Where Is the Passion?

As I was praying for our church a few days ago this question came to mind and the Lord began to speak to me about this. Where is the passion? Since then, the question has not left me, so I decided to explore this by putting my thoughts down in writing.

In Matthew 22:37-38 (MKJV) Jesus says,

Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment.

According to Scripture and the Lord Jesus Himself, the greatest commandment is this: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind.” I have realized that while many Christians can quote this passage, say all the right words, do all the right things, go to all the right places, still, there is something vital missing on the inside of their mortal being. Where is the genuine adoration and love of God that once burned within us? Do we really love Him with all of our hearts, all of our souls and all of our minds or have we created a watered-down mixture that has become our own version of Christianity?

I believe many Christians today are lacking passion for Jesus. We have passion for our friends, passion for our pets and animals, passion for our computers and other realities of life, but where is our passion for God? I find it amazing that some people are more consumed with the issue of whether or not their dog or cat will be in heaven than they are with their neighbor… or even their own family! Why is it that most people would rather spend an evening watching their favorite television program instead of being in the presence of the One who died for you? Or they’d rather stay up late half the night playing on the computer and then miss church on Sunday morning because they slept in.

I believe many of us pray, read the word, go to church and serve Jesus out of obligation instead of passion for Him.

Passion does not operate out of obligation.
Passion operates as a result of agape love.
Passion loves and serves because it wants to, not because it has to.
Passion is an abandoned display of emotion such as love, joy, etc. It denotes strong feeling, fervor, enthusiasm, and zeal.
Passion is serving God because there is nothing else that we would rather be doing.

I know that some may be offended by these words, but personally, I am sick and tired of people telling me how on fire for God they are; that they are closer to Jesus than they have ever been before… yet they miss more church services than they attend. There is always an excuse, but the reality is, that if it were the most important thing in their lives, they would find a way to make it.
Those same folks make it to parties, to cookouts, to the things that matter to them… they just cannot make it to church. (Of course, I am not talking about those who miss because of their job.)

The problem? They have lost their passion for Jesus.

Then there are those who claim to be on a spiritual high, walking above everyone else spiritually, so they no longer need to come to church. Or those who boldly claim how close they are to God, while all the while they blatantly live in sin and proclaim that God understands their hearts. The Bible I read tells me that God is Holy and cannot even look upon sin, so don’t tell me He is blessing your life while you flaunt your sin before Him. It just does not work that way.

The problem? They are more passionate about the thing or person they are sinning with than they are about Jesus. The devil has successfully duped so many into thinking that God understands and condones their sin, so long as they tell everyone how spiritual they are. They believe they are glorifying God, while in fact they are making a mockery of Him!

Last night, while I was praying for our churc, the Lord spoke a word into my heart which I sat down and wrote and I’d like to share it here.

This is what the Lord said:

Where is the fire that once burned so brightly within you, says the Lord.
Where is your love for Me?
Where have you been?
Where are you going?
What is more important than your relationship with Me?
I have missed you and have longed to be with you.
I have been calling you and you have not responded to Me.
I have been knocking at your heart’s door and you have not opened unto Me.
Why have you forsaken Me, saith the Lord?
Why are you neglecting Me and turning away from Me?
Have I not given My all for you?
Have I not laid down My life for you?
Have I not made a way for you to know Me in a personal way?
Do not be deceived by those who would draw your attention to other places.
Do not be deceived into believing a lie.
For I am the One who saves man from his sin.
I am the One who has the power to heal and deliver.
I am the One who has created you for Myself.
My Spirit grieves and weeps over you, says the Lord.
You have gone your own way and destruction awaits you.
Turn back to Me now, says the Lord, and repent while there is still time.
Turn your heart back to Me, and I will receive you unto Myself, for I love you with unconditional love.
Be not deceived by the wicked one, for he desires to destroy your soul in hell.
Turn to Me and repent of your wicked ways, for I long for your fellowship.
I long for you to seek Me, for when you seek Me with your whole heart, you will surely find Me.