From Passivity to Passion

My pastor recently did an excellent sermon on moving from Passivity to Passion. It was based in Phil 4, but, ( as usual), is chock full of connecting scriptural references, which I won't go into. (If you want his messages, you can go to the Reseda Valley Vineyard's website- good stuff.)

But one thing that stuck with me was his talking about how, as a new believer, he wanted the Word so badly that he would read it and not even eat breakfast until he'd done his readings.

And how much he grew in the Word. But he talked about how, after some time, it can become less of a passion and we can lose our focus. It can go from that to reading the Word AND eating breakfast, then to reading the Word while checking e-mails AND eating breakfast, and so on.

I sadly related. I have been losing my focus.

Which leads me to Andrew Murray. He is so amazing, but I have been trying to read this powerful little devotional called "Abiding in Christ,"f or months, yet losing focus.

This morning, I didn't. This morning I told myself that I didn't need to put away that stuff, or check anything, or move off the couch for more coffee until I'd read my Andrew Murray and prayed about it. And it turned out to be a very blessed time.

Very direct and powerful scriptures about how God is establishing me. How it is His work. He began it and He will complete it. How he loves to do it, and to do it forever. And it's ours to trust and surrender.

I found myself consciously singing the words to the worship songs in the car. Meaningfully.

And I found myself having a much better day.

Rosie wrote about the interest and power of quotes. I've been pondering that, thinking about quotes that I like.

This one's from Bill's sermon quoting Jonathan Edwards. "Posture your life so that you may be easily enticed by the beauty of Christ."

and Bill's action plan,

"Decide to live a life of 'planned neglect.' Determine to do the most important things whenever possible."