Francis Chan says the following in the opening paragraphs of Chapter 7. "By now you've probably realized that you have a distinct choice to make: just let life happen, which is tantamount to serving God your leftovers, or actively run toward Christ. "
"Do you recognize the foolishness of seeking fulfillment outside of Him? Do you understand that it's impossible to please God in any way other than wholehearted surrender? Do you grasp the beauty and deep joy of walking in genuine intimacy with God, our holy Father and Friend? Do you want to see God more than you desire security?"
"Something is wrong when our lives make sense to unbelievers".
These are very challenging quotes, to say the least. Our questions today match them, I believe.
Question 1: "Christians today like to play it safe. We want to put ourselves in situations where we are safe 'even if there is no God.' But if we truly desire to please God, we cannot live that way. We have to do things that cost us during our life on earth but will be more than worth it in eternity." What are some ways we/you play it safe?
Question 2: God doesn't call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him completely--so much so that we do not hesitate to put ourselves in situations (with His guidance and blessing, of course)where we will be in trouble if He does not come through. What are you doing right now, at this season in your life that requires that radical kind of faith in God?
Question 3: Do I really think of each person I come in contact with as if they were Christ? How would my life change if I did?
Challenge: Beth Moore's daughter, Melissa Moore Fitzpatrick, has just returned from a Compassion International trip to India. Her posts on the Living Proof blog have been incredibly moving. Take some time this week to read them. You can find them here, here, here (this one really rocked me), and here.
Consider and pray about how God would have you respond to this week's chapter.
Leah, Channy and Spence
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6 comments:
Leah, What a Blessing this post is.I needed that right now!May God Bless You! Love in Christ, Faye
1. Playing it safe: putting off speaking. Leah, can you believe it? I'm so stinkin' scared! Yet, I know that I know. I do have a start on what I believe God wants me to share, just haven't said YES for NOW. I said YES for a certain group NEXT YEAR. I can't believe I'm telling you, but I'm all about being real, no phony here.
2. Radical faith in GOD....retiring with my spouse at my age. RADICAL, but I know that I know that God said now.
3. I haven't been doing that, and I desire to do so. I have a note on my night stand as well as on my refrigerator....RESPOND LIKE JESUS.
Challenge...God put it on my heart and I stepped out even with retiring and comitted to a beautiful little girl in India.
LOVE YA Miss Leah!
It's always about walking by faith. Sadly most Christians miss the adventure of walking closely with the Lord. B
Question 1: I play it safe with money. Yes, I tithe, but do I give sacrifically? Not really. I play it safe with my privacy. My home is my haven and although I love entertaining people for a meal, I want them to GO HOME when it comes bedtime. I like to have my home to myself. My husband says (and I know he is right) that I get all out of sorts when we have overnight company (which is very rarely).
Question 2: Unfortunately, not much. That is embarrassing but true. I guess the closest thing would be the speaking and writing ministry that the Lord has called me to. I totally rely on Him for speaking opportunities and He is coming through in amazing ways--ways I would never have imagined like the Online Conference that I will be speaking at in June. I would never have even known about it and He has me speaking at it!! I also totally rely on Him to give me the words for each event at which I speak because I have no idea what the hearts that attend will need to hear.
Question 3: No, I don't think of each person I come in contact with as if they were Christ. I should, but I do not. If I did, I would certainly treat them differently. Some people, to be honest, are just difficult--they are sandpaper people--and it is hard to think of them as if they were Jesus. They feel more like the devil but I need to remember that Jesus loves them and died for them just like He did for me. I am better at this than I used to be but I still have a ways to go.
Leah
Yolanda,
There is now therefore NO condemnation from me, dear sister!!
leah
Question 1: I play it safe many times by NOT taking a firm stand for Jesus. I don't want to "upset the apple cart" and I don't like confrontation, so I remain silent sometimes when I should speak out boldly for Him.
Question 2: Right now I have to have a radical faith in God to protect my second daughter. I now believe, because of circumstances and things she has said lately, that she may not be saved. She hasn't lived her life like a Christian in quite a while, but she said some very disturbing things to me regarding her beliefs about Jesus and salvation just two days ago. I am scared for her! Her comments were so "out there" that I don't believe one can be saved and make the comments she made. (She is 22 years old, and supposedly made a profession of faith around the age of 15 or 16 while attending the church of her boyfriend at the time.) Please pray for her to come to a knowledge of the truth!! I have to trust God completely - Mama can't save her. I was thinking this morning that I wish Jesus could just come and sit at my breakfast table and have a cup of coffee with me and we could talk things over. And then I realized - He can! Well, not literally, but I can certainly talk to Him over my cup of coffee! Praise Him!!! I have to have faith that God will save her. Pray that He will use me or someone to lead her to Him. She is an angry, resentful, rebellious person right now, and frankly, not a very fun person to be around - even if she is my daughter! Pray for me to have the radical faith I need to wait for the Lord in this situation.
Question 3: I don't treat each person I encouter as if they were Christ. That is a hard one! I need to work on this one. Right now, my own daughter I spoke of in question 2 is so disrespectful and annoying that she is hard to treat as Christ. People were, and are, disrespectful to Christ and He still loves them. And even prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!" What a different world this would be if we could only be that way! Father, help us!
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