Life is a Mist
Francis Chan's Crazy Love Chapter 2
"On the average day, we live caught up in ourselves. On the average day, we don't consider God very much. On the average day, we forget that our life truly is a vapor." (p. 39)
Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." James 4:13-14
"Intellectually we all know that we will die, but we do not really know it in the sense that the knowledge becomes a part of us. We do not really know it in the sense of living as though it were true. On the contrary, we tend to live as though our lives would go on forever." -Fredrick Buechner
We are commanded to, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!. . . Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:4,6
"When I am consumed by my problems - stressed out about my life, my family, and my job - I actually convey the belief that I think the circumstances are more important than God's command to always rejoice. In other words, that I have a 'right' to disobey God because of the magnitude of my responsibilities." (p. 41)
"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 in are important enough to merit our impatience, our lack of grace toward others, or our tight grip of control." (p. 42)
"Why are we so quick to forget God? Who do we think we are?. . . I. . . still. . . forget that life is all about God and not about me at all." (p. 42)
The movie of life is about God with Jesus as the climax. "How is it possible that we live as though it is about us?" (p. 43) We should make our short part in the movie of life to be as much about God as possible.
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31
"To be brutally honest, it doesn't really matter what place you find yourself in right now. Your part is to bring Him glory. . . The point of your life is to point to Him.Whatever you are doing, God wants to be glorified, because this whole thing is His. It is His movie, His world, His gift." (pp. 44-45)
"Sadly, many people die while living selfishly." (p. 49)
Their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person's work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved - even though only as one escaping through the flames. 1 Corinthians 3:13-15
I could be the next person in my family or among my friends to die. "We have to realize it. We have to believe it enough that it changes how we live." (p. 51)
"We need to stop living selfish lives, forgetful of our God. Our lives here are short, often unexpectedly so, and we can all stand to be reminded of it from time to time. . . Nothing matters except our King and God. Don't let yourself forget. Soak it in and keep remembering that it is true. He is everything." (p. 51)
Visit the Crazy Love website.
"On the average day, we live caught up in ourselves. On the average day, we don't consider God very much. On the average day, we forget that our life truly is a vapor." (p. 39)
Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." James 4:13-14
"Intellectually we all know that we will die, but we do not really know it in the sense that the knowledge becomes a part of us. We do not really know it in the sense of living as though it were true. On the contrary, we tend to live as though our lives would go on forever." -Fredrick Buechner
We are commanded to, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!. . . Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:4,6
"When I am consumed by my problems - stressed out about my life, my family, and my job - I actually convey the belief that I think the circumstances are more important than God's command to always rejoice. In other words, that I have a 'right' to disobey God because of the magnitude of my responsibilities." (p. 41)
"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 in are important enough to merit our impatience, our lack of grace toward others, or our tight grip of control." (p. 42)
"Why are we so quick to forget God? Who do we think we are?. . . I. . . still. . . forget that life is all about God and not about me at all." (p. 42)
The movie of life is about God with Jesus as the climax. "How is it possible that we live as though it is about us?" (p. 43) We should make our short part in the movie of life to be as much about God as possible.
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31
"To be brutally honest, it doesn't really matter what place you find yourself in right now. Your part is to bring Him glory. . . The point of your life is to point to Him.Whatever you are doing, God wants to be glorified, because this whole thing is His. It is His movie, His world, His gift." (pp. 44-45)
"Sadly, many people die while living selfishly." (p. 49)
Their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person's work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved - even though only as one escaping through the flames. 1 Corinthians 3:13-15
I could be the next person in my family or among my friends to die. "We have to realize it. We have to believe it enough that it changes how we live." (p. 51)
"We need to stop living selfish lives, forgetful of our God. Our lives here are short, often unexpectedly so, and we can all stand to be reminded of it from time to time. . . Nothing matters except our King and God. Don't let yourself forget. Soak it in and keep remembering that it is true. He is everything." (p. 51)
Visit the Crazy Love website.
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