I was privileged to meet with David Putman last week and I must admit the last few weeks I have truly been humbled by the willingness of outstanding men of God to hear my heart concerning the vision God has given me. David was even gracious enough to share his latest book with me, Breaking the Discipleship Code. I am enjoying it immensely NOW!

I have been tossing around the notion in my head about what the difference is, the distinct difference is in a life of someone on fire for God versus the church attendee when I stumbled on this paragraph in the book that explains it clear and succinctly.

“Living as Jesus lived is about coming to know Jesus personally through experience. It’s about coming to know Him through the lenses of the gospel and the presence of His very Spirit; it’s about a journey of friendship. It’s about living life to the maximum by living minimally. It’s about giving up to ultimately go up. It’s about laying down in order to be lifted up. It’s about becoming last only to find yourself first. It’s about decreasing in order to see Him increase. Living as Jesus lived is a new way of life that requires rethinking all of your assumptions, opinions, expectations, and experiences about the kingdom. Jesus descended in order to ultimately ascend, and so must we.”

An incredible passage that sums up so many thing for me. I could go on forever, but I wont this time. But seriously, WE MUST EXPERIENCE JESUS. Please notice that “experience” is a verb, meaning there is action required. There is so much more to a relationship with Jesus than church membership, tshirts, cute bumper stickers (yes i said cute) and whether or not you wear a suit or have doctoral/ theological differences!!!

WE MUST LIVE LIKE JESUS IN ORDER THAT OTHERS MIGHT SEE HIM IN US.

We must serve, serve in our local churches, serve in our schools, in our communities, serve our families (men, I’m begging you to learn to serve your wife instead of expecting her to always serve you)… to minister is to serve! It is an experience that must shared with EVERYONE WE COME IN CONTACT WITH!!!!

So have you EXPERIENCED Jesus lately?

Thanks for the book Dave, you don’t know how much it has meant to me already!!!