Falling in Love with Christ
Falling in Love with Christ
I have a confession: I know Christ somewhat but I want to really know Him. Please pray for me that my ultimate desire be realized.
I have memories of dating my wife, UD. It was a long distance romance oceans apart. I was in the USA and she was in Nigeria. I met her briefly while visiting and upon return we started corresponding by letters (no emails then but snail mails). We had to arrange for a time and place for her to receive my phone calls which sometimes did not work out. We wrote tons of letters.
Separated by distance and making best efforts to know one another, cannot be compared to the day of the engagement, and eventual wedding and then living together. I had “doctrinal” knowledge of my wife but I now have experiential knowledge. We are both still trying to know each other. Some days she thinks I am from Mars (which is true, an alien) and I think she is from Venus and I am asking who are you.
Apostle Paul in Philippians 3 is letting us into his heart to share his deepest longings. He speaks to his Philippian friends having warned them of “dogs” who were preaching a different gospel than “Christ crucified”. Listen to Paul:
“7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead” Philippians 3:7-11.
Paul calls it the “excellence of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord”. Knowing Christ is a love relationship. Always keep in mind the honor bestowed on us. “You did not choose me I chose you”. There is nothing to boast about. It is an arranged marriage. You did not know you were in one.
Paul “chief of sinners” was so much in love with his Lord. Everything Paul did was based on the unconditional love Christ poured on him. Did you hear Paul? “6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church” vs.6. This drove him crazy to Christ when he remembers that he consented to the martyr of Stephen (Acts 7:54-60). Our past sins should drive us crazy for/to Christ and not bring condemnation which is not from Christ.
Paul wanted to know the person, character, longings, death, and yes “the power of His (Christ) resurrection”. He believed Jesus when he said “8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me”. He wanted to experience now the same resurrection power that freed him from sin and gave him hope of future resurrection. This is the power to live for today knowing that tomorrow is guaranteed in Christ and by Christ.
Paul consumed by the love of Christ, lived for significance (making a difference in others’ lives) instead of for success. Most of us are living for success. Paul understood that his life (though worst of sinners) mattered to God so he saw that others’ lives matter too. He was not self –centered or self-absolved. He lived only to proclaim to others this Christ who loved him and died for him. This is how we make a difference in others’ lives.
Do you really want to know the power of His resurrection? There is dying before resurrection. Lord, empowers us by your Holy Spirit to know and live for you. Help us to fall in love with you over and over again. Amen. Are you falling in love with Jesus?
Don’t settle for online dating with Jesus. Let's get off the social media into the “Scriptural media” and get to know Jesus. He wants our hearts and wants to reveal himself. He has scars on his body he wants to show us. He is longing and calling the rest of his children to himself and wants us to partner with him. He said He's plans for us are good and not evil and “[with a deep longing] you will seek Me and require Me [as a vital necessity] and [you will] find Me when you search for Me with all your heart”. (Jeremiah 29:11 AMP).
I have a confession: I know Christ somewhat but I want to really know Him. Please pray for me that my ultimate desire be realized.
I have memories of dating my wife, UD. It was a long distance romance oceans apart. I was in the USA and she was in Nigeria. I met her briefly while visiting and upon return we started corresponding by letters (no emails then but snail mails). We had to arrange for a time and place for her to receive my phone calls which sometimes did not work out. We wrote tons of letters.
Separated by distance and making best efforts to know one another, cannot be compared to the day of the engagement, and eventual wedding and then living together. I had “doctrinal” knowledge of my wife but I now have experiential knowledge. We are both still trying to know each other. Some days she thinks I am from Mars (which is true, an alien) and I think she is from Venus and I am asking who are you.
Apostle Paul in Philippians 3 is letting us into his heart to share his deepest longings. He speaks to his Philippian friends having warned them of “dogs” who were preaching a different gospel than “Christ crucified”. Listen to Paul:
“7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead” Philippians 3:7-11.
Paul calls it the “excellence of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord”. Knowing Christ is a love relationship. Always keep in mind the honor bestowed on us. “You did not choose me I chose you”. There is nothing to boast about. It is an arranged marriage. You did not know you were in one.
Paul “chief of sinners” was so much in love with his Lord. Everything Paul did was based on the unconditional love Christ poured on him. Did you hear Paul? “6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church” vs.6. This drove him crazy to Christ when he remembers that he consented to the martyr of Stephen (Acts 7:54-60). Our past sins should drive us crazy for/to Christ and not bring condemnation which is not from Christ.
Paul wanted to know the person, character, longings, death, and yes “the power of His (Christ) resurrection”. He believed Jesus when he said “8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me”. He wanted to experience now the same resurrection power that freed him from sin and gave him hope of future resurrection. This is the power to live for today knowing that tomorrow is guaranteed in Christ and by Christ.
Paul consumed by the love of Christ, lived for significance (making a difference in others’ lives) instead of for success. Most of us are living for success. Paul understood that his life (though worst of sinners) mattered to God so he saw that others’ lives matter too. He was not self –centered or self-absolved. He lived only to proclaim to others this Christ who loved him and died for him. This is how we make a difference in others’ lives.
Do you really want to know the power of His resurrection? There is dying before resurrection. Lord, empowers us by your Holy Spirit to know and live for you. Help us to fall in love with you over and over again. Amen. Are you falling in love with Jesus?
Don’t settle for online dating with Jesus. Let's get off the social media into the “Scriptural media” and get to know Jesus. He wants our hearts and wants to reveal himself. He has scars on his body he wants to show us. He is longing and calling the rest of his children to himself and wants us to partner with him. He said He's plans for us are good and not evil and “[with a deep longing] you will seek Me and require Me [as a vital necessity] and [you will] find Me when you search for Me with all your heart”. (Jeremiah 29:11 AMP).
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