Steve Nickel Passionate Pursuit 10.20.2024.pptx

10-20-2024

1. Romans 8:29 “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son. ” Romans 13:14 “ Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ …”

2. PASSION = EMOTION + ACTION

3. What are you most passionate about?

4. What are you most passionate about? Is pursuing a close, personal relationship with God your #1 passion? Why or why not?

5. John C. Maxwell “Passion gives you an advantage over others, because one person with passion is greater than ninety-nine who have only an interest!”

6. Interested Passionate

7. Today’s “be like Jesus” Challenge Move from interest to passion! (from passive interest in spiritual activity to a passionate pursuit of fellowship)

8. God is passionately pursuing me! …so I can have a personal relationship and close fellowship with Him! Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

9. Jesus was a Passionate Pursuer Jesus pursued His Father’s presence Jesus pursued His Father’s Word Jesus pursued His Father’s will

10. To be like Jesus, I must move from “passively interested” to “passionately pursuing”!

11. Philippians 3:7-10 7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ— yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

12. Philippians 3:11-14 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

13. Move from interest to passion… Realize my God-given purpose in life. Remove the passion killers. Recommit to my “first love” activities. Remember Christ’s passion for me on the cross!

14. Jeremiah 29:13 “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

15. One step I will take to cultivate a greater passion for God in my life is ______!