Our Daily Bread” http://odb.org/
The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie http://www.harvest.org/devotional
Written by Bill Rudge for “Bill Rudge Ministries” @ https://billrudgeministries.wordpress.com/
Original post @ https://billrudgeministries.wordpress.com/2023/03/31/the-desire-level-of-christian-life/
The Desire Level of Christian Life
MARCH 31, 2023~ BRM7
Bill Rudge
The Desire level is where we have a passion, hunger and thirst for the Lord more than anything else on earth. My relationship with Jesus Christ is more important to me and fulfills and satisfies me more than anyone or anything else—more than wealth, power, sex or any other temporary pleasure this world has to offer. All else is inferior to knowing Christ. I understand what the psalmist meant when he said, “Earth has nothing I desire besides You” (Psalm 73:25) and “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, my God” (Psalm 42:1)
The Lord is saying to you, “I have a deeper dimension for you. I have something that will satisfy you more than anything else you are seeking.” David said, “You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound” (Psalm 4:7).
Think about this! The greatest feeling in the world does not come from alcohol or drugs, from pornography or sex, from pleasure-oriented indulgences or from anything else the world offers. I have tried just about everything imaginable, and I can assure you, the greatest joy in the world comes from knowing everything is right between you and the Lord, desiring Him more than anyone else and wanting His will more than anything else. He is the ultimate fulfillment of all you need and wish! This is the Desire level God wants to bring you to.
Besides not wanting to be laughed at, a retired Marine confessed he had one other problem that kept him from accepting Christ. There were certain things he did not want to give up. He asked me, “How could you at such a young age of 18 give up your immorality, gambling, fighting and alcohol? Wasn’t that fun?” “Yes, it was fun,” I responded, “but I found something far more fulfilling. Besides, I am willing to sacrifice anything in this life to obtain that for which Christ has called me and to inherit what God has for me in the next life.” I continued, “If you really believe that God exists, then you should pursue Him with the same passion you pursue your fleeting pleasures. The Lord will put more joy and hope in your heart than any imaginable experience or than any other person.”
Jesus encourages us to replace temporal pursuits with goals of far greater importance: “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). The psalmist said it this way: “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).
The Lord has taught me that I cannot coerce or manipulate Him into giving me what I want. However, if I delight myself in Him, seek to Honor His name and walk in obedience, He will grant the desires of my heart (because they will be His desires as well) and will abundantly bless beyond what I could ever ask or think.
During my times of fasting, I often pray: “Lord, do not let me attempt to manipulate You into what I want or think You should be, but reveal Yourself to me as You are. I want to know You. Make known to me who You are by Your Word and by Your Spirit. Cause me to submit and be conformed to who You are and what You require of me.”
When you “love the Lord your God with all your heart [innermost being and desires] and with all your soul [volition and will] and with all your mind [brain and intellect] and with all your strength [physical body]” (Mark 12:30), you remove anything that takes you away from Him. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary states concerning this verse: “God is to be loved completely and totally because He alone is God and because He has made a covenant of love with His people. In the covenant God gives Himself totally in love to His people; therefore He expects His people to give themselves totally in love to Him.”
Instead of pursuing a self-indulgent lifestyle that eludes fulfillment as does chasing the wind, pursue Jesus Christ through prayer and the study of Scripture. As you do, the temporary pleasures of this world fade in comparison to knowing Christ. You will gain a deeper revelation of Him and His glory by coming to know Him in a more real and intimate way. You will desire His will for your life and long for His Second Coming when He will rule and reign in righteousness, peace and joy for all eternity!
Excerpts from “Reaching Your Maximum Potential in Christ” by Bill Rudge. To receive a free copy of this book, write Bill Rudge Ministries, P. O. Box 108, Sharon, PA 16146-0108.
******************************************
P.S. (from bruce) When there is no other place to turn…turn to God !! If you’re not a “born again” Christian, is the Holy Spirit urging you to open this link ?? Here is the truth about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through understanding and obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ… https://godsmanforever.com
To my brothers and sisters in Christ, please feel free to share this message of the cross with those in need…
You say you are a “born again” believer… BUT is your soul “ON FIRE” for the Lord ?? If not, open this link – https://godsmanforever.com/2020/08/01/are-you-a-christian-in-gods-eyes-and-on-fire-for-the-lord-or-not/
God's group 