Well hey everyone hope you all had a fantastic weekend. I know I did. Welcome to my blog and welcome to the second book of the “Bloggers Book Study” Crazy Love by Francis Chan. I will be discussing the first two chapters. Chan states in the preface that he uses the first three chapters to lay a foundation. He also warns us that this journey we are about to take will not be painless and that we will “have a choice: to adjust how you live daily or to stay the same.”
So here we go….
Chapter 1- “Stop Praying”
Chan asks us right out of the gate to just be quite. To just sit in revel in the glory of God. He tells us that the wise man comes to God and while being quite stands in awe of Him and what he has done. (This book also has online video companions… Chan sends us here to watch the video called the “Awe Factor”)
Chan goes on to describe how utterly creative and masterful God is. He tells us of the many incredible works of His hand. He continues on to tell that even though God is so glorious our society has cheapened if not discounted the glory and majesty of him. I LOVE this line from the chapter: “But know this: God will not be tolerated. He instructs us to worship and fear Him.” Chan describes something he calls “spiritual amnesia”, many of know that we are to love God, we have all seen the pictures and read the stories… We just forget. So Chan gets to the meat of the chapter explaining who God is.
God is holy. “We don’t get to decide who God is. God said to Moses, ‘I am who I am” (Ex 3:14) He is perfectly set apart.
God is eternal. “He has always been since there was an earth, a universe, or even angels. God exists outside of time and since we are within time there is no way we will ever totally grasp that concept” This is frustrating. But it is so comforting that our mind “the size of a soda can” cannot box God in.
God is all-knowing. Each of us can fool our friends and family about who we really are but we could never do this with God. He knows each of us. This knowledge led David, of the Bible, to worship. Ex. Psalm 139. “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.” Chan also says this “He does not have to know us so well, but he chooses to.” (Don’t really know if I agree with that or not… hmmm)
God is all- powerful. God is also this only being who is truly good and he sets all standards. He is the one by which all things were made
Chan finishes up the chapter by describing what is to be in the presence of God and why it is necessary and asks you to sit and be silent and think on all God is.
Chapter 2- “You Might Not Finish This Chapter”
(I really like this chapter)
Chan tells us that at any moment our lives could end; but we rarely think about this, rather we live our lives caught up in ourselves. “On an average day we don’t consider God very much.” We forget that our life is a vapor.
Justified Stress- Chan tells us of heart palpitations he suffered with at one point in his life. How he kept ignoring them and the stress kept building. One night he totally and completely surrendered his worries and problems to God and his condition gradually got better. He earlier justified the condition because he was a “stressed person” Chan then tells he realized the meaning of the verse “Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS”. God commands us to always rejoice. Chan stopped being a stressed and worried person because… (I like this)
worry- “implies that we don’t quite trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what’s happening in our lives”
stress- “says that the things we are involved with are important enough to merit impatience, or lack of grace towards others, or tight grip of control”
Chan states that no matter where we find our self our job is to bring him glory. “The point of life is to point to him.”
Thank God We Are Weak- In this section Chan reminds us that God IS in control and to be thankful that we are weak and He is strong.
Are You Ready?- Life is so short and can end at any moment. The question is are you ready? Chan goes on to tell about a 14 year old girl, Brooke, who passed away in a car accident. Brooke was a student who lived a life of joy and faithfulness. At her funeral there were thousands of students and hundreds gave their lives to Christ.
I love how he ends this chapter. "Don't let yourself forget. Soak it in and keep remembering that it is true. He is everything."
I really enjoyed these two chapters. Here are some discussion questions:
-Do you stop to see the glory and majesty of God? Where? When?
-Do you think it is helpful to know WHO God is?
-What are your thoughts on stress and worry as a Christian? Is there room for them?
Oh PS... You can get the audio version of this book for free here. And don't forget to check out Yoel's blog; he will be going over chapter 3 & 4.
Peace and Love
-Genie
8 comments:
Thx for the review Genie. saw the videos and started listening to the audio book... great links.
