Book Review

Title: Living With Confidence In A Chaotic World: What on earth should we do now?
Author: Dr. David Jeremiah, © 2009, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee
In a world where everything is increasingly unstable and undependable, this book offers much needed refreshment and comfort. Fear is devastatingly rampant in today’s life and we all could use some tips on how to live with confidence.
By discussing such qualities as being calm and consistently committed to a good cause, and having productive disciplines not just for self but for others too, Dr. David Jeremiah inspires confidence in each chapter – confidence that can only be derived from God’s word and a deep relationship with Him.
I found this particularly profound:
“The Word of God is a Book that builds. When you feel torn down by all that is happening in this world, you’ll find so much strength and encouragement in the bible….God speaks through this book He takes its inspired words and applies them to your life so that you feel a ray of hope in the darkening gloom. It’s a difference maker. But don’t make the mistake of believing a weekly sermon, a book like this one will make this happen for you. It’s important that you delve deeply into the Word yourself.”
As I read this masterpiece, I paused several times, making prayers to God as I meditated, and I’m sure I’m a better person after reading this book, and definitely more confident!
This book was provided for review by Thomas Nelson Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book review

Title: The Butterfly Effect
Author: Andy Andrews, © 2009, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennesse
This book is a great motivational piece. Andy Andrews answers the question of the significance of life in a remarkable way, basing his thought on a theory that Edward Lorenz’s presented as a hypothesis to the New York Academy of Science in 1963. Andrews uses this fascinating theory to assert that our actions and choices have a great impact in life. His writing gives proof that every single thing we do matters and that a ripple effect is able to carry on the impact of what we do into generations in the future. This book inspires courage and initiative and persuades the reader that there is more to life than just here and now. It prompts the reader to examine self and to see whether a purposeful life is exemplified therein.

This book was provided for review by Thomas Nelson Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Surrender

Why don’t you
just die?


Yes...why not? It could be that when you die you will find a better life.
Have you thought about it or considered what your life would be like if you died to your rights, expectations and demands. If you had no rights at all, what would be there for fellow man or circumstance to violate?
What if you died to all your preferences and your likes? Would that not make you one more accommodating…spontaneous and free? Would not your disappointments and complaints become much less if you waived your expectations?
Child of God, I dare you to think of the surrender and absolute abandonment that God expects from you and I. He says of food and raiment…worry not. Of riches and wealth he says, seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you. I am of the opinion that He must feel belittled when we worry about such elements. Indeed it is, that in our worry we portray our faithlessness and distrust of the only one who gave all for us. He has made clear his intention. Not to have us live in want but to lavish us with blessings untold, if we would seek him. See how he probed Peter’s heart at breakfast asking, “do you love me more than these?” Thrice he queried him till Peter was well weary of the same. It may be hard to tell, but in all, Christ may have been alluding to the other disciples or to the rich breakfast from Peter’s fresh catch of fish.
Friend, if you are in any way like me, then you have some ground to cover in surrendering your entire self to God. It is appalling to think of how less we are willing to trust the Master with that which we treasure! But perhaps what makes us shy of absolute surrender is the fact that we do not want to loose our rights to what we cherish. It must be the finality of surrender that makes us reluctant to let go of our lives. Have you thought about it this way: If you chose today to surrender your school life to Christ, you would have no right to be in school or to attain your scholarly dreams! You would die to any such right. If you surrendered your love life to Christ, you would have no right to have a partner in life... and on, and on. If, subsequently, God chose to never give you any of those as a gift, you would not wag your finger angrily at Him for you would have absolved yourself of any right to demand from him what you want.
Was not that the state of Paul the apostle? Indeed he was a man dead to his self and his rights. This is evident in what he was ready to endure for the sake of the gospel. He was at one time stoned by the Jews from Antioch and Iconium. He was literally dragged out of the city where he had been preaching. Paul had been so fatally injured from the stoning that they supposed him to be dead. However, as the disciples stood round about him. He rose up and went back into the city. It is a miracle that Paul did not die from the stoning. But a bigger miracle to ponder is how Paul was able to simply dust himself off and head back strait into the city! He was going to preach to the dwellers there if it killed him! He was dead to his rights. He was dead to his freedom. He was dead to his comfort. He had died to his expectations and his preferences. There were no pre-conditions that God would have to satisfy to have Paul’s service and loyalty. If Paul would receive any good-will along the way, it would be a pure gift, not a demand on his part.
Yet here we are today…and we don’t cease to approach God with demands, expectations, pre-conditions, and personal preferences. Have you observed how we gripe and grumble when we feel God is not giving us a fair deal? Or how quick we pull our hand off the plough when we begin to least as suspect that serving God is not going to grant us the return we have supposed it should?
We have shown ourselves selfish by inherent nature! We won’t even give until we are persuaded that it is a seed that is going to lead to a definite, quantifiable harvest. We will not surrender our rights of choice to God lest he gives us something short of our likes. We will not surrender cherished relationships lest he takes our loved ones away. The one whom we profess so outspokenly, we invite only to an arms length!
I urge you as I feel urged from within. That demands and pre-conditions don’t work with God. God’s blessings are availed to all his children out of his nature of compassion and grace. But he indeed is better pleased by the child who approaches him with arms open wide and an attitude of absolute abandonment and surrender. Such a life he does not cease to abundantly bless and endow.
Will you surrender your life to God today? Will you give over ownership and control of your life to him and be willing to do and say only that which he will have you do and say? Can you surrender your choices to him and ask to be led by him? Are you wiling to die to self and have Christ live through you? When you die such a death, you will realize that the fear of this death was your only hindrance to a full resurrected life in Christ. Die…and then really live.

