It’s all about HIM

It’s all about HIM

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…I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ… (Philippians 3:8 – NASB)

Reading the Bible is a holy walk, and must be done with an attitude of reverence and alertness that will make us ready to receive truth in a manner that will transform our lives. If we do not, we may find ourselves walking over holy ground, and being totally unaware of the treasures beneath our feet. Like Moses, when we read the Scriptures we need to take the shoes of indifference off our feet, and realize we are treading on holy ground.

When I read the passage before us recently I found myself on holy ground; I found that, just beneath the surface was a secret that would sustain me for the rest of my life. It is a secret I had discovered before, but with the passing of time had slipped into the background.

The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him,
And He will make them know His covenant. (Psalm 25:14 – NASB)

The secret I re-discovered was that the Christian life is all about Him, has ever been about Him, and will always be about Him.  From God’s perspective it is all about us, because He loves us with an everlasting love and sacrificed His only Son so that we should not perish, but that we should have eternal life.

But from our perspective, if we want to grow in grace, we must come to the point where it is all about Him. Every grace and goodness that can flow into our lives comes not from trying to achieve greatness, even the greatness of a holy life, but in making Jesus Christ the pivot and central focus of our lives.

It’s all about HIM

…I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ… (Philippians 3:8 – NASB)

I thought that the Christian Life was

All about striving for greatness;

Striving to make myself holy –

To find, at last, true happiness.

I thought that all of my striving,

And my anxious, fervent longing,

Would create in me a wondrous

Sense of just truly belonging.

Now all these things were admirable,

And worthy of a seeking heart;

They surely were sent from Heaven,

And were meant to give me a start.

Yet something I knew was missing;

It was something I could not yet grasp,

And this something kept eluding,

Till it dawned on me – to just ask.

The secret at last was revealed:

Seek Him until you have found Him,

Then cling with all of your being,

And then you will get to know Him.

It’s really quite simple my friend,

It’s not hard now to understand;

It’s all about Him in the end,

Till at last in His Presence you stand.

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Without a Vision

Without a Vision

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Where there is no vision, the people perish… (Proverbs 29:18 – KJV)

The vision referred to here is supernatural, such as only God can impart to the human soul.

When God finds a man or woman who is so open to His will and His way, He gives them such an understanding that can inspire others and set them on fire for the truth.

Such a man was George Whitfield who preached with such power thousands were won to Christ.

Such a man was John Wesley whose heart was strangely warmed at Alders gate, and went on to found the Methodist church.

Such a team was William and Catherine Booth who set London ablaze with the message of Salvation through the Salvation Army.

Such a man was Robert Murray McCheyne, who only lived to the age of twenty nine, but who learned to weep for the lost in such a way as sparked revival in his time.

I could go on and on, citing people in the Bible and out of it to illustrate what it means to have a vision of God, but you get my point. Not all you receive a vision from God will be as dramatically successful or famed as these, but their lives will make an impact will not fail to inspire those around them.

The  question is, “Are you and I as open as these to God’s will and purpose as these men and woman are. Can God trust us with a vision that will transform those around us?”

Will our generation perish because there are not enough men and woman open enough to receive a vision of God.

Without a Vision*

A Shakespearean or English Sonnet

(© Tuesday 21st March 1995 – by Christopher Shennan)

“Without a vision the people perish,”

Without a vision the multitudes die.

For the eyes grow dim; hope can’t flourish

When the heart can’t lift in search of the sky.

The human spirit has to dream and reach for

The highest and best that God can provide,

But often, it seems, there’s nothing to search for,

And nothing to stir cold hearts deep inside.

Grant a vision, Lord, to hearts made of stone,

To eyes that are blinded, or growing dim.

Reveal all your glory to those alone —

And those still hungering and thirsting for Him.

Why should those perish who have never heard,

While I hold in my heart Christ’s living Word?

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