Start with Jesus
Easy examples include start every day with Jesus before you do anything else, address the God of heaven and give thanks for the roles and presence of Jesus.
Season 4, Episode 38 · Start With Jesus
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The story behind the idea
When we talk about start with Jesus, there will rarely, if ever, be a case when that isn't exactly the right thing to do. Easy examples include start every day with Jesus before you do anything else, address the God of heaven and give thanks for the roles and presence of Jesus in your life.
What stands out
I started wondering, am I really living all of the things that I taught in the way that I should be living them by now? I went so far as to think, is God even really pleased with my life and the choices that I'm making and the example that I'm setting? Look, I was probably just completely worn out at that moment, but I needed to do something to change the direction it was heading. Here in Lindale, we are going through the book of Hebrews, and Tony Sellers, one of the elders here, had taught the class that morning.
Why it matters
It's not just the concept of thinking of him and welcoming him and then going about living your day, however fits you. Starting with Jesus is looking to the life that he lived, the person that he is, and then drawing from that so that everything that follows your examination of him is more like him. I think a great example is a terrific book that I'm in the middle of right now: The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World by John Mark Comer.
A faithful way forward
To which you might say, Well, Jesus knew he was going to raise Lazarus, but that's kind of the point that Comer is making. Jesus understood the power of God and the purpose of God for his life. He understood the cadence, the rhythm of every day of life. He never packed it so full that he couldn't commune with God and take time to service the needs of any one person that God put in front of him.
Put it into practice
The last three things get it outside of just you and God, because you pray those same things for the people that you love. You do it as often as you can with the people that you love, and even lastly, you pray such things for those who don't love you. Every single time in my life since then that I have felt distanced from God, and it is more times than I would care to articulate here, returning to that format in prayer has awakened me to the glory of God and re found confidence and peace.
Take the idea with you.
- 01What idea from this study most needs my attention right now?
- 02Where does this challenge the way I am currently thinking or living?
- 03What is one faithful step I can take this week?
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