So I am reading this amazing book Crazy Love by Francis Chan.
Yes, you read that correctly.......*I* am reading a book!!!
So I heard about this book when a few blogs were doing a "book club" study. I missed out on joining it, but to be honest....I probably wouldn't have been able to keep up because, well.....you know my issues with me not really reading all so well. So what most avid readers could finish from cover to cover during a nice hot bath.....takes me about two weeks. But in my defense.....my pace works well for me. I read one chapter in the morning and I let the message simmer for a day or so. I love that Francis Chan also has online resources that have chapter videos that summarize his powerful thoughts and other great clips where he shares great messages.
Anyway....for me to stick out something that normally is mentally exhausting/frustrating.....it must be gripping. And that it is. And I encourage you to grab a copy for yourself, I am sure you can "hang" and read about 200 pages......(if I can, anyone can!).........it will totally bless your socks off!
This morning, I read Chapter 4 and Chan addresses being "lukewarm" in Christianity. All I can say is OUCH! He gives examples of lukewarm actions such as:
Lukewarm People don't really want to be saved from their sin; they only want to be saved from the penalty of their sin. They don't genuinely hate sin and aren't truly sorry for it; they're merely sorry because God is going to punish them. Lukewarm People don't really believe that this new life Jesus offers is better than the old sinful one.
or how about this one that is a zinger to my heart:
Lukewarm People love others but do not seek to love others as much as they love themselves. Their love of others is typically focused on those who love them in return like family, friends and other people they know and connect with. There is little love for those who cannot love them back, much less those who intentionally slight them, whose kids are better athletes then theirs, or with whom conversations are awkward or uncomfortable. Their love is highly conditional and very selective, and generally comes with strings attached.
Chan give many more examples including how Jesus asks us for everything, yet most of us try to give him less (or what we feel "comfortable" with).....or how we feel we are "playing it safe" by attending church regularly, giving our tithes and refrain from cursing. We proclaim to trust in God and let Him control our lives......as long as it is going the way we want it to.
(another OUCH, huh?)
I don't know about you, but just those few examples of being lukewarm convicted me in a big way this morning. I don't want to become stagnant in my faith or my walk with Christ......I want to always be on fire...I want to be "that" radical Christian no matter what others think. The only One whose opinion of me that truly matters is God alone. Yet, it is so scary, that even with the best intentions.....the busyness of this world, the chaos of life......our own wants and needs....... pulls our focus off of Him and we can slip into that lukewarm state without even knowing/realizing it.
This kind of reminds me of that Casting Crowns' song "Slow Fade"
"Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day"
So what about you? Do you struggle with being lukewarm sometime? What do you do to "fire it up" and get back to the place that Jesus wants you to be?
Have a beautiful and safe weekend.......
Peace and love~
*~Michelle~*
** I, in no way shape or form, have been compensated in any way with recommending this book....I am quite certain that no promotion agency, in their right mind, would even consider me for reviewing any book for fear that it would be out of print by the time I finished it. Just thought I would mention that. ;)
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25 comments:
I have to take my focus off the darkness and despair of the situations that loom around and focus on PRAISING my Heavenly Father. Praise....whether it is singing or walking through the woods in awe of HIS creation pulls me out of luke-warm and sets me ablaze for HIM.
Fire it up, girlfriend....
Hugs,
andrea
To get fired up, I praise dance, or sing His praises. Enjoy your weekend sweetie.
Got sumpin' for you at my blog!
As a sales associate for a Christian bookstore, I have to say, I'm happy to hear you are reading a book! Yeah! *wink* I saw a funny video on youtube that Chan did- does he write with some humor in Crazy Love?
I haven't read that one, just skimmed the beginning last summer.
Happy reading!
Oh Heidi (2 Thinks)
I didn't know that about you...see, you learn something new everyday. So happy you are proud of me....I am proud of me too. In all seriousness...I get frustrated and know I am robbed of being enlightened so much more in this life with my struggle with reading/attention....so these little hurdles mean so much to me!
I am taking a huge leap and have Max Lucado's Fearless sitting on my nightstand waiting for my next adventure!
Well I'm a quick reader but I took my time with this one. I read it very recently and it's still percolating : )
Very thought provoking! I love the Casting Crowns song...just had a conversation with one of my daughters along those very lines.
I just loved that book as well and his new one "the forgotten God" is even better!
Love you friend,
Beth
Absolutely. I really have to keep myself in check sometimes.
Your little disclaimer at the end made me smile. :)
I loved this book as well...and the particular chapeter that you highlighted is the one that caused me to throw it across the room while I cried my heart out to the Lord. He was pulling at me to change...to let go...and it hurt so badly to do...
Great review...I heart you.
Bina
Oh, I am so glad I found you! I was thinking about this and talking to a friend about it the other day. I have never heard of this book. Thank you so much. It is so wonderful to know there are likeminded people out there.
Michelle: i will go on record as saying, "never apologize for reading slowly." this is a book worth reading slowly. In my sermon prep I have found myself coming back to it time after time. his other book, Forgotten God, is excellent also. This section on Lukewarm is a powerful one.
