Living A Cross Centered LIfe by C.J. Mahaney

Ryan recommended this book to me. Living a Cross Centered Life, by C.J. Mahaney, is an excellent book. I read three quarters of it today at work because it was terribly slow. I had ten customers over five hours. It would have been excruciating but I had this book in my purse that I had been slowly perusing over the last week. It was a real blessing to be able to read most of it today. I wanted to share some quotes from the book. Hopefully they will challenge you the way it did me. The book as the title stated is centered around the cross and how it should permeate our whole life.
I don't know how much of a flow this post will have. I may just throw some random quotes and you can think them over.
"The glory of the gospel is this: The one from whom we need to be saved is the one who saves us." R.C. Sproul
I really love this. I have never thought about it in that way. Isn't amazing that we have been saved. I have heard variations of people saying that throughout most of my life. But what have we been saved from? We have been saved from God's own wrath. "Only those aware of God's wrath can be amazed at God's grace." says Mahaney. In the same thought once we become aware of the punishment that we deserve from God, then and only then can we fully recognize our need for grace. But not only our need but the true extent of the grace that has been offered to us. This quote that Mahaney put in his book by John Stott is perfectly said, "Divine love triumphed over divine wrath, by divine self sacrifice." Jesus took our judgement! I think sometimes in the Christian life that we nullify the greatness of this because we hear it so much. But reading this book has shown me that we should fall on our knees and thank God for saving us from the wrath that we deserve. I have found new passion for the power of the cross through this book. Every time we hear the gospel message it should remind us of our sin that put Jesus there. "We may try to wash our hands of responsibility like Pilate, but out attempt would be futile, as futile as his. For there is blood on our hands." says John Stott. I don't know about you but that struck me right in my heart. Knowing fully that my sin is what caused Jesus to bleed. But also knowing that God caused that to happen because he loves us. So many verses point to God's love for us. I pondered this today was awestruck by it. Well I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to have a more cross centered life. Thanks Ryan for the suggesting the book and thanks to C.J. Mahaney for this wonderful book.
:) Jenaya