Six Hours One Friday by Max Lucado

       

            The first thing you realize when you open this book and start reading is this author knows how to manage word pictures. Lucado establishes from the beginning the need of an anchor in our life. He starts with the picture of a ship surviving an hurricane because it is grounded in bedrock.

            He offers three anchor points or boulders to use in the stream of life. They are solid points  to brace your philosophy of life on.

            Futility, failure and finality are the three storms that enter every life lived. But he points out  there is hope of surviving by going through.

            The anchor, he puts forth, was  laid in six hours one Friday.

            Lucado , in his story teller style, reminds us that Jesus is the only anchor we have been given to make it through the three storm points he presents.

            The structure of the book is six chapters per anchor point and three anchor points for nineteen chapters counting the introduction. There is a study guide included for small  groups.. This will be  a book  you will need to study to firm up your belief system.

            This is an interesting book. Each chapter is independent of the other and can be read in whatever order you choose. I recommend you take one point at a time and digest the six chapters under that anchor point.

If you have a soft heart you may find yourself emotional,

 Lucado is that good a story teller. In the telling  of the story he never lost sight of the truth. .I would recommend this for new believers and others on the journey.

BookSneeze has provided me with a complimentary copy  of the book to be reviewed . I was not required to give a positive review and any opinions expressed are those of the reviewer and not those of the publisher.

Miraculous by Kevin Belmonte

Do you need to have your eyes opened to God’s working in the world? Are you  so jaded that you feel God is no longer involved in events?   Then you need to read this book. It traces God’s work known as miracles as seen in periods of time . What makes this so good is the book is not written as a theological explanation of God’s involvement in the world but as a historical  look at what God is doing. It starts with the biggest miracle of all, the creation of man.. It moves quickly through Abraham,. Moses, Elisha, into the incarnation, the resurrection. Then it moves into historical periods and people, most are well known.

  Belmonte  looks at miracles as consisting of five types. He sees confirmatory miracles where God is showing his choice  and support of certain individuals or groups. Then there is the judgmental miracle. These can be seen in the plagues. Thirdly there are miracles of mercy or miraculous healings. Fourth we have miracles of deliverance as seen  with Daniel and the friends in the fiery furnace.  And last of all he uses the lens of the miracle of divine vision

 As I read this book I found myself marveling  at what God has done and is still doing.    The point is God is not finished doing miracles. We still live in a world of  wonder. I found myself looking at things around  me differently.

I would recommend this book for those who need to have their vision of signs, wonders and miracles refreshed.

This  book was received free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to give a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own and do not reflect the views of the publsiher.

Redemption by Bryan Clay

          Just what can God do with a praying mother and a rebellious son? God is sovereign and is able to mold that rebellious child into someone who makes something of his talents.

            In this autobiography we see just that. Bryan Clay may have grown up to be an example but he was not anyone to follow as he was growing up. His birth father divorced his mother. He reacted to that lost. Even though he had  become a Christian at an early age his behavior did not show it. He wasn’t committed to following God.

              But he had a praying mother who saw potential in him. Clay went on to find his way to  work out his rebellion in track and field. From there he went on to become an Olympic contender.

            It wasn’t always easy. Clay shares his struggles. That makes his story an important one for young people.

            The title is a good one. As I noted, this story shows how God can use a broken life and make something of it. If Clay had a perfect life his story wouldn’t be worth reading. His humbleness shines through the tale. It is truly an example of what God can do with a praying mother and a person willing to be used by Him. Not everyone will become an Olympic contender. But everyone can be committed to God.

            This book was given to me free by Book Sneeze to be reviewed on their web site. I was not required to give a favorable review. The opinions expressed are mine and not those of the publisher.   

Tender Warrior by Stu Weber

         Strong men should also have a tender side to them. It rounds out their manliness. Being tender doesn’t take away from but adds  to a complete man. 

