Writing for a Legacy by Kris Vallotton

I just finished listening to Kris's free podcast on I-tunes. It reminds me of a prophecy Peter Truong prayed over me - it was about writing down the vision. He asked me to read the Book of Habakkuk. This was several years ago and it is only now that I am beginning to understand what God was saying then. I hope nothing destroys this blog because I want it to last for my future generations to read through. I want to write books to leave them too.

Below are points I took from Kris's teaching:

We need a new approach to how we view the end times as it affects how we behave in the time leading to it (now). Fatalism and martyrdom hold back the apostolic age.

Fatalism refuses to acknowledge positive advancement on the earth. It looks to the erosion of the earth, not evolvement. It downplays the message “the kingdom is at hand” and emphasises “the end is near”. It uses fear to motivate people to come to the kingdom but people do not stay because we cannot drive people to God. It partners with terrorist spirits and wrongly promotes punishment, which is not what the kingdom of God is about. It prepares people for destruction.

Martyrdom embraces death in a sadistic way and values the cross above the joy set before it. Jesus endured the cross, He did not enjoy it.

Habakkuk 2: 1

Romans 15: 4

Prophecy is God’s view of the future given to us. It is history written before it happens. We need to proclaim truth into being, truth over the nations. When we receive Jesus, we receive eternal life. But eternity not only has no end, it has no beginning, so it doesn’t start only when we accept Jesus. When we step into eternity with Him by making the choice, there is a preservation of unity in the spirit. It is a unity not with the visible kingdom but with those who have gone before us and left an inheritance for us to build on, as the spirit does not live in time. We have a responsibility to those who come after us in the same vein.

Ephesians 4 (Argument with the Sadducees about the power of God and the resurrection) - God said He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He was not saying He is the God of three dead people. They were dead in the flesh but God was saying they are people who have passed through this veil into another, and are still alive in spirit. That is why Jesus posed the question of whether God is the God of the dead or the living.

We are pieces in history. Our destiny lives in our history, testimony and prophecy – what was, is and is to come (Jesus said this about Himself).

Hebrews 11: 32 to 12: 3

Relay teams get a reward for what the anchorman does – the fastest guy who is placed last, as opposed to the middle people who are the slowest members. We are the anchormen. Those who have gone before us are watching us run, for the race is not yet over and they have not yet received their reward. They are waiting for their reward from God. In our victory is theirs. When we step into eternity, we also have a responsibility to those before us who have not yet been rewarded.

If we have a one-week vision for a person, we cannot help but make the wrong decision (e.g. not taking a musician, who keeps falling into sexual immorality, off the worship team because of a lack of resources). But if we have say a ten-year vision for that person, we cannot help but make the right decision. Do not sacrifice the future for the present. Have a vision for a generation we will never see so that revival lasts. David developed all the plans, worked through all the details and paid for all the resources so Solomon could build the temple though David would never get to see it.

We either develop monuments for ourselves like Absalom who had no sons, or we develop legacies to leave for those to come after us like David. “A righteous person leaves an inheritance for his/her children’s’ children.”

God asked Habakkuk to write out the vision because it is not for us but for those to come. It is to be revealed at an appointed time. When they see it, they will run. Paul talks of walking with God and walking in the Spirit but here God talks of inspiring another generation to go from a walk to a run.

1 Kings 13 An unnamed prophet goes to a wicked king who worships idols, and when the king orders to have the prophet captured, his hand withers and he asks for help. The prophet then gives a message of redemption through a king called Josiah. The bible had not been part of the culture for over two generations (maybe about 100 years). When Josiah began to reign at age 8, and he heard the Word including his life being prophesied 300 years ago, he tore down all the idols. The prophecy changed the legacy of the nation. Josiah was the declaration of someone’s prophecy and the fulfilment of someone’s prayers.

Acts 3: 24

Do not be kept from prophesying to another generation. Abortion is the fruit of a generation that refuses to dream. It kills the future. People lose hope for their children when the message being preached is the dreadful end instead of the coming of the new kingdom. We must not take away the path for His-story to happen - pathways for our children to come into their destiny. Live for them to have prosperity.

I should write for a generation I will never see. What would I say to my children’s children and their children and so on? What are my dreams, visions and thoughts for them? Write in such a way that they will be moved to run for God, to run with overwhelming hope, joy and passion. Have a 300-year vision to restore the future for them. I have a reason to be alive, a reason to look forward. Write with an apostolic purpose to see lasting revival.

