Is this too pentecostal for the some of you?
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Is Jesus Enough?
by Chip Brogden
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"After they had eaten, Jesus asked Simon Peter, 'Simon, son of Jonah, do
you love Me more than these other things?'" (John 21:15).
If Jesus was all you had, would Jesus be enough for you?
Many precious believers are in love with the things of the Lord, but they
are not in love with the Lord Himself.
Many Christian workers and ministers are in love with the Lord's work.
Almost without realizing it, the work of the Lord becomes more important
than the Lord of the work.
There are prophets and teachers who hold words from God in higher esteem
than the God Who speaks the words they attribute as being from Him. People
seek these words and teachings. The more they receive, the more they want.
Before one word is digested they are craving another. They are seeking
"things" - words, prophecies, teachings, visions, dreams - but they are
not seeking the Lord Himself.
Is Jesus enough?
When the saints gather together most of the activity is focused on "one
another". This is important, but it is not the most important thing.
Fellowship is good: but is Jesus enough? Gatherings are good: but is Jesus
enough? Meetings are good: but is Jesus enough? Special speakers and
special music are good: but is Jesus enough?
Even with praise and worship it is possible to sing "about" Jesus and not
truly worship Jesus. With preaching and teaching it is possible to talk
"about" Jesus and not truly meet Jesus in what is shared. In prayer it is
possible to talk "about" our needs and never actually commune with Jesus
Himself.
Among Christians I have discovered something. There is Jesus, and then
there are all the things ABOUT Jesus that are NOT Jesus. Jesus Himself
occupies only a small portion of what is said and done in Christian
circles. Most of what is said and done is merely ABOUT Jesus, but it is
NOT Jesus.
I have learned that stress, strife, disillusionment, dissatisfaction,
bitterness, anger, hurt, misunderstanding, and confusion comes from
everything said and done by religious people ABOUT the Lord, and IN THE
NAME of the Lord, that does not, in fact, have anything to do with Jesus
Himself.
How much of your focus is directed to the things of God, and not to God
Himself? How much of your discussion centers on things about Jesus, and
not Jesus Himself?
Just look around. This brother is focused on end-time events, and that
sister is devoted to inner healing. This brother is primarily concerned
with prophetic things, while another sister is keenly interested in
spiritual warfare. That brother is deeply involved with theological
discussions, while that sister is in love with Christian music. One
movement emphasizes this particular thing, and another group stands for
another thing.
There may be diversities of gifts and callings. There may be various and
sundry things to be involved with. There may be many topics to study and
discuss. Many things compete for our time, attention, affection, energy,
and money.
But there is only one Lord Jesus.
Just as some people cannot see the forest for the trees, I believe most
sinners cannot see Jesus for the Christians. And I believe most Christians
cannot see Jesus for the "church".
Is Jesus enough?
Whenever I am ministering to pastors, whatever they think their calling
is, I always have them turn to Mark 3:14:
"And he ordained twelve, that they should BE WITH HIM, and that He might
send them forth to preach."
You are called to be with Jesus. That is your calling. That is the primary
thing, the highest ministry. Going forth to preach or do anything else is
of secondary importance. We should be with Jesus; after that, He might
send us forth to preach. But before Jesus said, "Go into all the world" He
said, "Be with Me."
The call of the Lord is not more important than the Lord of the call. The
work of the Lord must not replace the Lord of the work. No amount of
ministering FOR the Lord will make up for a lack of ministering TO the
Lord. And knowing the Word of God does not necessarily mean that we know
the God of the Word.
Everyone wants to go and do something for God, but few people are willing
to stay and do "nothing" for Him.
Jesus asked Peter, "Am I enough for You? Do you love Me more than
everything else? Do you love Me more than you love the things about Me?"
A few weeks later, when Peter stood with John before the religious rulers
to explain the healing of a man who had never walked, "...they marveled;
and they took knowledge of [Peter and John], that THEY HAD BEEN WITH
JESUS" (Acts 4:13b).
