I did not set out to write this book. It came, along with Extreme Christianity, out of my desire to know God.
As I wrote Extreme Christianity, I seemed to get some chapters that were "deeper" and even more creative. They did not seem to belong in the same book as Extreme Christianity. So was born Advanced Christianity. This book became a place to put the chapters that seemed a little more poetic in nature.
When I just write of my own volition, by my own motivation, my writing is stilted. It is also very hard to write when I'm not stimulated by God's creative spirit. When it's me motivating myself, it is very hard work. I don't mind hard work when it comes to writing. I'm totally willing to, and have done it many times. But, now, there is a sense of spinning my wheels when I write because I want to write. It is so much easier to write because God wants me to write. He supplies the creativity, the topics, the desire in my heart, and the result is pretty good stuff (when I'm out of the way). This is why prayer is so cool. Prayer is reaching an area of human consciousness that is beyond the carnal world and carnal thinking. The Kingdom of God is within us, says the Lord. Why not sell EVERYTHING to buy the lot where the treasure is buried?
Of course "selling everything" in the last paragraph refers to having a full commitment to finding the pearl of great price, the treasure within--God's kingdom. There is no hook in this world to make you believe in this kingdom of God. That is, nothing here truly characterizes or explains well or leads to that place. Strangely, you need to have faith that it is there, and go for it. It is in doing that, that it will be revealed to you and you will then know it is real. Then NO ONE can keep you out of your treasure within. You will find an immense wealth of creativity, love, joy, peace, and other fruit of the Spirit. Jesus said He is the Way, the truth and the life and that no one comes unto the Father except through Him. Please do not try to find the kingdom of God without Jesus as this leads to character and emotion imbalance and suffering all around. Jesus provides the balance, and He keeps us properly focused. While praying, please keep fully dependent on Jesus and allow Him to be your Lord and Savior as He reintroduces you to your life and you are able to see everything in a fresh, new way. What a wonderful combination: Prayer, Jesus, our Father, the Kingdom of God and our life here on this carnal planet! There is no need to be stuck in the grandstands, watching life go by. Do not stay seated in the grandstand world. Get off your bench, get off your pew, get off your rear end, and move into the Playing Field (a field, not of dreams, but of Reality--God's Reality). Do not find excuses to avoid spending a regular amount of time in prayer. Vic
