Fix your eyes on the only One Who truly understands …

“Fix your eyes on the only One Who truly understands, because He’s the only One Who has ever experienced true loneliness.”
…
“for the first time in eternity, Jesus discovered true, ultimate loneliness. When He “became sin for us” (2 Corinthians 5:21), God Himself had to turn His face away and cut Him off.
Suddenly Jesus had no one at all — not even God!
In this new, strange, hellish horror, Jesus let loose a roar: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46).
“[It is] a scream of despairing agony in the darkness. It is the picture of an eclipsed God and a lost soul; it is the hour and power of darkness: the hosts of hell fill it, and the opaque sins of a world thicken it: It is Jesus bearing MY sin in His own body on the tree. It is Jesus taking the place of a lost soul.” (Oswald J. Sanders, Christ Incomparable, p.167.)
Jesus on the cross became truly lonely, so that you and I would never need to be.
…
When on the cross Jesus found out what real loneliness felt like, He made sure it need never happen to you.”

-from p.28,29 of “Fix Your Eyes On Jesus” by Anne Ortlund.

work-centered vs. Christ-centered life

“A work-centered life gets complex, and it leads to burnout. A Christ-centered life — even in the midst of work — stays basically simple, nourished and rested.”

-from p.24 of “Fix Your Eyes On Jesus” by Anne Ortlund.

Any time we turn the …

“Any time we turn the things of God to our own advantage; any time we minister out of self-interest; any time we seek to establish our own kingdom or use God to promote our goals; we are guilty of setting up shop with the temple profiteers. No matter how spiritual our ministry looks, if our motives are for self-gain, God will judge it.
If we are to know the Presence of God we must be cleansed of selfish ambition. All our motives must be laid open before Him. All self-interest and self-promotion must be cast out.”

-from p.68 of “A Prophet’s Heart” by Charles Brown.

To enter God’s presence …

“To enter God’s presence I must be clean. Thoroughly clean. I must come in open, honest confession, without pretense, nothing hidden.”

-from p.66 of “A Prophet’s Heart” by Charles Brown.

Jesus Himself strengthens your weaknesses ..

“Jesus Himself
strengthens your weaknesses,
tones down your excuses,
brings your under-normals up to normal and makes your above-normals not seem over-powering and intimidating,
refines what is crude,
helps the rigid to relax,
helps the over-polished to loosen up,
helps the lowly born to get “class.”
Some people don’t want to fix their eyes on Jesus; they imagine that would make them religious freaks. Listen:
Jesus Christ is the only One Who is perfectly whole and healthy and balanced and normal. And the more you fix your eyes on Him, the more whole and healthy and balanced and normal you will be.”

-from p.23 of “Fix Your Eyes On Jesus” by Anne Ortlund.

In this hedonistic age, where …

“In this hedonistic age, where self-gratification and the absence of absolutes are the order of the day, one bright light appears. There is an inreasing number of people whose lives are marked by a growing hunger after God. They will not be put off with pious words or be content with sound doctrine, warm evangelism and spiritual theatrics. They are athirst for God and will not be satisfied until they have drunk deep at the fountain of His holy presence.”

-from p.65 of “A Prophet’s Heart” by Charles Brown.

Too many are satisfied to teach…

“Too many are satisfied to teach “established orthodoxy”, “sound exposition,” or “the latest word from God,” strangely unaware their lives and ministry lack a real Presence of God. The altar is there. The sacrifice is there. But the fire is missing.
God is looking for people who desire Him above all … these people ignore insulting remarks, curious glances, and crusty traditions. They search until they find Him.”

-from p.65 of “A Prophet’s Heart” by Charles Brown.