amy Simpson 'Jesus really is the source of all true satisfaction. He promises blessing to those who are willing to hold out for its future fulfillment: “God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied” (Matt. 5:6). Rather than appeal to people’s consumerist appetites, we can inspire people to know and follow Christ on his own terms—because he is God, he loves us, he is trustworthy, and ultimately he is the only answer that makes any sense. He fills us with “rivers of living water” (John 7:38) that give us a foretaste of the full, quenching invitation to come (Rev. 22:17).'
You can find her article here
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