Francis Chan – Crazy Love

For a couple of reasons, I normally shy away from books that seem to be all the rage in the Christian church scene.  Really it's probably just my old fashioned-ness avoiding new fangled contraptions and ideas.  One of the books that I veered away from was Crazy Love by Francis Chan - big mistake.  I ended up buying it for Candice a few months ago and she really enjoyed it.  It was challenging, she said.  After hearing some of the difficult topics that he addressed I was very interested.

I have to say this was one of the most refreshing books I’ve read in a while.  I took it in small bites and every day finished with a healthy dose of reality.  I’ve jotted down a few of the quotes that stood out to me the most.  I don't think there's much point to commenting on them much; he did an amazing job of being frank and poignant.

“This book is for those who want more of Jesus.  It is for those that are bored with what American Christianity offers.”  Pg 21 

“It is important that we not measure our spiritual health by the people around us, who are pretty much like us.” Pg. 22 

“We forget that God never had an identity crisis.  He knows that He’s great…” Pg. 22

The fact that we’re the only ones in the universe doesn’t show that the universe is an awfully big waste of space.  The purpose of such a big universe is to demonstrate an unfathomably great God.

“Isn’t it a comfort to worship a God we cannot exaggerate?” Pg. 31

“… we keep on questioning Him: “Why did You make me with this body, instead of that one?” “Why are so many people dying of starvation?” “Why are there so many planets with nothing living on them?” “Why is my family so messed up?”  “Why don’t You make Yourself more obvious to the people who need You?”
                “The answer to each of these questions is simply this: because He’s God. He has more of a right to ask us why so many people are starving.” Pg. 33

“I can pretty much guarantee you that your funeral will be nice.  They all are.  The fact is, at that point, you won’t care.  … When we face the holy God, “nice” isn’t what we will be concerned with, and it definitely isn’t what He will be thinking about.” Pg. 50

“The truth is [a lukewarm Christian’s life] wouldn’t look much different if they suddenly stopped believe in God.” Pg. 78

“When you read [the letter to the Laodicians in the book of Revelations], do you naturally conclude that to be “spit” out of Jesus’ mouth means you’re a part of His kingdom? When you read the words “wretched, pitiful, poor blind, and naked,” do you think that He’s describing saints?” Pg. 84

Francis uses several pages to provide a type of spiritual litmus test.  You might want to buckle up when you get to this part. 

“If one hundred people represented the world’s population, fifty-three of those would live on less than $2 a day.  Do you realize that if you make $4000 a month, you automatically make one hundred times more than the average person on this planet?... Which is more messed up – that we have so much compared to everyone else, or that we don’t think we’re rich? … The reality is that whether we acknowledge our wealth or not, being rich is a serious disadvantage spiritually.  As William Wilberforce once said, “Prosperity hardens the heart.”  Pg. 89-90. 

Ouch, Francis; that hurt.  I think your getting a little too personal there…

“Why do so few people genuinely find joy and pleasure in their relationship with God?  Why do most people feel they have to either pay God back for all He’s done (buy His love) or somehow keep making up for all their inadequacies and failures (prove their love)?”  102

“What are you doing right now that requires faith?”  Pg. 124  Uuuuhhhh.

“He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn’t come through.” Pg. 124

 “A person who is obsessed with Jesus is more concerned with his or her character than comfort.”  Pg. 146

At one point he references an amazing quote by Oswald Chambers: ‘Never make a principle out of your experience; let God be as original with other people as He is with you.’”

“We go to church to hear a well-developed sermon and a convicting thought.  We’ve trained ourselves to believe that if we’re convicted, our job is done.  If you’re just hearing the Word and not actually doing something with it, you’re deceiving yourself.”  Pg. 184

So far I’ve spoken with two others that have read this book and they’ve both had the same reaction: wow.  If you (dare to) pick it up I pray you have the same experience.

Who Knows What The Future Holds

Scripture: Ephesians 2:7 "that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus."

Observation:
1. We have a whole other age coming.

2. God's plans always bring the end result of directing our attention to Him.

3. It will take all of eternity for us to grasp His amazing love, kindness, and grace.

Application: Look to heaven! Pressing onward. "When the roll is called up yonder I'll be there." Where is my excitement and joy at that? When I live in the reality of my future then will my present become what it is meant to be.

Prayer: Lord, this week has been tough and I've failed to keep You #1 more often (far more really) than not. Please help me. I need Your strength to being again - to get up and run the race. I ask that You teach me to live in the light of heaven, and to then show my joy and excitement over it.
     "Thank you" will never be enough as a response to Your love and grace. You are an amazing God. I love You. I am humbled to the dust by Your power and raised into the clouds by Your wonder. Hallelujah!

