One of the best parts of this book was the contrast between obsessed people and lukewarm people. It was convicting. This part hit me hard:
"Lukewarm people do not live by faith; their lives are structured so they never have to. They don't have to trust God if something unexpected happens.... The truth is, their lives wouldn't look much different if they suddenly stopped believing in God." (78)
I didn't like the examples he gave during the ellipses of that paragraph particularly, because they don't apply to me. But that doesn't mean the principle doesn't apply to me. He made some good points about loving those around us, or that may seem far away from us because we're too busy in our small worlds to even see their existence. He talked about how if we love God, really love him, as he commands, it will require giving everything. We are quick to assume we are doing okay compared to others, but are we really living the life God would desire? "I know that this whole swimming-upstream, pursuing-Christ, taking-up-your-cross, counting-the-cost thing isn't easy. It's so hard, in fact, that Jesus said the road is narrow and few will actually find it ... and fewer still among those who are rich. Like the parable of the sower, don't assume you are the good soil; don't assume you are one of the few on the narrow way." (98) Hard, good words.
Hebrews 11:6-- "Without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
"What are you doing right now that requires faith?" (124)