Matthew 6:25-34;
Acts 14: 19, 20;
John 21: 15-17

Can you hear the battle cry?

It’s an all out war! The sounds of battle fill the air. The big guns are out and the heat is on.
It’s an invasion! We are under attack. We are pounded on every side by heavy artillery. To scamper or to fight? We ask. This battle is one of old, but again, it seems all new. For the enemy has employed new skill, new tact, and is relentless as ever!

It’s the battle for youthful righteousness! It is a contest against those who would be young soldiers of Christ and young heralds of righteousness. It’s an attempt to trash young, budding lives. Is anyone winning? We ask. The enemy seems to triumph right and left. Both strong and weak continue to succumb to grievous injuries. Falling away, conceding defeat. Even those who have walked many a mile commendably seem to fall into sudden manholes.
It’s the battle for our souls. The enemy seems convinced that he has us against the wall. He is poised to deal a fatal blow. Perhaps we must duck, like one young harpist did when a spear was suddenly hurled at him.
Who is he who thinks he stands? Is he not the same that is sternly warned in the Book of books, to “take heed lest he fall?”
The predator of our souls is out hunting.

Have you not seen how he tricks even the wisest, and how he trips even the strongest? Have you not felt his malicious powers tugging at your heart, pulling you towards what the Master has so profoundly forbidden?
Can you argue that this cunning, slithering serpent of old has not preyed upon you in one instance, or another?
True, he picks his choice weapon and employs it with devilish zeal.
In our wake, he seems to have picked the arrows of sexual sin. He bends the bow of deception and launches them abroad. And look, how many he has skewered through with this lethal darts.
Inarguably, sexual sin has evolved. Lust presents itself, in versions previously unknown. The quicksand pits of lust are all around us, like live land mines infesting the ground on which we tread. It is a treacherous walk everyday. Woe to him who would walk without caution, for a single misguided step may well be his detour to doom.
And yet even more astounding, is the fact that many a young man and woman continue to trudge on unsuspectingly. Oblivious of the lurking danger. Alone, exposed and easy prey! Not knowing that the predator stealthily stalks, ready to pounce and to devour.
We must flee lust and sexual sin. We must dodge and duck under divine cover. Like young chicks we must seek cover beneath our Masters wings. We must find divine direction through the maze of young life everyday!
However enticing, however luscious, however sumptuous, however alluring sexual sin may be, we must remember that it is the bait that would lead to the capture of our very souls.
We must not only avoid sexual sin, but give it a wide berth on our path. Whether in fantasy or reality, we must decidedly steer well off it.
How much easier this would all be, if this battle was merely against an enemy without. Far from that, we struggle, also, against one who indwells. This is the desire that so dwells within, that it is characteristic of human life. It is then terribly unfortunate that such inherent and legitimate desire is often the ground for heart breaking sin. We must hold our desires in check. We must harness the flesh. For the flesh makes a terrible master!
Undeniably, we have grown more tolerant to occasions of indulgence. Usefulness has resulted in the lowering of our guards. What we considered detestable yesterday no longer seems as terrible today. What we peek at today, we will stare at tomorrow. The dial of morality in society continues to dip unbelievably.
And yet, we are called to stand out. We are called to live by standards unknown and inconceivable to a dying world. We are called to follow the footsteps of the Master, who was “in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin”. Are we not those of whom it is required to “mortify the deeds” of the flesh and to “crucify the flesh daily?” Didn’t the Master say “we must take up [our] cross and follow [Him]”?
Young man…young woman, do you hear the battle cry? Will you take up arms and fight? Will you fight for morality? Will you choose today to reform your ways and to be transformed by the renewing of your mind? Do you indeed “reckon yourself dead to sin and alive in Christ?” Do you believe him that said, “our old man is crucified with Christ that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin?”
I hear voices all around. There is a deafening roar as the monstrous enemy charges forward. I hear the muffled groaning of young men and women crying for deliverance. But there is one voice whose ambience fills young hopeful hearts. This voice says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you”.When you hear the battle cry today, choose to fight the good fight. Choose to say a resounding no, to all manner of sexual immorality.
1 Cor 10:12
Heb 4:15
Rom 8:13
Mrk 8:34
Rom 6:6
Rom 6:11
Rom 12:2
Eph 5:3
Heb 13:5
The flesh makes a terrible master!