Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan
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Book Reviews of Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God
Book Review: Responding to God's Crazy Love
Summary: 5 Stars
When I started this book, I thought it would give rules about how to pray better and live better for God. That wasn't the case. You won't find rules here. Crazy Love describes the love the Lord has for us and, when we understand that, our response. If we love God, we cannot say, "Will God forgive me if I want a divorce or if I commit suicide?" The author says if you love the Lord completely, you won't be able to ask those questions. It isn't about what we can get away with--it's about living every minute for the Lord. He says we must ask the Lord to give us such a love. We can't conjure it up.
He used small traffic sins as an example. Tailgaters raise my blood pressure and my first thought is not "The Lord loves that person." How can we love someone who deliberately hurts us in large ways if small infractions raise our anger? We all watched in awe as the Amish visited and comforted the family of the man who killed their little girls: not to mention a pastor in the news who visited and befriended the drunk driver who killed his son. I wonder if I would stand as tall--may I never know.
On the last few pages, the author gives examples of lives poured out for Christ. When I stand outside gazing at the stars in the sky, I feel small. As I stood amid these stars of faith, I felt small.
If you enjoy something that grabs you by the collar and says, "shape up," you will love this book.
Problems:
1. The cover breaks all the rules. It doesn't stand out in a bookstore. You can't read the title on Amazon: forget reading the subtitle. The designer scribbled the title in thin handwriting (though attractive). No other decoration adorns the page. Nonetheless, when I last looked, Crazy Love landed in the 26th spot on the Amazon Best Seller list. Maybe the rules need to change.
2. I found his instructions to go to his website to look at videos distracting. Suppose this book lives longer than his website. I prefer to read OR look at videos. But, small problems aside, this life-changing book would make a wonderful Sunday school class. The small problems didn't stop me from giving it a five.
Book Review: A Wake-up Call to Love God more and more!
Summary: 5 Stars
Many of the other reviews provide quite detailed outlines of the book's content, so I won't do that here. "Crazy Love" is a heartfelt cry to all Christians to draw closer to our amazing and awesome God and to love Him more and more. In the final chapter Francis summarises his purpose for writing this book as follows:
"I wrote this book because much of our talk doesn't match our lives. We say things like, "I can do all things through Christ who strengths me,' and 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart.' Then we live and plan like we don't believe God even exists. We try to set our lives up so everything will be fine even if God doesn't come through. But true faith means holding nothing back. It means putting every hope in God's fidelity to His promises." (p168)
This marvellous book struck a real cord in my heart. I don't live my life reflecting on heaven much but that's what God wants us to do. Our life in our physical bodies is miniscule when compared with eternity and so we should use these days to impact our eternal lives. What does that mean for each of us? Maybe it means we should do something radical and downsize our house, leave our jobs, go on a mission, or something else that scares many of us. Yes, maybe this is what we should do. But first and foremost Francis Chan is calling us to "love our amazing God more and more". Through that crazy love we will learn to follow the desires of His heart, whatever that be, downsized house or whatever. God has unique roles for each of us to play - remember those first few weeks/months of courtship, falling in love with someone - we do crazy things, we want to be with each other all the time, we stay up all time chatting, we drive miles to be close to our loved one - that's what God wants us to do with Him.
This is an excellent book if your heart desires greater intimacy with God. It also comes with some great videos of God's awesomeness and chapter intros which is a super idea - [...].
I highly recommend it - go Crazy!
Book Review: Good to see good reviews
Summary: 5 Stars
It is good to see many Christians give this book a 4 and 5 stars. It shows the American Christian isn't as lukewarm as people might think. It shows American Christians want more and are ready for discipleship. The only lukewarm so called Christians stopping them are the pulpit preaches (aka false teachers).
Jesus would repeat himself today just like 2,000 years ago.
Read Matthew 23:13 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.
Grace - definition Strong's concordance - unmerited favor, divine influence on the heart, its reflection in the life.
The last part of grace has been ripped out of the grace teaching of the Bible. All day long we hear how much God loves us. Which is the most important. There is very little teaching of God requiring us to love Him back. That is the reflection in the life. That is letting the light shine in you before men. Same as James 2:18-19. It is repeated over and over in the Scriptures.
The problem is we as American Christians have been desensitized to true "Grace" because of false teachers. If a typical American Christian sees someone sold out for the Lord they feel guilty and label them as practicing some type of works salvation. It is only works is they believe they can add something to their faith. Most of these Christians are showing their love for Jesus and not trying to add anything to their faith. Galatians 6:14 "God forbid that I should glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. (Grace in this verse - Divine influence, reflection in life).
This book should make anyone feel guilty. If it does, it is the Holy Spirit at work in you. One last thing, the more you grow in the Grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ your flesh puts up more of a fight.
Book Review: Has God Messed With You Lately?
Summary: 5 Stars
Has God "Messed With You" Lately?
I asked a friend recently, "What have you been reading these days?"
She said, "I read this book `Crazy Love' by Francis Chan. And God has really been messing with me, as a result of it."
So, I picked up a copy of "Crazy Love". It's a quick read. And God's been messing with me, now, too.
Oh yes, I've thanked my friend for contributing to my nights spent laying awake staring at the ceiling, pondering these matters. But she just laughs at me and says, "join the club, bub."
I think Chan has a gift for challenging one to seriously grapple with questions like:
· Am I really committed to God and not just playing a game?
· Is there evidence of a true commitment to God in my life?
· Am I really trusting in God or does my life reveal that I have back up plans and insurance policies in case God doesn't actually come through?
· If my faith in God could possibly seem "strange" to those who don't walk with God, isn't that how it's supposed to be?
The questions listed above may or may not be found in the book, I don't recall for sure. I'm just saying they are the types of questions that I found myself pondering as I read the book.
One of the questions that definitely is in the book is this one that was posed to a class in which Francis participated back in Bible college: "What are you doing right now that requires faith?" It's an interesting question for an authentic Christ follower to ponder. Is there anything you are doing in your life, right now, that truly requires faith?
"Crazy Love" is likely to get you thinking and provide a good and important challenge to your faith in God. In fact, He might just "mess" with you as a result of reading this book.
Dan Marler
Oak Lawn, IL
Book Review: MUST 5 Stars
Book ReviewBy
Jason Scott
Crazy Love
By
Francis Chan
This book is extremely convicting! Chan pulls no punches as he urges Christians to sell out for Jesus Christ. He titles it Crazy Love because "All my life I've heard people say, ` God loves you.' It's probably the most insane statement you could make to say that the eternal Creator of this universe is in love with me." Pg 179
Throughout the 186 pages that contain this book, Chan admonishes Christians to pause and think of the awesomeness of God as Creator of the vast universe and the small caterpillar. He encourages Christians to not be caught up in material possessions, but to give everything to Jesus. Chan also reminds Christians that life is short and could end at any second. Further more Chan spends a good deal of time discussing the "lukewarm Christian" and comes to the conclusion that there is no such thing. He takes a entire chapter (nine) and lists many different real life people that have sold out for Jesus Christ.
What I really appreciated in this book were the several times Chan urged the reader to pause and worship God. At one point he tells the reader to put down the book and go and read the Gospels. Chan's passion for Christ is very evident.
This book draws a line in the sand. Quite serving yourself and serve Jesus! Don't view your relationship with Him as a chore. " When I look at my relationship with God as a chore, a sacrifice, then I am getting the glory--not God ." pg 108
One of the nice features of this book is there is a website crazylovebook.com. With this website, Chan has videos in which he introduces each chapter along with a video that reflect on the awesomeness of Creator God and a video that encourages Christians to stop and think.
Every Christian needs to read this book.