Obsessed

Here's the story...

Obsessed: To have the mind excessively preoccupied with a single emotion or topic

If you haven't read Francis Chan's book "Crazy Love", go buy a copy today and read it cover to cover. I can promise you it'll be worth the 15 bucks and the few hours of reading. One of my favorite chapters is "profile of the obsessed" and I would like to share it's main message with you. In this chapter, Chan describes what it looks like to be deeply, passionately, head-over-heals in love with Jesus. I hope this is as convicting to you as it was to me!

People who are obsessed with Jesus...

1. Give freely and openly, without censure. They love those who hate them and who can never love them back.

2. Care more about God's kingdom coming to this earth than their own lives being shielded from pain or distress

3. Live lives that connect them with the poor in some way or another

4. Are more concerned with obeying God than doing what is expected or fulfilling the status quo. They will do things that don't always make sense in terms of success or wealth on this earth.

5.  Know that you can never be "humble enough," and so they seek to make themselves less known and Christ more known.

6. Do not consider service a burden. They take joy in loving God by loving His people.

7. Are  known as givers, not takers

8. Think about heaven frequently and orient their lives around eternity; they are not fixed only on what is here in front of them.

9. Are characterized by committed, settled, passionate love for God, above and before every other thing and every other being

10. Do not attempt to mask the ugliness of their sins or their failures before God. He is their safe place, where they can be at peace.

11. Have an intimate relationship with Him and are nourished by God's Word throughout the day

12. Are more concerned with their character than comfort. They know that true joy doesn't depend on circumstances but is a gift that must be chosen.

13. Know that the best thing they can do is be faithful to their Savior in every aspect of their lives

My notes...
Need I say more?!

The Word...
Here is some scripture to support the points above:

• Luke 6:35-36 - "But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." 
• Matthew 6:33 - "But seek first his kingdom and righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well."
• 1 Timothy 6:18 - "Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share." 
• John 3:30 - "He must become greater, I must become less."
• Matthew 25:40 - "The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me'" 
• Deut. 15:10 - "Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to."
• Colossians 3:1-2 - "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." 
• Mark 12:30 - "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength" 
• Psalm 32:7 - "You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah" 
• Psalm 1:2 - "But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night" 
• Phil. 4:4 - "Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice!"

Your turn...
Pick one of the 13 points above that you struggle with the most. Do a scripture study on it, pray that God will provide you with guidance, and then (the hard part...) change what you've been doing. Let's start being obsessed with Jesus, and let our actions testify to it!