If we will be with Jesus, then Jesus will be with us.
The reason the New Testament church had power was not because they spoke
in tongues, or held meetings in their living rooms, or had a certain
system for planting churches. The secret was they had been with Jesus.
But some Christians are more in love with methods and ministries than they
are in love with the Man.
The prophets and teachers in the church of Antioch were gathered together:
not to have a house church conference, not to begin a new ministry, not to
discuss the latest prophetic word or the newest teaching, not to exchange
ideas on how to grow the church, not to fellowship, not to share a meal,
not to minister to one another. But "as they ministered TO THE LORD, and
fasted, the Holy Ghost said..." (Acts 13:2a).
Paul and his fellow workers had many souls to save, many disciples to
make, many churches to plant, many places to visit, many messages to
deliver, many letters to write. There were many needs to be met, many
doors of opportunity before them.
But the work was suspended. Activity ceased. Ministry came to a
standstill. Fellowship and food were forgotten. The prophets were there,
but the prophets did not prophesy. The teachers were there, but the
teachers did not teach.
Instead, they ministered to the Lord. The focus shifted from horizontal to
vertical. The emphasis was directed away from man and man's needs, and
onto the Lord and His Need. They were busy being with Jesus. They were at
His feet.
So when the Holy Ghost finally spoke, they were ready to go forth. Thus
began the first missionary journey of Paul.
When apostles love church planting and mission work more than Jesus, then
they are saying that Jesus is not enough.
When prophets love their prophecies, dreams, and visions more than they
love Jesus, then they are saying that Jesus is not enough.
When evangelists love traveling, preaching, and holding meetings more than
they love Jesus, then they are saying that Jesus is not enough.
When pastors love their church services and building programs more than
they love Jesus, then they are saying that Jesus is not enough.
When teachers love their teachings more than they love Jesus, then they
are saying that Jesus is not enough.
When preachers love their preaching more than they love Jesus, then they
are saying that Jesus is not enough.
When ministers love their ministry more than they love Jesus, then they
are saying that Jesus is not enough.
When musicians love their music more than they love Jesus, then they are
saying that Jesus is not enough.
When writers love their writings more than they love Jesus, then they are
saying that Jesus is not enough.
And when the simplest disciples grow tired of "just" being with Jesus, and
begin to long for something bigger, something better, something greater,
something more powerful, something other than what they have in Jesus
already, then they are saying that Jesus is not enough.
If Jesus was all you had, would Jesus be enough for you? Or do you have to
have all the "trappings" of Christianity, all the bells and whistles, all
the toys and trinkets?
Make no mistake: there is no life in the things that are ABOUT Jesus.
There is life only in Jesus Himself.
May I speak candidly? If you are dissatisfied and disappointed with your
Christian walk today, it is only because of one thing: Jesus is not enough
for you. Somewhere along the line, something else became more important
than Jesus. Maybe you have become focused on the things ABOUT Jesus that
are NOT Jesus.
There is only one solution. You do not need more of the Lord, because He
has already given Himself completely to you already. You just need less of
everything else.
Remember.
Remember what it was like to hear His Voice, to be so filled with passion
and love for Him, that you wanted nothing more than to sit at His feet,
and hear His Word.
Remember when you were so infatuated with Him that you did not want to do
anything else.
Remember what it was like to just be with Jesus.
Go back to when Jesus first called you to be with Him.
Go back to the time when all you had was Him.
Go back to the time before you were planting churches, speaking prophetic
words, preaching to the unsaved, pastoring the congregation, teaching the
people, or leading worship.
Go back to the time when there was no work, no ministry, no vision, no
special calling - except Jesus calling you to be with Him.
Remember when you said, "He's all I need!"
So what happened?
I pray the Lord will draw us after Himself and make us thoroughly sick and
tired of things - especially the things that are ABOUT Him, but are NOT
Him.
God so loved the world that He gave His Only Son, Jesus.
Well... is Jesus enough?
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