What would you attempt if you knew you could not fail? I ask that question often of myself, and I ask it from time to time of our church leaders, too.
"Having faith often means doing what others see as crazy." --- quote from Frances Chan in Crazy Love
I am not just sure what all is going on in my head these, but I am sure they are not my thoughts. Sound crazy? It is. It really is. In fact, if you think that you are having some of the big thoughts about God stuff and you think they come from you, you are wrong. That stuff comes from God. Some of it makes us stop and think. Some if it makes us want to run away. Some of it makes us want to cry. But what God wants to do will make us often seem crazy to the world.
1 John 4:12 (nlt) --- No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.
Does that sound crazy? I honestly think that most Christian thinking is flawed. Big time flawed. Why? It is because we think that our little thoughts are God thoughts. Or we think that God always works the same way and in the same forms. It is because we think that God made us just to worship Him for an hour or so on Sunday. The truth is no where near or in those statements.
Hear me out! God called us to love Him and to love others in bigger ways than we understand. By the way, that kind of love cannot be selfish.
I heard Ed Young say that we ought to be kind of like a brand of clothes. You see a particular item and you know that is FILA or Levi's
or something else. But do people see our love or the way we treat people and say that we are God's? In fact the world sees church people and brands us much differently than we would want to brand ourselves. Does that make sense? Honestly I have been thinking that I am crazy. God says that I am not. These are His thoughts.
or something else. But do people see our love or the way we treat people and say that we are God's? In fact the world sees church people and brands us much differently than we would want to brand ourselves. Does that make sense? Honestly I have been thinking that I am crazy. God says that I am not. These are His thoughts.Luke 10:27 (nlt) --- The man answered, "'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.' And, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
If you cut out all the junk, you will note that this kind of love is crazy. It is not rational. It is God. It is all God. Further, it is the kind of love that God intends for His church to be part of. The Community Fellowship has to love like that as we demonstrate the love of God to our community. It is a love without bounds and without reason. It is the kind of love that seeks to serve and to get nothing in return.
It is time to love with this understanding. Here are a few more quote from Frances Chan in Crazy Love:
"Something is wrong when our lives make too much sense"
"Most of us want a balanced life, one we can control, that is safe and doesn't involve suffering."
"It's exhilarating to be part of a group of believers who are willing to think biblically rather than conventionally, to be part of a body where radical living is becoming the norm."
You may say it. I may think it. But it is not true. I am not crazy. God's kind of love is 'out of the box'. That love is 'off the hook'. This love is more than we can comprehend. So what is the point? It is not until we start loving people like God loved us that we will make a difference in this world. That is why I pray that others will think we are crazy!!!
1 John 3:16 (nlt) --- We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.
2 John 1:6 (nlt) --- Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning.
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