All You Want To Know About Hell by Steve Gregg

             

   If you are one of those people who like to think deeply on theological subjects, than this may be the next book to read. Gregg contends there are three highly held viewpoints out there in the evangelical world, either one of which still can be defended through history.

     You may be surprised to read who in present day Christendom is in which camp.

     The three views are the traditionalist view that says hell is eternal and never ending. Then there is the Condition view that states Hell is for a time and then the souls are annihilated. The third one is that the unsaved go to hell but after a period of time are reconciled to God. This reminds me of the doctrine the Roman Catholics hold called purgatory. In the back of the book the three views are detailed and a chart is offered with the scripture verse, the held point of view, and the refutation. It is helpful to get the argument expressed in a way you can understand.

        I enjoyed the book. I am one of those who like to be challenged when it comes to doctrine.

       I feel the book is more for seminary students to have during their systematic theology course to consider other viewpoints. It is not a book for the common reader who may not understand the nuances of debate. Having said that I feel it is a well written and deserves to be read widely.

       I was given this book free to review by BookSneeze as one of their blog reviewers. I placed it on my blog as a part of the requirements. The viewpoints expressed are those of the reviewer and not of the publisher. I wasn’t required to give a positive review.

The Power Of A Half Hour by Tommy Barnett

Time is important. There is so much you can do with time. In this case we look at the change a half hour can do. In a half hour you  can change your life path. You could change your character. You can establish or ruin a relationship. That half hour is important.

 Time as well as life is a gift. All of us are given the same amount of time. Once it is past we can’t bring it back.  We can’t grasp it and bottle it. All we can do is decide to use or not use it. The power packed in small amounts of time is ours.

 Barnett presents us with 30 action packed power principles.  At the end of his presentation he has a personal power action plan we can use in small groups or individually.

 I found this book to be thought provoking. It makes one consider just what he is doing with the time given to him and how he can make an impact in the world around him. Barnett even includes family time in the discussion A person doesn’t need large lumps. The small periods will do.

This book will be on sale December  17. I was sent a copy free from WaterBrook Publication to review. I was not required to give a positive review and any viewpoints expressed are mine and not those of the publisher.

Inferno by Dan Brown

           It has been on the best sellers list for a few weeks and is no longer there. I decided  to see what it was that was so attractive about it. I had read his earlier work The Da Vinci Code   which was a stretch but also a good read.

            In this book Brown tells a fast paced ever moving tense tale. It is plot driven not character driven. He seems to be a one theme writer.

            Once again Professor Robert Langdon is involved. In The Da Vinci Code the main  clue was a panting of the Mona Lisa. Here Brown uses the poem The Inferno by Dante Alighieri as the focal point.

            The story moves disjointedly from scene to scene. The use of flashbacks slows the story and is not very well executed. The plot is thin but for people who like action it may not be noticed.   Unbelief has to be suspended too far.  The ending is unsatisfactory.

            Brown is a formula writer and I think he has reduplicated what little fame he got with The Da Vinci Code. .  He will not be remembered years after he dies. But then how many writers really survive?

I would suggest that a person check it out of the library and save their money. That is if they want to read it. There must be people out there who do or else he wouldn’t have been on the best sellers list for a while.

C. S. Lewis: A life by Alister McGrath

         He is still popular even though he thought he would fade from importance. C. S. Lewis (1898 to 1963) an Irish man whom people now consider a British gentleman, was a scholar who aso was able to connect with the common man. He probably never wanted the fame he got.
       McGrath writes a more complete biography of C. S. Lewis. The other biographers of  Lewis had known him. McGrath had only the diaries and writings to depend upon. He does a good job.
      Lewis  was not a theologian in the sense of an ordained clergy. He was just an ordinary man living life. He was a prolific writer and seemed to enjoy scholarship.
     He soon sensed that good literary techniques could better express the deeper truth he was discovering. From 1898 to 1930 he was a atheist. He became a Christian in 1930, McGrath explores that fact well, not a Christian of any denomination or affiliation.
     During the sixties Lewis was almost forgotten but Americans became interested in his works, especially Mere Christianity, that his writings became read again.
     His Narnia Tales have been made into movies, at least the first three..
.   A time line is included at the end of the book.
    This is a welcome addition to the other biographies of Lewis.