The meaning of this year and my life

I may just have found the answer to what God is trying to establish in me through this break. Waiting. And Seeking. Soaking in His presence and Resting in and on Him without striving but being purposeful in how I expend time and energy. "-ing" words, signifying active verbs.

So I guess if anyone asks me what I was doing this year exactly, the response will be "Learning to wait, seek, soak and rest". The silly thing is I don't have the courage to say that to everyone. Just yesterday I caught myself trying to justify this season and prove myself in some way. That's a sign of misplaced security right there.

I have been concerned with money, personal comfort and acceptance and recognition from people, but these are a demonstration of a lack of faith in God who provides. He alone should be my audience. He is my leader and my greatest supporter. He is my Lord, my Father and my friend.

The year 2010

2010 has gone by extremely quickly for me, which can be a little unnerving as I look back to find what I have accomplished. But I realise again that is not important. It is the life lessons that count as I walk with God and let Him change me from the inside out.

As the year comes to a close, I am reflecting on attitudes I want to get right:

• Not blaming God or others when things go wrong (or, more likely, not my way)
• Not blaming God or others for my mistakes
• Not blaming God or others, full stop
• Not judging others by their appearance, mannerisms or the way they treat me
• Not being impatient and self centred

I don't know what the new year holds but I know Who holds it so I need not worry about family, work, finances or ministry, and how all that is going to tie in with travel plans for three separate weddings.

God, thank You for loving us and looking after every detail. Thank You for showing me Your love and grace through my family, Fab and friends.

Identity

Identity. It is not founded on nationality, ethnicity, genetics, physical qualities or appearance. It is not founded on tradition, culture or social customs. It is not founded on socio-economic standing, education or political beliefs. It is not founded on age, gender or sexuality. It is not founded on occupation or profession, or even the lack of. It is not founded on marital status or fruitfulness in relation to children. It is not founded on roles, responsibilities or function.

It is not founded on religion, association with an organisation, movement or gang, or level of commitment in ministry. It is not founded on life direction or vision. It is not founded on popularity, character or personality. It is not founded on knowledge, skill or ability. It is not founded on strengths, weaknesses or talents. It is not founded on performance, accomplishment, recognition or acceptance from others. It is not founded on personal motivators, willingness or availability. It is not founded on possessions, hobbies, interests or preferences.

Identity. It is in whose we are. We are not owned like objects to be traded, dispensed, abused or tossed out. We are sons and daughters of the King Most High. We belong to a kingdom of love, joy and righteousness. We are adored, esteemed, trusted. We are precious, valuable, treasured.

In this world, we will have our identity defined, attacked and robbed. They will tell us we are "number one" or nothing at all. Either way the truth has been distorted and we are left deceived. We need to know who we really are.

We need to know God did not make us to be cheapened by the world's standards. We need to know we can walk in power, authority and righteousness as we turn to Him. We need no longer conform to the patterns of our society but can be renewed in our minds to test God's good, pleasing and perfect will. He came to give life and life to abundance. It is the enemy that seeks to steal, kill and destroy. We must rise and fight for our true identity and what is rightfully ours as children of God.

Identity. Do you know yours?

Everyday



Pre-wedding photo shoot at Roma Street Parklands

 

Fab and his sister this January - before we sent her to the airport



Everyday I look at you and I realise how very blessed I am. I realise I cannot be as comfortable with anyone else the way I am with you. It was so easy to let down my guard after I had gotten to know you.  So easy to be completely myself.

We've had our share of struggles but you've always been the one to pick me up. You've never left my side. You've never doubted or blamed me, never pushed me away. When you hold me, I know everything is going to be alright. That I will never have to walk the journey on this earth alone.

This year wasn't the easiest because I was not in a good place for most of it. I was pretty clueless and frustrated but you didn't give up believing for the best. I was confused about many things and you saw yet another side of me, one I was not proud of, yet you remained gentle and loving. You are one of my life's constants (along with my parents and sister).

We're silly together, especially in the car, and I love that. We dance terribly, which gives us a good laugh every time. Although I can't remember all the songs that have accompanied, I will remember how we felt. How you looked and how you have never failed to tell me you think I'm cute.

