THE SINGLE GREATEST THING THAT THIS WORLD AND THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US LACK, AND THEREFORE NEED MORE OF IS GOD THROUGH CHRIST JESUS. BUT TO TAKE IT ONE STEP FURTHER, SINCE GOD IS LOVE, WHAT WE NEED MORE OF IS LOVE. THIS WORLD NEEDS MORE LOVE. WE NEED MORE LOVE, TO LOVE AND TO BE LOVED.

This was an amazing epiphany that God gave me tonight. I have been struggling spiritually for so long, but especially this past week. I know the life that God has called me to live and the way to live it, but I can never seem to live it in that manner for very long. I always fall right back into the same sins, back into the same lifeless lifestyle. It is because I lack love for God, first and foremost, and then for His people. It is because I lack love that I cannot serve in my church full-heartedly. It is because I lack love that I always turn back to my old ways, my old sins at the first sign of hardship/trouble. It is because I lack love that obeying God's commands is such a burden and seems so meaningless. I lack love, first for my Father, and then for my brothers and sisters, my mothers and fathers. I guarantee you, if there was more love in this world, if there was more love ESPECIALLY within the Christian community, this world would look a whole lot different....

Love is the fulfillment of EVERY command and the ENTIRE law. If any of us are struggling to live for God fully, or struggling with specific sins, the answer is to learn to love more. How do we love? Come to know Christ more, be in deeper relationship with Christ, make Him our one and only Savior. All of our sins, in some way or another, are a form of escape...an escape from our unsatisfactory lives or present situations, an escape from having to deal with our troubles head on, an escape from our failures or when we fall short. BUT, what if every time we wanted to escape, we escaped to Christ? What if our escape, our refuge, our savior was Christ and Christ alone? Sin and temptation won't stand a chance. In our times of trouble and temptation, immediately cry out to God in prayer, go run to the Word, quickly seek godly counseling from other men/women of God. Seek love....

In this generation, rather than looking at the character of a man/woman, we get caught up in what he/she has or can do. Rather than pursuing Christ-like character, we so easily get distracted and chase after the things of this world. In the end, when it's all said and done, we won't be able to take any of our possessions or talents with us to the life after...we can only take that which exists within us: our hearts, our faith, our character.

Somewhere along the way I forgot that it's my heart, our hearts, that God looks at and truly cares about. Somehow, I got to thinking that money, career, status, reputation, and security would make me more of a man...but I couldn't be more wrong. A Christ-like character is what makes a man/woman honorable or worthy of respect, regardless of what they have or are capable of. Priorities: character first, then whatever may come.

Dear world,

F you!!!! Too much?? What if I said that the "F" stood for 'forget'? Does that make it any better?? Yea, forget you "world"!! You've ruined my life too many times. No more I say, no more!

I've got this intense anger and hatred for "the world" right now. I can't seem to shake it off. Everything and anything that is in or associated with "the world" makes me want to act out in extreme frustration and anger.

I know that "the world" has many meanings. It could mean the earth/universe, or the earth and its inhabitants, or mankind as a whole. But the meaning that I am referring to in this post is how sin has become so prevalent in today's society.

I'll be the first to admit that I've allowed myself to become a part of this world and found myself walking along the broad path. How can I, a self-professing follower of Jesus Christ be a part of this world, a world that hated and killed Him?? According to the book of John, Jesus was/is/will never be a part of this world...and neither are His followers/disciples. It's upsetting to me to think that I would do this to Him, to be a part of that which hated and killed Him.

What is in this world?? For me personally, it has been money/greed, career and status, achievements and successes, image, carnal desires, security/certainty, comfort, and my future hopes/dreams. Each and every one of those things I need to surrender to God, to rid my life of any traces of these things. The world loves to whisper in my ear and tell me that I need these things...BUT I don't!! Really, I don't! As cliche as this might sound, Jesus is all I need. No matter how many times I've said it or will say it, that simple statement remains true to this very day and will remain true for an eternity....I can't afford to keep forgetting that.

F you, world...