This week we kick off a new discussion / book study based of the national best seller "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. The book starts off at an easy pace and then at Chapter 4 explodes with some serious challenge stuff.
Chan rights "this book is written for those who want more Jesus. It is for those who are bored with what American Christianity offers. It is for those who don't want to plateau, those who would rather die before their convictions do."
I personally have been renewed, re-energized and deeply challenged by this book to take my faith up several notches. My prayer is that what we as individuals and a church community experience between Christmas will forever change us into living out an even deeper, crazier love for God and others.
Are you ready to get crazy?
How crazy is too crazy?
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WOW, WAS GOD MOVING IN OUR HEARTS TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!
Guilt Free
This week we began our new series “Crazy Love” based off of Francis Chan’s best seller. There are many things that challenged me within the first three chapters. Chapters that I combined and shared Sunday morning (Nov. 15th) as “Fear vs Father” (you can hear the podcast from our journeychurch.net website.)
But what surprised me, after all the prep. After all the small God vs BIG God exploration that I did.... something else spoke to me on Sunday. Yes, the Holy Spirit speaks to on Sunday mornings as I share with the church family. In fact... the Holy Spirit often speaks very loudly to me on Sunday mornings.
Well this week.... I got a surprise as I read from Isaiah 6:6-7.... look at these words again as the great prophet Isaiah is in God’s throne room as the angels fly around and sing. 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. 7 He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.”
God sends an angel over to Isaiah (you and I) not to kill... but to touch. Touch personally and intimately so that two things can happen...
#1 - Guilt can be removed
#2 - Sins can be forgiven
Sin being forgiven I get (at some level). But living a guilt free life really hit me hard.
Guilt is what holds so many of us back. Yes, we are forgiven, but the video tape machine in my head, the chain linked to my past actions or in-actions is always there. Always holding me back from really living. But God actually wants me and you to NOT BE LIMITED BY GUILT.
Deeper truth for me this week. If I am forgiven, then I am free of all guilt.
There is no need to second guess, live in the past, relive events over and over and over.
No. God wants to get so intimate and personal with me that all guilt has got to go.
I wonder as I hold on to my guilt, am I limiting God to really move in my life.
Yes we must be honest, repent of our sin. Look at our actions.
But once we place our sin at the cross... we must leave them there and move forward guilt free. For the first time in my life, I am being given permission to really live!
Maybe this not a new big “ah’ for you. But again, it was my moment with the Holy Spirit this Sunday. I am not only forgiven... my guilt is gone, removed... so stop hanging on to it and living in the past. Cut the chain and really live with God.
Now that’s crazy love.
Mid-week check up. Start reading chapter 4 for this Sunday's discussion. It gonna be intense.... or crazy!
Lukewarm living wow what challenge.
Our world screams "lukewarm". Never do anything costly, or extreme. It's cool when someone else is passionate, but not "me".
By big thing this week was how Jesus stands at the door and knocks. Yes he stands at the door of our heart and knocks. But Revelations 3 is written to a lukewarm church. Jesus stands at the door of the church and is knocking to get back in. Now that's crazy. The church of Jesus Christ has communicated to God... we have it all under control now... we don't really need you, the Holy Spirit of Jesus any more.
No one wonder churches are folding up, baptisms are down, new believers are few and far between.
Our self reliance, riches and confidece have pushed God right out of his own house.
Now do you understand why God wants to spit lukewarm churches like that out of his mouth.
Man that breaks my heart.
From Lukewarm to NO Leftovers. These last weeks (Chapters in "Crazy Love" have been intense. The discussions and challenges in LIFE Groups have been deep and very thought provoking.
Don't run away from this sort of reading and studying. It's good every so often to wrestle with deep truths and questions of faith.
I am not a big LEFTOVER fan... but it's clear, God doesn't stand of it at all.
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