After a little bit of searching through the city of Topeka; I found a Starbucks, put on some Hillsong Live, and read Romans 5 as well as a chapter from the book Not A Fan by Kyle Idleman.
Not a Fan has been an incredible challenge to read through. It is a book challenging believers to become completely committed followers of Jesus, not just fans of the work He has done for us. Today's chapter was about the call Jesus gives to all believers in Luke 9:23, when he says, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." When Jesus says, "come after" he uses the same language used when describing someone who passionately pursues a romantic relationship. As I began to think of all the things that seem ridiculous that I would do for someone I loved or was pursuing, I could not think of many noteworthy things to explain the same of my pursuit of Christ. Our culture places so much focus on the pursuit of "the one you love." It has been the plot of countless movies, poems, songs, etc. I confess that my heart doesn't pursue Jesus with the same relentless passion that I plan to one day pursue a wife, or even pursue the things that will bring glory to my own name. I am praying that a consuming passion for the word of God would overtake my heart. I want to constantly pursue Christ, and glorify his name like it is the only thing in this world that will satisfy me.
In Matthew 13:44 Jesus says, "The kingdom of heaven is like a buried treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field."
God has placed an opportunity in front of me to give up everything I have and buy into the work He wants to accomplish in me for His kingdom. I moved to Kansas to see God work in me in ways that he would not without me being stretched, and strained away from the comfort of family, friends, and the routine. I am praying for grace to count these sacrifices as work Christ is doing in me to take away everything that is not Him. I am praying to sacrifice everything I don't need, to gain the treasure in Christ because I know it will be worth it.
One of the most basic principles of love is that it cannot be forced. I want to make a decision to pray for a love for God that will consume my thoughts, my words, and actions. I know that pursuing Christ with my whole heart will be worth it, but I don't really believe it until I do it. Please pray for me, I cannot do this alone or under my own strength. I will need Jesus to show up in my life, and change the focus of my heart, change my desires, and change my affections to be able to love him, and love others well. Please pray that Jesus would have the victory over my selfish heart today, and that I would be willing to give up my everything to gain Christ.
John3:30
-Daniel
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