Worry & Stress just reminds us of how fragile and unstable we are without God. Thats why I love Phil. 4:6..."Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God"
it's layed out for us ..His peace , His Plan, His answers ... we're the foolish ones who take it upon ourselves ...
good food for thought Gmo
-H
-H
Awesome way to start the week!
-I stop to see the glory and majesty of God in nature; especially the ocean, sunrise, sunsets, flowers, gigantic trees.
-It’s definitely helpful to know WHO God is but I don’t think our human minds can really capture the majesty of all WHO God really is.
-I agree with Heredes on this one, Phil. 4:6..."Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God"
Great start to what looks like a great devotional segment of the book study.
My favorite line: "We don't get to decide who God is."
whenever certainty starts creeping into my view of what God, that usually means that it's time to reevaluate whether I've allowed my view of God to shrink.
- All the tried & true examples from nature work here for me. Especially when I consider St. Augustine's quote: “If these are the pleasures afforded to sinful men, what does God have in store for those whose hearts are His?”
-I think we can only know who God is to an extent (1 Cor 13:12). However, to the extent that we can know God, we ought to, because the more we know of God the more we can love who he is.
-Stress & worry for me are signs that either I'm not trusting God to pull through or that I didn't prepare for the situation I'm in.
I don't stop enough, but I do more than I used to...maybe I'm getting older :) I took a course on creationism a few years back and I was in complete and total awe in every session. If you really look at the intricacies and detail of all He has created...if you really think about all that...you can NEVER doubt what He can do.
I think it's important that we "know" as much as we can and study and learn about God. But we have to remember that all that "knowledge" can never replace having a relationship with Him.
I was never anxious when I was younger...had everything under control. Least I thought so, til I was broken...smashed to pieces, actually. And if I don't stay at that place of brokenness, I forget who He is...and who I am. Phil 4:6 is one I have to remind myself of A LOT.
LOVE this book. Man, it sure is good stuff. Nice to read your heart & brain on a blog, finally!
I'm a big environmentalist. Right now, i'm rejoicing because after 4 years of no-signs-of-life, my avocado tree sprang soem baby avocados this month. AND, my hibisicus bushes are blooming. AND in my magnolia tree is a nest w/ a mama bird and her 4 new baby birdies. LOVE seeing God in HIS creation.
My favorite line in chap 1 is : "Can you worship a God who isn't obligated to explain His actions to you? Could it be your arrogance that makes you think God owes you an explanation?" Wow, that is harsh... but so true. I AM arrogant when I think I have a better plan... I can't explain some of the tragedy and heartache in my life but what makes me think He, the God of the Universe, doesn't know what He is doing!!
Chap 2 hit me hard. I just lost my mom last year. My life is just a wisp, a faint smoke that briefly appears in the grand scheme of things. When will I get so involved with God that someone will actually tell me that I am spending too much of my time serving and giving too much away? I desperately want to use Chan's answer to someone who said that to his friend... "I wonder if you'll say that after we're dead". LOVE THAT LINE!! I must get less selfish, less forgetful of God and enjoy being 'an extra' in His movie!
Thanks Genie Mo for the book summary/thoughts.. and everyone, thank you as well for all the great comments...
I have to say that when I look out into creation I see God's majesty. I remember when i use to walk to the bus stop in college.. {didn't have a license yet}and that walk always gave me peace & joy to know God was walking right beside me.. And what an incredible Artist ;)
And then there is stress and worry..i've faced many of those.. but if I am in His word and pray then I Know He will give me that peace that passes all understanding.. well, enough rambling .. thanks girl!!!
Hey Genie, thanks!! I am late on the trigger on this study cause of so many internet problems this week.
I love your summary. Some of the quotes, particularly the one Kimba mentions, remind me of CS Lewis.
Worry is really ridiculous, as is stress, but it is so easy to succumb if we don't remember every day. I am on a quest in what is left of this year to really remember grace every day... and it'll only happen by grace!! lol. help us, Lord!
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