Photo Credit: Andrew Gallo
I have found that there are things in my life that stimulate my affection for Christ and there are things in life that dull my affection for Christ. Things that cloud my sight of Him and cause me to have an unhealthy appetite for the world and things that bring clarity to see Him and His work. Because of this, I have tried to pay attention to what these things may be. Here is a list:
Joey's Christ affection stimulators:
-My wife Kinsey
-Sushi
-The book of Romans
-Being with the body of Christ
-Spurgeon's Morning and Evening devotions
-Conversations about the Gospel
-The ocean/beach
Hebrews 12:1-2
"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Philippians 3:8
"More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ"
I have found that there are things in my life that stimulate my affection for Christ and there are things in life that dull my affection for Christ. Things that cloud my sight of Him and cause me to have an unhealthy appetite for the world and things that bring clarity to see Him and His work. Because of this, I have tried to pay attention to what these things may be. Here is a list:
Joey's Christ affection stimulators:
-My wife Kinsey
-Sushi
-The book of Romans
-Being with the body of Christ
-Spurgeon's Morning and Evening devotions
-Conversations about the Gospel
-The ocean/beach
-Hymns
-Any counsel I get from Sovereign Grace friends
-Grace Community Church (main gathering times)
-The sky/clouds/colorful sunsets
-MacArthur's prayers
-Piper's tweets
-The gospel of John
Joey's Christ affection dullers:
-Getting pulled in and effected emotionally by a sports game.
(even though I don't like sports!)
-Too much time at the radio station that I work at sometimes.
-Long conversations about nothing.
-Critical/mean spirited joking
-Any counsel I get from Sovereign Grace friends
-Grace Community Church (main gathering times)
-The sky/clouds/colorful sunsets
-MacArthur's prayers
-Piper's tweets
-The gospel of John
Joey's Christ affection dullers:
-Getting pulled in and effected emotionally by a sports game.
(even though I don't like sports!)
-Too much time at the radio station that I work at sometimes.
-Long conversations about nothing.
-Critical/mean spirited joking
-Sleeping in too late
-Time wasted online
-Most movies
-Most sarcasm
-Getting too interested in fashion
-Spending money on the unnecessary
What stirs your affections for Christ? What robs you of that joy?
-Time wasted online
-Most movies
-Most sarcasm
-Getting too interested in fashion
-Spending money on the unnecessary
What stirs your affections for Christ? What robs you of that joy?
I'd love to see some of your lists.
6 comments:
Things that stimulate AND lessen my affections for God...hmmm, often they are one and the same. These particular things can do either depending on how "in the flesh" or "in the Spirit" I am.
Tragedy
Work
Finances
Food
Leisure and recreation
Marriage
Children
My fellow brothers & sisters in Christ
Sleep
The weather
Health
I find that the things that God gave me to stir up my affections for Him have sometimes become occassion for the flesh. The problems ends up being me...not the good gifts of God. Praise God that the regeneration of the Holy Spirit unto gospel belief and repentance is transforming this in me through the Word of God.
I have not yet attained...but I press on by the grace of God. One mystery that I try to grasp is how God even uses my sin and turns them into moments that stir up my affections for Christ. To the degree that God shows me that my sin is gross and wicked, I find that God's grace is bigger and more powerful to cleanse me than my efforts at self-righteousness.
Obviously there are things that ONLY stimulate me towards loving Christ...and there are things that ONLY move me towards sin...but I chose to only mention those things that can do both.
Things that stir my affection for my LORD:
-Cross
-Garden of Gethsemane
-Isaiah 53
-"Eli Eli lama sabachthani"
-Body of Christ
-Solitude
-Michael Card
-Poetry
-Dance
-Little Children!! :D
Things that dull my affection for Christ:
-Self
-Being Career driven
-Avoiding people
-Good books:literature
-Lack of organized skills :(
Things that stir my affection for my LORD:
. Music
. Children
. Illness
. The Blazing Center(Blog)
. Fellowship with the body of Christ
. Books
Things that dull my affection for Christ:
. Lack of Faith at times
. Too much time with friends
. My busy Schedule
Christ affection stimulators:
-my husband, Mike
-joey
-the body of ChriSt
-Steve Lawson
-corporate worship
-SteaZ
-sushi
-creation
Christ affection dullers:
-theological debates
-typing on this iPhone!
-money
-approval of others
-procrastination
-driving
Oh my goodness this is so good and so helpful.
Things that stimulate my love for Christ:
- the book of John
- praying with Rachel robb
- Sunlight, wind, and the sky
- the book of Hebrews
- studying theology to know in order to love
- worshipping Jesus in song with 3500 believers every Sunday
- Christmas and Easter, the happiest holidays of the year
- consistent prayer
- Colossians 1
- the resurrection
- my neices and nephews
- good design
Things that dull my love for Christ:
- most tv & movies
- self-focus
- inconsistent prayer
- studying theology simply to know
- forgetting the resurrection
- idolizing comfort
- concern for my reputation
- doing anything to prove my own righteousness
- ignoring the needy
There are things that I think every believer should have on their list of stimulators: Prayer, meditation on God, scripture reading, etc. So I'll try to think of some personal ones...
Stimulators:
- Cleaning / Organizing
- Traveling / Seeing creation
- Extra-Biblical book reading
- Laughter
- Looking forward to Easter (all year long)
- Running & Biking
- Coffee
- Illness, physical pain
Dullers:
- Procrastination
- Profanity
- Tasteless jokes
- Wasting time
- Movies and TV
- Sleeping in
- Being late
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