Bill~
Re: i will go on record as saying, "never apologize for reading slowly." this is a book worth reading slowly.
That surely won't be a problem for me! HA!
I do struggle sometimes with being lukewarm...OUCH, indeed!
This sounds like a book I need to read...thanks for telling us about it!
P.S. Your disclaimer cracked me UP!
I've seen Chan preached with humor in a video and his words are awesome. Just like what you shared from his book.
It is scary that when we face the Judge, thinking that we did everything for Him, then He'd say, "I never knew you."...
Thank you for sharing that "letter from John" you read to your kids...You're a great mom. :)
God bless you sister and may His love cover you all. [Your disclaimer may be written in fine prints...but I noticed and I'm leaving with this huge smile].
It takes me forever to read a whole book too. I think I must be like you. I can not just zip through a book. I have to read a little and then digest. Otherwise I feel like I can read through the whole thing and not really remember what I read very much. It kinda feels like eating a meal really fast and then stopping and realizing that I don't even remember what it tasted like. LOL This book sounds awesome. God has been showing me so much lately about the unity within the body of Christ being the same unity within the Trinity of the Godhead. And if we truly recognize what happened to us when Jesus purchased our position in Him and made every member within the body of Christ equally united to Him, and we truly come to know how much He loved us to make that happen, our hearts will begin to reach outside of our four walls and see every brother and sister in the Lord with the same eyes of Love as He does. I know that is kind of deep but that is where the Lord leads me when I read slowly and let it digest. :) I have planned to write a post soon with some more of what I feel God is showing me in this area too. :)
Hope you have great weekend Michelle!
John Stott once wrote, "The Laodicean church was a half-hearted church. Perhaps none of the seven letters is more appropriate to the twentieth century church than this. It describes vividly the respectable, sentimental, nominal, skin-deep religiosity which is so wide spread among us today. Our Christianity is flabby and anemic, we appear to have taken a lukewarm bath."
First Peter 1:7, "The proof of your faith is more precious than gold." What is the gold He's talking about? I think a real faith, a true faith. First Timothy 6:18, James 2:5 lend credence to that interpretation. I think He's saying come to Me and just give Me yourself and I'll give you a pure faith, a true faith, a proven faith that is priceless gold. What does that mean? A real relationship to Me, a genuine belief that affirms that you're a true Christian.
Then He says, "Buy white garments that you may clothe yourself." Get rid of those black ones. Get a white one. Back in Isaiah 61:10 Isaiah said that God wants to clothe us with the robe of His righteousness. We know in chapter 3 of Revelation verse 4 He said that people who walk with the Lord will walk with HIm in white for they are worthy. Over in Revelation 7:9 you see the saved multitude and they are in white robes. And over in chapter 19 verse 8 it says that she is clothed in fine linen, white or bright and clean and this fine linen is the righteousness of the saints. So He says I'll give you a true faith, a pure faith, a saving faith, a confident faith and then I will give you righteousness. I'll give you a righteous nature and I'll give you righteous acts.
And then He says I want you to get some eye salve to anoint your eyes so you can really see. You know what they used to do? There was some kind of a powder that they found, it's called in some history books "Phrygian Powder." And they knew that if they placed it on the eye it had a very soothing effect, a therapeutic effect, actually a medicinal effect. And so what they would do is they would put that powder in some coarse dough and then they would place that coarse dough on the eyes and somehow they would seal it so it remained there for a length of time. It brought healing and restoration to the eyes. And He says to them, in effect, "You think you see but you don't see. But if you come to Me I'll give you eye salve and you'll see."
Salvation is the gold that makes people spiritually rich in faith. Salvation is the white robe that covers our sinful nakedness. Salvation is the eye salve that gives us the knowledge of God and of His truth. What's He offering? An abiding faith, an abiding righteousness, an abiding understanding. You are poor, you are blind, you are naked. Let Me fix that.
All that comes together when the sinner offers the price which is himself and when he repents to follow Jesus Christ!
Ouch! Ouch!
I might need to read that book.
Happy Heart Day, friend!
Yikes! There are a few ouchers for me there as well!
I've been meaning to get that book. I appreciated your review, and yes ... that lukewarm stuff hits hard here, too.
Doesn't this world make it so hard.
I realize that shouldn't be an excuse, but a reason.
Still, I want to be blazing hot, but I am sure that I am lucky to even be lukewarm some days.
Oh, how I wish I were a better person. The kind that lacks insecurity and the judgement that it hauls around.
Everyday is a new day. And everyday I will vow to do better and try harder.
Michelle,
By the way if you have a moment, I have an award just for you on my blog today.
Love and Hugs ~ Kat
love the post. our pastor warns us all the time about becoming lukewarm and content with where we are at. i think listening to praise music, loudly, helps get me fired up. or even just third day.
Great- I am so glad to be back reading you again!! I need to check out this book.
Thank you for taking the time to comment on my blog.
Your comments are always welcome.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend,
God bless you and your family,
Mr. and Mrs. Geezer
I am speaking to them! You have most definitely encouraged me!
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