Pastor Tony Evans Reminds Us To Prioritize Our Relationships With Christ
By Movieguide® Contributor
Pastor Tony Evans recently shared his thoughts on the apostle Paul’s letters and the valuable lessons Christians can learn from them today.
Evans pointed to chapter 3 of his letter:
“Whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ (verses 7-8).”
“You can tell a lot about a person when they are at their lowest point,” he started. “Whether it’s a health crisis, financial disaster or relational issues, what matters most usually rises to the surface when life boils over. Here was Paul struggling in a scenario that gave him no creature comforts, no relational intimacy, no financial stability and no personal security. Yet, in the midst of his most dire situation, he wrote about things like value and gain—not tied to an IRA or platform, but tied to knowing Jesus Christ.”
He continued, “Paul was hungry for more than just food. In fact, he was so hungry to know Christ that he said nothing else mattered to him anymore except for that. Although his circumstances were negative, they did not control his well-being. Paul had an inner contentment in knowing that the greatest pursuit in life—that of knowing God (through His Son, Jesus Christ)—was his highest aim.”
Evans went on to speak about how Jesus is our connection to God — the closer you are to Him, the closer you are to God.
“Sometimes it may feel like you can’t get to God,” he admitted. “You can’t see Him, feel Him, touch Him. It seems as if He is this cosmic being far off in never-never land. But it is through the life of Jesus Christ, who came to earth as a human and who understands your weaknesses and struggles (Hebrews 4:15-16), that you have full access to the Father. Jesus offers His hand and says, ‘Come with me, you who are weary and burdened. I know exactly where to lead you’ (see Matthew 11:28).”
Evans then explained that Paul wanted us to value our relationship with Christ above all things, even our own achievements.
“What Paul wanted us to realize is that there is a treasure far more valuable than any offered by humanity,” he said. “That’s why his next statement reads, ‘May be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith’ (Philippians 3:9).”
Evans concluded, “It is the growth of the Spirit’s rule over our own fleshly will and desires that produces the transformation. It is the growth of the Spirit’s influence that enables us to shift our perspective on what is truly valuable.”
Movieguide® previously reported on Evans’ work. A portion of the review for JOURNEY WITH JESUS, a documentary he made about Jesus’ life, reads:
The power of JOURNEY WITH JESUS lies in conversations about faith and how Christians should look to the life, death, resurrection, ascension, and second coming of Christ for answers. In doing this, JOURNEY WITH JESUS has a very strong Christian, biblical worldview. The Gospel is preached on more than one occasion. Readings of Scripture back up the authority of God’s word. Testimonies of faith and moments of worship encourage viewers to look inward and call upon them to address their own connection to the Lord. Finally, the Evans family has great conversations that help connect the dots between the locations they visit and practical applications of faith. JOURNEY WITH JESUS is utterly inspiring and acceptable.
- Content: +4Share:
- Content: +1