Welcoming 2009 with you!

I have been deeply challenged of late. I am rereading Tozer's book The Pursuit of God as well as a new book for me, Crazy Love.
You know when numerous sources speak the same theme to you, God is trying to speak to you.
In Tozer's book, the chapter on the blessedness of possessing nothing he says "there can be no doubt that this possessive clinging to things is one of the most harmful habits in the life. Because it is so natural, it is rarely recognized for the evil that it is. But its outworkings are tragic.
We are often hindered from giving up our treasures to the Lord out of fear for their safety. This is especially true when those treasures are loved relatives and friends. But we need have no such fears. Our Lord came not to destroy but to save. Everything is safe which we commit to Him, and nothing is really safe which is not so committed."
Why is it then we cling so tightly? Why is it I still don't trust God enough to truly turn my everything over to Him? I do believe His Word and promises to me when i read them...on a certain level. But, not fully or else i would be living more radical life for Him. I care about what people think of me. I fear what others might say about me. I ultimately fear that if I turn everything over to God, I will be left alone. Aha. There it is. Alone. I will never leave you or forsake you, He tells me. Well, i guess i don't believe He is enough. So, for 2009, my prayer is help me believe that You are enough.

Carzy Love. Oh my, do not pick up this book unless you want to be deeply challenged. I began this book two days ago and already dreamed about it last night. Francis Chan had a chapter entiteled Profile of the lukewarm. If you don't see yourself in this chapter, I would suggest an appointment with me to help you get in touch with reality. We all have aspects of lukewarmness in our lives, but, i was not surprised to learn that i have more than a few.
He begins with the parable of the sower. He challenges his readers to not assume they are good soil.
He writes, Most American churchgoers are the soil that chokes the seed because of all the thorns. Thorns are anything that distracts us from God. When we want God and a bunch of other stuff, then that means we have thorns in our soil. A relationship with God simply cannot grow when money, sins, activities, favorite sports teams, addictions, or commitments are piled on top of it. OUCH!!!
Most of us have too much in our lives. Too much of the good life ends up being toxic, deforming us spiritually. A lot of things are good by themselves, but all of it together keeps us from living healthy, fruitful lives for God.
I will say it again: Do not assume you are good soil.
Are you satisfied being "godly enough" to get yourself to heaven, or to look good in comparison to others? Or can you say with Paul that you "want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death (Phil3:10) ?
The longer i live, the more i realize how much we need each other. And we need honesty from each other. We are so afraid to be honest in the church. I find this such a hindrance to people's growth. Is it our fear of man? It has to be. Why else do we hide so well in the church? We are terrified of what people will think of us. Jesus despised this pretense. I find that i hide out and do not realize i am hiding. What brings this truth to my attention is when i hear another person speak deep honest truth about their struggles. I quickly realize, I am in the same boat, but had been pretending i was not. Oh fellow Christians, let us be honest with one another. About what we see in each other's hearts (lovingly) and what we see in our own hearts.
My prayer for you this New Year is that NOTHING would get in the way of your relationship with Jesus. Not so you can be a better person, but so you can enjoy His far better way of life for each of us.