I'm Following This One

Being in the military I get to meet a lot of amazing people.  Of course, we only get a limited amount of time together, but, hey, I get a lot of friends on Facebook that way. 

Seriously, though.  Once Candi and I got (somewhat) used to the pain of moving away from our friends and family (or them moving from us first), we came to treasure the cornucopia of experiences and backgrounds that we're blessed to interact with and learn from. 

Some have come through the joy and stress of adopting a child (or multiple children).  Some have dealt with life threatening illnesses and diseases.  We've become close with people who are just starting out in their marriage and we have been able to be an encouragement to them about the realities of a biblical marriage.  We've met others who have lived a full life of sacrifice and love in their marriage and we've been encouraged by them. Some have been forced out of jobs because of their faith in Jesus Christ.  Others have been threatened with the same and after standing on their convictions, God was able to demonstrate that He's not a myth or delusion - but rather faithful and good - and that He cares for His children.

Each and every experience and person is so different yet they are all strung together by one cord - their faith in God through Jesus Christ.  And our faith has been strengthened all the while.  Truly the words of Hebrew 10:24-25 have been proven true to me: "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as is the matter of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the day approaching."

One of the most recent blessings to our lives is the McNeals.  You can read more about their experiences here.  I'm definitely following that site and I'm glad to be able to share their lives for two months or so.

Where Are You Now?

Scripture: Ephesians 2:6 "and raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,"

Observation: God didn't stop at regeneration. He made us to follow His Son in being seated in heaven (Eph. 1:20-21). God saved us, God raised us, God gave us seats. The seats are a picture of peace with God, too.

This is also descriptive of the fact that heaven isn't so much a place as it is a presence. Why will heaven one day be here on earth? Because God will reside here! Eternal life is the result of having unbroken, unhindered, unending relationship and presence with God. So many Scriptures speak on this truth.

Galatians 2:20 "...it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me..."

Matthew 7:21-23 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven... On that day many will say... 'did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many might works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; departure from me, you workers of lawlessness.' "

John 17:3 "and this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."

Jeremiah 31:33 " 'and this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days' says the Lord. 'I will put My law in their minds and write it on their hearts, and I will be there God and they shall be My people.' " This is an indirect reference. The presence of the Lord here is found in the fact that God's law is an extension of God Himself. To have His law is to have Him. To not have His law in me is to not have Him either.

Application: My life should be one of praise and my heart one of thankfulness. If this life is temporary, then my mind should be on eternity and the promise of my inheritance. If heaven is a presence, I shouldn't wait for my death or Christ's return to have what I can have here and now - relationship, intimate relationship with God.

Prayer: Please help me to pursue You to the loss of everything else. Please remove false thoughts or understandings of Christianity and heaven and Your will. They stop me from Your good and perfect will for me. They leave me with a false inheritance. Please teach me the truth. Amen.

Good Gracious

Scripture: Ephesians 2:5 "even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),"

Observation: The work of God, "the exceeding greatness of His power" (1:19), wasn't dependent on our goodness, rather our humility. In reality we are always humbled. The issue is whether we accept that fact or rebel against it.

We've been alive with Christ, and truly are alive by the power of Christ - it's His life in us (Galatians 2:20).

Here also is the first direct statement of salvation by grace alone. So many religious people want to say that salvation came through grace, but that grace simply made us able to do things that pleased God so that we could earn our way to heaven. That's offensive to God and NOT going to get anyone to eternal life! The only good work that saves is the one done by Jesus Christ that was imputed to us. This is repeated throughout the NT.

Romans 5:17 - righteousness is a free gift; not an earned reward.

Romans 8:3-4 - God's requirement for perfection/righteous living was accomplished once-and-for-all by Jesus Christ. We cannot add to perfection. We insult the work of Jesus when we say that His life was insufficient to do what Romans 8:3-4 says it did/does.

Romans 9:30-31 - righteousness only comes through faith, not works that we do before or after faith in Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:30 - Jesus became our righteousness. He continues to be righteousness for us. God does not look to us to satisfy His requirement for a holy life. He looks to Jesus' perfect, sinless, righteous life and imputes that life to our account.

Galatians 3:21 - righteousness doesn't come by doing good. To say that we are given the ability through God's grace to fulfill the law in order to obtain righteousness for ourselves is to simply create stilts with which we can prop up the noble idea that we can or must do good works to earn our passage to eternal life. In this way we make our working to appears holy or God-pleasing. Again, it's actually offensive to God.

