To know Jesus more in 2011

Grace and Peace,

First off I would like to say that this is a word for 2011. Straight from God! :)

Psalm 23:1;4

1The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

   I fear no evil, for You are with me;

   Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Acts 27:27-44 read it!

Ok brothers and sisters, I believe God's desire is for us to know Him more, waaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyy more than we can fathom and I believe this is what He will be accomplishing in our lives during this next year. He is our Shepherd, He will lead and guide us as He wills where He wills. In Acts 27 Paul as a prisoner was being led by a centurion with soldiers and other prisoners to Rome. The problem was, they were traveling after the fast was over, this was not a good time of the year to be traveling mind you. And Paul warned them of this, but to no avail. They got caught up in a horrible storm.

Anyway they ended up losing everything except their lives. The ship was lost, food, clothes, everything! All was lost except them. I believe this is something we have a issue with, suffering loss. We don't want to lose or suffer any set backs, failures, disappointments or any other form of loss. But this is what God is calling us to! 

Philippians 3:7-8

7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom  I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,

And He is calling us to these things so that we may know Him more intimately. And you can be confident in this, the value of knowing Christ surpasses EVERYTHING!!!!

To know Jesus more surpasses the value of me desiring a new job, of me being hungry, of me having electricity!

Jesus is calling some of you to stay at that job this year!

He's calling others to fast!

He's calling others to go without "neccessities"!

But listen, if I  can know Jesus more because of it I'll willingly stay at my job, turn down the plate and go without! #ToknowJesusmore# I will forego every and anything and count it as loss!

He wants to take us to new depths and heights in Him! It will be extremely hard but extremely worth it and His grace is sufficient!

There will be storms ahead but as you are tossed to and fro being beat up by the waves remember that God is with you, don't fear any evil or harm. You may lose everything but you will make it out alive Lord willing knowing Jesus more!

There is a temptation for us to run from these but Jesus is urging you to lean into it, and I am too!

Let Him teach you how to trust Him, obey Him, pray without ceasing, to live by faith, love your neighbor, honor Him or your spouse or parents or employer, how to be faithful how to love Him.

LEAN INTO IT

God is dope,

Israel