That I Might Know Him

"I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ." (Philippians 3:8)

What I am preaching to try to being about in the Church of Jesus Christ is a rediscovery of the loveliness of the Saviour that we might begin to love Him again with the intensity of love such as our fathers knew. I have said before and I repeat it now that the power and greatness of A. B. Simpson was not in his theology, for he positively was not a great theologian compared, for instance, with Wesley or some of the other theologians. The power and greatness of the man lay in his unquenchable love for the Person of Jesus Christ the Lord.

There are certain things God let Paul have. He let him have a book or two, let him have a coat, and let him have his own hired house for two years in one instance, but Paul never allowed those things to touch his heart. Any external treasure that touches your heart is a curse. Paul said, "I give that up so that I might know Him. That I might go on to deeply enriched and increasing intimacy and vast expanses of knowledge of the One who is intimate and illimitable in His beauty. And that I might know Him, I give all this up." He never allowed anything to touch his heart.

Lord, wean me from the lure of earthly pleasures. Take me to that depth of which Paul speaks, that I would willingly give up all to know You more intimately. Amen

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Do You Really Love Him?

"He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time ... And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee, Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep." (John 21:17)

Do you love the Lord Jesus Christ - really? Now I know we sing that we do. We sing things that aren't very true sometimes. Do you really love Christ?

A half-hour comical answer was given to Moody one time when he inquired of a man on the street, "Do you love Jesus?" He answered, "I have nothing against Him." I think that is about as far as a lot of people go. We have nothing against Jesus, but can we say we love Him?

When I read the writings of the old saints and the devotional writers and hymn writers of the Middle Ages and later, I get sick in my heart and I tell God, "God, I'm sorry, I apologize and I'm ashamed. I don't love You the way these loved You." Read the letters of Samuel Rutherford and then see how sick it'll make you. You'll fold that book shut and  get down on your knees very likely and say, "Lord Jesus, do I love You at all considering that this was love? Then what have I, what have I got?"

Lord, I wonder if I really know anything about love. Give me a tender heart that I might love You as I should. Amen

~A. W. Tozer~