Journey to the Heart of God: A Review

S. Joseph Kidder the author of Journey to the Heart of God, covers the following:

Journey to the Heart of God:

                Through Seeking and Experiencing His Presence

                Through Worship

                Through Prayer

                Through Feeding on His Word

                Through Outrageous Forgiveness

                Through Christian Fellowship

                Through Fasting

                Through Giving

                Through Touching Lives

Kidder relates that recently when former president Barak Obama came to Chicago for a fundraiser, tickets for the dinner were more than $50,000.00 each. If you wanted to also have your picture taken with him the cost $250,000.00 each.

Kidder says, “Thankfully, I don’t have that problem when I want to spend time with God. He invites me to come into His presence for free. Being in God’s presence provides me with a banquet of blessings. He remembers our time together, and He not only knows my name but also the number of hairs on my head (Matthew 10:30). Every detail of my Life is important to God.”

In the section on Outrageous Forgiveness, Kidder tells the story of the king whose servant owed him “ten thousand talents of gold.” The king forgave him but then he would not forgive his fellow servant who owed him “a hundred silver coins.” The king took back the forgiveness of the “ten thousand talents of gold.” See Matthew 18:23-35. As Jesus said in the Lord’s Prayer: “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” Ten thousand talents of gold is equivalent to 150,000 years’ wages. That’s an amount obviously the servant could never pay back.

In the section on Giving, Kidder tells the story of a member  of a church that Kidder pastored who came to him and said, “I don’t see how I can give ten percent of my income to the church when I can’t even  keep on top of my bills.” Kidder asked him, “If I  promise to make up  the difference in your bills if you should fall short, do you think you could try tithing for just one month.” The member thought about it and responded, “Sure if you make up any shortage, I guess I could try tithing for one month.”

Kidder responded “You say you’d be willing to put your trust in a mere man like yourself, who possesses little materially, but you couldn’t trust your heavenly Father, who owns the whole universe.” The member got the point and decided to take God at His word and began paying a faithful tithe.

Within two years he was out of debt.

I believe you would be blessed as I was by reading this book; for starters, please click here and you will be able to read the first chapter of this book on line for free.

One Trip To Kenya: A Review

The author David Edren lives in Australia and believes story sharing changes the world more than anything else. He spends his days as a chaplain listening to the stories of primary school children. He is also a professional storyteller, writer, and mentor who travels and shares stories.

David says “I love children and Africa is filled with children. I always knew that one day I would go to Africa, with my visit focusing on children. My dilemma was choosing where to go.”

So, when Carole Platt and her husband Leon, who both worked with Education Care Projects in Kenya contacted David about making a three-week trip to Kenya, he was very interested in going. The plan was that he would tell Bible Stories to the children at the various Education Care Projects in Kenya

In December 2016 and January 2017, David, along with the Platts made a missionary trip to Kenya. David’s main emphasis as planned was to tell Bible stories to the children, and write a story about the people he met and the story of the mission trip.

Africa- one word with so many meanings: people, poverty, resources, dirt, wealth, war, safari, starvation, children, genocide, beauty, abuse, power, orphans.

Africa is home to every seventh person on Earth. Within its fifty-four countries, nearly two thousand languages are spoken; each represents a unique people group and a distinct culture.

It is a fascinating story of one week in Maasai country and one week in the town of Mosoriot. 

In addition to telling gathered children stories, a week-long revival meeting was added to the itinerary with two meetings per day, one before lunch, and one after lunch. People walked for hours to come to these meetings, which was something to behold.

During David’s 3 weeks in Africa, he wrote more than 30,000 words about his experiences which he blogged about and when he got back home to the US, he created the book One Trip to Kenya, based on these blogs. Please click here to read the first chapter of this amazing book.

The Rookie: A Review

As a lonely child, Jim Morris took one thing with him wherever his family moved-his ability to hit and throw a baseball. For Jim, the passion of becoming a major-league ballplayer was his anchor and inspiration…until injuries and life got in the way. A decade after Jim walked away from the minors and began a life of fatherhood and mortgage payments, he made a promise to the hardscrabble high-school team he coached: if they could win their local championship. He would try out again for the big leagues. They did-and he did. Now, in this wondrous, heart-tugging  book, Jim Morris tells the story of his remarkable life and his amazing journey to the Big Show at the age of thirty-five…and how he finally fulfilled his childhood dream.

Wow! This is one of the most incredible stories that I have read. Jim as a child loved baseball. He liked to spend his time with a ball, didn’t really need any one else along to make him happy. Of course as he got to where he was going to play a game it does take more than one person.

He played in various school teams and got into the minor league, but he just could not make up the ladder to the Big League.

Meanwhile, he got married, bought a house and along with that came mortgage to pay and the children started coming along with even more costs and expenses to meet.

As he got into his thirties, his job included coaching a high-school baseball team. Kids liked him because he treated everyone including them with respect. But somehow his team was not making the grade.

Then the team came up with a bargain. We win the championship you try out again for the big league!

Jim agreed to it not really expecting them to win. But they did!  He believed in keeping his word so he went for a try out and amazed the judges. So he headed home…

By the time we walked into the house, my answering machine had a dozen messages from the Devil Rays, each one more eager than the last. The last caller had been Dan Jennings, the Tampa Bay scouting director

“We want you,” he said. “When can you start playing?”

I highly recommend this book. Check with your favorite book store or order on line from Amazon.com.

My Favorite Prayer Stories: A Review

This is one of my favorites from the various books in Joe Wheeler’s My Favorite…Stories.

Joe Wheeler writes, “I firmly believe that prayers are not meant merely to supply our wants, although God does grant a surprisingly large number of such prayers. Rather, they are meant to deepen our friendship and companionship with our Maker.”

This collection of stories which Joe has compiled certainly will lead the reader to a deeper friendship and companionship with the Lord.

Joe quotes several quotes from Phil Yancey’s book Prayer.

As if by instinct we cry out to God when trouble strikes

We tend to place God’s activity in a different category from natural or human activity; the Bible tends to draw them together. Somehow God works in all of creation, all of history, to bring about ultimate goals.

Please click here and read the first chapter of this book and you will probably be hooked and want to read the entire book. There is information on the same website for ordering the book or check with your local bookstore.

The Tinderbox: A Review

I love reading books by Beverly Lewis about Amish people.  Beverly Lewis grew up living near Lancaster County Amish Farmland and has been interested in the Amish people all her life.

With her parents’ twentieth anniversary approaching, eighteen-year-old Sylvia Miller finds her father’s cherished brass tinderbox left unlocked. Against her better judgment, Sylvia opens the heirloom, not realizing what she is about to discover will splinter apart her happy life and alter everything for her close-knit Old Order Amish Family. As the long-kept secret emerges into the light of day, can the Millers find a way forward through the turmoil to a place of forgiveness?

Sylvia’s Dad, who is her Dat in the way of speaking for the Amish had been raised as an Englisher also known as fancy. He had come to the Amish country to find a peaceful life married Rhoda and to all appearances had adapted well into the Amish lifestyle. As Mamma said, “it’s like he was born to be Amish.”

Dat learned the clock making trade and became a well-respected member of the Amish community and well-known for the clocks he made as well as the repairs he made for those who needed them.

Sylvia wanted to know more about his background but he did not talk much about that.

You need to read this book to find out what Sylvia found in the Tinderbox. One can learn about relationships from this story specifically how things are done in the Amish community; however, the principles evinced in the Amish lifestyle as shown in these stories can apply to anyone in and outside the Amish community.

You can learn some more about this book by visiting your local book store  or you can click here for some more details.

Religion in the Real World: A Review

This is Charles Mills most recent book.

In the Introduction he asks this question. “Have you ever seen a straight river? They’re rare—for a very good reason. Rivers don’t just flow; they meander.”

Mills goes on to say that some Christians are like the river that just sort of meanders along. Then he says, “But then there are also Christians who don’t; they set their eyes on the prize-heaven- and charge ahead, blasting through barriers, tunneling through obstacles, brushing aside obstructions, and not yielding to the many stumbling blocks that get in their way.”

These men and women, boys and girls are attempting to live God’s love in the real world. They’re determined that nothing, absolutely nothing, is going to permanently alter their course to the Promised Land.

They also know that absolute, straight-line perfection isn’t possible in an atmosphere of sin. Christianity is never mastered, but it can be-and should be-practiced –daily.

I am glad that Charles Mills included that last sentence.

The purpose of this book is to motivate and inspire us for our journey through the twists and turns of life on the way to the wonderful Promised Land.

Charles Mills makes a number of statements in this book which I especially like.  Here is one of my favorites after he discusses the parable of the king’s banquet hall he says:

The new earth, like the king’s banquet hall, will be filled with those who are too sinful to save but have wrapped Christ’s robe of righteousness about them so completely that their filthy rags have vanished from view. They’ve accepted the invitation and dressed accordingly.

Please click here to read the first chapter on line of this new book.

To The Last Man-A Story of Courage and Loyalty: A Review

I like Biblical narratives, and this one is an amazing retelling of the story of Jonathan, who was the crown prince of Israel and in this book author Glen Robinson brings his story to life.

Not just David’s best friend, Jonathan is a biblical hero in his own right. Groomed to be the next king of Israel, Jonathan struggles with maintaining a faith in God as he watches his father the king drift away from the God who gave them victory. Samuel anoints David as successor, and Jonathan has to balance God’s plans for Israel with his responsibility to his father.

I found it very interesting to read the story of David and Jonathan from the perspective of Jonathan.

Robinson’s research into the biblical story and his storytelling abilities have created a fascinating book to read. He tells Jonathan’s complete story, starting with his father, Saul, who was chosen as the first King of Israel all the way to the end when the Israelites were defeated in battle with the Philistines.

Saul, the king took his own life and Jonathan was killed in battle. Some way Jonathan had a relationship with God that made it possible for him to accept that David would be king and not Jonathan.

You can click here and read the first chapter of this book for free on line and also for information for ordering this book.

The Traveler-A Tale of Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice: A Review

Rafael Lopez Miranda was a modern day Saul of Tarsus. From a raging drunk to “the most successful colporteur in the world,” Rafael traveled the Caribbean and on to Venezuela. The parallels to the life of Paul are many and will draw you into this riveting story.

Supported by a loving family, Rafael gave himself to God’s leading.

In his wake, he would leave a legacy of faith and devotion to Christ and the Adventist Church he loved. His passion became his ministry. From converts to companies to congregations, follow Rafael’s single-minded mission to share his love for Jesus.

Rafael was born and raised in Puerto Rico. He became a successful businessman however he was not a Christian. He was a drunk and made life bad for those who had to associate with him.

One day there was a knock at the door. Rafael went to the door. When Rafael went to the door there was a tall man standing there.

He told Rafael, “I’ve come to tell you, ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.’”

That was the beginning of Rafael’s conversion. Mr Oberg, the gentleman who came to his door became a friend. Mr Oberg was a colporteur.  After Rafael became a Christian he decided he wanted to share the wonderful happiness that he had and so he became a colporteur. He eventually went to Venezuela to sell books. He worked tirelessly to reach people for God.

Many loved him, but not all. On May 15, 1922 he was hiking on a mountain trail and he was shot to death. (The authorities wrote it up as religious persecution.)  He was buried outside the cemetery in the Venezulan Andes.

More than 40 years later, a flood came through and washed away some of the wall to the cemetery and several tombstones were washed away. However, Rafael’s tombstone remained. The wall was rebuilt in such a way to include Lopez’s tombstone inside the cemetery.

Please click here  to read the first chapter of this book on line for free and for information on ordering this must read book.

Pathways-From Providence to Purpose: A Review

God has a purpose for your life.

Every action or event that occurs within it has been used to make that purpose a reality.

The story of Esther appears to be a series of coincidences strung together to deliver the Jews from certain death. However, God selected Esther for a particular purpose at a particular time. Discover your own pathway to purpose through learning principles on providence as Tony Evans takes us on a journey of epic proportions.

Tony Evans sets the stage for the story of Esther by telling a short version of the Cinderella story.

The amazing part of Cinderella’s story is that the prince never forgot her. Even though there had been a lot of people at the ball, there was something about her that made her stand out from the crowd. She was special. She was unique. She was rare. Everyone wanted the prince, but the prince wanted Cinderella.

