Being Obsessed with Christ

There is no answer in this world and the time we spend in it as to our problems and challenges than that of being obsessed and captivated by Jesus Christ.

Most of the readers here are those seeking something outside of what is called "institutional" Christianity, and so may feel they have a leg up on other believers who focus on the outward forms and many unbiblical practices included with all of that.

But whether or not you see what it is God wants for His people, there can be no spiritual benefit whatsoever if we're not infatuated and obsessed with the person of Jesus Christ. None at all.
After all, if all that is happening is people are switching locations of where they meet from a building to a living room, and yet have little or no change of heart towards the person of Jesus Christ, there is little reason for going through that unpleasant experience, even if it results in a more biblical practice of church life.

In other words, you can be just as dead in a living room, or even living day-to-day life together if the purpose hasn't come from the love of Christ within our hearts.

On the other hand, when Jesus Christ is our sole purpose and focus for being a people and friends, it is unlimited as to what can and will occur as together we walk in Him and are conformed to His glorious image.

Many times we search the scriptures, especially the New Testament writings, for the secrets that made the early church what it was, and in the end, there is no other answer than the fact that they were enamored and in love with Jesus Christ. That's it! Nothing else. That answers everything as to the practical outworking that came forth as a result.

We can obsess with techniques and other such things, but those only came forth in response to challenges the people of God faced and as they sought Jesus Christ and how to handle them as they appeared. But it was that love of Christ and consequently, of one another, that allowed for those answers to be found. If there was no love, most wouldn't have cared one way or the other how a particular situation worked out.

Those believers that have had a real work of the cross of Jesus Christ in their lives can testify to the reality that even though they have suffered greatly by following Christ, that weight is in fact very light when compared with the privilege and honor of being offered the opportunity of knowing Him. I'm not talking about knowing things about Him, but literally and actually getting to know Him on a moment by moment basis; both individually and corporately.

Before we go on, don't think because you intellectually agree with these thoughts and statements that you have all these things. Either you're in deep love with Christ or you're not. Either you can't stop thinking about Him all the time or you don't think about Him much.

Even when working a job or interacting with others throughout the day in other situations, you can remain in unhindered and non-stop fellowship with Jesus Christ. That's because that is to happen in our innermost being, not in the head primarily. So even though we are many times able to dwell upon Him with our thoughts, outward circumstances may not allow us to remain in that practice. Yet we can still be in real, inner fellowship with Christ that doesn't demand thought processes, but the awareness of His life dwelling intimately deep within us.

If you want the answer as to how the early believers were able to handle the enormous opposition they faced from the world, and the persecution and martyrdom of some of the apostles and believers, this is totally and completely the answer: they got hold of a real relationship with Jesus Christ and everything else didn't matter. That's why they could gladly have everything taken away from them and not miss a step in their closeness and obedience to Jesus Christ.

All of that means the world was truly dim to them in the light of the face of Jesus Christ, who made this world look lame in comparison. The result was that they held things in this world very lightly, and so when they were attacked or had their property and goods confiscated, it had no effect whatsoever upon them other than they went on their way homeless and without any goods in this world. This can only come about from a revelation of, and participation in, the person of Jesus Christ. It must go beyond revelation alone into becoming a living and practical reality. But we still need to see Christ in order to respond accordingly. They work together hand-in-hand.

Having said that, the most simple person or people in the world can love and obey Jesus Christ without being able to explain Him or expound upon doctrine concerning Him. It's the deep love and being caught up into His amazing person hood that is important and eternally valuable, not how much light and revelation that we have of Him.

Most of our problems in life and our response to them come from the fact that we are influenced by personal interests. Those undermine our relationship with the Lord and cause us to be distracted.
If only we could grasp and embrace this wonderful Jesus Christ. If we open ourselves up to Him and want only Him, we'll find that what many consider difficult in abandoning sin and many of the other distractions of the world isn't even that hard. As a matter of fact great joy accompanies true fellowship with Christ, but not the joy of the world that is largely dependent upon things working out easily and the way we want them. Rather it's the joy of simply knowing Him for no other reason than enjoying and wanting to be with Him.

One way of knowing whether or not you're close to reaching that place is when you find you have no regrets in pursuing Christ and finding Him, or rather being found by Him.

Whether we have lost our reputation because of Christ; our goods; friends; family; or any other thing or person that is important to us, it's our infatuation with Jesus Christ that continues to dominate our being and life that is important to us, no matter what life in this world brings. Jesus Christ said He has overcome this world, so we can be of good cheer as a result. Those that are walking in Him will find that they participate in that conquering, so can overcome all that come their way without the feeling of loss in any way. That's the same with the flesh and the devil as well, which Christ has also overcome. The secret is sitting at the feet of Christ like Mary did. After all, Jesus Himself said that that is all that really matters in this life, to be gathered around Him as we sit at His feet together. 
Again, this isn't something that comes about from mental assent, but rather from being literally, actually and in reality, living with Jesus Christ being the entirety of our lives.

Don't be flippant about this. It'll cost us everything, or at least if we pursue and desire Christ in this manner, it has the potential to cost us everything. The key is that it shouldn't and won't matter to us once we are in the reality of walking with Christ in this way. The cost can and will be real, but the fallout of that cost won't matter to us as we hold onto and keep our eyes on this amazing Christ who created and died for us so that we could participate in friendship and fellowship with Him. That, after all, is what eternal life is.

All of us need to get desperate with Jesus Christ in this. Ask, plead, beg if you have to, that Jesus Christ will help you to lay aside all the weights, sins and personal interests so you can walk with Him unhindered while living on this earth. This isn't primarily a call to do this individually, although that's important, but it's a call for us to walk this corporately in a living way.