Recent reading...

I had to share with you a most incredible book I've been reading lately. It really is getting close to ranking right up there with one of the best books I've EVER read! It covers a lot of ground and is extremely convicting.

One of the main points of the whole books is, why has Christianity become so wimpy? Where is the fire and passion that used to dwell in the hearts of saints long ago? Where is the zeal, the motivated devotion that drove followers of Jesus to actually do something great for Him? For some reason, we've grown lax and have become nice and comfy lounging on the couch of complacency.

I know this is probaby going to offend some of you....but I can't stand the typical painting of Jesus. Long hair, slightly feminine looking, pasty and pale, and rather um, un-strong (for lack of a better word). The fact is, we really don't know what Jesus looked like. But I for one, happen to think that Christ, the KING of the whole universe, was strong, muscular, manly, intimidating, burly, and everything majestic and spendid. I don't think he had ringlets crowning his shoulders!

So, consider this qoute from The Bravehearted Gospel:

"We've become so used to seeing Jesus portrayed holding pudgy babies and soothing lost little lambs that he idea of HIM strolling into the temple armed with a whip to purge it of all its fleshly error seems jarringly foreign. Or, how about when Jesus stood toe to toe with the Pharisees and called them hypocrites seven times in one chapter, as well as blind, damned, murdering serpents who were the unrighteous children of hell? This seems shocking language for gentle Jesus meek and mild....How is that even possible? The only possible explanation is that we seem to be viewing Jesus not as He was, but through some sort of one-dimensional filter - a filter that strains every last ounce of masculinity, grit, or aggression out of the historical man Jesus Christ...."

Now...since I'm not here to write a whole post bashing modern paintings of Jesus, I'll move on to another qoute. :-)

"I absolutely love the idea of the bravehearted path. It transforms Christianity from being a social club into a fellowship of the mighty. It turns mere males into men of fire, and mere females into women of valor. It's strenght, dignity, passion, power, love and truth all combined into one dynamic lifestyle and worldview. The life, tradition, and power of the bravehearted path....is governed by the life of God's spirit, living, moving, and having HIS being at the very helm of the Christian soul. And it is governed by the single thought, "For the kingdom and for the glory of my King!" in every circumstance, of every minute, of every day."

I, for one, want a life that is infused with a burning passion for Jesus; and I think that's how God meant for each of us to live in the first place. Somehow the modern idea of Christianity has strayed far from the original Master plan - and as a result, we have a dying, powerless, diluted form of faith.

I would HIGHLY recommend that you read this book ~ I know my copy is going to be well-worn throughout the years!