I grew up comparing love to the movies. I have always fantasised myself a certain way - taller, thinner, more beautiful. Perfect at many things. I have pictured how I would talk and behave and what my interactions with others would be like. I envisioned intimacy the way the films portrayed and got disappointed when not everything fit the bill. But now I realise this is real. You, me, our love for each other - how happy we are together. Our wonderful marriage, our story. It is unique, God-given and real. And that makes it all the better than any screenplay.

I am still struggling with finding my identity in God and establishing my security in Him, and there are days my thought life is still in a jingle-jangle, which makes for challenging times, but I know I've got you and I am so glad I do.

Thank you Fab for sticking it out with me. For telling me you love me everyday and showing it too. For giving good cuddles and stroking my hair. For continually encouraging me and being patient when I get difficult. For fixing everything (you're the best Mr Engineer!) and praising my cooking even when it comes out a little less than an inch high and sticks to the pan with a dubious crust instead of being a fluffy chocolate cake.

I love you, and today, though it's just another day, I say to you again, "I do...I choose YOU".

Oh, and your preaching yesterday...totally aww-shum!! (skee-kee-kee-kee-kee) [sorry folks, inside joke in parentheses]

The Armour-Bearer

Revelations Fab shared at prayer meeting on Saturday morning - my paraphrase

1 Samuel 14: 6-7 & 13 "Jonathan said to his young armour-bearer, 'Come, let’s go over to the outpost of the Philistines. Perhaps the LORD will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few.' 'Do all that you have in mind,' his armour-bearer said. 'Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.' Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and feet, with his armour-bearer right behind him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armour-bearer followed and killed behind him." (To read this within context, refer here)

Although unnamed, Jonathan's armour-bearer played a significant role in the battle with the Philistines. We can learn the following from this passage:

• An armour-bearer needs to be someone the leader can trust. Jonathan's armour-bearer was committed to supporting "heart and soul", despite the apparent odds and him being young, and perhaps less experienced in warfare.
• If the leader cannot trust his armour-bearer to stay behind him to shield unforeseen attacks, the leader will not be able to focus fully on what is ahead as there will be a tendency to look over the shoulder to check for attacks from the back.
• If the armour-bearer does not trust his leader and turns on him, the leader may fall and the main battle will be lost.
• This relates to leadership within the Church. If the people begin to accuse, judge and question a leader who seeks to do what God has called them to, the leader will be drained from having to address these 'attacks' and cannot be effective with the task at hand. 
• If the armour-bearer does not train and equip himself, and consequently leans on the leader during a battle instead of defending from behind, the leader will need to expend more effort supporting his amour-bearer and cannot fight as effectively.
• If the relationship between the leader and the armour-bearer is as intended, the leader is able to focus on what is more important - advancing - as opposed to having to deal with more minor issues.
• In the Church context, when leaders are able to entrust administrative matters to a team of willing, godly and wise people, they are released to focus on what God has called them to be responsible for, such as studying, teaching and imparting the Word (written and revelatory)well. (Refer to Acts 6: 2-4 for an example on delegation to facilitate ministry)
• It is important to note the significance of both parties. Each has their own role to play in order for the partnership to be effective. The outcome is to the benefit of both. At some point, the armour-bearer may rise up to lead others and so the 'pattern' continues for the advancement of God's kingdom.

Obedience

Written on Friday 10 December

Timely how Biblegateway's daily verse is John 15: 5 & 8 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."

Obedience starts inside. In the way we choose to manage our thoughts and control our feelings. Even if a word is never uttered or an action not materialised, we can live in disobedience just by letting our imagination run wild and our conscience become numb to the truth - to what is pure and righteous. We can commit murder in our minds and adultery in our hearts if we leave ourselves unchecked and succumb to the temptations in our society. Now, more than ever, we need to contend in the spirit to stay above reproach because of the rising number of influences that seek to pull us the other way.

This is what I've been thinking about today. Obedience.

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." (Matthew 5: 8)

I have not been quick to take my thoughts captive to God's Word. Often I know I should just hit the 'stop' button but I don't. What good could ever come from such negativity though? If I despise myself or another person, I am insulting God for we are His creation. If I dwell on non-constructive thoughts, I am wasting precious time and grieving God.

God has spoken to me about obedience on a number of occasions, highlighting that I will see Him move as I choose to walk in His ways. At this point of my life, this relates to several things - loving people (choosing to see them with God's perspective and not judging them), trusting God with every area of my life (particularly in relation to safety and financial security), and practically applying His Word in every situation. The last one covers the first two actually.

