The Pressure's Off: There's a New Way to Live

Rating:
Summary: Who is in First Place
Review: The central theme of this book is that a Christian should give God first place in his life. Once this is the case the pressure of satisfying goals of self is off because these goals are no longer the most important aspect of one's life. The author reinforces this theme throughout the book with numerous examples of the "old way", putting self first and the "new way", putting God first. When we put God first we no longer are primarily after blessings from God, but are primarily after a close relationship with God.

To me this book was not a book just to read but a book to study.


Rating:
Summary: Honesty Throughout
Review: The text is not choc full of theology, nor is it scholarly. It's appeal is the ability to relate to the average middle class American. It reads like a USA Today newspaper, quick, short chapters and sentences, and clever phrasing. Dr. Crabb is even quite candid regarding his writing style ("Even biblical discussion of this New Way, what you've read so far in this book, can seem like cotton-candy theology.")
Yet, Dr. Crabb's honesty about his own personal struggles and conflicts in following Christ make this book worth reading. Eventhough a majority of the text seems to read like it was tailored for the "market" his candidness and openness shines through and challenges us to think about where we are and what we expect from our Christian lives. The overall thesis of the work resembles Paul's epistle to the Galatians. Dr. Crabb does not fear exposing the falicies of wanting God's blessings and not God and how that leads Christians into linear thinking (if I do "A" God will do "B" for me). He exposes the subtle legalism which can hinder, quench and frustrate the life of a believer. The text has confronted me with the reality of spiritual pragmatism in my own life, doing what is most effective to gain our middle-class creature comforts, using a variety of methods to extract blessings from God instead of seeking intimacy with God. Dr. Crabb proposes we've fallen short in understanding how we have been created to enjoy God through intimacy with Christ Jesus (Phil 3:10). Rather than enjoy God through Christ, Crabb says, we've fallen into the trap of believing we deserve God's blessings and thus we strive, struggle and seek out methods and devices for obtaining blessings from Christ and not Christ Himself and all His holiness. The book falls short of perfection, of course, but I am certain Dr. Crabb knows that and wouldn't want it any other way. I fall short of perfection, too, in everything I do. Where we are weak Christ is strong. Here's to the grace and mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is a good book for confronting the state of our cultural religious piety, and an excellent discussion book for aiding us in returning to the Lord who loves us much more than we can imagine.

Rating:
Summary: Life Changing!!!!!!
Review: This book has changed my view of what my experience in this world is "supposed" to be like as a Christian. When I first became a Christian all I was concerned about was my relationship with God and wanting everyone He had created to know Him also. Over the years, I have found myself more concerned about the blessings of God in this life which had created enormous pressure. The Pressure's Off helped me to see this and get my focus back in order. Once I quit looking for the blessings that God was going to give me and just began loving God again for what he has already done, I have been able to experience the peace and joy of God's relationship with me once again.

Rating:
Summary: Life Changing!!!!!!
Review: This book has changed my view of what my experience in this world is "supposed" to be like as a Christian. When I first became a Christian all I was concerned about was my relationship with God and wanting everyone He had created to know Him also. Over the years, I have found myself more concerned about the blessings of God in this life which had created enormous pressure. The Pressure's Off helped me to see this and get my focus back in order. Once I quit looking for the blessings that God was going to give me and just began loving God again for what he has already done, I have been able to experience the peace and joy of God's relationship with me once again.

Rating:
Summary: A challenge to discard lesser callings
Review: This book will absolutely challenge you to examine the things in your life that you think you need to make your life "successful" (however you define success...), and will demonstrate the reality that our highest calling is to know, enjoy and reveal God. A refreshing and challenging look at what we pursue... even the good things, and asks us if they are what we were made for. I loved it!

Rating:
Summary: Challenging Subject
Review: This is one of those books you want to read a few chapters with a couple of friends and discuss it together. Because, as Larry admits his writting style is a bit idiosyncratic. I am not saying his style is bad he is just trying his best using his own particular God-given style to communicate deep spirtual concepts about mankinds prediliction for idolatry. He is right in saying that we often want the blessings of God more than God. I will go on to say that is how we often measure God, by looking at our life and counting our blessings. If our blessings are numerous we must be "pleasing" God. If we don't have a lot to be thankful for and trial and tribulations are consuming us, well then we must be doing something wrong and putting a whole lot of pressure on ourselves to get it right and "please" God to get blessings and relief. The point of Larrys book is that approach to spirituality is wrong, because it values God presents, over His prescence. Valuing God prescence is a very difficult reality to engage in, because we are hardwired for tangibility we desire to see God face to face, to touch God and speak with God to get clear and concise feedback from Him. Unfortunately, that desire takes faith out the equation. So this book is a challenge for several reasons, it exposes our idolatry, our comfortable, arranged, entertainment filled noisy and busy world, fraught with self delusion for hope and escape. The emphasis of this book and the Bible puts God first before personal comfort, and challenges us to in the discomfort of quiet and solitude seek a Holy God, with the correct motive of drawing near to Him for relationship sake. To have an intimate relationship with a Holy God who will not in this earthly life speak face to face with us is not a comfortable idea, but it is a practice we need develop because that is Immanuels agenda and desire for our life and soul. I will say this about Larry's book I think one will find the truth he labors so painfully to explain would be in agreement with our Lord's words. John 6:63-64
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe."
NKJV

Rating:
Summary: Challenging Subject
Review: This is one of those books you want to read a few chapters with a couple of friends and discuss it together. Because, as Larry admits his writting style is a bit idiosyncratic. I am not saying his style is bad he is just trying his best using his own particular God-given style to communicate deep spirtual concepts about mankinds prediliction for idolatry. He is right in saying that we often want the blessings of God more than God. I will go on to say that is how we often measure God, by looking at our life and counting our blessings. If our blessings are numerous we must be "pleasing" God. If we don't have a lot to be thankful for and trial and tribulations are consuming us, well then we must be doing something wrong and putting a whole lot of pressure on ourselves to get it right and "please" God to get blessings and relief. The point of Larrys book is that approach to spirituality is wrong, because it values God presents, over His prescence. Valuing God prescence is a very difficult reality to engage in, because we are hardwired for tangibility we desire to see God face to face, to touch God and speak with God to get clear and concise feedback from Him. Unfortunately, that desire takes faith out the equation. So this book is a challenge for several reasons, it exposes our idolatry, our comfortable, arranged, entertainment filled noisy and busy world, fraught with self delusion for hope and escape. The emphasis of this book and the Bible puts God first before personal comfort, and challenges us to in the discomfort of quiet and solitude seek a Holy God, with the correct motive of drawing near to Him for relationship sake. To have an intimate relationship with a Holy God who will not in this earthly life speak face to face with us is not a comfortable idea, but it is a practice we need develop because that is Immanuels agenda and desire for our life and soul. I will say this about Larry's book I think one will find the truth he labors so painfully to explain would be in agreement with our Lord's words. John 6:63-64
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe."
NKJV