Then Tony Evans tells the story of the Philadelphia Eagles unexpected victory in the 2017-2018 NFL season.

“The Eagles were officially the underdogs going into their three post-season playoff games. No one thought they could win. Each and every week, no one believed they could beat the team that had been pitted against them No one gave them any chance at all. Except for them, that is.”

In a postgame interview on how the Eagles pulled off this victory, the tight end who made the magical pass, Trey Burton said, “Our team? The only thing I can really compare it to is the story of Gideon.” Burton encouraged the sports reporter to read the story of Gideon for himself.

Evans tells the story of Esther referring to God as “the great Puppet-Master, working behind the curtains of what we can see. With a light twitch of His hand, He can change an entire scene. With the movement of His arm, He rearranges the characters in the narrative of your day. God is constantly moving, turning, maneuvering and establishing all things in His providence toward His intended aim. Even, and especially when you cannot see Him at all.”

The short story on Esther in case you have not read it recently:

Esther’s parents were dead. Her cousin Mordecai raised her. The King, Ahasuerus was looking for a new Queen and Esther was chosen. Then Hamaan the 2^nd in command to the King had a grudge against the Jews and got the King to approve an extermination of all the Jews.

Esther talks to the King and the Jews are given permission to fight back to those who are out to exterminate the Jews. And thus God the great Puppet-Master preserves the Jewish race through which eventually Jesus the Messiah came and thus his plan for the restoration of those who accepted Him is still working out.

Tony Evans uses this story to remind us that God also will guide our lives if we will allow Him to,

He says, “You just need to obey His direction in this grand, spectacular story known as your life.”

I was inspired by reading this book. I would like to encourage you to check out your local bookstore and purchase a copy and then be sure and read it. The book is also available on Amazon.com

Blessed Are They-True Stories of God's Love in Action: A Review

Blessed Are They-True Stories of God’s Love in Action: A Review

This is a book of stories. Stories of people who are changing lives. People who truly are the blessed.

Through sacrifice, by putting others’ needs ahead of their own, they are living out the Beatitudes. They are bettering people’s lives on the earth as they exemplify their Father in heaven through various ministries.

This is a collection of more than 40 stories from around the world of people living out the beatitudes and serving people. These stories will bless you.

Bring Your Sibling to School Day – In this story learn of a school in Varanasi, India that provides education for the children of beggars and garbage collectors, many of whom are Bangladeshi refugees with no status in India, not even a caste.

Without this school these children would not be able to go to school. But what do you do when you are expected to stay home and look after the younger kids so both parents can work? Solution: the school starts a day care for these young children so now the students can bring their younger siblings to school to the day care and know that they will be safe while the student attends their classes.

Miracle Water-Pine Springs Ranch This story takes place in California. It is about a youth camp which serves many young people giving them an opportunity to spend time in nature and learning about God.

One year they nearly ran out of water and were going to have to close camp down for the rest of the season if they could not get water. They prayed and water came into the large storage tanks that normally get filled from a spring.

Stories of helping people at an orphanage, a hospital two different camps, the Cuba Adventist Theological Seminary,  Good News TV, Helping Hands Caregiver Resource Center, Holbrook Indian School, Hope Channel, International Children’s Care and many more places demonstrate God’s people serving those in need and helping them find a better life and a relationship with God.

You can read the first chapter of this book on line-click here and also there is more information about this book on this website.

For The Least Of These: A Review

Nathan Brown gets the title of his book from Matthew 25 in the New King James Version. The scripture says, “for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked  and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.”

Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, “Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?” And the King will answer and say to them, “Assuredly, I say to you inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to me.”

There are 13 chapters in this book, and it can be used as a companion study book to use along with the Adult Bible Study Guides which will be used in churches around the world beginning in July. This book stresses the truth that God wants Christians to help people in need. Nathan Brown is careful to point out that the good practical help that we are called upon to do for others is not the means or cause for our salvation. No, these good works are about how saved people live.

For more information about this book and to read the first chapter for free on line please click here.

Questions For My Father: A Review

Authors Arthur Edwin Gibb and his son Keith W. Gibb based this book on a book by the same title by Vincent Staniforth.

