Goose Bumps

Chapter 2 of Mark Batterson's book - Coming out of the cage of responsibility. Here are some of my favorite quotes from this chapter.

Ironically, discovering something worth dying for is what makes life worth living. (16-17)

...we turn our responsibilities into excuses. The only way out is responsible irresponsiblity.

...responsible irresponsibility means refusing to allow your human responsiblies to get in the way of pursuing the passions God put in your heart. (18)

[Nehemiah's story] A cupbearer rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem is pretty laughable when you think about it. Most God-ordained passions are. (19)

God often uses us at our point of greatest incompetence. That way He gets all the credit.

...that God-ordained passion becomes your responsibility. (20)

And he said one of the greatest obstacles in his path was his responsibility as a husband and father. He told me that he had to confront the embarrassing possibility of failure and the need to move his entire family back in with his parents if the passion didn't pan out. (21)

...pursuing a God-ordained passion, no matter how crazy it seems, is the most responsible thing you can do.

Supernatural sadness and righteous indignation often reveal our God-ordained passions.

If you want to discover your God-ordained passions, then you need to identify what makes you sad, mad, or glad. (22)

God want us to delight in what we do.

Their ladder is leaning against the wrong wall. (Successful at the wrong ladder)

I would rather fail at something I love than succeed at something I don't enjoy. (23)

If you've never identified your God-ordained passions, let me give you some simple advice. Start praying. (26)

There are some things you don't need to pray about. What you need to do is quit praying and start acting. (27)

God didn't send His Son to pray for us but rather to act for us.

If the twenty-first century church said less and did more, maybe we would have the same kind of impact the first-century church did. (29)

...I think this was a spiritual test. I think God wanted to see if the priests had enough faith to get their feet wet. (31)

If we open His Word, God will open His mouth and speak to us through it.

Signs follow faith.

...signs following. (Mark 16:20)

...signs follow decisions. (32)

God will sanctify your expectations, and you will begin to live your life with holy anticipation. (33)

Supernatural synchronicities - moments when the sovereignty of God overshadows our incompetencies. (34)

...good press is the favor of God. (35)

Your passion is Jerusalem, yet you're stuck a thousand miles due east in Babylon. (36)

...be the best cupbearer you can be.

Don't whine. Don't complain. And don't check out. And faithfully carry out your current obligations. (37)

"Find your own Calcutta." - Mother Teresa (39)