Thursday, February 21, 2013

Chapters 1-4 FINALLY

It feels good to be back on the blog train!

I apologize for the delay in response and contribution, I have finally gotten the book and caught up on the reading.

What a book. This book is what I have been craving in my walk recently, in fact I have loved the first 4 chapters so much I am insisting Jon read it too. I am gonna just give the highlights of what has spoken to me, challenged me and brought me back to my knees again in this book.

In Chapter 1 page 22 and 23, " First, it is safe to be in the presence of Jesus. We can dare come forward in our since. Everything that needs to be done about sin has been done! Everything!" DJ

"...But the good news is it is no longer our battle...Yield to his victory. Be honest, come clean, come as we are and throw ourselves on Jesus." DJ

It is so easy to feel that our sin is consuming and becomes our identity and I love this reminder! That our sin is taken care of and we need to not come to Jesus but THROW ourselves at Jesus. This is not new but the habit to fall into fixing and pulling myself up is hard to break when Jesus is standing with me and already caring my burden.

Chapter 2, on page 32 DJ is describing baptizing in the present tense- WOW. This is perhaps one of the most profound things I have read in a long time, that Jesus' command and desire is that we are in action with our lives, that we "Keep Abiding in him" that we "keep on believing" "keep on coming" "keep on baptizing"  Our life in Christ is a life of action not of a decision and then sitting. In this fast paced life it is easy to want to just sit and be but the call to action the call to movement is one I am needing to take more seriously.

Chapter 3, This chapter was an awesome chapter that connected the old to the new testament and I am such a sucker for that. I love when Jesus so clearly connects who He is to what had been planned for him in the OT. The Son of Man was made ready for us long before He came to earth and continues even to today.

Chapter 4, The radicalness of Jesus is dripping from this statement, "I AM the bread of life". This chapter was awesome because it was that reminder that only Jesus can satisfy, only Jesus can provide what we really need. Again, this is not a new concept but I just love that Jesus chose to use this phrase and to use it so clearly, I love the connection that DJ makes that Jesus does not say I am "the cake of  life" we do not need cake, we like cake but it is not necessary for survival but we need bread and that is that we need Jesus, we cannot survive without him.

I am stoked on this book and stoked to be a part of this process with yall. Thanks for sharing the journey.

1 comment:

  1. Glad you like the book Steph. I can hear/feel your enthusiasm!

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