Passion for Christ

You shouldn’t have to look far to see where I picked the name of this particular blog from. With this being the Passion Week, I thought it only fitting that a blog of this nature be included. We understand that the movie title depicted exactly the feeling of the Master for us: the Passion of the Christ. Understanding what exactly the word ‘passion’ means is very instrumental in the revelation of this blog, if you will. The word passion means any powerful or compelling emotion of feeling; the object of such fondness or desire. God has such a fondness, a love, a PASSION for us that he endured first the betrayal of an apostle, and then the suffering at the hands of man, and then finally the death. He did all this knowing what kind of individual we would become, our acts, our thoughts, our decisions, our relationships, and everything else that the world has decided defines us with. He did all this knowing that at some point in our Christian walk, we would do as Peter did, though not necessarily verbally word for word, but with our actions and our dialogue that does not reflect our relationship and our knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. He did this knowing that the passion He has for us is greater than any punishment He would have to endure on our behalf. Now, let us examine the passion that we have FOR Christ. Can we actually say that we have an actual passion for Jesus the Christ, or do we just say that we do to ‘pacify’ ourselves and others that we know love God, and are called according to His purpose? Are we willing to endure what is necessary when we ask to be closer to Him, when we ask to know Him in the power of His resurrection, and in the FELLOWSHIP of His suffering? How long will we tire out in the midst of our trial and declare that there is no way that He could possibly have a passion for us simply because we feel He hasn’t delivered us according to our timetable? Where is our passion for patience having her perfect work? Recall what Jesus said, that at any moment he could call for a legion of angels to come to His aid, but because there was a purpose behind the suffering, the mockery, the betrayal, He endured all things to display that His passion was real. Let us take this into consideration not only during this particular week, but for the rest of our lives. Let us develop the passion for our Christ, for it was during this week that the passion of the Christ was on full display.

Relationship Status

I know that we have tackled this in a few articles already, but I haven’t been able to just express how I feel concerning this. Relationships are indeed very valuable, fragile, but very necessary to make through this life. I like to look at the word within the word, which in this case is the word ‘ship’. If you really think about it without going too far into the deep of it, relationships are indeed like ships. The conditions have to be right for a safe journey to your destination…..depending on what the boating forecast is, you may not even take your boat out on the water there is the possibility that an unexpected storm may rise, and you have to rely on what you have learned and been trained in to survive. Even on Facebook, and most dating sites, you have the option to put your “relationship status”. When filing taxes, filling out important paperwork, you are required to give your relationship status. Even in general conversation, some sentence will elude to whether you are single, married, have a lot of friends, or if you prefer to keep to yourself. The point that I am trying to make is that your relationships can help shape or destroy your future. They can be an important commodity to you, or you can disregard them at your leisure. Jesus had many disciples, but also had 12 that He allowed to become intimately close to Him. Business relationships, personal relationships and all other relationships hinge on whether or not you decide to show yourself friendly and worthy of establishing a relationship. No one can make it through this life, especially the life of holiness, alone. It is impossible. Even the most secluded and dedicated saint needs someone to be accountable to. Though there are many experts, those who hold doctorates and have been dressed with accolades galore, not one of them can prescribe or even formulate a perfect relationship. However, I believe that the best relationships are the ones that have been through the test of time, have battled the raging wind and sea, has been drug through the muck, mire and clay and yet not only did it survive, but it is willing to share its testimony, for the word of God declares that we overcome by the words of our testimony, not the re-enactment of our situation. Abraham was given a two-fold status with God, the father of many nations AND the friend of God, simply because he chose to have a relationship with the Almighty. Relationships matter and they pay dividends when it’s all said and done.

There Is Nothing Like It

A good friend of mine received an e-mail the other day from a friend of theirs, and in it was enclosed one of the age-old questions that continues to baffle the saints today………depending on their tradition and beliefs. The question was: Is once saved always saved? While I will not try to give an answer as this is not the point of this blog, I will say this: there is nothing sweeter than knowing that I am safe in the Masters’ arms. Now I am not saying that everyday is a breeze, not at all! Trust me……..there are days where I am thinking to myself, ‘OK now…..what is REALLY going on here!?’ If you haven’t had one of those days, as the elder saints would say: “keep living baby!” But needless to say, at the end of the day, God will show Himself strong, faithful, and ever so true to His word. After all, it does say that His word will not come back to Him void; meaning empty of fulfillment, but it will accomplish that which He has sent it forth to do. Every day that I live is just a testimony to the fact that God lives, for it is in Him that we live, move, and have our being. It also allows my faith to grow, because I can live IN the expectation that God will blow my mind on today by manifesting His word in the most magnificent way, but if He doesn’t do it today, He is still God, and God is not a man that He should lie, nor the son of man that He should repent. He is the same God yesterday, today, and forever more. Just as the saying goes, if He did it back then……in the days of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Solomon, Joshua, Moses, and the rest that are listed in the “hall of faith”, He can and will do it again!