Thoughts on Jesus (after Passion 2011)

This post was going to be called "Thoughts on Passion 2011" but I thought that would have been against everything that they taught us this week. So thus, the title is "Thoughts on Jesus (after Passion 2011)" or the longer title: "Thoughts on Jesus based on what I learned and how the Spirit moved in my heart at Passion 2011"

First off, I want to say that I'm actually a little excited that Passion's over. Of course I loved it and in some ways I wish it would last forever... but this time, God put so many things on my heart that I want to do and showed me so many ways I want to be different. I'm excited to go back to work and to FCC and to my friends and share what I've learned with them.

Now, I don't want to iterate every little specific thing that I learned. That would be way too much to read, and I'm pretty nice and don't want to ask you to read very much on my blog. To start off, I'll share some of my favorite quotes. (Note: all quotes are paraphrased because I can't write very fast while listening to a speaker)

"We were enemies, but God made peace with us."

"Choose to chain yourself to Christ or something else will chain you."

"It takes the renewing of the mind to discern His will for us individually."

"Whatever He's called you to do is more than you can do on your own."

"There is either more of the Spirit, or more bondage to sin. The mind does not allow us to stay the same."

"Change how you think and it will change how you feel."

"Does your life look like the Gospel?"

"Jesus' mindset was all about glorifying God."

(I'm going to have to write a whole blog post on Andy Stanley's message about Appetites, so I'll do that later.)

"Jesus says to us: 'You follow me? Then I'm all you've got.'"

"Are the Word of God and the Spirit of God enough for you?"

"God's design in loving us is that He be made much of."

"Jesus is praying for us and asks that we would see how glorious He is." (John 17:24)

"...self can never satisfy a heart made for God."

These quotes barely even begin to explain what God did in my life this week. I'm blown away that He loves me enough to keep seeking after me and desiring to use me for His glory! I hope I can make my life look more like the Gospel, and I know that Christ in me can accomplish this. I come away from this experience longing to make everything I do about bring glory to God. It's not going to be easy, and I don't make light of that. Otherwise I know that I will fail almost instantly. But I know that Jesus' power is more than enough to bring this about in my life, and He can do it for you too!