I know He is challenging me to live for Him. To live righteously. Everyday is a fresh start. I'm given a clean slate. Today, I want to use this slate wisely and well.

 

Rosie

"At Rosie, we've made our cranberry juice with blueberries, elderberries and naturally sweet apple juice. Why? We care about the world around us and we know that if a person were to drink straight cranberry juice, their face would actually shrivel up to the size of a freeze-dried pea - and to be honest that's pretty tiny. To counteract this particularly unusual transformation, apple juice has been added to Rosie - instead of sugar, flavourings and preservatives. We like to call it the Keep-Your-Face-Normal Protocol. That's why life is Rosie."

Put a smile on my dial.

I like Charlie's Raspberry Lemonade Honest Quencher too. Another company that avoids flavourings, preservatives and processed sugars in its juices and quenchers.

Fashioned by a loving God

You accomplish not to become special. Your accomplishments do not do this. You are special, therefore you are able to accomplish great things. This is where you belong. In the cradle of God's safe arms. You are not defined by your accomplishments. Your identity comes first. It is set by God. You are secure, esteemed and adored when you rest in Him.

The monster in my belly button

Navel gazing. An art I have perfected. Yes, I have become proficient at being inward looking. And whenever I forget to do so, the little monster in my belly button rears its ugly head and calls for immediate attention. So I look down once again and lose sight of who and what is truly important. I revert to serving the little monster, feeding its insecurity and demands for self preservation.

Marriage is giving me an opportunity to address my self centredness. It has clearly exposed my selfish desires, intentions and attitudes, which serves as a great challenge for me to work on this area with God. I've always struggled with pride but I have often done nothing to overcome this hindrance to faith. God has been full of grace and patience with me though. This really is the time for me to surrender what I claim to be my "rights" to Him. Self centredness, self preservation and the fear of being short changed have caused me to live a lesser life so it is time to let go and move on.

It's not fair to Fab and others either. My role in a relationship is not to take and take and take. I'd be draining the life out of the other person otherwise. I see it though, in the little things, like how I respond to simple requests. "Hey dear, is it alright if you help me type up the power point slides for worship on Sunday? or Can you give me a lift tomorrow morning if it is raining heavily?" I know when my heart is unwilling, when I am acting grudgingly, and I have noticed this more recently.

Fab has sacrificed a great deal for me over the years. He is very much a giver and expresses love through acts of service. I am one incredibly blessed woman, I tell you. :) But even if Fab was the complete opposite of the utterly selfless and generous person he is, this is no excuse for me to be caught up with what I want and what I feel I need. Although he does not see me as a burden, it is not right to be placing demands and expectations on him that are not his responsibility to fulfill.

Thankfully, God (and my wonderful husband) does not condemn, which means I am free of guilt and free to commit my weaknesses to Him and allow Him to be enthroned in every area of my life. As I allow God to take His rightful place, I am released from slavery to the belly button monster. I am free from the tiring need to serve myself above all else. This allows me to step out of what would otherwise be my comfort zone to partner with God on the things He is calling me to. It enables me to love others (even people I have trouble accepting now for various reasons) freely and wholeheartedly, which brings much joy and peace.

*After writing this, I Googled the phrase "cartoon monster belly button" to find a funny photo to attach to the post, and to my surprise, there is a comic entitled the Belly Button Monster. I am not kidding. And, one of the characters in the story is called Fabian! What are the odds??!! I do not recommend reading it, however. I did not find some of the images and content very wholesome.

For fun, I have instead included a picture of Mike Wazowski from Monsters Inc. as he is green and has only one eye. The colour green is often associated with jealousy, as in "the green-eyed monster". Jealousy stems from self centredness/insecurity. I was tossing up between using the analogy of a monster in my belly button and a one-eyed monster in illustrating my self centredness. One-eyed because of its sole focus on self, without an eye to consider others. Not that this at all describes Mike from Monsters Inc. It was just to be my own explanation.

* Just read a post by Chia Yen. I love it. It's so true. I struggle with having a deeply critical spirit and often this causes me to be easily dissatisfied with myself, others and situations. But God's grace is sufficient to guide me back to Him in my moments of weakness. It's really sweet when I think of how God wrote our love stories, orchestrating the meeting between Yen and her husband, and Fab and I. I have no doubts that Fab is God's best for me. In fact, God has outdone Himself, if that were possible. Fab is an absolute darling. A real sweetie to the core. And I thank God for protecting our hearts and guarding our marriage, something I can certainly testify to.

