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41 " When we learn to truly follow Jesus, we find that obedience to God comes from the inside out. Submission to what God wants for our lives flows naturally out of that relationship. "
― Kyle Idleman , Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus
42 " It may seem that there are many followers of Jesus, but if they were honestly to define the relationship they have with him I am not sure it would be accurate to describe them as followers. It seems to me that there is a more suitable word to describe them. They are not followers of Jesus. They are fans of Jesus. Here is the most basic definition of fan in the dictionary: “An enthusiastic admirer” It’s the guy who goes to the football game with no shirt and a painted chest. He sits in the stands and cheers for his team. He’s got a signed jersey hanging on his wall at home and multiple bumper stickers on the back of his car. But he’s never in the game. He never breaks a sweat or takes a hard hit in the open field. He knows all about the players and can rattle off their latest stats, but he doesn’t know the players. He yells and cheers, but nothing is really required of him. There is no sacrifice he has to make. And the truth is, as excited as he seems, if the team he’s cheering for starts to let him down and has a few off seasons, his passion will wane pretty quickly. After several losing seasons you can expect him to jump off the fan wagon and begin cheering for some other team. He is an enthusiastic admirer. "
43 " There is a tendency for us to minimize the Word of the Lord. Maybe because of its familiarity. “Familiarity breeds contempt,” the saying goes. But it may be more accurate to say that “familiarity breeds indifference.” The more we hear some warnings, the less seriously we take them—like the tornado warnings in grade school we didn’t take seriously. The people of Nineveh heard God’s warning. God got their attention, and they were honest with themselves about themselves. One of the reasons we minimize our own sin and rebellion is that we don’t take God’s Word seriously. Maybe a strong pinch is needed to get us to sit up and pay attention. "
― Kyle Idleman , AHA: The God Moment That Changes Everything
44 " I’ve come to realize that if me gets his way, I’ll miss out on the real life I’m meant to live. The life in which I love others and make a difference in the world. "
― Kyle Idleman , The End of Me: Where Real Life in the Upside-Down Ways of Jesus Begins
45 " Here’s one to think about: the less you see your own brokenness, the more broken you are. "
46 " Idolatry isn’t just one of many sins; rather it’s the one great sin that all others come from. So if you start scratching at whatever struggle you’re dealing with, eventually you’ll find that underneath it is a false god. Until that god is dethroned, and the Lord God takes his rightful place, you will not have victory. Idolatry isn’t an issue; it is the issue. All roads lead to the dusty, overlooked concept of false gods. Deal with life on the glossy outer layers, and you might never see it; scratch a little beneath the surface, and you begin to see that it’s always there, under some other coat of paint. There are a hundred million different symptoms, but the issue is always idolatry. "
― Kyle Idleman , Gods at War: Defeating the Idols that Battle for Your Heart
47 " Obsession is an idolatry word. "
48 " Woe to you fans, if you would be as zealous about caring for the sick as you are about a ‘Christmas tree’ being called a ‘holiday tree,’ health insurance wouldn’t be a problem. "
49 " Worship is powerful. It has huge consequences, whether you praise the God of heaven or the god of appetite. "
50 " When Jesus defines the relationship he wants with us he makes it clear that being a fan who believes without making any real commitment to follow isn’t an option. "
51 " Our hearts are restless until they find rest in thee. "
52 " There’s nothing life can throw at us that God can’t use to draw us nearer to him. "
53 " Instead of identifying myself as a follower because I know about Jesus, I understand that I am a follower because I know Jesus. "
54 " Brokenness is not trending on Twitter. It’s not written on anyone’s résumé, and it’s no business strategy at all. It is, however, the one hope Jesus holds out for us, the inside-out, upside-down way that is somehow the only path that ultimately is right side up. Embrace the paradox: brokenness is the way to wholeness. "
55 " If you’re most interested in what other people think, then their applause or attention is your reward. "
56 " The Bible says in Psalms to “Be still.” God says, “Be still and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10). I like this definition of stillness: silence on the outside and surrender on the inside. "
57 " Many have made a decision to believe in Jesus without making a commitment to follow Jesus. "
58 " God loves to fill empty things—whether "
59 " What is it that is competing for your allegiance to Christ? You may have both hands on the plow, but what is it you keep looking back at? "
60 " God often uses desperate moments to wake us up. Only when things start to fall apart do we finally open our eyes. "