071005 Path of the Passionate #3

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THE PATH OF THE PASSIONATE #3 07.10.05
(Matthew 5:1-6)

The FIRST STEP to being passionate for God and His Kingdom is a sincere, honest recognition of our sin; sin that can only be dealt with by God’s amazing grace.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3 ESV

The SECOND STEP on the path of the passionate is an equally sincere sorrow for the sin we’ve recognized.
- To God we cry, “I’m so sorry!”

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4 ESV

The THIRD STEP on the path of passion toward God involves willingly submitting our lives to God’s control; God’s agenda becoming our agenda.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5 ESV

So, thus far we’ve seen how a person passionate for God has followed this sequence:
1. They recognized and admitted their sinfulness before a holy God.
2. Their realization of personal sin led to deep remorse over it.
3. They then threw themselves on God’s mercy and submitted to his rule over their lives.

None of these steps of passion are possible, by the way, unless God Himself makes them possible.

For people can't come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them from the dead. John 6:44 NLT
~~~
No one can come to me, unless the Father who sent me makes them want to come.… John 6:44 CEV

God, not people, plays the most “active role” in peoples’ salvation. When people choose to believe in Jesus as their Savior, they can do so only in response to the prior prompting of God’s Holy Spirit.
- In other words, no one can trust in Jesus for salvation without God’s help. (LAB on John 6:44)

Long ago the LORD said to Israel: "I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.
Jeremiah 31:3 NLT
~~~
…people can't come to me unless the Father brings them to me. John 6:65b NLT

Not only is this true in initial salvation, but also if people have purposely turned from God and pursued other gods.

…This is what the LORD Almighty says: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD Almighty. Zechariah 1:3 NLT

What we become (saved, unsaved, Christlike, less Christlike, etc.) first depends on God’s prompting, but also depends on our response to His prompting.
- God prompts, never pushes.
- God nudges, never knocks over.

If we have drifted from God, He will call us to return to Him. And, if we do, He promises to immediately renew His relationship with us.

Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, you hypocrites. James 4:8 NLT
~~~
Say a quiet yes to God and he'll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. James 4:8 MSG

Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7 NLT

The Christian life depends upon our response to God and our desire to experience God.

Have you ever noticed how some Christians seem to go so much deeper in their walk with God than others? Why is that?
- Could it be because these individuals have committed themselves to pursuing God until His presence is powerfully real in their lives;
- that they have decided to settle for nothing less than a vibrant
relationship with God, and He has honored their desire?

Have you become complacent in your relationship with God, or are you hungering for more?

“All people have just as much of God's powerful presence available to them as any of the greatest saints in Christian history!” (Experiencing God, Blackaby ~ “Return to God,” July 6th)

~~~~~~~

Today we’re going to push on in our look at what it takes to be passionate disciples in God’s Kingdom.

Again, once people have admitted and grieved over their sin against God, then surrendered their wills to His will, they are then ready for the fourth step on the path of the passionate:

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Matthew 5:6 ESV

Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness have a yearning to do what’s truly right with their lives; right according to God’s laws and plans because they know that’s best.
There’s a kind of faith that makes people subject to the commands of God, but permits little joy and fervor in obeying them.
- There’s a kind of discipleship that breeds enough commitment to get us to church on Sunday, but fails to light a consuming fire within us through the week.
- There’s a form of religion that sparks in us a semblance of holiness – but, too often, it’s a semblance devoid of life-changing power.

That brand of faith will generate only enough heat to make us do our duty.
- We’ll provide for it, take care of it, even defend it. But we don’t love it; It’s not the passion of our lives.

If you have little or no appetite for the things of God, let me suggest
- you’ve either missed one of the steps on the path of the passionate, or
- you’re filling up on something else.

“We live in a culture that feels great passion about tiny things. Our appetites have [degraded]. Our tastes are common and vulgar. We hunger for junk food of the body, mind and soul.”

Americans understand how to be passionate about sports.
- Athletes will give up years of their lives, subsist at poverty level, rise early to train in rain or snow, restrict their diets, push their bodies to painful limits, consult sports psychologists, endure injuries and fatigue, and sacrifice relationships, careers, and any other hint of a normal life – all to satisfy their craving for Olympic gold or world records.
- The rest of us will run cable to our homes, buy a big screen TV, install surround sound, sign up for pay-per-view, and spend countless hours in front of the tube – so great is our appetite to watch those athletes perform.
- We’ll drive for many miles to a multimillion dollar stadium, pay exorbitant parking and ticket prices, and (to add insult to injury) pay five dollars for a hot dog that should cost fifty cents – just for the pleasure of seeing some overdeveloped millionaire hit a ball or make a tackle. Such a vast appetite for such a trivial thing!

Americans also understand what it means to be hungry for sex.
- We spend billions annually on creams, ointments, perfumes, make-up, and lotions to make ourselves more attractive and alluring. We diet and exercise and endure plastic surgery to keep our bodies trim and sexy.
- An actress whose sole asset involves a set of genes resulting in pleasing arrangements of features and body parts – will be paid millions of dollars to undress before the greedy camera because Hollywood knows we’ll pay even more millions for the privilege of watching her do so.
- Men will give up wives, children, savings, reputation, career, and self-respect to quench their thirst for another woman. Women will destroy their families and futures to feed their craving to be desired. We’re obsessed with skin and careless about character.

We’re even passionate about hobbies. Fishing, model airplane building, painting, woodworking, golfing, collecting – the list could go on for pages. Americans are a people

- We squander vast quantities of time, money, and attention on the most trivial of pursuits.
- The average American male gives more time and attention to the hobby of his choice than to his children.

We know what it means to be passionate. It’s just that our passions revolve around tiny, unworthy things.
- We give the best of ourselves to matters that, ultimately, don’t matter.

On the other hand, Jesus promises that if we make Him and His cause the passion of our lives, we’ll find satisfaction for our souls. Why?
- Because those who hunger and thirst after righteousness find God Himself.

Take delight in the LORD,
and he will give you
your heart's desires.
Psalm 37:4 NLT

- God gives this promise to those who hunger and thirst for Him.

~~~~~~~

If you’ve been trying to live the Christian life but find you lack passion, retrace your steps.
- Maybe you missed a step somewhere along the way.
- Maybe you’ve never even entered the door of God’s kingdom.
- Maybe your life has been crowded out by too many “little” things to be fully yielded to God.

Jesus longs for…
-…people who are passionately in love with Him.
-…people who will live and die for Him.
-…people who would storm the gates of hell at his command.
-…people whose greatest desire is to see the kingdom of heaven break out on earth.

You might be saying to yourself:
“That’s what I want, Pastor Jim, but how do I develop that hunger and thirst?”

Remember the words of Jesus that we considered earlier:

No one can come to me, unless the Father who sent me makes them want to come.… John 6:44 CEV

That’s where to start. In all sincerity ask God to give you a hunger for Him. And keep asking!
- Do what all people do with the things they’re passionate about; they keep at it.

When you come looking for me, you'll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else…. Jeremiah 29:13 MSG

Is Jesus the consuming passion of your life? Or is it something or someone else?

Don’t settle for pursuing the finite things of earth that can’t satisfy.
- Keep seeking hard after the infinite God Who alone can satisfy.