Warning: Not for "tickled ears"

Last Sunday in our church our pastor (who is very soft-spoken, humble, quiet) got pretty riled up as he proclaimed that we want everything FROM Jesus except Jesus Himself. How true - for me, anyway. I love the new hymn "In Christ Alone" and I've determined that for me focusing only on Christ is a full-time job without adding the second job of judge or jury for others. During this week those words have rang in my heart again and again - here's where I have heard their chorus:

On Monday a friend and her 2 teenage daughters went to hear Josh McDowell and he stressed to the parents that they need to not point only to the Bible but more importantly to the author of the Bible - the Word Himself. What good is looking to the Bible if you don't see the author who is Creator, Savior, Redeemer, King of Kings, Jesus Christ Himself in it?

On Tuesday I ran across this quote tucked away in my prayer journal - one of my favorite quotes - "Jesus is something to you but is HE everything?" from E.M. Bounds.

On Tuesday I also glanced at Jimmy's blog and found one of my favorite hymns - "Be Thou My Vision" - the essence of desiring Christ in every particle of my life.

On Wednesday I got a devotion forwarded to me from a dear friend who is serving overseas in very difficult and dangerous situations and the message was from 1 Cor. 2:2 "For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified."
Period.
Amen.