Passion 2020
Passion is a Christian conference held at a different location every year for college students. Passion is held to stress the importance of putting Jesus first and living your life for him everyday. This conference is typically two to three days long and includes many sessions. Each session includes worship lead by popular christian artists and guest speakers that preach a message of God. This year Passion was held December 31st through January 2nd.
After car pooling with my college church group to Atlanta, unpacking at the hotel, waiting well over an hour to get dinner in the food court at the CNN mall, me and my church group got in line at the stadium for Passion. We had to wait in line to get bags checked and scan our tickets to get in the stadium. We waited and waited and waited for what felt like forever in the line to get into gate four. I was so worried that we were going to miss half of the first session, but God came through. We found another gate that had no line at all. We got in just in time for the first session.
I want to share some of the messages that impacted me the most from Passion.
Sadie Robinson
Sadie Robinson delivered a message titled, "The Search is Over." She started by reading from John 1:35-38 and John 1:40-42. In verse 38 of John 1, Sadie talks about how there maybe be a process with relationships on earth, but there is no process for getting to God. God already loves you and wants you to just seek him. In verse 41 of John 1, Sadie talks about how after we seek God, we need to lead others to him. As humans, we crave to be liked. The definition of like is to be found agreeable. We go on social media and crave to be liked, but we instead start feeling lonely and start comparing our lives to other's based off of their posts. When we don't feel loved, we need to read John 3:16. God loves us deeply and sent his son to die on a cross for every person in the world's sins, so if we believe this, we will have eternal life.
Sadie did a survey on social media to see what things people desire.
Top four things people desire:
1. Love
2. Happiness
3. Peace
4. Purpose
Sadie also talked to college students about what they struggle with.
Struggles of college students:
Perfectionism, anxiety, depression, loneliness, and eating disorders.
Sadie said the problem is when we get on on our phones, look and social media, and try to find love, happiness, peace, and purpose. Our devices are not going to provide us true love, happiness, peace, and purpose. She said we need to put down our phones and pick up the word of God. Sadie refers to Matthew 7:7, which says seek and you will find. When we seek God in his word and through prayer, we will find true love, happiness, peace, and purpose. Sadie said, "God is love." "If you are looking for love, thats who God is." When we read the word, we realize that God is love, joy, and peace. She also said, "If you love people and you point them to the love of God, you are fulfilling your purpose." We must start seeking God in all things at all times. We must break the cycle of scrolling through our phones to find our desires, and seek God instead. When you don't seek God, thats when your challenges are toughest.
Christine Caine spoke about "Digging Wells." She started by reading Genesis 26:1-22 and John 7:37-38. In verse 15 of Genesis 26, it talks about how the wells that had been dug up in the time of Abraham, had been stooped up and filled with soil by the Philistines. Sometimes are hearts are the same way. Christine said,"Our hearts are stopped up with junk and rivers of living water can't flow through you in a lost and broken world." Our hearts are filled with things of the flesh and living water can't flow through us. Jesus is our living water. In verses 37 and 38 of John 7, it says let those who are thirsty go to Jesus and drink and if we believe in Jesus will be filled with the living water. Everyday we must seek God, repent, and ask him to cleanse us and make our hearts pure again. Christine said, "Prayer is a life line." Christine also said, "we need to start digging new wells after get the junk out of the first well."
Christine talked about some enemies of digging.
Enemies of digging:
1. FOMO
- FOMO is the fear of missing out. We spend time worrying about missing out in things in the world that don't matter, but what really matters is if we have Christ. If we have Christ, we will not miss out on anything that matters.
- In Ephesians 2:6, it shows us what we will not miss out on if we have Christ.
- We should only have eternal FOMO. We should only worry about the opportunities we miss to share the gospel and what we miss when we don't listen and follow God.
2. We are uncommitted. We live in a time where no one wants to be committed to anything. We want to keep our options options open. We must live a life committed to God, not open to other things.
3. We lack patience
- We live in a time where we want everything right now. At the press of a button, we can have food, groceries, or any items delivered to our house almost instantly. We must have patience with God.
- In Hebrews 6:12, it says we must not become lazy, but to have patience and have faith in remembering God's promises.
- We have to have both faith and patience.
On a final note, Christine said we need to, "Dig deep, get ride of junk, and stick to the supply, who's name is Jesus." We have to get rid of the desires of the flesh in our hearts and stick with Jesus who is the living water that flows through us. Christine also said that, "You wonder why you are running dry, but you put yourself out with the source, the thing that keeps you connected with the supply." We have to have to stick with Jesus or we will experience spiritual burnout.
Louie Giglio
Louie Giglio delivered a message called, "It's Time To Turn The Page."
Louie said it is clear in verses such as Joshua 1:8, 2 Kings 22:3-13, Nehemiah 8:5-6, Luke 3:4-6, John 1:14, John 21:24-25, 2 Timothy 4:13, Revelation 5:9, Revelation 21:22-27, Revelation 22:18, Psalm 139:16, and Psalm 56:8 that God wants us to read the bible.
Louie next talked about turning the page.
How do we turn the page?
1. Say goodbye to a story of defeat.
- In 1 Corinthians 15:57, it says that we don't have to live in defeat because, God gave us victory through Jesus.
- In Isaiah 61:1-3, it says God is on our side and we have freedom in him. We can have joy and praise him, because we don't have to live in defeat anymore.
2. Let God turn the page of victory.
- In John 3:30, that we must lower ourselves and make God greater.
- Louie said we must have the mentality of "Less of me, more of Jesus."
- God has lead us from defeat to victory.
3. Hear the Roar
- In 2 Timothy 1:7, it says we must leave timidity behind.
- If we have a passion for Christ, we must share the gospel.
- Louie said, "It's time again for the roaring 20's but this time, for the tribe of Judah to roar. And it's time for the church to rise up in the power of the spirit of Almighty God so the world can hear the roar of King Jesus."
- It time for us to go back to our college campus's and share the gospel.
I hope this can help all of us college students in this new year. We need to seek God for love, happiness, peace, and purpose. We need to get the junk out of our hearts and let the living water flow through us, and turn the page on our past.
My Favorite Songs From Passion 2020:
I am also attaching a link to all the worship songs from Passion 2020 that y'all should go check out!
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