Enter to Win a FREE Copy of C.J. Mahaney's "The Cross Centered Life"!

At Sovereign Joy Community Church we have a book table filled with all sorts of solid books to encourage our members. This is one of those books. I've been wanting to read it for some time now and on Friday night after our church service a few different people told me "it's a must read".

Then Daniel, a young man who attends Sovereign Joy, walked over to me opened the little orange book to a specific page and said, "Read page 18." He pointed to where I should start and stop.

After I read what you're about to read, I bought a copy from our book table. Here's what I'm going to attempt to do...I'll read it on the plane ride to Atlanta for Deeper and the plane ride back home (this should give me plenty of time...it's a small book--85 pages). Then when I return, we'll do the drawing and the book will go home with one of you!

Now for the portion that I read, starting at page 18:

"On Monday, Alice bought a parrot. It didn't talk, so the next day she returned to the pet store.

"He needs a ladder," she was told. She bought the ladder, but another day passed and the parrot still didn't say a word.

"How about a swing?" the clerk suggested.

So Alice bought a swing. The next day, a mirror. The next day, a miniature plastic tree. The next day, a shiny parrot toy. On Sunday morning, Alice was standing outside the pet store when it opened. She had the parrot cage in her hand and tears in her eyes. Her parrot was dead.

"Did it ever say a word?" the store owner asked.

"Yes," Alice said through her sobs. "Right before he died, he looked at me and asked, 'Don't they sell any food at that pet store?' "

THE MATTER OF FIRST IMPORTANCE

Many good causes and activities can occupy a Christian's time and attention. But just as no amount of parrot-cage amenities can make up for a lack of parrot food, nothing can replace the gospel in the Christian's life. Without it our souls will become like Alice's pet--starving in a crowded cage. It's importatn to ask honestly what we're building our lives around. Before we can talk about how to live a cross centered life, we have to identify what our life is centered on right now. We're all living lives centered on something. But is it the right thing? So think about ithis for a moment. What is the main thing in your life?"

When I read this, I immediately thought it was a great analogy. It's so true. Just think about it, the Gospel should be an all consuming passion of ours, not only when we share our faith...but all the time! We should be thanking God for the Gospel day and night. Centering our lives on it.

When we rise and before we go to sleep--meditating on the goodness of God in the Gospel.
During good times and in dark seasons of our lives--rejoicing in our salvation.
When we eat and when we drink--savoring the glory of God and finding our satisfaction in Him.
The Gospel should be a "matter of first importance"!

To Enter the Drawing, Here's What You Should Do: Leave a comment below with your name and some way for me to contact you if you win (email or blog link is fine--as long as there's an email address attached to the blog link). If you aren't able to leave a comment send your entry to email@fishwithtrish.com. Comments will be opened through next Monday and a winner will be randomly chosen next Tuesday. Open to U.S. residents only.