Resolve to know nothing…

In the current Christian culture, I find it is easy to lose focus and get caught up with sparkly things…  I want to speak like THAT pastor… to have 1000’s of people at my church like so-and-so…  to plant 3 satellite churches off of our main campus…  to be on radio, tv, streaming internet, twitter, facebook, blogspot, wordpress, and my picture in Time Square…. all in the name of Jesus….

Really?!?  Is it truly in the name of Jesus?

…or is there even a tiny part of my heart that wants fame?  approval? success?  results?  admiration?

Seriously… I have done NOTHING.   [John 15:5]    

It is only by abiding in Him that I am.  [John 1:16 – For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.]  Seeking my own glory is not only a complete waste of exertion, it is a form of idolatry.

Christian leaders are not celebrities & Christians are not to act like groupies.  ~ 1 Cor. 1:12-13:  What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.”  Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?

For everything, the end should be the increase of Christ – anything else is counterfeit. I must even ask myself, “Do I love the ministry more than Christ?”

“There is a danger of loving ‘the mission’ more than our Savior.  Thus, the Savior will have no part of your mission.” – Matt Carter

When I examine my own heart, I need to be radically transformed as to humbly bow before the cross and bathe in His lavish love and greatness.  Holy Spirit, rain down on us. Speak to us. Move in us. Expose our idols. Correct, rebuke, reprove. Teach us. Radically transform us. For Your glory…  For YOUR glory, Lord Jesus.

As David Putman would say, “Detox. Rediscover the simplicity and centrality of Jesus and His ways. The only thing that matters is Him.”

And, as Paul would say, “When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.   For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.  I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.   My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.”  I Cor 2:1-5

Lord, may I know nothing… except Jesus Christ and him crucified.