Thoughts of a Contemplating Guy who Loves Jesus

If you care... I wrote the following post while on a plane on my way back from Dallas, TX where I attended the Lead Now conference which focused on leaders of next generation ministries.  A lot of it is just personal convictions and thoughts that were going through my head as I traveled back home.  Enjoy.

So... Do we know what we really want? Who do we aim to please?  I often fall into a slump and pursue the approval of people and not that of God.  I’m hesitant to say things that God has laid upon my heart and also hesitant to do the things God has put on my heart to do.  In Ephesians 6 you can make the conclusion that “if we pursue the approval of men, we will not get the approval of God.”  I’m tired of living in a Christian realm where everyone needs to coexist happily and never be offended.  If we do and say the things that God wants us to say and do, then we will upset people and offend people.  Jesus knows how this goes.  He said things that caused people to leave him and walk away and then he turns to the disciples, the twelve guys that followed him everywhere and asks “Do you want to go with them?”  HA!  Jesus knew that the approval of men was not his priority.  If Jesus led a local church today, how many would commit to go to his church?  I hope many, but realistically I think few.  Jesus significantly raises the bar for people who follow him.  People aren’t willing to make the sacrifices that Jesus tells us to make.  But nonetheless, we’ve americanized Christianity to meet the consumer.  Let’s limit the sacrifice and be careful about what we say and do so that more people will come.

The early church, the first ones that guys like Peter and Paul planted understood what was going on in the beginning.  People joined the church knowing that there were groups seeking out these “church members” so that they could execute them.  They were willing to sacrifice their lives at any moment for the Lord they loved and followed.  What do we sacrifice to be a part of His church today?  A couple of extra hours of sleep on Sunday mornings?  Our golf outings?  What’s even more sad is that the people who do sacrifice their Sunday mornings for church, for more than half of them, that’s the only sacrifice they make.  They are not engaging themselves in community with other believers throughout the week.  They are not studying the word of God  Monday thru Saturday.  They don’t communicate with God in prayer the other 6 days of the week.

What for?!  Is Jesus going to spew us out like he does the church mentioned in Revelation?  Is he going to look at us face to face and say “Get away from me. I never knew you.”?

I want to give Jesus my all.  My heart, my dreams, my pains, and shames.  I want to be filled with courage to live the way that He has called me to, no matter what that means.  If it is something that the Holy Spirit has laid upon my heart to do or say, then I will do and say it.  I don’t care about what people think of me anymore.  I want the approval of Jesus and no one else.