Is Jesus Hidden In Your Life?

Mark 7:24 And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid.

Is Jesus Hidden in Your Life?

1. In Your Devotions (Personal Life)

2. In Your Daily Living (Public Life)

3. In Your Dedication (Plans in Life)

These three points are in descending order in relation to our walk with Jesus. If you think about it the first thing to always go at those times when Jesus becomes hidden in our life is our Prayer and Devotion life with our daily living and our future plans not far behind. As I preach this message my goal is twofold:

1. To challenge you to take an honest look at your walk with Jesus and determine where you’re at. In what aspect of your life is He hidden or in danger of being hid?

2. To let you know that God is a God of second, third, and fourth chances. It’s never too late to make a change with God. It’s never to late to put Jesus back into His place of prominence at the center of your heart.

James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.

1. In Your Devotions

Neglect of private prayer is the locust that devours the strength of the church. –Spurgeon

Is Jesus hidden in your personal life. Is Jesus hidden in your prayer and devotional life? Prayer and bible reading are the foundations of a mature Christian walk. It is of first and foremost importance in the life of a believer. So important is daily communion with God that it was given a verse of it’s own when Jesus talked about it in the Lord’s Prayer:

Mt 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.

I’ve preached on this passage of scripture before, but I think it is worth repeating. The Bible says Give us this day our daily bread. Jesus isn’t talking about Easter and Christmas bread. He’s not talking about monthly bread. He’s not even talking about weekly bread. He’s talking about DAILY bread. There are so many Christians out there who, if we could see their spiritual appearance, would look like Ally McBeal. They’re starved. They’re spiritually skin and bones.

Ps 86:3 Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.

Ps. 61 Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. 2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 3 For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. 4 I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah. 5 For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name. 6 Thou wilt prolong the king’s life: and his years as many generations. 7 He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him. 8 So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.

This Psalm gives us a taste of effectual and fervent prayer. Verse 2 says From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. I love that verse. In those times when our heart is overwhelmed, that is also usually the time when we stop crying out to God, right? But look at what David says: From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. He’s saying when I feel overwhelmed I cry out all the more because I know that God is that rock that is higher than i am.

Jesus wants you to cry out to Him during the hard times. He wants you to lean upon Him, as He is the Rock that is higher than us. But all to often He becomes hidden by our grief and anguish.

And so, just as physical anorexia sets in motion a process in which the internal organs begin to eat away at each other so "Spiritual Anorexia" sets in motion a process that begins to eat away at other areas of our walk.

2. In Your Daily Living

The most important thought I ever had was that of my individual responsibility toward God.

-Webster

Christians who have Jesus hidden in their personal life begin to find Jesus hidden in their public life as well.

Take the case of Adam and Eve:

Ge 3:8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.