Using ArtPlay Palette Mini Kit No. 04 by Anna Aspnes
Merry Christmas, again, and here's wishing you blessings abundant in 2011!
The Gospel According to Jesus By Chris Seay
The title of this book alone intrigued me! Assuming it was a modern-day synopsis of the Gospel message, I passed it by. However, something within my spirit kept repeating the book title. Discovering that The Gospel according to Jesus is a detailed study of Romans, a book I sometimes struggle with, I again doubted this was a book I would immerse myself in. I admit that is the case! It is an excellent and in-depth review of a survey done by Chris Seay and the Barna Research Group relating to Christians understanding of the basics of their faith. As stated in a book review: “Imagine a church were 84% of Christians are completely unfamiliar with the essential tenets of their faith, with a crippling misunderstanding of the word righteousness and, in turn, the gospel of Jesus.” It is not a book I read straight through; rather, I picked it up periodically and read another chapter, followed by some time to digest and ponder my thoughts.
Seay writes in an interesting style of information, personal stories and interviews with leaders in the church The general premise of the book is that most Christians have a false sense of understanding of what it means to be righteous, which is the message of the Gospel. He feels that most believers think of righteousness in terms of moral standards, which is not what the message of Jesus to His followers is about. Seay spends the entire book detailing the righteous and restorative gift offered by Christ alone to those who follow Him.
I found myself marking little quips that I want to write down and post around various places, to remind me of the Gospel message. These include:
“Brothers and sisters, there can be nothing worse than Jesus knocking at the door while we are so busy with our own agenda that we can’t hear him. Every area of our lives must recalibrate around the work of Jesus” (p. 29).
“You were rescued! You’ve destroyed your life with sin and you’re living in destruction by your own choice. You deserve to die. But God, the Creator, has reached into that destruction with love, saying, ‘I’m here to pull you out.’ I hope that you and I would respond like many of the people rescued in the first days after the tragic Haitian quake. Those people, just rescued, some with broken bones, went back to pull other people out. That is who I am called to be. That’s who I want to be” (p. 55).
While to me this book is not a “feel good” kind of read, it is an “aha” kind of read~ much relevant information, many personal stories and views, and an in-depth look at the true Gospel message! I recommend this book to anyone wanting to go deeper in an understanding of the concept of righteousness and/or the book of Romans and anyone who in a pastoral or teaching role in the church. Because the righteousness of Christ is so central to the Christian life, it is essential that those in leadership be prepared to answer questions relating to the concept and to help people understand the who, what, when, where, why and how of righteousness!
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from
Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book reviewbloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review.The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this inaccordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 :“Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” 
The Gift of Grace by Justin Davis
And it was super-duper delicioso...followed by fudge pie, or peach pie, Chocolate Moose Tracks ice cream and/or vanilla ice cream! What is your pleasure?!?!?!?!
I only wish that my granddaughter, Macie had enjoyed it!
Brought a smile to your face now, didn't I?
So…this past weekend my friend, Vicky, and I attended a “True Woman” conference in Indianapolis, IN., and it was incredible! Well, let me rephrase that: the speakers were incredible, the music was incredible, the accommodations were incredible and the conviction brought upon me was NOT incredible except to show me that I am not the true woman I thought I was/hoped I was! In other words, it was a slap-you-in-the-face stab-you-in-the-heart convicting kind of thing! You know what I’m talkin’ about~ you walk away convicted, determined to change, and on a high for the Lord! Though our brains were mentally fried from absorbing so much info, it was a good tired.
Living with Confidence in a Chaotic World is undeniably one of the most timely books for those who claim to be Christ followers in these days of economic and political chaos and uncertainty! Dr. David Jeremiah, pastor, radio Bible teacher and best selling author of numerous books including the New York Times best-seller What In the World is Going On? answers questions about how to survive these stormy times with a calm spirit, trusting in a righteous yet loving and merciful God who created the universe and promises, in the full counsel of His Word, to “work all things together for good to those who love the Lord, who are called according to His purpose”.
With unemployment rates tenuous, at best; with tension in the Middle East rising and the direct effects on our own shores; teetering our economic perils; with catastrophic events occurring more frequently in the form of fires, earthquakes, hurricanes, etc. people are living on the edge, desperately seeking answers to seemingly impossible questions. How did we get in this mess in the first place? Can we get out of it and, if so, how so? Is God still there and does He really care about us as a nation, about me as an individual? How can we find rest for our weary souls?
In a constructive and thematic way, Jeremiah first identifies the signs of our times, followed by ten strategies to help us confidently learn how to live victoriously in spite of external circumstances and naturally following internal responses that often perpetuate alarm and anxiety. By learning to “stay calm, compassionate, constructive, challenged, connected, centered, confident, consistent, committed and convinced” we become more than conquerors through Christ. This book is filled with priceless pearls of wisdom from Biblical writers like Paul, Peter, John, James, even Jesus Himself to modern day authors including Philip Yancey, Stephen Ambrose, Charles Spurgeon, Eugene Peterson, John Ortberg and many others. Dr. Jeremiah has an imposing way of combining facts and statistics with stories from his life and from others whose have shared their personal testimonies.
This truly is a book I will read again, not only for further understanding, but also for the reminder of God’s personal interest in and impact on the state of our world as we know it today, and the promises of his omniscient presence in the routine of my life, which comforts me in these uncertain, and perhaps frightening, times. Jeremiah writes in a simplistic yet commanding way that speaks truth tempered with hope! I encourage everyone to read this book and share it with others ”for such a time as this”!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free fromThomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book reviewbloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review.The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this inaccordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 :“Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” 