Obsess Over God in 2018

Some people obsess over a hobby. Some are obsessive sports fan.  Many obsess over getting more power and control.  Not a few obsess over sex. Others obsess over a relationship. Then there are those who obsess over politics. And a lot of people obsess over various forms of entertainment.

We are made to obsess. Our problem is not being too obsessive. Obsession is a part of love.

Our problem is obsessing over everything and anything except the One we were made to obsess over.

The Bible is full of people who were obsessed with God:

Intense desire is a sign of obsession. The Sons of Korah were beautifully obsessed:

NIV Psalm 42:1 For the director of music. A maskil of the Sons of Korah. As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.

2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?

People will give up many things for their obsession.  Paul was seriously obsessed with Jesus:

NIV Philippians 3:8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ

When we’re obsessed we can’t think about anything else:

NIV 1 Corinthians 2:2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

David was hopelesslyfully obsessed!

NIV Psalm 63:1 A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah. You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.

 2 I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.

 3 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.

Obsession over God isn’t just for the super-spiritual.  It is God’s will for all of us to be wonderfully, totally obsessed with Him:

NIV Matthew 10:37 "Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

7 Ways to Get (more!) Obsessed with God

People get obsessed with something by experiencing it or focusing on it a lot, until it becomes an obsession. We can grow in our holy obsession with God the same way. Here’s some practical ways to get more obsessed:

1.  Read and study the Bible more.  There are many ways to do this.  One good option is to commit to reading through the Bible in 2018.  There are many Bible reading plans. I’ve started a Facebook group for people who want to encourage one another as we read through the Bible together.  You’re welcome to join our group or start your own.  Our group may be found here:  Open My Eyes 2018.

2.  Pray more! If you want some encouragement and guidance in your prayers, consider watching my series of messages on the Lord’s Prayer.  The Lord’s Prayer is powerful. The more you pray it, the more you will want to pray it.

3.  Go to church and Bible studies more! Local churches are a really important part of God’s plan. You can read some thoughts about the importance of commitment to a local church here.

4.  Use your gifts to serve God and serve God’s people. Follow the example of the household of Stephanas:

NIV 1 Corinthians 16:15a You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the Lord's people.

5.  Listen to lots of Christian music of whatever style you like.  Sing along!

Ephesians 5:18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,

 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord,

 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

6.  Get rid of other obsessions that are competing with God for your heart’s devotion. Throw them out. Stop. These other obsessions are like idols that need to be smashed. Follow John’s wise counsel:

NIV 1 John 5:21 Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.

7.  Be totally committed to God’s mission. Live for it. If need be, die for it.

NIV Acts 20:24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-- the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace.

Conclusion: Be obsessed with God. Get more obsessed by being devoted to His Word, praying, serving and worshiping with other Christians, praising Him, getting rid of idols, and doing His work.  You won’t regret it. No other obsession is worthy of your heart.

Hebrews 13:16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others . . .

Heart Matters: Jesus Loves Me this I Know

If I had to choose one song which has been the most powerful and helpful for me, I think it would be Jesus Loves Me this I Know.

As a pastor, I’ve had opportunities to minister to people facing many types of struggles and heartaches.  Really tough stuff.  I’ve sat with families as their loved ones passed away.  I’ve prayed with families who have lost children.  Others were caring for a family member with dementia, or were bravely facing cancer (for the second time), or had been abandoned or mistreated by a spouse who had vowed to be faithful and care for them, or had suffered unspeakable abuse as a child, or had been an eyewitness to a brutal massacre.  It’s a blessing to minister to such people because I have seen so much God-given courage, strength, and hope in the midst of the sorrow.

Over the years, I’ve come to believe there are a few great truths which anchor people through such trials.  Those who hold on to these truths are able to weather the most ferocious storms of life and come through to the other side with the light of Christ shining through the cracks of their broken hearts.

Here are some of those “anchor truths”:

1.  God is great and powerful and thus able to deal with any problem we face.

2.  God is entirely good and never does anything wrong.

3.  God loves you.  He cares about you.

Of these truths, most Christians have no doubt at all about #1.  We know God is really big and powerful.  We occasionally struggle with #2, but at least for those who have been receiving Christian teaching for years, we generally can hold on to that one.  It seems to me it is the third truth that all Hell attacks. This is often the center of the battle in a Christian’s heart.  Often a believer will know in theory that God loves them, but we sometimes struggle to feel it and hold on to it when we are under an assault from evil forces.  We usually don’t need a lot of “advanced theology” at times like that. Instead, we need to hold on firmly to this truth: 

Jesus love me this I know,

for the Bible tells me so. 

Little ones to Him belong,

We are weak, but You are strong.^*

Yes, Jesus loves me.

Yes, Jesus loves me.

Yes, Jesus loves me.

The Bible tells me so.

^*(I like to personalize the song by changing “They are weak, but He is strong” to “We are weak, but You are strong”.)

This simple song reminds me of the mighty prayer of the Apostle Paul:

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

(Eph. 3:14-21 NIV)

Notice that Paul doesn’t merely pray for Christians to know that God loves them.  More specifically, He prays that they will have strength to hold on to the truth that God loves them. We need to be deeply rooted and we need to have strength to hold on to the great truth that God loves us.  It’s easy to believe God loves us when all is going well and life is good and we’re being successful.  But Paul is writing to Christians in the real world who are often under intense assault from the world, the devil and his hordes of demons, and even the sinful desires of our own flesh.  Paul is praying for us so that, in the midst of all this, we will have strength to hold on and even to know more fully and deeply than ever before this mighty truth:  Jesus loves me.

So the next time the demons are lying to you or someone you love is under attack, fight back. Sing Jesus Loves Me, this I Know. Submit to God’s truth.  Resist the devil.  He will flee (see James 4:7).

Hebrews 13:16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others . . .