I’ve been doing a lot more reading lately – granted it takes me awhile to complete books, but it has been well worth the effort.
I would like to recommend (HUGELY) C.J. Mahaney’s “The Cross-Centered Life – Keeping the Gospel the Main Thing.”
I wouldn’t have purchased this book had it not been for substantial recommendation by people like Josh Harris, and my own high respect for C.J.’s teaching. The cross wasn’t a subject I needed education on, I wisely conferred within myself. I’ve known the message of the cross for as long as I can remember, and what more is there to say about it? Jesus died for sinners and rose again. I trust in Him for my salvation. Good luck expanding on THAT, C.J.!
But God of course, brought me to the book for His own purposes. I don’t exaggerate when I say it has profoundly altered my spiritual life.
Here’s a small portion of the prolific wise counsel I found in this little book:
”What about the practical stuff? Surely there comes a time when we move on from the gospel just a little, so we can focus on the everyday issues of our relationships with other people. This is tempting to believe, but it’s just not true. Regardless of your relationship to others, whether you’re single or married, a husband or wife, a father, a mother, or a grandparent, your faithfulness and effectiveness in your relationships are tied directly to your understanding of the cross…
…When I become bitter or unforgiving towards others, I’m assuming that the sins of others are more serious than my sins against God. The cross transforms my perspective. Through the cross I realize that no sin committed against me will ever be as serious as the innumerable sins I’ve committed against God. When we understand how much God has forgiven us, it’s not difficult to forgive others.
God’s been patient with me so I can be patient with others. God has forgiven me so I can forgive others. God’s grace is changing me so I can trust that He can also change others.
If you’re single, live a cross centered life. If you’re married, build a cross centered marriage. If you have children, practice cross centered parenting. The “practical” stuff flows from the “central” stuff.”
And how true it is. When I keep my eyes on Jesus and what He’s done for me, the things I do (or can’t do) “grow strangely dim” and yet somehow are in their proper focus.
*C.J. Mahaney is head of Sovereign Grace Ministries in Gaithersburg, M.D.
Wish I had known you were reading this. I would’ve suggested Living the Cross Centered Life instead of it as it combines this one and Christ our Mediator for nearly the same price.
Excellent little book. Humility: True Greatness is by far C.J.’s best book though.
By: Reformed Again on July 25, 2007
at 1:14 am
I love this book! We went over it as a church in our care groups. ( If you don’t have these they are groups of church members and visitors sometimes, in groups, that meet once a month to ‘sharpen our iron’ and to prayerfully and practically care for each other’s needs as they come up,.) I have also read Humility and it is another excellent, small, book.
After reading the quote you posted though, I see I need to go read The Cross Centered Life again!! lol
Wer’e going through Dave Harvey’s new book
” When sinners say I do” now, it is great preparation for marriage or help in marriage.
I almost feel like Josh Harris and CJ Mahaney are mine because theyr’e such figures in our church familiy ( Sovereign Grace ministries, which started out with CJ’s church in Maryland that Josh now pastors.) So weird to hear others talking about them! But GREAT!!
By: staceyhoff on July 25, 2007
at 12:26 pm
hey check out your July 13th post
By: staceyhoff on July 25, 2007
at 12:50 pm