Wanting Something More

Sometimes the pull of the world is strong--too strong.
The bright flashes of the world blind you to the steady light of His Holy Word. You are drawn to the heavy beat of this life which drowns out the quiet pulse of His Spirit.
In the light of the day you're all smiles but when the golden beams disappear tears brim brightly in your eyes because you are left wanting something more.
You can't cry out for fear someone might hear but you want to scream until the stark pain inside becomes physical.

Empty, empty, empty--a silent mockery drums into your bleeding heart.

Why are the others satisfied?
How can they be so happy when their soul rings hollow?
Was there none others left hungry?
Were there no others passed by when the food was served?
Does the world satisfy their cravings only?

Still empty, empty, empty...

Your weary arms droop, no more outstretched to the heavens made of brass.
Oh how empty is this world! How shallow are her joys and comforts! How deceitful is the lulling slur of compromise! Oh how deadly is the comatose creeping into the lives of many!

Oh but how difficult is that other path which calls for more!
How blood-soaked are the steps that lead to satisfaction!

And yet praise the Lord, His grace is sufficient!

Each day you rise to fight once again, and each day He comes to join you in the ranks.

"BE YE SEPERATE"(2 cor. 6:17)
"DO NOT BE CONFORMED BUT BE TRANSFORMED"(rom. 12:2)

His battle-cries ring in your ears, urging you on to a life of something more.
A life of battling compromising with sin.
A life on the other path.

How the Supremacy of Christ Creates Radical Christian Sacrifice

So I finally decided to post something since Yana keeps writing some good stuff!
However, since i have no original thought, i'm quite sure that anyone who reads this might just feel like they have heard it from somewhere else.. but i will spare you the investigation and just tell you I took a few notes while listening to John Piper's sermon How the Supremacy of Christ Creates Radical Christian Sacrifice
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/ConferenceMessages/ByDate/2008/2724_How_the_Supremacy_of_Christ_Creates_Radical_Christian_Sacrifice

I cannot begin to tell you how much this sermon has broken me to tears over how badly i need to see this in my life...

¯ the Supremacy of Christ creates radical Christian sacrifice when we treasure our future reward vastly more than we treasure this world and the comforts of life. EVERYTHING. We treasure our future reward a thousand times more than all of our desires that are fleeting passions.
¯ Christ, Glorious and Supreme, is that reward.
¯ Hebrews 10. Hebrews presents Christ as purification for sins and the one who opens the door to the end. He gets us somewhere.
¯ Clearly from this book, Christ and his work are a means to something…eternal life... however!!!
¯ He, at that very moment, became and displayed the supreme beauty of the glory of the grace of God. Which the universe was designed to display for our everlasting enjoyment. Christ becomes the clearest focus of the end for which we were made (Eph. 1:6).
¯ We won't put behind us the event of the Cross.. The worst event of existence will be the thing we will eternally praise about, because it is that very thing that will cause us to not be able to hold back our praise for the rest of eternity!!

so... what do you do??....

Think on Christ!
Do not neglect the whole book of Hebrew's testimony to our great treasure!
• He is God's final revelation
• He is the heir of all things
• He is the creator of the world
• He is the radiance of God's glory
• He is the exact imprint of God's nature
• He upholds the universe by the word of His power
• He made purification for sins
• He sits at the right hand of the majesty
• He is God enthroned forever with the scepter of uprightness
• He is worshiped by angels
• His rule will have no end
• His Joy is above all other things in the universe
• He took on human flesh
• He was crowned in glory and honor because of His suffering
• He was the founder of our salvation
• He was made perfect in all of his obedience by his suffering
• He destroyed the one who has the power of death, the devil
• He delivered us from the bondage of fear
• He is a merciful and faithful high priest
• He made propitiation for sins
• He is sympathetic because of his own trials
• He never sinned
• He offered up loud cries of tears with reverent fear and God heard him
• He became the source of eternal salvation
• He holds his priesthood by virtue of an indestructible life
• He appears in the presence of God on our behalf
• He will come a second time to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him
• He is the same yesterday, today and forever
• And this supremacy of Christ is poured into the little pronoun "Him" (Hebrews 13:13).
• The sweetest fellowship you will ever know is the fellowship of his sufferings. (now this was the whole point of the sermon which is usually always neglected in many christian settings)
• The supremacy of Christ is also present, personal, precious, treasure.
• My desire and prayer for you is that there would be a radical flavor about your life(which is stirred up by the affections of this Supreme Treasure, Christ).
• Here we have no lasting city. We seek a savior in a city who is to Come!
.... sorry for the unorganized style of writing. but the point is clear I Hope... Christ is the very end to which all creation comes to. he is not the means to some end.. it is all about HIM!
Praise God for his mercy upon us through this revelation from His word! praise him that we are yet still living while we fully deserve the cup wrath Christ had to bear!

7 Reasons Why Preaching Is Not Enough

Biblical list which outlines need for small groups necessary for all radical Christians. Taken from Piper's sermon: The Love of Human Praise as the Root of Unbelief(link below).

http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/2009/4223_The_Love_of_Human_Praise_as_the_Root_of_Unbelief/

7 Reasons Preaching is Not Enough

1. The impulse avoid painful growth by disappearing safely into the crowd in corporate worship is very strong.
2. The tendency toward passivity in listening to a sermon is part of our human weakness.
3. Listeners in a big group can more easily evade redemptive crises. If tears well up in your eyes in a small group, wise friends will gently find out why. But in a large gathering, you can just walk away from it.
4. Listeners in a large group tend to neglect efforts of personal application. The sermon may touch a nerve of conviction, but without someone to press in, it can easily be avoided.
5. Opportunity for questions leading to growth is missing. Sermons are not dialogue. Nor should they be. But asking questions is a key to understanding and growth. Small groups are great occasions for this.
6. Accountability for follow-through on good resolves is missing. But if someone knows what you intended to do, the resolve is stronger.
7. Prayer support for a specific need or conviction or resolve goes wanting. O how many blessings we do not have because we are not surrounded by a band of friends who pray for us.

You can listen to great sermons your entire life and be full of knowledge but until you start applying and incorporating those Biblical teachings into your life you're nothing but talk. This goes first to me! Small groups are absolutely essential for personal application and accountability.

Only Jesus!

As I'm listening to Sovereign Grace's "Only Jesus" I am stricken by the truth of these words, and their depth. In the midst of this chaotic life when this world is bombarding us with various kinds of temptations, does my soul truly cling tightly to Jesus? Do I cry for Jesus, and only Him or am I desiring a little bit of this and a little bit of that and maybe at the end of the day a little bit of Jesus? It is very easy to fall into the trap of today's liberal Christianity and try to compromise our way through the narrow path set by Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. But here is a truth that will never fade:

compromising on "little" things will keep keep you from radical christianity

like paul says in romans 12... "Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewel of your mind so that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

Desire Jesus, only Jesus. Renew your mind daily on your complete and total dependence on Him and cling tight to the Cross on which He demonstrated His love for you! A truth which God has opened to me is that the only way the things of this world can grow dim in my sight is if Jesus grows larger and brighter in my sight, heart, mind. And the only way that can be true is if we pursue Him in prayer, in His Word, in worship.

may this quote ring true in all our lives: "My dear Jesus, my Savior, is so deeply written in my heart, that I feel confident, that if my heart were to be cut open and chopped to pieces, the name of Jesus would be found written on every piece." -St. Ignatius of Antioch