When you receive a blessing, what do you value more? The blessing or the giver of that blessing(Jesus). If you find yourself valuing the blessing more than God,then God is not glorified. He is glorified when we value him more than anything. If you always value the giver of the gift, then when a trial is set before you, you will not be discouraged because you will still value him.
James 1:2 -"Count it all joy, my brothers , when you meet trials of various kinds."
He gives us lasting joy when we value him and he is most glorified when we rejoice in him. The thing we rejoice in most is what we value most. If we value anything more than God then we do not have real joy. It is only temporary happiness, we will have it for a little while then it will fade. But when we value God he gives us joy that lasts because it is in him.
19 comments:
Rejoice in all things. With thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Thanks for the post.
Hmm... that's true. Sometimes we tend to think about the gift more than the giver, good reminder.
~Kade
Cj: Exeelent Post! I think this is the most convicting post for me that you have wrote yet. You put me right on the spot and I thank you for doing this. I feel that too often I value the gift more than the Giver.
True. Guess where the prosperity gospel thrives - when the love for the gifts become greater than the love for God. Great blog!
I'm glad I've got somebody behind me. Thanks.
Cj, this was an AMAZING post! Very convicting for me, but still great. To often I value the gift over the Giver and this is sin.
Do you happen to be reading any John Piper? This sounds a lot like him. :)
Have a great day!
Kaysie
It's true, we ought to value God (YHWH) more than anything. He is our Creator. The Psalms are all about that. However, the sad reality is, I can't make myself love God at all. The Law commands, "Love the LORD your God with all your heart..." The good news is, there is a man who actually did that without failing at one point. Not only did His death cover my horrible transgression of not valuing Him, but it also provided my righteousness and God's Spirit to do in me what I could never, ever do under the Law.
Nice post, CJ. I enjoy your blog and the others who comment on it. You and your group of friends are the most fired up Christians teens I have ever encountered. Please pray for my small teen Bible study. Thanks.
Penn, I'll be praying.
-cj
Be careful, though, that you do value the gift. If you take things for granted like I do, then you'll find it hard to be thankful and give value to the giver.
-Charlie
Good point!
Please pray that I will find joy only in the Giver of all good things.
-Will
A mentor of mine is always reminding me, (in a gracious way), that it does not stop at the cross, but Christ is alive. He rose from the dead! The reason this is good news is, because we can go to a living Savior to receive His transforming grace, in order to trust Him and love (value) Him besides all else.
(I had to add this, since I ended at the cross in my previous comment). Christ is alive! Do you need a heart that stops loving the world and starts loving God? It's the living High Priest we must look to!
Grace and peace :)
Thanks, CJ, for praying.
Penn, your welcome and thanks for sharing!
I'll be praying for you will!
Happy Birthday CJ!!!!!!!!!!
~Naomi~
It's your birthday, CJ? How young does that make you?
Thanks Naomi!
Margaret, today I'm 15:)
Well happy Birthday CJ!
I hope you have a wonderful year of deeper communion with Christ and greater revelations in the Word. Your blog is such a blessing to me and many others. Keep up the great work!
Kaysie
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
-Kole
Thanks guys!
Didn't know it was your birthday! Belated happy, happy birthday then. =)
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