The Prodigal by Brennan Manning and Greg Garrett

        

           This book is a fictional story. But the message of forgiveness and a second chance is still up to date.

            “You know, Jack,” his father said, “whatever you’ve done, it can be forgiven.”

            “No,” Jack said. “I don’t think so.”

            “Well,” his father said with that old gruffness in his voice again, “ you’re the pastor. But I hope to God you’re wrong.”

            This uses the motif of the prodigal son thus the name. Jack is the pastor of a large self built church. He is known as the People’s Pastor. But he is caught in sexual sin and refuses to confess. He loses his church and his wife and his respect. No one wants to associate with him.

            But his father comes to get him and take him home. Once home he has to reestablish himself and find who he is. He is able to reinvent and restore his self respect.

            I enjoyed this book even through it was in places a bit simplistic. But the writer had only so many pages he could use. Even with those limitations he was able to tell a good story.

            Manning did not see the finished book. But his co-author Garrett was able to complete the project.

            I recommend this book for those who enjoy a good redemptive story.

            I received a copy of this book free as a member of the blog review team of BookSneeze. The views expressed are those of the author and not of the publisher.

Fearless by Eric Blehm

                     Books will be written about the Navy Team of Seals, a well trained fighting force we have. Everyone who serves on this force deserves to be counted as an hero

Every once in a while there needs to be an individual picked out to have a special biography written concerning him.

This book puts a face on the program by telling the story of one Navy Seal, Adam Brown. .Adam was a rebel. He was a child who was always turbo drive. There seemed to be no slow drive in his makeup.

His youth was  spent in trouble. He got hooked on drugs. He spent time in jail.

It is also the story of a woman who saw in him someone who could be great. She married him and inherited all his problems. With her help, and the help of God, Adam was able to accomplish things..

Adam never set his sights low. He wanted to be a Seal. Given a chance to prove himself he never looked back. He was able to be a great husband and father as well as a great Seal.

            On  March 17, 2010 he was killed in action.

            I am not one to read war stories. In fact I try not to even check out a book on the subject of war. But I do read biographies. This is a well written biography. For those who want to put a face on the war in Afghanistan, this is the book to read. .

I was given this book gratis from the WaterBrook Multinomah Publishing group for this review.  I was not required to give a positive review and the views expressed are mine and not those of the publisher.

90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper with Cecil Murphy

           In  an earlier review I did the book “A Walk through the Dark” by Eva Piper. This book “90 Minutes in Heaven” is the book by her husband concerning the incident spoken of in the book by Eva. It was written long before Eva’s story.

                I decided after reading the book by Eva that I would seek out and find what the whole story was. I really don’t hold much credence for tales of out of the body experiences. In fact, being a Bible believer I question most spiritual occurrences.

                Rev. Piper was driving home from a Bible conference in 1989 when he was hit by a truck, his car was demolished, and he died. The medics who came upon the scene can document that. For 90 minutes he was reported to be in heaven. He describes it as a place of light and music.

                He was brought back to life through the prayers and singing of a Rev. Dick Onerecker. Part of what was asked for was that there be no close brain injury or internal injury.

                God answered that prayer.

                 This book details the recovery and the subsequent ministry of Piper.

                From this book you can see the power of prayer and the slow but steady recovery of an injured body.

                I liked this book mostly because Piper doesn’t glory in the fact that he was allowed to see heaven. He doesn’t major on that. In that case he is like the Apostle Paul who also got a glimpse of heaven but wouldn’t major on that fact. I would recommend this book for people who need to realize the power of prayer on one hand and the reassurance that God has a plan for our lives.  

      You can order a copy here: