Christ + Nothing = Everything

“What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.  I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.”   - Philippians 3:8

                Many churches are now preaching the Prosperity Gospel.  They teach people that God will make them rich, happy, and wise.  Unfortunately, so many believe the lie that this is what the Gospel of Christ is all about. They don’t change their lifestyle, they don’t live to glorify Christ, but instead they put Him on a shelf like a genie.  How often do we do something similar as Christians?  We ask God for things or beg Him not to take away certain things or people from our lives.  When we don’t let go, many times God – because He loves us – has to take them away.  The Bible never says that God will give us a worldly prosperity, but God does tell us that He will be our provider.  What’s more, Paul is telling us the opposite, he tells us that he considers everything, which is not the gospel, garbage.  Do I look at things of the world in this light?

                The Holy Spirit convicts, comforts, teaches and leads.  Many times when the Holy Spirit leads us to do something, a fear can come over us.  I know that for me, the hard conversations I have to have with people I don’t know very well are easier, then the conversations I have to have with the people closest to me.  Why? That is an easy answer, because of fear.  The fear of losing what you most love or care about.  But, this fear also shows my doubt in God’s plan and His promise that He will work all things for the good of those who love Him.  This week’s theme is sacrifice, which is funny, because this past week God has really been showing me that I need to have faith in the leading of the Holy Spirit in my life.  This doesn’t always mean conversations that I need to have, or things that I need to say will be easy, but I can have peace knowing He is in control.  Ultimately, the more I think about it I remember everything that Christ has done for me.  I should be going to hell, I shouldn’t even be allowed in His house as a slave and yet He calls me His daughter.  How selfish of me to hold onto the things of this world, instead of giving myself fully to God, and how funny to think that it is a great sacrifice.  Those we love He asks us to give to Him, not shy away from His leading in fear of losing them.  I crack myself up when God reminds me that His will is perfect and that He knows what is best, so me not following it would actually cause harm, not good.  Christ + Nothing = Everything.  I don’t have a home here on earth, my home is in heaven, and I pray that Holy Spirit would constantly remind me of this.