            In sixteen chapters Weber maps out the need for completeness. He dissects the areas into personal, family, friends  and occupation. He ends each chapter with discussion starters for small groups or individuals who are using this book  He titles these A Man Faces Himself and A Man Meets With His Friends.

 Weber shares  his life with the reader. It has been said that a good example is better than any lecture. In this area he does fine. He also uses Biblical illustrations of  how men acted in the period they lived. He attempts to show you are an example to others.

It is a highly interesting book. I found myself stopping from time to time in the reading to think through what I have just read.  And when I came to the discussion helps at the end of each chapter I spent some time going over them. This is something I don’t normally do. But he has such a style of writing that makes you want to respond.

 It has been subtitled Every Man’s Purpose- Every Woman’s Dream- Every Child’s Hope.

   I recommend this for all men and maybe their girlfriends. It is also useful for a small group study. Take your time. Don’t rush it.

Empty Promises by Pete Wilson

     We all seek our value somewhere. In fact, we were created to have value. We can get our value from others or from things or from God. When we seek value from other things and not from God, our creator, we fall into idolatry. And when we fall into idolatry we are pursuing empty promises. Wilson contends.

            It is so easy to get seduced by these empty promises. We were all created to have a need for worth and acceptance. We tend to fall into traps which Wilson points out.

            We can start to become like that which we seek after. If we seek after things like money, fame, and position we lose our purpose that God has created us for. It is so easy to allow subtle little idols to creep in to our daily existence. This book gives us things to think about.

            Empty Promises is written for the Christian. It holds your attention while at the same time making you consider your response. to God. We need to worship something. That which we dwell on tends to become our object of worship, Wilson points out .

The book  is filled with bullet point lists. It comes across as a lecture in places. It can be sectioned into two parts. The first half presents the proposition that we are making idols to take the place of our creator. The second half points out the solution using biblical snapshots to illustrate the answer.       

            Wilson does a fair job of presentation. I feel this book should be read by  the person who needs to be reminded just what he is worshipping. It helps set his mind on the proper object of worship.    

A Shot of Faith by Mitch Stokes, Phd

 

This is a book we have been waiting for. It will help the Christian confront the world view of the common man. By common I mean your neighbor maybe even those who read this book.

            The going explanation for things existing is something called Evidentialism. This is the reasoning that we can only know what we see. It states that  rational beliefs require sufficient evidence Yet we have been told by science that there is not enough or sufficient evidence for the belief held by Christians that there is a God. Stokes states and proves that that is just not true.

            The view taken in this book is a philosophical one. As you read it the tone draws you along. It is if a friend were walking beside you.

            I found this a very well written and easy to follow explanation. It ends with a look at science and evil mentioned as the two straw men the atheist  uses to prove their view of the world. Stokes shows how they are on unsteady ground. We need to stand our ground and keep a dialogue going with the non-believer. We need to be able to answer his explanation with a sound reasoning. We may not be able to convince him of our view of reality, but we should not sound unlearned.

            This book should be helpful  for everyone. I liked it and found it a good introduction to apologetics.

            I received this book from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own and not those of the publisher. 

Wild Goose Chase by Mark Batterson

        It should be the desire of every Christian to have a deeper walk with God.  A life  of adventure is what is offered to those who do. It seems that most of  us have no idea where we are going most of the time nor how we can add more adventure to our walk.

            It was the Celtic Christians who have named the Holy Spirit the Wild Goose They called Him this because you can’t tame or control the direction of a wild goose. So it seems to be when you follow God.

            Batterson  uses  people from the  Bible to illustrate cages we place around us that keep us from pursuing God. They were open to God to break away from their cages which limited them.

 The six cages he mentions are cages of Responsibility, Routine,  Assumptions, Guilt, Failure and Fear,.  Each Bible character moved as the Holy Spirit directed them and overcame the cage. I am sure we can too.

            We need more books like this one to help us realize what we can be doing with our lives. This book interested me and caused me to reconsider my cages. Batterson held my attention in his eight chapters. I felt he convey sound Biblical truth.

            This book is recommended for those who need a call to action.

