Set your mind on things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

6.26.2010

Lost in God: Living the Cross Centered Life

For the month of June our church is reading together a theology book. The Prodigal God by Timothy Keller is the first option. We already have the second option by C. J. Mahaney Living the Cross Centered Life: Keeping the Gospel the Main Thing. My mom has already read it so I decided I would read that book. Just from reading the introduction I knew that my thinking would be changed. He starts out with something Paul said..."Now I would remind you, brothers, the gospel I preached to you....For I delivered to you of first importance what I also received: Christ died for our sins." He is saying that the one thing that should be the center of our lives daily is the Gospel! The Good News.
Sounds so simple, eh? But then goes on to point out how every day we face temptations to move away from the gospel....that there are three main tendencies that pull us away: 1. Subjectivism, which means basing our relationship with God on our changing feelings and emotions. (yep, I'm guilty of that). 2. Legalism, which means basing our relationship with God on our own performance. (done that too). and 3. Condemnation, which means being more focused on our sin than God's grace. (uh huh guilty again).
as soon as I read that I was gripped by what I may learn from reading this. I pray that the Holy Spirit gives me discernment as I continue reading.
Finishing the first chapter required the use of a tissue. This quote really got me...reminding me of what God has recently in the last 2 years made me even more aware of.
Often my eyes fill with tears at the memories of my foolishness and sin. And in the same instant, my heart will be filled with an unspeakable, holy joy. By the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, I've been forgiven of the countless sins I've committed.
Then he went on to say something I've never really thought about. How today many people run from the past, but he considers regular reminders as precious because he never wants to forget the great mercy shown! Wow! Changing my mindset to that theology in light of the mistakes I've made in the past doesn't make the memories so painful!
I'm anticipating reading the rest of the book, fo sho!
As for the verses we have to memorize...still working on that lol...when one gets older ones memory isn't what it used to be hehe. But my study of the book of Mark is going well, more on that later :)

3 comments:

  1. Sounds like an awesome book, I may just have to check that one out :D Keep that mindset though Rachel, that's awesome!

    As for the "getting older" part... that's right, you just have to accept it. Next step, admitting it to me :P haha.

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  2. I have nothing to admit to you! Btw, was that a gray hair I saw today on skype!? gasp :O! ya old man :P

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  3. :O! Blasphemy! Must have been the lighting ;) lol

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