On Fire and Full of Passion

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.
17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:15-17

The words of John are very clear when he talks about how it is we as Christians are supposed to live our lives. When I read verses like the one above I can not help but feel challenged to live a better life. In this book I want to get us past the point of thinking about doing the right things and get us to the point of actually doing those right things. It is time to get out of the spiritual dugout we are in and start playing in the game. In this day and age, especially in Westernized cultures, it is very easy to become complacent in our walk with Christ. It is, however, possible to still live a genuine life for Christ, but it will (not may) require you to become completely abandoned and left helpless at the mercy of God. This idea may scare you at first, but hopefully as you read this book, and continue pursuing a more intimate relationship with Christ, it will become something your heart deeply yearns for.

I have written this book to help us get to the point of complete dependence on Christ by presenting us with a daily challenge. Some of these challenges are really going to stretch you spiritually, but I can tell you that the reward will be far greater than you could ever imagine. It may be rough at first, but once you get moving and see your progress, you will not want to go back.

There are 45 challenges (as well as some additional challenges) in this book that are uniquely designed to test, challenge, and strengthen you. Their aim is to help move you towards a more intimate relationship with God, and my prayer is that they will do just that. However, I must clarify that is not the challenges themselves that bring about the change in you. It is you realizing what God means to you and then you running after him.

So, in order to have this more intimate relationship with God, you have to be willing to lay your life on the table and never expect to get it back again. This may be harsh, but it is what is required of those who want to follow Christ. God does not want half-hearted people to do his work. He wants people who are completely sold out for him and willing to give him their all for the sake of the gospel. Seem unobtainable? Yes? So what do we do? We get down on our knees and soak in the great and marvelous grace of God and ask him to help us along on our journey. We can not become more intimate with Christ without him.

Do you think you have what it takes to pursue God with all of your heart? Do you have the guts to take up your cross and follow God’s lead? Can you submit yourself to him?

I believe so. I believe that each and everyone of you has the ability to surrender to Him somewhere deep down within you, and my prayer is that all of you will be able to see this within yourselves someday.

Now, because following after Christ literally demands you to give up your life I strongly encourage you to find a friend to journey with you (and preferably sooner than later). Over the course of my life I have found that journeying with a friend makes the road much easier to travel, and it also keeps you more accountable.

Do you have your friend in mind? Good. Now, before you begin your first challenge, I want you to pray this simple prayer:

God, I submit to you. I surrender my flesh and all that I am. May my life be used for your glory. May I become nothing and may You become my everything. Fill me with a burning desire for more of you, fill me with your Holy Spirit, and ignite deep down in my soul a fiery passion for you that will not cease. Amen.

My suggestion for completing the challenges in this book is to do them one at a time, one day at a time. If you feel like you can do more than one in a day, great, but I strongly encourage you to keep it to one a day (or a week or month even). The point of this book is not to complete all of the challenges in it as quickly as possible; the point is the journey, with the ultimate goal of becoming more intimate with Christ.

So, find that accountability partner, and let us get started on this amazing journey!