Philippians 3:9 - righteousness comes to us through faith in Jesus Christ and not by good works.

Application: My response should be one of praise to His goodness, devotion to His call, and surrender to His will, rather than to feel obligated to add something to His work (Why do I feel such a compulsion to prove to God how good I am? I've already demonstrated a million times over that I'm not!).

Where am I with those? T
hat is a daily questions to be answered and a daily choice to be made.

If I began with grace, I should continue in grace.

Prayer: God, please continue to sanctify me and my family. I know the old man is present with me. It wants control and never quits. I need to live by Your grace intentionally. Thank You for what You've done in my life... with my life. I love You. Amen.

Night And Day

Scripture: Ephesians 2:4 "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,"

Observation: This church was not under any sort of discipline or correction from Paul. This letter has been a complete encouragement up to this point.

This is one of the great "But God" verses of the Bible. The previous three verses are the greatest and clearest indictment of mankind and are followed by one of the greatest "Aha!" words in the Bible. The contrast between the behaviors of men and of God are unmistakable here. The characteristics displayed by men and God are extreme, opposite, and as different in result as night and day.

Application: This is a call once again to His amazing love - His crazy love. I was the most unlovable thing and He chose to love me despite of me. I can only think of two responses or applications - thanks or praise and surrendering my life.

Prayer: God - Father - Creator - Lord, please help me a sinner, to give my life away. I don't want a false, fake, dead, empty faith. I want it to be living and active. Please give me more revelation of who You are, and give me more grace to grow in understanding and sanctification. I love You. Amen.

One Size Fits All

Scripture: Ephesians 2:3 "among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath just as the others."

Observation: Just like yesterday, with which the verse goes hand-in-hand, we used to be - I used to be - this. This conduct of course is by choice.

The sins come in two forms: by the flesh and by the mind. So, thoughts may be sinful. A temptation is a type of thought but not a sin, which means that sinful desires such as the desire to steal, desire to lie, desire to commit adultery, homosexual desires, desire for power, etc. are not sinful until we act to "walk in" those desires "fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind". non-action types of sins.
Still some thoughts are sinful. So our consciences can often ignore these

Regardless, in the end, the sins of both the mind and the flesh led me to be under God's wrath. Despite the excuses of some unbelievers, Scripture again says here that everyone is guilty before God. This includes those that have never heard the gospel of Christ. Even then guilt is present.

Application: Praise God for His amazing mercy!!!

Prayer: God, You are amazing. I love You. I know what I deserved and deserve and what You have not given me. Thank You for what You have poured onto me from Your endlessness - grace, mercy, love, forgiveness, joy, a new heart, redemption and adoption! You are good, Lord!

I Think He Jams

This is a clip from one of my favorite artists, Ben Harper, performing on the Davis Letterman show.

Enemies and Offspring

Scripture: Ephesians 2:2 "in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,"

Observation: Ephesians 6:12 "against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." But at one time I was a party to those things, I was on that side. And the sin nature that continues to live with me is still on that side.

Along with verse 1, this was me. At some point in time, for years of my past, I chose the evil in rebellion to the Lord, my Creator.

Application: Do not walk in step with Satan and the demons. Understand the evil that I align myself with when I am angry, judgmental, cruel, impatient, condemning, selfish, and fulfilling the desires of my sinful nature. It's not, as some humanists who purport, simply mistakes or blemishes upon an otherwise "good" life or nature. They are sins - don't sugar coat it. Sins which Jesus suffered a life and death for. Sins that were the hammer driving nails into his body. Sins which separate me from my Lord if I do not confess and repent quickly. Sins which will enslave me if not dealt with.

Prayer: Thank you for saving me Father. I was at complete enmity with You. But You rescued Your enemy to adopt him as a son. Oh how great is Your goodness which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men! Your will has been worked in my life "to the praise of Your glory". Please help me to walk in the Spirit so that I do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.

Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes, Knees and Toes

Scripture: Ephesians 1:23 "which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all."

Observation: We are called "the fullness" of Jesus. Does this mean that we, the church, are the picture of what Jesus is doing? Or that we are the reward that He received for the work done in Him? I think it likely means that the church is the summation of the work that God began at creation and that Jesus finished at Pentecost.

Application: All the application of the "body of Christ" picture can give! But what new application will God reveal to me today? Or rather what bit of "wisdom and revelation" may He show me?

