The Pressure Is Off!

Happy New Year.  I have been debating back in forth whether to continue writing.  Life after seminary has been pretty frustrating but I will save that for another rant.   Today I want to focus on the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.  Often times we feel as if we have to do something to please God. Church can make you religous but not pleasing to God.  I suggest to you that this feeling comes from your desire to please other people.  However God is not like people.  JD Greear in his book "Gospel"  offers what is called the gospel prayer which goes as follows:

In Christ there nothing I can do to make you love me more

 and there is nothing I have done that makes you love me less

Your presence and approval

is all I need for everlasting joy

As you have been to me so will I be to others

I will measure your compassion by the cross

And your power by the resurrection

In essence what he is saying is the pressure is off.  You can't do anything to make God love you more in Christ because God's love for Christ is perfect.  So instead of trying do things you think will please God focus on the primary command.  Love the Lord your God with all your mind, heart, and soul and thy neighbor as thyself.  That is to say live your life as a grateful response to the love that God demonstrated on the cross.  The same power that raised Christ from the dead is the same power that will allow you to live a life of gratitude to the God who love you enough to take your place. 

You see Christ did for us what we couldn't do for ourselves.  Therefore is we focus and saturate our lives with the gospel (life, death, burial, and resurrection) of Jesus Christ we see his love in action.   Gospel is not something you believe to get saved but the Gospel is what keeps you saved daily (sanctification). 

So the pressure is off just focus on loving God first and once you see how God has loved you then you love others in the same capacity.  So simple a child could understand.  

Scripture Reference:  John 19:30

God bless,

Bondservant Hollis