August 7, 2011

erasing hell

"Let's be eager to leave what is familiar for what is true. Nothing outside of God and His truth should be sacred to us." Francis Chan

This is not just a book about hell but about seeking God and His Truth. This was not an easy book to read. I loved it and hated it all at the same time. But if you decide to, I would recommend you keep this scripture in the forefront of your mind:

"My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9

This is one of those books you can not read without your Bible open right beside you. The authors implore you too without even asking. God's Word is powerful, especially when you open yourself up to it when everything in you wants to rebel against it. One thing the authors do ask, is that you pray before reading it and I recommend that as well.

After reading the first five chapters, chapter six really spoke to me. I wept through it. In a prayer Francis Chan writes:

"Please forgive me, Lord, for wanting to erase all the things in Scripture that don't sit well with me. Forgive me for trying to hide some of Your actions to make You more palatable to the world. Forgive me for trying to make you fit my standards of justice and goodness and love. You are God; You are good; I don't always understand You, but I love You. Thank you for who you are."

After reading this book, I'm finding myself praying this same prayer.

It made me think: who I'm I to judge what God does and says...He is God and his ways are perfect even when I don't understand them. It made me think about what it really means to be saved...if we are saved by believing all the right doctrines then we are all doomed. No one has all the doctrines down to a tee. Not Francis Chan , not Rob Bell. We are saved by the grace of God through faith in Christ Jesus and that grace means even more to me after reading this book.




2 comments:

  1. I had the privilege of seeing Francis speak at a conference in Atlanta a few years ago and was moved by the absolute genuineness of this man of God. I watched his pre-release video on youtube and I've been wanting to read this book ever since -- but haven't had the guts. Thanks for your review... now I'm looking forward to it!

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  2. I've listened to him preach online and feel the same way...very genuine man of God. I loved his other books as well...they really made me think. Hope you get a chance to read this one.

    Cathy

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