What I want and what I need...

I've been thinking about this a whole lot lately. I have so much in my life that I am so very thankful for! My husband, children, family, church, house, cars, clothes, jewelry, shoes, decorations, washing machine/dryer/dishwasher, a/c and heater, flushing toilets, etc. The list could go on and on and on. But point of the matter is that I do not NEED any of it. Please don't get me wrong in this. Like I said, I AM VERY THANKFUL FOR ALL OF THESE AND MUCH MORE. But I do not NEED  it. What I need is Jesus. He is all I need. He is everything. He is.

There are often so many times that I get that thought in my head of "I need this new thing or that new thing." In my daily walk with Christ I have to make it a point to wake up in the morning and say, "Jesus, YOU are my all in all. You are Who sustains me. It's not things, and it's not even the people in my life. It's You."

Jesus tells us in Luke 14:26 "If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison--your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters--yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple." Those are strong words, right? But we must take this to heart. The way we love others in our life can in no way compare to the way and how much we love Jesus. He is our All in All!

We do absolutely no good in people when we allow them to believe that our wants are the same as our needs. Everyone NEEDS Jesus! If we cause people to believe that they need anything other than Jesus, we have done them a great travesty. We must guard our witness among others and be sure to prove that all we NEED is a relationship with Christ. He supplies everything we NEED. EVERYTHING. Philippians 4:19 "And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus." That's a promise.  Jesus is ALL WE NEED.

I think John Piper said it best in his Prosperity sermon...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTc_FoELt8s&feature=player_detailpage

This is hard to swallow isn't it? As I type this, it is hard. But this is who we are called to be. I choose Christ and all that implies. If God says do it, I choose to do it.

Christ is worth it! He is Love. He laid down His life for me and you. That's not just a story that we have heard at church or on a television program. That's real life! He's real life. He is Life!