IN A PIT WITH A LION ON A SNOWY DAY!
I bought this book a while back that I really wanted to read and I am just now getting to it. It has a crazy title, but upon reading chapter 1, you totally get it. It's based on 2 Samuel 23:20-23 where Benaiah killed a lion in a pit on a snowy day. The book is about facing your fears to take the risks of the opportunities that God has given us. Over the next few days as I read this book, I want to share some of the highlights, as already in chapter one I have been challenged.
Here are a few challenges from chapter 1:
1. "God is in the business of strategically positioning us in the right place at the right time. But the right place often seems like the wrong place, and the right time often seems like the wrong time."
2. "I recognize this simple truth: The greatest opportunities were the scariest lions. Part of me has wanted to play it safe, but I've learned that taking no risks is the greatest risk of all."
3. "I think the church has fixated on sins of commission (wishing you hadn't done something) for far too long. We have a long list of don'ts. Think of it as holiness by subtraction. We think holiness is the byproduct of subtracint something from our lives that shouldn't be there. And holiness certainly involves subtraction. But I think God is more concerened about sins of omission (wishing you had done something) - those things we could have and should have done. it's holiness by multiplication. Goodness is not the absence of badness. You can do nothing wrong and still do nothing right. Those who simply run away from sin are half-Christians. our calling is much higher than simply running away from what's wrong."
4. He addresses stewardship. We think of this as how we manage our time, talent and treasure, but what about other things that God has given us, like our imagination, our humor, our sex drive, our competitive streaks, our energy. What about 'opportunity stewardship'?
5. "Spiritual maturity is seeing and seizing God-ordained opportunities."
Good stuff here! I am looking forward to reading the rest of this book by Mark Batterson and sharing more each day. There is a workbook for small groups that goes with the book, and if you are interested in more information about sermon series or media, ect.... check out http://www.chasethelion.com/
Here are a few challenges from chapter 1:
1. "God is in the business of strategically positioning us in the right place at the right time. But the right place often seems like the wrong place, and the right time often seems like the wrong time."
2. "I recognize this simple truth: The greatest opportunities were the scariest lions. Part of me has wanted to play it safe, but I've learned that taking no risks is the greatest risk of all."
3. "I think the church has fixated on sins of commission (wishing you hadn't done something) for far too long. We have a long list of don'ts. Think of it as holiness by subtraction. We think holiness is the byproduct of subtracint something from our lives that shouldn't be there. And holiness certainly involves subtraction. But I think God is more concerened about sins of omission (wishing you had done something) - those things we could have and should have done. it's holiness by multiplication. Goodness is not the absence of badness. You can do nothing wrong and still do nothing right. Those who simply run away from sin are half-Christians. our calling is much higher than simply running away from what's wrong."
4. He addresses stewardship. We think of this as how we manage our time, talent and treasure, but what about other things that God has given us, like our imagination, our humor, our sex drive, our competitive streaks, our energy. What about 'opportunity stewardship'?
5. "Spiritual maturity is seeing and seizing God-ordained opportunities."
Good stuff here! I am looking forward to reading the rest of this book by Mark Batterson and sharing more each day. There is a workbook for small groups that goes with the book, and if you are interested in more information about sermon series or media, ect.... check out http://www.chasethelion.com/
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