when things go bankrupt, we see Christ

"It's written on their hearts, that they are made for God... You can find overlaps in the things they long for and yearn for, and how things go bankrupt in their lives when they set their affections on small things" - John Piper

I found this quote particularly moving. I still have so little knowledge of my God, and even "who I am," but as I hear little bits of Pastor Piper's musings, I can glean from my personal experiences and relate to what he preaches about.

I find it such a great burden not only in my life, but in the church, in particular the "independent fundamental Baptist" movement how so many teens and college students set their bar so low, in trying to fill the void that only Christ can fill. And I'm not talking about unregenerate church members, but those who are saved, maybe even in Bible college searching for God's will. We try to fill this void with movies, tv shows, worldly music, finding a spouse, dating, friendship, and even ministry itself. While not all of these are wrong, and some even good, they will never fulfill the void that we need of Christ. Any true believer will have a desire, a thirst, a hunger to know Christ. Some of these things will temporarily fill the void, or even distract us from this need, but without the Living Water, without the Bread of life, we will find ourselves empty, in our quiet moments.

I myself can testify of the emptiness of those things, but I also can testify of the satisfaction in Christ. Even with this knowledge it is still a fight. I struggle, and have to get myself to PRESS ON towards the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus. I still have to endure hardness, I still need to strive against myself. But I am so glad that God gently comes to me, and gives me the motivation to live for Him, he gives me the strength to live for Him, and gives me the hunger to know Him. I'n my weakest moments, I truly see that is His grace, and that not myself. Not my my own love for God, and my "bein' spear-chul," or anything else, but just being kept by His grace.

What I'm trying to REALLY say is, I just don't think that Christians in the "IFB" are getting fed and taught and preached the "deeper" things of God. There is only so much we can hear, yet it seems like we do not KNOW, and I mean TRULY know God as we should. Our theology is weak, not only at the bottom with the lay people, but even to the top, with pastors, and influential figure heads. Am I trying to criticize them? No not at all, but if we want to live a life pleasing to Christ, we cannot depend on man, but we must search out ourselves, and have that alone time with Christ. These times we spend alone with God, with our TOTAL UNDIVIDED attention given to Him, is the greatest time that God transforms us to be like Him, to know more of Him, and to have even a greater devotion and motivation to live for Him.

Nevertheless, God is faithful!