Keith is the Son of Arthur and he asked his dad over 100 questions his dad answered them. I found it very interesting. Arthur is in his late 90’s and still in good health and his mind is sharp. When was first introduced to this book, I thought how special to have a relationship with your dad when he is this old and you are mature enough to be comfortable to ask these questions of him, which prompted me to read the whole book and I have done just that.

Here are a couple of the questions and their answers:

What does God mean to you?

Everything! He is my creator, my savior and my hope for eternal life. He is my peace, my rest from worry and concern. He is my answer to prayer. If it should turn out that there is no God, my life has been better that it would have been had I not believed in God. I have been a better husband and person for believing. I am encouraged by the stories in the Bible such as Abraham and David. God overlooked some of their worst behavior and he does the same for us. God understands my motives. With Jesus being here on earth for over thirty years, he understands my temptations and weaknesses.

Should marriage really be forever?

A good marriage should last until one person dies. Not every marriage is a good one. One way to keep a marriage happy is to wake up every day and tell yourself, ‘I am a lucky guy. Look at the wife I got.’ Even if you don’t really feel that way every day, it is one lie you are allowed to tell yourself. It changes your perspective to talk to yourself that way.

If you are interested in getting and reading the complete book email Keith at kgibb@bgf.org and he will let you know how you can get a copy. I personally was very inspired and blessed by reading this book.

My Favorite Integrity Stories: A Review

This is the latest in Joe Wheeler’s popular, My Favorite…Stories.

Joe Wheeler states in his introduction to this his 101^st book:

Is Integrity Obsolete today? First of all, no subject area I’ve ever tackled have I resisted doing more than this one. Reason being: I have personally made so many mistakes in life, so many errors in judgment, so many instances of losing my temper and control of my all-too-wayward tongue. In short, I count myself, like the apostle Paul, “Chief of Sinners.” So given all my multitudinous frailties and mistakes, why in the world should I set myself up for well-justified negative press: “Who does he think he’s kidding?” “The nerve of his setting himself up as an authority on integrity when he’s said this, done that—just let me tell you about some of them.”

Then he goes on to explain that people kept urging to compile a book with stories about integrity and he truly felt also that God was pushing him in this direction too.

I am glad he wrote the book and I am also glad that he was very open about his resistance to writing the book. At the end of the introduction Joe states:

Perhaps it’s time to turn back the clock to a time when the norms most Americans still tried to pattern their lives on were based on stories Simple stories incorporating values worth living by. For we do become our favorite stories-that’s why our Lord, who created us never spoke without them. How can we do less?

Hence this book.

There are nearly 30 stories in this book. These stories will influence the reader to choose to live a life of integrity. You can read the first chapter in the book on line for free by clicking here.

Hope Beyond Tomorrow: A Review

Mark Finley, Author of more than 70 books has written again. His new title is Hope Beyond Tomorrow.

Mark Finley recounts a fascinating story that Billy Graham told in one of his sermons.

It seems that Einstein was on a train traveling in Europe when the steward approached him and asked for his ticket. Einstein fumbled through his belongings, searched his pockets, and looked in his billfold, but all his attempts produced absolutely nothing. He just couldn’t find his ticket.

The train’s steward simply said, ‘I know who you are, don’t worry about it. I know you have your ticket someplace.’ And he proceeded up the aisle. When he looked back he saw Einstein on his knees frantically looking under his seat, desperately searching for his ticket. The renowned scientist seemed awfully distressed that he could not find it.

Attempting to ease his anxiety, the steward said, ‘Mr Einstein, I know who you are. Don’t worry about it.’ Einstein replied, ‘I know who I am too, but I do not know where I am going.’

Finley says so many millions of people in this world have little idea where this world is headed. But the great hope of knowing of the soon return of our Lord will give us the ability to live joy-filled lives because we know the end of the story.

Mark Finley states “there is nothing more valuable than knowing Christ and having the hope of His soon return burning in your heart.”

Reading this book was a great inspiration to me and I would encourage you to click here and read on line the first chapter of this book for free. I am confident you would want to get and read the entire book once you read the first chapter.