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Filling a Full Cup

Filling a Full Cup
By Johnathan Dobbs

Several years ago I watched a movie titled "The Forbidden Kingdom". It didn't look like much of a movie, but there was one scene where Jet Li was set to fight Jackie Chan. I watched it solely because I wanted to see that spectacular event, and I wasn't disappointed.

The story is about a geeky American teenager -- a huge fan of Kung Fu movies -- who is transported to an ancient Chinese culture where he is the chosen one to fight the evil lord. It's a pretty common story. Jackie Chan and Jet Li (their characters) are his trainers who are set to teach this boy true Kung Fu.

The problem is that the boy has filled his mind with all the moves from the movies he's watched. He wants to do all these super cool moves, but they are just stunts from movies and not real Kung Fu.

When they realize this, his teachers get frustrated. They tell him it is impossible to fill a cup that is already full.

We are full people. We all have things and ideas and attitudes that fill our minds and lives each day. Walking the walk of a Christian is difficult because we are weighed down by what we have allowed to fill our lives.

Beginning next week we will begin a series at Aztec church of Christ where we will be talking about dying to self. But what does that mean? Death is such an intimidating concept.

Dying to self is dying to all the things that fill us that aren't from God and don't emulate Jesus. It is an emptying of rue cup so that the nature of Jesus can fill it.

Greed, anger, hatred, jealousy, frustration, impatience, un-forgiveness, busy-ness, addiction, selfishness, sin. All of these things fill our lives and hinder us from living free as God intends for us. The struggles we face in this life come because we are selfish beings who have yet to die to self.

Not all events are in our control, but our reaction to those events are shaped by how much of ourself we have allowed to die and be transformed into Christ's likeness. Imagine a marriage where both people didn't seek their own interests but only what God wills -- only the love of the other. This can only happen when we die to self.

It's not easy, and sometimes it's painful, but then again those ideas only make us afraid because we are consumed with self.

It's time to die young -- to die before your physical death comes. It's time to put yourself aside and be so focused on God that your life reflects the image of His Son, Jesus. If you die to yourself beforehand, the physical death we all encounter won't be nearly so intimidating. It's time to empty your cup so Christ can fill it.

Join us for "Die Young" beginning April 21. In the meantime, if you'd like to learn more about this concept of dying to yourself then I recommend you read the book "Die Young" by Michael and Hailey DiMarco.

God bless you as your life is transformed because you chose to die to yourself and live for Christ.