Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For we have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.
Select a thought to read by choosing a collection, the month, and then the day:
From a sermon by Pastor John in 1981.
In a sermon many years ago now, I said, “If you want more of God, you have to make room for more of God.” That just means, clear away the clutter of your life and make room for more of God! The world will consume all your strength and attention with “necessary” things. The world will eat up every spare second you have if you let it. It will entertain you to death.
When the world demands all your time, rebel against it. There were times when Jesus and his disciples were so busy healing and helping people that they had no time for earthly matters, not even time to eat (Mk. 3:20). They felt the same way Job did about the comparative value of the things of God and the things of this world. Job said to his friends, “I have esteemed the words of God’s mouth more than my necessary food!” (Job. 23:12).
“If you want more of God, you have to make room for more of God”, even if making room for God means neglecting things this world insists are important. Being filled with righteousness takes time, and to be filled with it will require spending time seeking to know and to please God, often at the expense of time that could be spent on important worldly matters.