Just "Enough" Jesus

"'Christian Atheists' believe in God but live like he doesn't exist. - Craig Groschel

I was listening to a sermon from Craig Groschel this morning... author of Christian Atheist and the above quote about knocked me off my chair.

It's easy to rate sin or see other's sin as bigger than our own. But in Galatians 5:19-21 Paul lists sins like corrupt sexual impurity, witch craft and drunkenness right along side jealousy, divisiveness, anger and selfishness. It's interesting how we can see the blatant sin in the "world" but so many times we are unwilling to check ourselves as followers of Christ when it comes to things like envy, continuousness, or hate. We justify our soap boxes with just "enough" jesus... to make it feel "right"... even a little self righteous while making others feel condemned.

Ahhh I'm so tired of myself and I think the Annointed One must so tired of it as well. But there I go again... putting humanly characteristics on a God that can't possibly be contained by any rules or any box. A God whose love is so deep and grace is so pure we CANNOT fathom in our human minds how to even accept this real gift. Sure we say it... we spout off all of the right "christian" words and we take just "enough" of him to live safe lives that look shiny and clean on the outside. But I wonder what would happen if we bit off such a huge, undigestible chunk of him that if we take our focus off of him and his love and mercy for even a second we would be crushed by our own inadequacy in what we just signed up to do and how we said we would live... 

I have been in a funk for over a week from some hurtful words ... instead of focusing on all of the awesomeness God has filled my life with, I have been focusing on the disapproval of a couple of people... how the enemy must be rejoicing. But right now I call it out... right now, in the name of Jesus I reject the lies, right now in the name of Jesus I bind the enemy and proclaim God's truth... that HE IS LOVE... and grace and peace and joy... Today I don't want just a piece of that action... I want it all.

I'm tired of uttering empty prayers I don't believe... tired of making decisions based on fear and my own insecurities. I believe in a God who created me to be MIGHTY... to be COURAGEOUS. A God who calls me to say YES to him ... not just to take a corner of the robe of his grace and be satisfied. I want ALL of him... knowing I can't handle ALL of him in my own strength... Erwin McManus says that a lot of times "We dream better lives that we actually live." Life is so short... time with the people we love is uncertain... so why should any of us waste another second trying to figure out if we're good enough, smart enough, or brave enough to live the dreams HE has given us. 

YOU'RE AWESOME...OWN IT! YOU'RE STRONG... BURN THAT IN YOUR MIND! YOU'RE DESTINED TO DO GREAT AND MIGHTY THINGS... NOW LIVE IT!

... let's not wast one more second focusing on the words of others... lets not waste one more day taking just "enough" of jesus to be socially accepted by our christian friends. LET'S BLOW DOORS off of life EVERY DAY!! No matter what. Let's say we believe in God and then live a life that screams it... without having to utter a word. 

"So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death." - Romans 8:1-2