Chapter 4 - Crazy Love

Let me start this blog with a thank you to all those who are reading along with me through this book. I appreciate your posts and your letting me know you are out there. If my take on this book ever offends, please don't ever think I am feeling high and mighty. If anything God is dealing with my heart as I read through this book. I stand guilty of most of the things spelled out throughout these pages, but the reason we are doing this is so that we get back on track.
Also, I want you guys to be thinking about if there is a book you want us to try next or if you would like to write the blog for us. Just let me know either on the blog itself or e-mail me at mgbteach@yahoo.com That being said we still have a number of weeks in this book so lets dive back into it.
Profile of the Lukewarm. God has said that he would prefer us to be ice cold over the lukewarm. There is nothing more detestable to him than for someone to profess his name with their mouth and defame him with their actions. On page 66, Mr. Chan relates that Jesus elected to speak in parables so that people who weren't truly listening wouldn't get it. Today we do a lot of research whenever we go to speak to a group of people. We adjust our methods to make the greatest impact. God takes a different approach. Truth is truth. His words spoke to the heart. If you came with a hard heart the message fell on deaf ears. God wants those who are ready to listen. He wants genuine Christians. Are we genuine? The statement: "Do not assume you are good soil." is shocking. We assume that we are good soil because we live in America. We have heard the message. We are better than most, Right? What do we spend our time and energy on throughout the day? If it isn't the kingdom than our soil is full of weeds. I don't know about you but I have a lot of weeds. This is depressing on one hand but the word points out this so that we may take action. It is time for some gardening. This doesn't mean that you must cut out the things you love, because God has given you desires. What this does mean is that we must utilize the things that we love to further God's glory on this Earth.
Phil. 3:10 Paul writes that he wants to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. I don't know about you but I really wish that verse had stopped in the middle. A friend of mine once told me that it would be easier if God called him to die for Him. It's the living for Him that was the hard part. He died for us and calls for us to live for Him.
How faithful are we with our tithe? I think many are faithful giving their 10%. Of course it is said that we debate whether that should be taken before or after taxes. It is sad that we budget in the 10% so that it doesn't really affect our status quo. I feel that God asks for 10% but our tithe should stretch us. When you look at it in the sense that everything ever created has come from God and He has blessed us with an income. We are only giving him back a portion of what He has given to us. I need to stretch myself for Him. I need to give more and rely on Him more.
Lukewarm people don't really want to be saved from their sin; they want only to be saved from the penalty of their sin. Do we come to the throne of a Holy God and try to pull one over on Him? He will not be fooled. He created us and knows the depths of our depravity. Only those that genuinely flee from their sin and recoil from it will be freed from the penalty of it.
I remember reading the story found in Luke 9:57-62 of the men who wished to follow Jesus. I remember thinking that it was harsh. Not being able to bury your dead father? Not being able to say goodbye to your family? The underlying thread in all of these is are you going to put anything... ANYTHING... above God? When asked who He was, God said "I AM" He is. What's the meaning of Life? Creation? Love? Adoration? God. God is it. There is nothing on this planet or on any other that can be seated above Him. I'm in this with you. I constantly have to stay vigilant to remove myself and my desires from the pedestal.
Phil 3:18-20 "For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ." Which side are we on? Are you a double agent? Are you a victor in Christ? Are you an enemy? Regardless of how you answered, one thing is certain. Now is the time to join Him. God I pray that we as individuals, as the Church, we purge ourselves of our sin and become truly disgusted by it. God I pray that you refine us and that we follow you with true and utter obedience. God, help us to be authentic followers of you. If there is anything that doesn't bring you glory, I ask that you grant us that quiet whisper, and when that doesn't work God I pray that you give us a mighty shake. Let not our will, but your will be done. Amen.

Chapter 3 - Crazy Love

God's love is unfathomable. It is a love that we have never quite experienced. We have felt brotherly love, passionate love, and familial love but the Agape love that flows from our God is foreign to us. I agree with Mr. Chan when he said that becoming a father for the first time turns your idea of love on its head. When I look at my daughter there is something there that is undeniable. I am almost desperate to take care of her. I can't wait to spend time with her. I want to teach her and show her everything and protect her from harm. If this is what an earthly father feels for his child, how much more so is God's love for us?
Our God is not a toll booth in which we pass by and grant him twenty minutes of Bible study and prayer and then we can get on with our day. He IS our day. It's not about deeds in which we do things in order to escape His wrath or earn His blessings. If all our good works are like filthy menstrual garments, then there is no way we can earn Heaven. Only through God's grace and through the sacrifice that was paid on the cross are we made righteous. Our excuses are so pitiful. God doesn't create us and then demand our love or He will send us to hell. He is goodness. Hell is the absence of God. He knew me before i existed. That means that he made me intentionally with all of my predispositions for failing Him. He created me so that through Him I could choose Him over those things that tempt me so. He has given me gifts and made me for a purpose. His purpose. Are you floored yet? You want to get into Heaven? You want out of Hell? No man who seeks heaven will find it. for Heaven is not separate from God.
Heaven is the presence of God. You cannot attempt to fool God and get all of His stuff without Him. Have you ever said no to God because you didn't feel that sharing the good news was your spiritual gift? Apparently it wasn't Jeremiah's either. When Jeremiah told God he couldn't do it, God touched his mouth and put the words in his mouth. I believe the greatest question posed in this chapter is "Do you believe that God is the greatest thing you can experience in the entire world?" What do you guys think? Take time with God tomorrow. I really want you to feel the love He has for you. He wants you soooooo badly. He doesn't need you. There is a difference. He wants you. He loves you. We need to walk and talk with him. I would give anything to walk with my earthly father for just one more day. How much more do I desire to walk with the lord of all creation. I long for that day.

