#MiamiOH #SpringOutreach will be a time when we can contend in John 17 Unity for Revival at MiamiU, Oxford, and the surrounding area. On April 8th 2 student lead bands will worship, pray and evangelize in Memorial Park (Oxford, OH) from 2 to 5:30pm. We are praying for great weather and John 17 unity among those involved. But what can we expect from 2 student led bands.
We can expect a lot because these are not 2 ordinary student led bands. These students have given themselves in an extravagant way to Glorify Jesus and make His name know on the earth. They have gone against the grain of todays society, and said, I want to live wholehearted for the sake of God’s Kingdom going forth. How? they have decided to work hard (yes, in the true Grace of God) for the 1st commandment to be first place in their lives, so that they can live out the 2nd commandment in the midst of their studies. So what does it mean to have the 1st commandment first place in our lives?
GREATEST COMMANDMENT
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”
FIRST COMMANDMENT
37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment.
SECOND COMMANDMENT
39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
Loving God is the first priority to God. Jesus did not call it the first option, but a commandment. Jesus makes it clear that cultivating love for Him is the first emphasis of the Holy Spirit. Loving God is a glorious end in itself; however, it never ends with loving God but always overflows with loving ourselves and others (believers and unbelievers). We love God (1st commandment) and then overflow and love people (2nd commandment).
God has everything, yet He is searching for something that He still wants first. What does God search for? What does He want most and first? It is love that He is after–He is after our heart! The mystery of our life is found in this truth. He wants us. He wants our voluntary love. God won’t force us to Love Him. One of the most important questions to ask God is, “What are You looking for before anything else?” When we find what God is looking for, then we will find the answer to what we are looking for. This is a serious question for LIFE.
Loving God is the first priority to God, or it is number one on God’s priority list. We must plan ministries with this as the first goal and measurement of success. Numerical growth is good, but that is not the litmus test of God’s grace or pleasure. I like to ask students what their goals are. Most always start from telling me about “good grades”, which is great! But is good grades enough? Is that true, well rounded Success?
Many are searching to know the will of God. What is the first issue in the will of God? First, God’s will is to strengthen the response of our heart to Him in love. This is more important to Him than our ministry assignment. “Lord, what are You doing in my life? Why are You allowing certain things to continue?” Jesus is after our heart. He wants to wake us up to reveal and impart
His love to us. Everything that God does, He does first for love.
Christianity is an ongoing encounter of love with a Person. Possessing fierce dedication and making radical choices for righteousness will not keep us steady unless we encounter love. It is not enough to be a part of a mission or have vision to change a city or nation. The labor of the vision will make us emotionally weary without the small but consistent stirring of love in our
emotions by the Spirit. Stirred emotions in love are the most powerful force in the universe!
These 2 student lead bands have a simple desire when they take field on April 8th. First, to LOVE GOD. They desire that with each strum of their guitar and with the words of their mouth they glorify God. Then, only after they have done the first, they desire to make the name of Jesus and His Father’s Kingdom established; they will worship, prayer, and preach the gospel.
praybenjamin 