Teaching I listened to today

Wisdom versus Revelation

By Dutch Sheets - author of "Intercessory Prayer"

You can be balanced but stagnant

You can be a wise old wineskin

Wisdom on its own is not enough
Wisdom can be irrelevant
It's formulated on truth learned in the past
It is timeless and general
Revelation produces timeless truth
It makes our wisdom relevant

Revelation keeps us moving with God
It keeps us moving in His time, according to His seasons

Revelation gives current strategies for current situations
Wisdom enables us to implement those strategies with skill

It is not about human methods and formulae

It is about us honestly hearing from God and responding

The Importance of Rest by Bill Johnson

The Lord does not set us up to fail, He sets us up to succeed
But the spirit that is set on carnality is incapable of succeeding
The mind and heart that are not at rest cannot obey God
Stress, strain and striving go against faith
Anxiety, worry and the actions that result go against faith
We need to be diligent at ensuring we are resting in and on God
We need to do so to position ourselves for success

Some of the things we go through expose our weaknesses
This gives an opportunity for us to let God work on those areas
Some of the things we go through reveal God's goodness
This gives an opportunity for us to glorify God, and for others to know Him

Sympathy versus Compassion by Bill Johnson

Sympathy gets involved in another's pain
Sympathy leads to feeling overwhelmed
Sympathy can get in the way of a miracle

Compassion does not step in
Compassion reaches towards the person to bring them out of their pain
Compassion ties in with faith and is able to act effectively

To live is Christ, to die is gain

I'm in a dilemma regarding priorities, and I acknowledge it will probably be an ongoing lesson until I finally grasp and am convinced of what Paul understood when he said, "To live is Christ and to die is gain". At present, I have dreams as to what sort of home I would like to live in, what sort of job I think I would be happy in, and over personal appearance and things I would like to own. I also have desires in relation to comfort and future security, on the basis of health, safety and finances, for Fab, our families and myself. These desires, I find hard to let go.

My dream apartment is described in point form on a Word document, saved complete with picture references. There is a separate list of ideas I have for our current place in order to revamp it since I am happy to accept that my dream may not be materialised and I don't want most of the items we already own to go to waste. Still, I do dream. I browse blogs and websites to look at the things I like, and sometimes I envy the people who own them. 

After Fab and I watched "The Prince of Persia" on DVD last night, we reviewed footage on how the movie was made. The cost of producing this epic film got me thinking. Billions of dollars is spent on "entertainment" that is founded on poor values, and I'm not just talking about movies. Of course there is entertainment and material conveyed through the media that do not fall in this category but let's put those aside. What if the money was channelled towards eliminating poverty instead?  What if it was used to improve lives for entire communities through proper education, projects on infrastructure (solid housing, sanitary water supply, reliable utilities, etc) and health care?   

Then it hit me. How can I be focused on building my dream home while others are sleeping on the streets regardless of whether they have the means to choose a different path or not? How can I be obsessed with my petty desires when others are being captured as slaves, forced into a corrupt militia as child soldiers, or locked away in the sex trade?

God wants us to enjoy life, but He doesn't mean for me to bury myself in temporary pleasures so as to escape the reality of suffering in my local community and around the world. Where do I draw the line though? Some choose to live frugally so they can give as much as possible. Others have beautiful homes but still give generously out of their abundance. Is one more right than the other? No, but what does 'giving all I can for the Gospel' mean for me presently?

I know it is not a matter of abiding by a certain rule, if say there were to be a standard of how much one should give, taking into consideration their circumstances. There is the ten percent that we tithe, but I am not referring to that. I mean in terms of finding the balance between stewarding my resources towards what I want and towards advancing God's kingdom. The answer to "how much" should not be a legalistic response.

Psalm 37 speaks of delighting in God and receiving the desires of our heart. But the verse works in two ways. As we delight in God and find that He is all we need and want, His will becomes our desire and, as we partner with Him, He brings that desire to pass. So then, in surrendering all my dreams to God, the frivolous ones should fade in importance as the desire to see His will be fulfilled on earth (as it is in heaven) grows in my heart.  

On a practical level, however, should I set aside the amount I am willing to spend on my home so it is ready for when God places causes on my heart to give to? Should I do this now as an act of surrendering my dreams? Because if I have the resources to invest in things that do not count for eternity, I can very well appropriate them towards the things that do. After all, I'm sure God would rather I build His house than my own, which can be destroyed by moth and rust.  

