the return

I talk with Christians all the time that miss the gift. They tell me they live the way God wants them to, they do all the things a Christian should do, but they still don't get blessed the way others do. They go to church every Sunday, Wednesday, volunteer at youth events, work in the nursery, tithe above and beyond the 10%, pray for the church and those who are in need, feed the hungry, care for the homeless and so on. They feel like they are doing everything they can to be blessed with great things. When in reality, they are cultivating a works based faith. They are becoming weary with well-doing. They have lost their passion for the cross.
I just finished a book I would recommend to everyone. The Cross-Centered life by C.J. muhaney is a great book, in it is everything that I try to explain to people every Sunday. From, the chasing after the wind, to the chasing after God's glory we miss out if we don't focus on the Gospel. The fact that Jesus Christ, bled, and hung on a cross, after enduring torch and mocking just for you, a sinner. Paul focuses on it regulary when he calls himself the world's greatest sinner.
We need to focus on our life as non-Christians and the things that we did, and balance that with the riches we have in knowing Christ.
Jeremiah 45:5 says, "Do you seek great things for yourself?"
Well do you? THere's an old non-Christians song that I like a lot. I like it mostly because I grew up in the era of Rocky movies. I loved "Eye of the Tiger" and I still have it on my IPOD today. If you listen to the lyrics it makes the point I am making here today. It says far too often we trade our passion for glory.
Think about that. Have you traded your passion for the cross, and for JEsus Christ for glory? I can tell you as a Pastor it is easy to do at times. I have to make sure I read over my resolutions for the year in every area. I have 8 areas of life, that's 8 different people that I am and 8 different hats that I wear. From Christian, father, husband, pastor, community educator, chaplain, coach, and racer. And I have them listed in that particular order because that is the order God has helped me place them in. First, and foremost I am a beliver and every day I make sure I don't replace my passion for the Cross and for God's glory for my own fleshly glory.
So again I ask you like Jeremiah says, Are you seeking great things for yourself? If you are, you're missing out on the greatest thing, Jesus!
Thanks for reading and have a great day!