I recommend this book.
The main idea of the book is becoming great at the Great Commandment. 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. He breaks down each of these for parts, heart, soul, mind, and strength.
1. The heart of Christianity.(Compassion)
-We are not as compassionate as we could or should be. Are we okay with the suffering we see in the world, in our cities, churches, neighborhoods?(pg.22) What makes you glad, sad, or mad? What puts a Godly smile on your face? What causes your spirit to sob uncontrollably? What makes you pound your fist on the table out of righteous indignation? Somewhere in the gladness, sadness, and madness is your compassion. You are feeling what God is feeling. And once you identify it doing something about it isn't optional.(pg.28)
2. The soul of Christianity.(Wonder)
-When was the last time you were awed by God? Awed by His presence, His creation, His Word, His church. When was the last time you cried or clapped for the Creator? When was the last time you gave Him a standing ovation? When was the last time you were awed by a baby's smile, a child's laugh, a spouse's touch. When was the last time you were awed by a night sky, autumn leaves, a snow capped mountain, or ocean waves, that you worshiped the Creator in a wide-eyed wonder like a little child? (pg.56)
3. The mind of Christianity. (Curiosity)
-The more you love God, the more curious about Him you become. The more you learn about God the more you will love him. You cannot truly love what you do not really know. The less you know God, the less you love Him. The more you know God, the more you love Him. To know God is to love Him. And if you don't love God, it's because you really don't know Him.(pg.104)
4. The strength of Christianity. (Energy)
-Christianity was never meant to be a noun. And when we turn it into a noun, it becomes a turnoff. Christianity was always intended to be a verb. We have got to act on God ideas. We have got to obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit. We've got to seize opportunities to serve. Talk is cheap and we have cheapened the gospel long enough. At the end of the day God is not going to say, "Well said, good and faithful servant." He will say, "Well done, good and faithful servant." God doesn't reward what we know. He doesn't reward what we say. He rewards the expenditure of energy. (pg.135)
We should experiment, live, and mature in all four of these areas. Some will come more easily to us, because that is how God has wired us. And it is okay to spend a majority of your time in your strengths. But we will see more of God when we get to know God in all four of these areas.
I love you guys,
In Jesus' Service,
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