Jesus 24/7

Jesus Is Not Your “Entertainment”

David declared in Psalm 27:4, “One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple.”

This should be an ongoing prayer and longing for each one of us. This prayer of “One Thing” devotion to God. Making Jesus our primary focus, morning, noon, night and midnight snack!

The problem with living out this verse every day comes from the many challenges of living in a fallen world. Whether it has to do with keeping sin out of our lives, indulging our flesh, laziness, financial difficulties, health problems, etc. All of these things and multitudes of others are the negative influences we all have to face while still on this earth.

Let’s be honest, there are many, many things that we face each day that are fighting for that, “One Thing” space within our hearts. Those things are what mainly feeds our soul. It is those things that entertain our soul. I’m not saying that they are all bad or wrong but it tries to pull us away from what really matters in life—an undivided heart for the Lord.

Your Jesus did not suffer, die on the cross and rise from the dead so you can be entertained by Him. Because there is so much competing for the space within our hearts, we inadvertently put Jesus in the same category as the One who is to keep our attention and entertain us.

Jesus is not a supplement to the rest of our lives. We don’t say, “Ok, I have Netflix, social media, eating out, raising kids, going to work, my relationship with God, mowing the lawn, going to the movies, etc.” No friend, we don’t categorize our relationship with Jesus to suit our lifestyle. He must be our one-thing focus and everything else comes 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, etc.

Because many believers have made Jesus their “entertainment,” when we feel bored with God (which is not possible, it just means your heart is not connecting to His), or the Bible, or praying and we do not “feel” Christianity, we move on to the next thing that will keep us entertained. And that’s soulish living not spirit living.

Truthfully, this one-thing lifestyle and heart after God is rare in Christianity today because you can’t manufacture it. Either you hunger, thirst and desire it or you don’t. It’s keeping the first commandment in first place 24/7.

Psalm 27:4 is truly a powerful and radical passage. It’s the narrow way. It’s a focused and intentional lifestyle. It’s offensive to the lukewarm Christian. Our own flesh wrestles with it. The enemy hates it. Many Christians judge those who run after it. It’s a Holy Spirit invitation into the deeper life. There is great reward in this life and in the life to come for those who choose to embrace it.

I’ve found that one of the most challenging things as a Christian in wanting to follow this way of life—living with a “one-thing” heart is, “How do I make actually make this work with our western world busyness and the multitude of distractions competing for our attention?” This type of heart does not happen automatically but rather it is a statement that is the fruit of continually pressing into God day by day.

I don’t know about you, but I want far more than I am experiencing right now in God. Where I am in my journey with God…I don’t know, but I have been around long enough to know that passion for Jesus is not automatic. We all must have a history in God to come to a place within our hearts of one-thing commitment. You have to hunger and thirst, MAKE DAILY decisions, pray, worship, live pure, meditate on the Word, don’t give up, etc.

For all of this to become a reality in your life, it only happens by the grace of God as it takes God to know God. He helps us to pray, giving us the desire to walk this out each day.

To have a “One-Thing” heart in the midst of our daily routines requires focus, determination and becoming deliberate in our pursuit of God. When we fix our gaze on Him moment by moment, our heart becomes awakened to the joy and wonder that is found in intimacy with Jesus.

A lot of people are waiting for three dreams and a vision, a prophetic word, an audible voice from God, someone to lay hands on them, etc., to have passion for Jesus. In the meant time, they skip studying the heart of God, praying until they get a breakthrough, meditating on the Word, worshipping Jesus until the Glory comes and simply practicing the presence of God.

Friends, Jesus said that the violent take it by force (Matthew 11:12) It’s time to get violent with our lives—our own hearts. Unless you would rather keep living in the same place with God for the rest of your life.

Paraphrasing Matthew 6:33, Jesus says, “If I become your one-thing, your first thing, moment by moment, I promise you that I will give you the desires of your heart in My timing and in My way, I promise.”

Today, ask the Lord to reveal to your heart how much “other” you’re pursuing, and how much you’re really seeking the kingdom of God first. Has He become your “One Thing” or a supplement, your entertainment, or One of many?

Let’s refocus our hearts to what really matters—Jesus, 24/7.

Ryan Bruss, Director 
It’s Supernatural School of Ministry