Chapter 2 - Crazy Love

You might not finish reading this blog. Wow. What can you say to that? I remember going to those Church dramas when I was a kid. You know the ones. Judgement House, day, whatever they were called around your old stomping grounds and thinking "Man I better get saved or I'm going to hell!" I don't believe that is what Mr. Chan is saying. After all, you cannot be saved just to avoid hell and get into heaven. Those are only the result of Christ. You have to fall in love with Christ Jesus, cast your sins upon Him, accept his grace, and live for him. I believe what this chapter is more about is why are we so intent on trying to steal God's spotlight?
One of these days we will stand before the throne of God. It could be in a couple of years or it could be in a couple of minutes. No really. It could. Are you really living life for Christ? The verse in Revelation 3:1 says "I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, buy you are dead."
This chapter is focusing in on just how small we are. It is focusing on just how finite we are. We are but a breath and we are gone. God is forever. He has been, is, and always will be. He is everything. I want my life to be about him. My flesh does not. My flesh is about itself. My flesh cries out for any flash in the pan that will make it happy. My soul cries out for the eternal One who ignites stars and pushes the blood through my veins. Why are we not on our knees right now? Our God Loves us!
Do you remember what it felt like to have that first crush on someone. Maybe this never happened to you. I remember passing that little note. "Do you want to go with me?" Yes? No? Maybe? I still remember what it was like to have the no checked. I was just a little kid but I remember the hurt. It is the same with God. The only difference is that he isn't just passing one note but millions every second and repeatedly we check no. The one who knows just how bad we are, how finite we are, how selfish we are, and we check no. Check yes. Live for for him before you die. Not in order to get into heaven, but to actually do something worthwhile for once. God told the rich young ruler to sell all of his possessions and then he would receive the kingdom of heaven. I don't believe this had anything to do with the action to get into heaven as it did the question. You can't seek heaven. You can only seek Jesus.

Chapter One - Crazy Love

The Heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day, they poor forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where His voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, Their words to the ends of the world. - Psalm 19:1-4
How often do we cheapen God? I walked through today and sat down to eat with my family for lunch. As we gathered around the table, we bowed our heads and I lead the table in the blessing. In a matter of seconds I had sat down, bowed my head, entered the presence of the most high God, and began asking for our food to be blessed like God were the drive through window. Reading this chapter was a slap in the face.
We have attempted to pour what little amount of God can fit into the small little spaces of our time and our day and God requires all. We need to take time to stand in awe of the Lord of all creation. We need to take time to realize just how big He is and just how small we are. We need to take time to bask in the fact that even though He is everything and we are nothing, that He loves us with an abandon. Is it too much to ask that we love Him with abandon? In order to love someone we need to KNOW them. How do you know them? Look around. Creation screams and cries out in worship of Him. As John stated last Sunday, How many Bibles do you own? We have been blessed beyond measure with knowledge of God. What is standing in your way?
It really hit home when on page 33, Mr Chan brought up that some people question God as to why are so many people starving. Who are we to question God? Why do we spend time questioning God? Doesn't God have more of a right to ask us why are so many people starving? My wife and I are school teachers who don't make a lot of money. But if you were to ask me, could you feed another person? Buy them a burger? The answer would be yes.
If you have been on the sidelines. If you have never been head over heals in love with God, it is time to get to know Him. I guarantee that if you spend even a little time with His word, spend a quiet time in which you just think on Him and His vastness, and will just let go you will fall desperately. It's time to love again.

New Book

Were begining a new book this week. The book for the month is Crazy Love by Francis Chan. I really believe that this book will help us grow and renew our awe and adoration of our God. We often take God for granted. The Bible tells us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, and soul. Did you think of God this morning when you woke up? Did you take time to worship the Lord of all creation before you launched into the laundry list of wants you may have? How do you view God? Have you attempted to make him small enough to fit into your own conception or have you taken what you wanted of God and left the rest? This is not an accusatory finger shaking at you from me. If anything this finger is wagging at me. I feel that we have a disconnect between the reality of who God is and who we want him to be.

We will begin our Crazy Love discussion tonight with a look at chapter one. The first chapter is only 14 or so pages. We are going to use this blog as an easy going look at a hard impacting book. If you do not get the book for a couple of days or weeks even, feel free to join in on the conversation. I want your voice to be heard. God created billions of galaxies, with trillions of stars, gazillions of planets, and He reated you and entrusted you with His word. God created you to engage in Him! Let us read and discuss together. I'll see you tonight.

Chapter 2 of Mere Christianity is online. Click the following link.
www.thepursuitofauthenticchristianity.blogspot.com

Mere Christianity has begun!

The Mere Christianity book blog has begun, but it is not too late to join in and start reading through it with us. If you wish to read the blog, just click on the picture of the book and it will take you to the right page.

-Mark