I believe my finding Francis Chan's message on 'What do you need in order to be happy?' was not by chance. It goes beyond the working out of "how much is wise or how much enough" to the deeper issue, the heart condition or attitude before God. It looks at whether we get the message Paul and the disciples got after Jesus left -  that we can be satisfied whether we have much or a little because we are rich in Him. I've included some points from Francis in this post (there is a link to his website and the full sermon there).

I need to find complete contentment in God, and seek Him and His kingdom and His righteous above all else. 

This could be a life-long journey. Either way, I should be checking myself - Do I know God more today than I did last year? Am I closer to Him? Are there areas of my life I have not surrendered? What more can I do for His glory? How much more can I give? What is He laying upon my heart to give towards? Am I covering my unwillingness to give by calling it wisdom? Am I choosing to give financially as opposed to getting involved physically because it's the easier way out? Am I still inward looking?

The truth is, if I get to have my dream home, this may make it more difficult for me to give it up if God were to call Fab and I to move to a developing country for missions. Already I hold onto my comfort zone. If I can be free of the desire to own things and to be comfortable (as I define comfort at this point in time), I can serve God with all of me. It's definitely not a coincidence that midway through this post, a friend emailed reflections she wrote some years ago on stepping out of comfort zones, citing the verse "whoever clings tightly to his life will lose it, whoever lets his life go for God will keep it for eternity". She had simply found the document on her computer and thought it funny to share.

God works in seasons, no doubt about that. The passages on Biblegateway this week have been on living right before God, an echo of what He has been speaking to individuals in our church and Fab and I about. I leave you today's Daily verse. 2 Peter 3: 10-11 "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.  Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives."

Thought provoking words

“We’ve conditioned ourselves to hear messages without responding. Sermons have become Christian entertainment. We go to church to hear a well-developed sermon and a convicting thought. We’ve trained ourselves to believe that if we’re not convicted, our job is done. If you’re just hearing the Word and not actually doing something with it, you’re deceiving yourself."

"A person who is obsessed is characterised by committed, settled, passionate love for God, above and before every other thing and every other being. Such a person isn't consumed with their personal safety and comfort above all else. Such a person cares more about God’s kingdom coming down to this earth than their own lives being shielded from pain or distress."

"We need to live lives that demand an explanation" - Lives that do not make sense to others such that they want to know why and how we live that way, like Paul's life. Lives that demonstrate holiness (not self-righteousness), humility, pure and generous love, joy, hope and peace that transcends all understanding.

Philippians 4: 13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" - said by Paul but often misquoted. We need to look at the context of Paul's statement. The purpose of the verse is not to tell us we can be successful by the world's standards, but to tell us we are already rich in Christ no matter our circumstances.

Paul learnt the secret of how to be content in all situations and at all times, whether he had nothing to live on, was in prison, was being persecuted and tortured, was shipwrecked, or was recognised and approved by others. Paul realised that God cares for all our needs. He knows what we require so we need not worry about these things, and can be free to focus on seeking God and His kingdom (the things that are dear to His heart) and His righteousness.

Are we getting the message? Nothing else should matter to us but what is right, and what is right is digging deep into the Word and going out to spread that Word whether people receive us or receive the Word or not. I'm not talking about bible bashing but leaving our comfort zone to reach out to others by loving them and sharing honestly about Christ. It's not about spewing theology to sound knowledgeable and win debates, but about living out the truth.

How much of this life are we still holding onto? Do we really get that Jesus is enough? There may be principles (not referring to specific practices) in the Bible that we do not like, that we prefer did not exist. But the key is not rejecting these things or trying to change Jesus or His teaching so we can be happy, but tweaking ourselves so we are aligned with the way He lived.

God created us in His image but we are not to be returning the favour. We should not be re-creating God according to our preferred image or, in other words, making Him the way we want Him to be. Examples of false understanding - I believe God is fine with me being filthy rich and lapping up the luxury without caring about the needs of others. Or, I believe God is okay with me sleeping with my boyfriend or girlfriend because we love each other. 

The reason is, if we alter the truth to suit us, we will get to the end and realise how wrong we were and we have to live with the consequences of that for eternity. Why not get it right now? We can experience Him as our provider, as everything we could ever need or even want.

Quotes and teaching by Francis Chan (from his book titled 'Crazy Love' and sermon titled 'What do you need in order to be happy').