Sunday 1:10:10

My hope for us above everything else is that we’ll have a vibrant, dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ. Individually and corporately that we’ll be caught up in pursuing Him and loving Him. But I know what you know, this is a battle. We know that we should be in the Bible. We believe what the Bible says about itself. Psalm 19:7-10 7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. 10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. The word of God brings wisdom, joy, light to us. But sometimes we don’t want to be in the Word. We know that we should be in relationship with God, in prayer to him. We believe what the Bible says about being in God’s presence. Psalm 63:1-6 1 O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. 2 I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. 3 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. 4 I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. 5 My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. 6 On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. We know that God’s love is better than life and that knowing him satisfies us above anything else. But sometimes we don’t want to be in His presence. Why? Why don’t we want to be in the Scriptures that give us wisdom and joy? Why don’t we want to be in God’s presence that satisfies us above everything else? We all know what we’re supposed to do, but sometimes that’s not what we want to do. Because we’re all corrupted and warped by sin. There is something wrong in my heart when my quiet time has grown stale or non-existent. What can we do about it? Confess it to the Lord. He knows. He’s not more offended by this than any other sin. Ask others to pray for you. James 5:16 Two things I want to pray for me and you this year: Greater desire for the Lord. Philippians 3:7-11 7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Greater obedience to the Lord. Willing to leave what’s comfortable to take risks in obedience. Greater love for God and people.