Our praise is ONLY from God.

Our sin grieves God. Because He loves us and cannot be near sin.

I want to know and understand the depth of my offense towards God. My sinful ways truly and righteously offend God.

People are often more afraid of offending other people than they are of offending God. And that is wrong.

People can often be apathetic or antagonistic towards those whom they do offend, simply saying with their actions,” I don’t care about you. It’s your own fault for being too uptight.”

That is wrong too.

We are called to show this hurting, chaotic, world, the love of Jesus. It isn’t about us when we are walking with Him.

His love is not just toleration. His love calls us out of the darkness of this world and into His light. If we accept HIs love and truly came to understand the depth and width of His Love, we no longer would be attracted to the darkness.

Even to rescue people, we would want to bring them to the light, not stay with them in the darkness.

The darkness does not soothe. The darkness does not comfort. The darkness does not bring life.

Any darkness that we have in our lives longs to just drag us back to the pit.

The one who trusts in Jesus to redeem and restore ALL in their life, will be filled with light, glory, wonder, peace, and so much more. He only works His way in those who are willing though, for Him to work miraculously in their life.

The church of God is meant to reflect this reality. Light, joy, contentment, rest.

But it isn’t something you can work towards, to live in this way. It is only through Christ and His Spirit moving in us, through our acceptance of Him, that the Church is the Bride of Christ.

And praise be to God that He is doing just that.

His work will not and cannot be hindered by our despising His mighty ways.

But when we do despise Christ, by seeking out the darkness from where He saved us and set us apart from, into the light of His Truth, we reject Him. He will not knock on the door of our hearts forever, the day is today when we are given the opportunity to turn from dark to His light.

We don’t want to go to heaven just because we want to live in a happy place forever.

At least that isn’t why He wants us to be there.

Heaven is all about Jesus because He is worthy of it.

He is worthy of our lives, our very being. He will not settle for less than that.

Christ is not a part of our lives. He refuses to be a “part”.

It’s all or nothing.

He is so glorious, how can we do any else but glorify Him.

It’s from the inside out that we are transformed into His image. And we cannot force it because it is a gift of His Grace we are able to love and live in His transformation, abiding in the Vine.

Heaven is not glorious as a result of a lack.

Heaven is glorious because He is All in All.

Our lives become glorious as a result of our surrender to Him as our ALL in ALL.

Nothing else.

Him.

When Christ becomes our everything, then our deepest and most intense longings are for our everything to be HIM.

It no longer is about me or what I want or even need.

Everything I do or say or think comes from the Branch, from the root of Christ within my very soul.

Christ is ALL I need, no matter what is going on in my life or the world around me.

It isn’t extreme to seek Him in such a way, to long for Him in such a way.

It is the rebuilding of God’s Temple of Praise.

It is the restoration of Eden.

It is the reminder of His fierce devotion to us, His crowning of creation.

And it is only here in the heart of the true worshipper that the Living Water of Christ is evident to this dying world.

It can seem lonely at times, when it seems like you are the only one with such an intense desire for Christ and Christ alone.

But He has given us Himself to be our Companion and Comfort and Strength.

The only good addiction, in fact, a God-given addiction, is the addiction to the ministry of the saints. (1 Corinthians 16:15-18)

It is refreshing to see and to be the evidence of Christ still working and alive.

But it only comes through surrender, that the true fruits, the natural fruits, of a Little Christ Life will pour out and overflow the cup of our lives, into the lives of others around us.

Listen to His prodding. Hear His loving call. For your own life and heart to be rooted and grafted onto the Eternal Living Vine.

It is where you were created to be. Who you are meant to be ALL ABOUT.

Christ is still alive and He is waiting for you with open arms to embrace you in His love and grace.

He knows, He understands, and He has promised His victory over it ALL, He has promised His grace to strengthen you in your weaknesses, and His Faithfulness to endure through it all.

He loves you more than you could ever know.

Why continue to run and grieve Him?

He gave His all for you.