Over the past three days we listened to numerous speakers and worshiped with Crowder and Hillsong United to name a few. The most amazing part about it all though was the presence of the Holy Spirit there in the Georgia Dome and the work He was doing in that place.
We kicked the Conference off with hearing from Christine Caine. She reminded us that this relationship we have with Jesus Is a race we are gonna need endurance for. She spoke about focusing on the here and now instead of the then and there. To drop everything now and start exactly where we were. God will meet you where you are He is faithful in that. We finished the first evening with a crazy awesome performance from Crowder who tore the house down with surprise guest Carrie Underwood. On top of all the other greatness from night one each attendee for Passion 2017 the 20th anniversary of Passion received a special Dome Edition Jesus Bible released this week!
Day two Dr. John Piper, Beth Moore, Jay and Katherine Wolf, and Francis Chan brought the word. Speaking on everything from defining the essence of sin, Gods thoughts are greater than our own and we are our own worst enemy when we allow ourselves to get in our heads, to it's a blessing to have the opportunity to suffer for and because of God. The evening ended with one of the most inspiring and moving messages I have ever heard from Pastor Louie Giglio.
Louie left us with some powerful stuff. Some of my favorite take aways from his sermon where, "stop trying to hang with the world and invite the world to come hang with you." Talking about inviting the world to come know Jesus with us. The one I would say that moved me the most was "you know love because of the circumstance."
John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
The circumstance is that God sent His son for you and I. That's the greatest definition of love we will ever read about and know. The final take away from his sermon that really just stopped me in my place was "the innocent one became guilty so that the guilty could become innocent in him." Jesus took our shame and our wretchedness as His own. I am amazed every day of the things Jesus has done and will do. Night two ended with worship from Hillsong United and what a powerful performance they brought.
The third and final day ended with a great message from Pastor Levi Lusko from Fresh Life Church. I had three take aways from his sermon that I jotted down into my notes:
"You make fragrance by finding something precious and crushing it up. We need to ask God to crush us so that we can share the fragrance of Jesus."
-It's not enough to say that as a generation but as a church whole we need to ask God to crush us and use us for His glory. To use us to share the gospel and take His name to the ends of the earth.
"Ministry that is affective begins at home." Ministry begins in our hometowns and in our communities.
-We can't go tackle the big battles until we start with the people next door and across the street.
"We need to train for the trial we are not yet in."
- Seasons are changing constantly in our lives. We should always be preparing our hearts for the next step. Enjoy the moment that we are in but understand that in the blink of an eye the moment can change. We should not falter nor question God for it but prepare and praise Him through it.
These past three days have got me fired up for what is to come in this following year. I'm encouraged to know that I'm not alone in my walk either. Surrounded by 60 some thousand other followers makes it kind of hard to feel alone. Passion 2018 can't come fast enough. Until then though I'm challenging myself this year to be more intentional, to be plugged in, and to serve. In no particular order nor particular capacity I hope this year I live more for Jesus than I did last year and the year before. 2017 holds big things myself and you included need only be faithful to the Lord and know that through our obedience He will provide.
Here's to 2017 and making much of Jesus!
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