One great hindrance to holiness in the ministry of the Word is that we are prone to preach without pressing into the things we say and making them real to our own souls. Over the years the words begin to come easy, and we find we can speak of mysteries without standing in awe; we can speak of purity without feeling pure; we can speak of zeal without spiritual passion; we can speak of God's holiness without trembling; we can speak of sin without sorrow; we can speak of heaven without eagerness. And the result is increasing hardness of the spiritual life.--John Piper in Contending for Our All.I think Piper is exactly right. Head without heart ultimately leaves us cold and spiritually. There are, of course, opposite challenges of passion without the spine of solid biblical truth and Piper inevitably comes back to that spine.
What we are contending for here in the foothills, however, is to press into the reality of Christ--to contend for Heaven here on earth--today--to press into genuine holiness and passion for God and all His glory.
We want all the reality of Christ. At least, I confess, I do. All believers must some time have been confronted with the thought there must be more than this. Let that frustration not leave us discontent but somehow willing to settle for less simply from weariness.
Let it drive us--at least me--more deeply into prayer--more deeply into worship and willing to take more risks for the King and His Kingdom.
Lord Jesus reveal Yourself among us.
Fountain of Living Waters pour over this land today.
