"The American church is a hard place to fit in if you want to live out New Testament Christianity"

Further in Chan's book, "Crazy Love," he offers the profile of the opposite lifestyle of that of a lukewarm person. Here he talks about obsession and how the life of an obsessed person looks like. (Side note: just in this trip, I have learned that since we are everything that is opposite God, than our thoughts and definitions are also opposite of God's. For example: "jealousy" has a negative connotation and is often interpreted as a bad thing, however, God is a jealous God, and everything about God is good. "Selfishness" is another example, we tend to think badly about a person who is selfish, but God is a selfish God who wants ALL of us and our attention.) So when I began to read this chapter on obsession, I immediately thought about that little tid-bit I had learned. Normally we think of obsession as a bad thing, unhealthy and unwanted; but when it comes to God, he wants us to be completely and utterly obsessed with him and no one or nothing else. 

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

 

As I did in the last blog, I am also going to just type up the main points that Chan made in this chapter (I just couldn't do it justice!) The bold words are categories of people and then the short definition that follows is the example of what a person's life, who is obsessed with Jesus, should look like.

"Lovers" ~ People who are obsessed with Jesus give freely and openly without censure. Obsessed people love those who hate them and who can never love them back.

"Risk Takers" ~ People who are obsessed with Jesus aren't consumed with their personal safety and comfort above all else. Obsessed people care more about God's kingdom coming to this earth than their own lives being shielded from pain or distress.

"Friends of All" ~ People who are obsessed with Jesus live lives that connect them with the poor in some way or another. Obsessed people believe that Jesus talked about money and the poor so often because it was really important to him.

"Crazy Ones" ~ Obsessed people are more concerned with obeying God than doing what is expected or fulfilling the status quo. A person who is obsessed with Jesus will do things that don't always make sense in terms of success or wealth on this earth. 

"The Humble" ~ A person who is obsessed with Jesus knows that the sin of pride is always a battle. Obsessed people know that you can never be "humble enough," and so they seek to make themselves less known and Christ more known.

"Servers" ~ People who are obsessed with Jesus do not consider service a burden. Obsessed people take joy in loving God by loving His people.

"Givers" ~ People who are obsessed with God are known as givers, not takers. Obsessed people genuinely think that others matter as much as they so, and they are particularly aware of those who are poor around the world.

"Sojourners" ~ A person who is obsessed thinks about heaven frequently. Obsessed people orient their lives around eternity; they are not fixed only on what is here in front of them.

"The Engrossed" ~ A person who is obsessed is characterized by committed, settled, passionate love for God, above and before every other thing and every other being.  

"Unguarded Ones" ~ People who are obsessed are raw with God; they do not attempt to mask the ugliness of their sins or their failures. Obsessed people don't put it on for God; He is their safe place, where they can be at peace.

"The Rooted" ~ People who are obsessed with God have an intimate relationship with Him. They are nourished by God's Word throughout the day because they know that forty minutes on Sunday is not enough to sustain them for a whole week, especially when they will encounter so many distractions and alternative messages. 

"The Dedicated" ~ A person who is obsessed with Jesus is more concerned with his or her character than comfort. Obsessed people know that true joy doesn't depend on circumstances or environment; it is a gift that ultimately comes from God.

"Sacrificers" ~ A person who is obsessed with Jesus knows that the best thing he can do is be faithful to his Savior in every aspect of his life, continually saying "Than You!" to God. An obsessed person knows there can never be intimacy if he is always trying to pay God back or work hard enough to be worthy. He revels in his role as child and friend of God.

Are you obsessed with Jesus Christ?

Are you obsessed with the one who laid down his life, so that you, a sinner, could be an heir to His throne?

 

If you think you are, does your lifestyle reflect that you are obsessed with Christ?