Saturday, August 20, 2011

To Live is Christ!

Haven't posted in awhile-too busy trying to figure out my life. What a waste of time! My life is God's and I don't need to figure it out! What a relief! I've been reading Francis Chan's book, "Forgotten God." Talk about powerful! I want to share a few excerpts here:

First one, "To be honest, I believe part of the desire to "know God's will for my life" is birthed in fear and results in paralysis. We are scared to make mistakes, so we fret over figuring out God's will. We wonder what living according to His will would actually look and feel like, and we are scared to find out. We forget that we were never promised a twenty-year plan of action; instead, God promises multiple times in Scripture never to leave us or forsake us."

And, "I don't want my life to be explainable without the Holy Spirit. I want people to look at my life and know that I couldn't be doing this by my own power. I want to live in such a way that I am desperate for Him to come through. That if He doesn't come through, I am screwed."

And "I don't believe God wants me (or any of his children) to live in a way that makes sense from the world's perspective, a way I know I can "manage." I believe He is calling me-and all of us-to depend on Him for living in a way that cannot be mimicked or forged. He wants us to walk in step with His Spirit rather than depend solely on the raw talent and knowledge he's given us."

And finally, "We can have a great time singing and dancing ourselves into a frenzy {in church}, but at the end of it, fire doesn't come down from heaven. People leave talking about the people who led rather than the power of God."

I LOVE this book! It has challenged me in ways I haven't thought about for years. I am guilty of losing my passion for Christ, for the Lost, for the Holy Spirit, for God's plan for the world. I've been about ME and MY world far too long, and that's changing, right now. While it's necessary to be faithful to our families,jobs, friends, obligations and connections, those things CAN'T be more important that following the leading of the the Holy Spirit. Those things can all become my WORLD, where God is squeezed into a corner. Where I pray quick little, "help me today, in my plans, God!" Really? My plans? Are you kidding me??? What about HIS plans? What about the commission to "Go and make DISCIPLES of all nations"? What about Me being the clay and Him the Potter? I'm seriously ashamed of my "little" Christianity. Of my little Jesus who doesn't raise the dead, heal the sick, save the lost, or anything. Of praying weak, "If it's Your will, Lord" prayers. What about expecting a miracle? What about believing in a God so good that I would sell everything I own and head for the nearest plane and give up ALL for His call on my life? Or go clean some disgusting toilets, talk to some stinky homeless person, give up my lattes, new shoes, nice car and reputation to FOLLOW HARD after Him? When do I realize that God isn't on my train? I need to jump on HIS and get ready for the ride of my life.