What am I doing? Every part of the body of Christ does something? It never considers what its purpose is. It just works where it is in the place that it is. It does what comes naturally to it (not in the flesh but rather what the Holy Spirit would direct in whatever place it is found). So again what am I doing where I am found? How am I displaying the body of Christ? Where can I work (Eph 2:10)?

What about those around me? I must encourage the members of the body to grow in their faith and to serve their purpose as well. From injuries I've learned that many parts of the body effect the other parts. Weak abdominal muscles and tight hamstring muscles cause lower back problems. Likewise, an injury or weakness in a hip, knee or foot can cause serious damage to the other foot or leg, or even upper back and shoulders or neck, as they try to compensate for the failure of that other member. The harm increases if the problem isn't dealt with. My body was created to work in harmony and unity. The body of Christ is no different. That is why the individual members of the church of God can have so many problems when they do nothing but do bible study and pray for themselves. The arms and legs cannot be only for themselves. They certainly cannot have disdain for other members.

Of course they can't.. they're arms.

Prayer: Father, I want to do the work that you have for me, but I have all these feelings of doubt and what seem to be roadblocks. Are You trying to hold me back from doing something or are You calling me to follow through adversity? Am I just needing to go? I see the example of the 70 who returned amazed and surprised at the fruit of their trip. By faith can I go out knowing that I'll return amazed at what You do?

Also, help me to remember that I am a member of the body of Christ. I know that a body can only reach its healthiest state when the parts of the body help the other parts do their job.

Holy Spirit, please reveal to me where I can encourage a brother or sister in Christ in the work that You have for them, or even just in the spiritual abilities that You've gifted them with. We all have to do our function. That will bring You the most glory and us the most pleasure, joy and peace.

Jesus, thank you for dying for me that I might live in You. I love You. Amen.

Zombies Are Real - Are You One Of Them?

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1 "And you He made alive who were once dead in trespasses and sins,"

Observation: We were, I was, dead. God accomplished it all. It dos not say, "And you He helped to come alive." The deadness was through and through.

Sin held that power; it is that strong. It should not be underestimated. By doing so, I have time and time again fought a losing battle.

Ultimately anyone attempting to overcome sin is doing so out of their pride.  The thought "Now that I'm a Christian and saved through God's grace, empowered with His Holy Spirit, and blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ so therefore I ought to be able to withstand temptations" is born out of pride. I want to overcome sin for God. I want to please Him with my strength. I want to demonstrate my steadfast loyalty to the Lord. It's all about me at that point. It's a virtuous desire, but an impossible one.

No! The Israelites were told to avoid even the slightest mingling with the peoples around them in Canaan because if they did not they were bound, destined, unavoidably fated to compromise and then to fail.

Application: The correct answer to sin in our lives is to establish boundaries of protection. Root out and eliminate all sinful sources. I am prone enough to walk away from God without additional help. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says that God "made a way of escape"from temptation, not a "way of overpowering".

Remember where I came from. My testimony is only a testimony because there was a change from death to life! Lost to found. Old to new. Walk in the newness of life. Give God all the glory.

Prayer: Father, help me to identify with those that you send me to. They are me without you. Please keep me humble, for that is right - it is right for me to be so. Lord, I praise You for who You are and thank You for what You have done! I truly love You. Amen.

Well Said

I know that I can always find people to agree with my opinions, but this seems like common sense to me.  I find it interesting that this recording was made decades ago and in the time since then we've obviously moved much further down the road of entitlements and socialism.  Here in the present, we now all get to sit back and watch history unfold a little further as the consequences of the decisions of our elected leaders come to fruition. 

Although I think it will be even more interesting to see in the end the purpose for which God chose to raise up the nation of the U.S.A.

Job 12:23

²³ He makes nations great, and destroys them;
He enlarges nations, and guides them.

Jeremiah 50:8-10

⁹ For behold, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon
An assembly of great nations from the north country,
And they shall array themselves against her;
From there she shall be captured.
Their arrows shall be like those of an expert warrior;^[a]
None shall return in vain.
¹⁰ And Chaldea shall become plunder;
All who plunder her shall be satisfied,” says the LORD. 

 

Ezekiel 29:15

 ¹⁵ It shall be the lowliest of kingdoms; it shall never again exalt itself above the nations, for I will diminish them so that they will not rule over the nations anymore.

 

In the end I think we need to remember that our nation, like all nations, is His instrument.  We are not the Second Israel.  Honestly, the state of our hearts before God probably shows that we more resemble a second Catholic Rome - much tradition but little faith.  Perhaps the question is, to what extent may the faith of our people, the humility of our nation, or the repentance of our hearts influence the way in which He uses us?

Follow the Leader

Scripture: Ephesians 1:22 "And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church."