            I received this book for free from Waterbrook Multnomah for this review. Opinions expressed are mine and not those of the publisher.

Called To Controversy by Ruth Rosen

   God has the habit of using ordinary people sold out to Him.God just uses people sold out to him. Such was a man known as Moishe Rosen who God used to turn Jewish Evangelism on its' heels. It wasn't his dream to start a new movement. I am sure he would have been content staying with the American Board Of Missions To The Jews, but his ideas pushed him out of the nest, so to speak.

      I found this biography by Ruth Rosen, one of the daughters of Moishe, to be an exciting and informative book. There just aren't enough books of ordinary people who let God use them in extraordinary ways. I am happy that Thomas Nelson decided to publish this book.
     Rosen has a pace of writing that moves you along. She uses the techniques of foreshadowing and  humor in the telling of the life of her father She doesn't gloss over Moise's weaknesses. After all, she lived with him and saw him with his warts.There are lots of memories of people who worked with him and were mentored by him weaved into the story. Rosen makes use of direct quotes and first hand intertviews gathered in her research.
      I recommend this book. Even those who think they know him will be pleasantly drawn along with the story.
    I am a book reviewer for Booksneeze who provided this book to be reviewed. I was not required to give a positive review All viewpoints are mine and don't necessarily represent the views of the publisher or Booksneeze.
      

The Resignation Of Eve by Jim Henderson

  This book is a great eye opener and very thought provoking. What would happen to our churches if one week all the women decided not to show up?
   We would have a small if even existent choir. We would perhaps have no backup staff. Only the pastor and a few men. 

    Let's face it, women are the backbone of most minisrties. This book is subtritled  "What if Adam's Rib Is No Longer Willing To be The Church's Backbone?"  Henderson offers in short story form the problem and the solution. He interviewed many women in the setting up of this book. He allows them to express themselves freely.

     This book I recommend for all leaders in the church. We need to appreciate more the women we do have working in our church in what ever area.

   You may not agree with every point. You don't have to. It will stretch you if nothing else.

   It is published by Barna, an imprint of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

The Walk by Shaun Alexander

    What are the stages a person goes through in their relationship with God?
    Shaun Alexander in this book suggests five stages.  They are  Unbeliever, Believer, Example, Teacher and Imparter.He states that all go through them if they are striving to be committed to being a hero in God's sight. It has 245 pages.  Within these pages he has 214 of the main story, 12 for discussion, and the rest for an apendex of questions and notes.
    There will be disagreement on the last stage, that of the Imparter. I find it hard to belive that God still needs men to do sign and wonders. I hold that the signs and wonders of the book of Acts was for that time period before the whole scripture was canonized. So that would be one area of critic of this book.
    This is an interesting thesis and written in an easy to comprehend style. If used in a discussion group it will generate much conversation.

     I was given this book for free from WaterBrook Multinomah Publishing Group for this review. All opinions are my own and do not reflect the publisher.

Why Men Hate Going To Church By David Murrow

     This book is needed. In 223 pages and an easy to read format Murrow pins the problem facing the churches today. There just aren't enough men in our churches. And those we do have are feeling that they have no part or say in what goes on. Jesus meant for the church to be headed up by and run by dedicated male converts. The male must be understood and the programs geared to the male psyche.We must remember that Jesus taught for the male brain.
     Murrow points out that there is a gender gap in our groups. He lays the problem on the   perception people have that it is feminized. That is, more women than men are in charge of the outreaches in the church. Get the men involved and the growth in the fellowship will happen, is what Murrow suggests.
      I found this book to be very instructive. It must be useful because it is completely revised and updated for 2011.
     The author held my interest. This is a subject that the church leadership needs to have in thier libraries. Since it is not written in a text book style it can be loaned out to interested men in the fellowship. I feel that Murrow offers some ideas on how this can be done. It is worth the time spent in reading it.
     I am a book reviewer for Booksneeze book review bloggers program who has provided me a complementary copy of this book. All  opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255