When you're wildly in love with someone, it changes everything. That is the gist of Francis Chan's book: God's overwhelming, hot-pursuit love for us... if accepted... should radically change the way we live. No doubt. I loved the book... Chan's heart for an all-holy God who is madly in love with us is over-the top! It doesn't take long, once you get into the book, to understand why he's connected so often with Louie Giglio and the Passion crew... he's on fire, with white-hot passion for God.
Here are some things I highlighted in the book:
* When I am consumed by my problems -- stressed out about my life, my family, and my job -- I actually convey the belief that I think the circumstances are more important than God's command to always rejoice... that I have a "right" to disobey God because of the magnitude of my responsibilities.
* The point of your life is to point to Him.
* Many people look at their lives and weigh their sins against their good deeds. But Isaiah 64:6 says, 'All our righteous acts are like filthy rags." Our good deeds can never outweigh our sins. The literal interpretation of "filthy rags" in this verse is "menstruel garments" (think used tampons... and if you're disgusted by that idea, you get Isaiah's point).
* The very fact that a holy, eternal, all-knowing, all-powerful, merciful, fair, and just God loves you and me is nothing short of astonishing. The wildest part is that Jesus doesn't have to love us... [and] the irony is that while God doesn't need us but still wants us, we desperately need God but don't really want Him most of the time.
* Are we in love with God or just His stuff? Imagine how awful it would feel to have your child say to you, "I don't really love you or want your love, but I would like my allowance, please."
* People who are obsessed are raw with God; they do not attempt to mask the ugliness of their sins or their failures. Obsessed people don't put it on for God; He is their safe place, where they can be at peace.
* After the apostle Peter preached on the day of Pentecost, people "were cut to the heart and said... 'Brothers, what shall we do?'" (Acts 2:37). The first church responded with immediate action: repentance, baptism, selling possessions, sharing the gospel. We respond with words like Amen, Convicting sermon, Great book... and then are paralyzed as we try to decipher what God wants of our lives.
I didn't know much about Chan before I read the book... still don't. But I know alot more about the God He loves... and have fallen more deeply in love with Him because of His servant, Francis Chan. Awesome book... a must read. ;-)
Darren Plummer, Lead Pastor
Mosaic Church, DC
www.DPLUM.org
www.mosaicland.org
The chapter, "Profile of the Lukewarm" is worth the price ofthe book.
Posted by: Chris | Jun 11, 2008 at 02:15 PM
Greate thing you are shared with us. Thanks!
Posted by: Cheyenne | Sep 14, 2010 at 05:05 AM