Observation: This is what God has done. Jesus is now king, lord, almighty, lifted high, master of it all. No enemy, no affront, no effort, no failure, no inability, no device, and no circumvention can slow, hinder, or prevent the success of the efforts and will of Jesus.

This is God's work, and we should not fight against it. 

The body of Christ will be safe, successful, cared for, and righteous if it follows the direction and guidance of the Head.

Application: I need to do all that the Head is telling me to do. I need to be watchful and study all that He has already told me in His word. I need to stop my bumbling, stumbling race into the next moment and look for the movement and direction of my King. "Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him..." Psalm 37:7.

Prayer: I'm poor and needy. I am one of the church that You are now head over. I ask for grace to follow and for ears  to hear You, eyes to see You, a mind to understand, and a heart that craves You above and beyond anything else. I love You. Amen

That's Just Funny.

Just sharing some quotes from an online article...

"China bluntly criticized the United States... saying the "good old days" of borrowing were over."

... I wonder how that is said in Cantonese.  I thought that was an American idiom.

"China -- the United States' biggest creditor -- said Washington only had itself to blame for its plight and called for a new stable global reserve currency."

... this one is just great!  This horse is dead already, but why are in huge debt to a communist country who is our largest enemy at this point in time?

... What's that?  China is pointing their finger at this situation for support for a global reserve currency.  Now that's something the Anti-christ could use!

"China scorned the United States for its "debt addiction"..."

... Whatever!  Oh, wait.  I agree with this one.  But honestly, what are we really going to do about it?

"[China] urged the United States to cut military and social welfare expenditure."

... I'll bet China would appreciate us cutting our military expenditure.

... I actually agree with cutting a huge amount of our social welfare expenditure, but isn't this coming from a communist country?  I'm confused.

"Obama called on Congress to back measures to give tax relief to the middle class, extend jobless benefits and pass long-delayed international trade pacts."

... Nothing new from the President.  Give more money away in hopes that people will spend, spend, spend!  That will help!  I'm just saying how about we go for a healthy, stable economy?  I'd prefer thrift over huge investment growth.

... How about we stop paying people who are out of a job?  Necessity is the mother of invention and I think people will be much more motivated to come up with ways to make money when Uncle Sam isn't footing the bill.

"India's finance minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters: "There is no need to unnecessarily press the panic button.""

... Spiritually speaking, I think it's time we do that here in the U.S.

DMZ 4 - Confusious say, "Man who stand on toilet..."

This is the third bit o' toilet wisdom in the South Korean train station which stood so proudly and full of hope on the dividing line between the north and the south.  Yet again I was impressed by the profoundness that this bathroom displayed.  All these signs kind of  kept with a theme: you can have your brain washed and your hands washed all before leaving the bathroom.

At first glance this seems like a very practical bit of wisdom aimed directly at lumberjacks.  Without such advice maybe Paul would have been Babeless pretty quick.  Now, I don't know how much lumbering they do in Korea but if Confucius could eventually end up sending his advice to the world at large perhaps this bathroom could, too.

Anyway, on second glance there seems to be some other applications.

Political: very rarely does someone "big" in Washington surprise anyone.  They generally follow a party line, the crowd, or the voters.  In this arena I, like many other people I know are asking, if this tree falls in the woods, does anyone care?  Obviously we should care which direction our elected leaders fall, but what do we do when our "woods" are full of "trees" that we would never have planted?  That wasn't rhetorical - I really don't know.

Relational: I'm a parent.  It can't be helped that I'm concerned about which direction my children are leaning.  I think parents have the ability to greatly influence the leaning of our children - and I think we have a responsibility to do so.  The question is, what actions are we taking to influence them?  Regardless of how we answer that question, we will influence them.  Our inaction in this case may in fact be the biggest push that our developing adults receive toward falling in the wrong direction...  Again, what steps am I taking or not taking?  What steps should we be taking?  Why aren't we taking them?

Spiritual: Like the AF always says, "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail."  And like somebody else says, "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything."  And then there's always, "If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine whether it is from God or whether I speak from my own authority."  One of the amazing things about God is that He leaves it all up to us.  We get to choose.  The choice seems to be extremely easy, yet actually making the choice seems extremely hard.  However, we have the promise that if we intentionally lean toward God, He will show us the best way to live.  (John 7:17, Hebrews 11:6)  I'm going to daily make the choice to lean toward God, so that when it comes time for falling (which will surely come) I know I'll land in His hands.

Thank you again R-Toto for your wise thoughts.  Until the next time nature calls.