Lukewarm People

Let's just say I DO NOT LIKE A MIRROR IN MY FACE!!! A mirror that is telling me the truths of where I am... where I am headed... where I have been.. and what I am doing wrong.....

There's a quote in Crazy Love - that hit home and it was hard to accept...but the more I think about it - the more I believe it to be true

"The goals of American Christianity are often a nice-marriage, children who don't swear, and good church attendance. Taking the words of Christ literally and seriously is rarely considered. That's for the "radicals" who are "unbalance" and who go "overboard". Most of us want a balanced life that we can control, that is safe, and that does not involve suffering.."

According to Francis Chan author of Crazy Love - this is one of the many definitions of the lukewarm Christian... It's not that we are not saved... It's not that we don't love God... It's we don't give our life to Him.... the control to Him... We are not picking up our crosses and following Him....

"Lukewarm people don't really want to be saved from their sin; they want only to be saved from the penalty of their sin. They don't generally hate sin and are not 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." Quote from Crazy Love...

"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" John 10:10

"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Romans 6:1-2..

Food for thought? I know I have my work cut out for me... How about you?

Crazy Love Week 1

This Sunday is the start of our Spring session in women ministry. As a ministry team leader - I was asked to read the book Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan.. I tried to read it last Spring and I found myself really depressed... The book basically put a mirror up to my face and showed me that I don't love enough... hard enough..

I had made the comment that new Christians might have a very hard time with this book.. It might scare them away... Chan is telling us that we need to give our ALL to God... not just a little and not just on Sundays but all of ourselves... The words are easy to say.... to some... But the concept of this book is so hard for me...

Yes, I love God... Yes, I worship Him.... Yes, I have no doubt that I will be with Him for eternity.... So why do I have to surrender my total self to God's purpose, now? I read my Bible and I pray so that I can know Him better.... Have a better relationship with Him... and this book is telling me it is not enough..... How dare he? Who does this Francis Chan think he is?

So I am going to attempt to read this book - a chapter or two a week - give myself time to think about... study it.... pray about it.. and see what God tells me...

Colossians 1:16 "For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible, and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him."

Have you read this book? If so, what do you think?

Crazy Love For God..

Matthew 22:37-40 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: "Love your neighbor as yourself."

I started reading a book today called Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan. I was asked to read it before my retreat this weekend. Right away even before I hit chapter one, the preface got to me... Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and all your mind.... and Love your neighbor as yourself... That to me was just a kick in the pants... really. As Christians we know what we are suppose to do... but do we act on it? Do I act on it? The answer if I am going to be truthful here would be no.... I don't love my neighbor as I love myself... heck - I don't know many of my neighbors - I don't know many of my friends...

The funny thing is I want to love my neighbors as I love myself but how do I do it? How do I follow Jesus' example of unconditional love? I think the first step is to stop being a Sunday only Christian..... I need to be a 7 day 24 hour kind of Christian.... At church, I feel closer to God because I am there to worship Him.... when I walk out the door and get into the car - I am no longer worshiping - I've become mom and wife again with all the duties and obligations that it entails... Finding time to love my neighbor much less think about my neighbor almost becomes impossible.... almost...

When my pastor talks about living the "Uncommon Life" - I think - yes, that is what I am going to do.... Worldly stuff so long... I am here to serve God and only Him.... and for the most part, I believe that I am a good Christian woman but...................... I could do so much more to glorify Him.... so much more...

I am beginning to believe that serving God and living the uncommon life of a Christian is not something that comes naturally to me. I really don't believe it comes naturally for anyone... We are human.... with human and worldly desires... That does not mean that I don't love God with ALL my heart... I know I do... it just means that we (I) have to put actions to words and thoughts. It means I need to put "me" on the back burner and follow God... Take up that cross...

I believe that I (we) need to continue to grow in our faith... We need to challenge ourselves and others.. We need to lead my example.... We need to be accountable... We need to love..