{"id":8732,"date":"2016-04-06T09:09:45","date_gmt":"2016-04-06T13:09:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=8732"},"modified":"2016-04-08T06:48:14","modified_gmt":"2016-04-08T10:48:14","slug":"worship-wednesday-knowing-you-jesus-graham-kendrick","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=8732","title":{"rendered":"Worship Wednesday – Knowing You, Jesus – Graham Kendrick"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Blog<\/a>Photo Credit: Slideshare<\/a><\/p>\n

Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.<\/span><\/strong> Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord<\/strong>. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ<\/span> and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith\u2014<\/span>\u00a0 that I may know him<\/strong> and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,<\/span>\u00a0<\/em> that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.<\/span>\u00a0<\/em> – Philippians 3:7-12<\/a>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

When the Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippian church, he wrote from prison. He loved this church and wanted to encourage them to stay true to the teachings of Christ, in humility and unity together. As he wrote about the “surpassing worth of knowing Christ<\/em>“<\/strong>, he listed out some of his own qualifications of renown(Philippians 3:3-6<\/a>) …and counted them as rubbish, filth, dung<\/a> in comparison.<\/p>\n

Cliff Jordan<\/a>, lead pastor of Movement Church<\/a>, taught on this passage this week (podcast here<\/a>). At one point, Cliff pointed us to the things we value in life and how sin relates to that. If we kill an ant, we don’t consider that as much because of the value of the ant. Then he moved to higher and higher objects of value and our level of loathing when we sin against those (a museum piece, a neighbor’s pet, a child…the Lord Himself). It was a powerful teaching.<\/p>\n

Our tendency is to discount our sin, or even how we spend our time, other resources, or our words… It’s not so bad… When we are lavished with the opportunity and experience of truly knowing and experiencing God through Christ, the Messiah…how can we squander that? How can we allow the lesser of this life to crowd out the greater?<\/p>\n

We, as a family, first sang Graham Kendrick’s song Knowing You <\/em>as newcomers to Cairo, Egypt, in 1995. We sang it along with Brits, Australians, Egyptians, Americans and a smattering of other internationals at the Heliopolis Community Church<\/a>. \"Blog<\/a><\/p>\n

Photo Credit:\u00a0 HCC Cairo<\/a><\/p>\n

Our experience of Jesus, through this song and this Scripture, was deepened more when our young friend Genessa led worship in our house group. She would sit at a keyboard, singing that song to Jesus, tears flowing down her face, as if no one else was in the room but her…and Him. As young as she was, she understood the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus. Genessa<\/a> would not be long in this world, dying months later in a bus accident in the desert of the Sinai. \"Genessa<\/a><\/p>\n

Her love for God is her legacy still in all of our lives who knew her. Now her joy is complete as she worships the Lord face-to-face. We remember her…and we understand God more…in this song.<\/p>\n

Today, I see the worth of Christ much more clearly…thanks to Cliff, and Genessa, and others’ lives full of God. I also see His worth through His Word and the testimony of those who knew Him personally…who saw Him, witnessed His greatness, and wrote it down for the generations to follow. the best part of all is I see His worth because of His own sweet presence in my life. The more we seek and savor Him…the more we see His perfect love and generous goodness…and everything else in our life? In its place…lesser in the face of His greater, all-surpassing worth.<\/p>\n

Worship<\/a> with me:<\/p>\n

All I once held dear, built my life upon
\nAll this world reveres, and wars to own
\nAll I once thought gain I have counted loss
\nSpent and worthless now, compared to this<\/p>\n

Knowing you, Jesus<\/em>
\n Knowing you, there is no greater thing<\/em>
\n You’re my all, you’re the best<\/em>
\n You’re my joy, my righteousness<\/em>
\n And I love you, Lord<\/em><\/p>\n

Now my heart’s desire is to know you more
\nTo be found in you and known as yours
\nTo possess by faith what I could not earn
\nAll-surpassing gift of righteousness<\/p>\n

Oh, to know the power of your risen life
\nAnd to know You in Your sufferings
\nTo become like you in your death, my Lord
\nSo with you to live and never die<\/p>\n