SHILOH MESSENGER - June 2013
















 

In Knowing Him, His Passion Becomes Our Passion

Philippians 3:10

A figure of speech that has been around a long time, that is quite familiar, and frequently used is “You cannot tell a book by its cover.”  This old saying has some partial truth but does not have all the truth, as its intent is to mean, you cannot judge someone by their outward appearances. There is an argument to be found here, because actually you can tell quite a bit about an individual by his or her many outward expressions of how they just simply do their life. The external indicator does have great weight, and seems actually to do a pretty good job of relaying information. Luke 6:45, the very words of Christ HIMSELF tell us that, “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Therefore what we do and what we say, that outward exposure of us really does reveal more of an evidence of who we are inside. Our lives are constantly on display by the people we come in contact with, while some of those people we engage with may be face to face, still others may be through other means of interaction. Yes we are constantly unfolding who we are, what is important to us, what kind of heart we have, what are our passionate pursuits, what is it that we treasure and also whom do we most identify with and belong.
Numerous people in this Nation if approached, and if asked if they know Jesus Christ would say, Oh yes they know Christ; in fact Barna research has conducted Nationwide surveys with such questions among people. Even though there are many who say yes they do know HIM, there is always a litmus test involved and this test shows its true colors and is evident by what kind of passion is coming forth from an individual’s everyday life. To know someone to the degree as this scripture text by The Apostle Paul in Philippians 3:10 implies, there is a much more intense desire to know Jesus more deeply. Paul knew Christ, and knew HIM well, in fact when Paul wrote Philippians 3:10, The Apostle had been living for Christ for years, had preached the Gospel of Jesus, and suffered in many ways for God to be glorified. Paul’s life depicts one with an all-out intense spiritual hunger inside of him, with such an intimacy and love for HIS LORD that he was as a result truly given over to take on HIS very likeness. You see when you know Christ and have taken on HIS Passion, and HIS heart, you absolutely want to know more, and yet even still the more in increasing measures, because truly knowing HIM always catapults you into more hunger. So what is Christ passionate about, what does HE pursue with fiery zeal, what was HIS life all about, and do we who say we know Him have that same passion? Can we honestly say with integrity that we identify with HIM, and what is it that we are revealing to others while doing this thing called life? Most people in this Nation know about Christ, but yet there is this manifestation, that many who say they do, really do not know HIM to the point of truly identifying with HIM, and taking on HIS likeness.

The passion of Christ always lines up with the will of The Father, and the passion of God THE FATHER is always toward giving HIS utmost highest good, and HIS very best into humanity, because of HIS heart of love for HIS most treasured creation. CS Lewis said, “God does not want something from us, HE simply wants us.” We can see the heart of The Father through Jesus. We are told in scripture by Christ, that if we have seen HIM, then we have seen The Father. (John 14; 9) Therefore there is much to view about The Father by way of looking into the Gospels and examining how Jesus went about life. Jesus is the kind of individual that you would just immediately have a curiosity about and would want to be around, because of the love that exuded from HIM, and the SHALOM (peace) that flowed out through HIM. What describes HIM best would be that of Unconditional Love and acceptance. Jesus demonstrated such a love for people that HE could make prostitutes, tax collectors, lepers, the vilest of criminals, those that were considered the very least of the least such as the Samaritans, and they all readily had a knowing that HE valued them. The Apostle John was replete in saying, “I am the Disciple that Jesus Loves.” John was convinced of this so much that his life was impacted with this love in such a degree he wrote primarily about love in the gospel of John, and 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John. The Apostle John started out with wanting to call down fire on people, but as he walked with Jesus that all changed, and he is known as the Apostle of love. Truly it is because Jesus’ passion became John the Apostle’s passion as well, and John recognized and yielded to The Holy Spirit to give him Jesus’ Heart for humanity. Jesus could also draw others of vast importance in society that had major social degrees and authority such as Nicodemus and cause them to have a desiring hunger to want to be with HIM, and learn from HIM. Even Pilate was compelled to say, “I find no fault in this Man.”(John 19:4) When you were around Jesus you just knew that you mattered, you had worth. The Bible reveals in Acts 10:38 that “Jesus went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed by the devil because God was with Him.” HIS life was all about loving people and HIS death demonstrated and validated what HE had lived for. HIS passion is to love people. Love gives and Love always has something to give, and Jesus revealed the distinct tenderness of this by giving HIS life so that we would know our value. In addition we must not leave out the fact that not all received HIM because there were some whom rejected HIM sharply, and hated HIM intensely, but even when JESUS came across those, HIS Passion of love for them was no less. HE was spit upon, beat, mocked, and ridiculed, and crucified, yet remained in love. OH what a SAVIOR, Oh what a LORD!
 
Jesus did not leave us without the Power to have HIS HEART. We have a HELPER, THE SWEET HOLY SPIRIT, and HE loves to give us THE PASSION of JESUS.THE HOLY SPIRIT LOVES TO MOVE THROUGH US AND LOVE ON PEOPLE.  The Holy Spirit is the One that empowers us to love even those who are UN- loveable toward us.
 
The question in closing is how are you doing with knowing Christ? Has HIS Passion become yours? Are you going about doing good and healing those who are beat down by the god of this world? Are you taking the time and loving people? Are you investing into people’s lives and letting them know how truly valuable they are? Do people just want to hang out with you because you really relay a genuine love for them? Are people that you have the privilege of being in their sphere know by you that they really matter? Are people that you come in contact with better off because you have touched their life?  What is your response when people reject and hurt you, purposefully or perhaps obliviously? Is your concern for them to the point you sincerely ask THE FATHER to forgive them and bless them, because your passion is for their good? How is your passion? Does it line up with Jesus’ passion?  What is the cover of your personified book saying about you?
 


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