Have You Ever Been Lost: A Review

Chris Holland, author of this recent title, is speaker/director for It Is Written Canada. He has been a pastor and teacher of Bible Prophecy for many years. He is known for his clear presentations of God’s Word, and his greatest joy is to see lives transformed by the living power of Jesus Christ

The message of this book is based on three parables that Jesus told which are recorded in Luke 15. The Lost Sheep, The Lost Coin and The Prodigal Son The last chapter of this book is entitled Three Strikes but Not Out.

The three parables are about the truth that Jesus desires to find us and bring us back to himself. As a Shepherd goes to seek his one lost sheep so Jesus is searching for each one of his children who is lost. The sheep knew he was lost but did not know how to get back home.  The coin is lost and illustrates the one who does not know they are lost but Jesus still can find even those who do not know that they are lost. The Prodigal son knew that he was lost, and he could make the decision to turn back toward home. Yet truly it was the love of the father that brought him home and restored him to being a member of the family.

The final chapter-Three Strikes but Not Out, uses the story of the disciple Peter who denied Jesus three times yet still Jesus accepted him back as one of his disciples.

You may have been away from Jesus and not known it; you might belong to a church but feel lost; you might have intentionally walked away; or you might have even denied Him. The promise of Jesus is that He will take you back. Though you’ve been lost, He will restore you. All of heaven will have a celebration when Jesus ultimately brings us home to be with Him and we are forever safe. The Father will be waiting with open arms.

You can read the first chapter of this book for free on line, click here.

The Next Right Thing: A Review

This new book by Emily Freeman shares a truth that is not new but is very helpful. Often all we need to know is what the next right thing is and to do it.

Doing the next right thing is good advice (writes Freeman), but it didn’t sink in for me fully until I started noticing it in the Gospels. So often, right after Jesus performed a miracle, he gave a simple next thing to do.

To the leper he said to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest” (Luke 5:14).

To the paralytic, he said, “Get up, pick up your stretcher and go home” (Luke 5:14).

To Jairus and his wife after raising their daughter from the dead, when he had their full and complete attention, and when chances were good he could get them to swear their lives away for his sake, he did not perform a lecture about dedicating their lives to him or about what grand plans he had for their girl now that she was alive. Instead, he told them to give her something to eat (Luke 8:55). After raising their daughter from the actual dead, the one thing Jesus told them in the face of their rapt attention was to go make lunch. At first glance, that seems like a waste of a captive audience.

Rather than a life plan , a clear vision, or a five-year list of goals, the leper, the paralytic, and Jairus and his wife were given clear instructions by Jesus what to do next-and only next. Perhaps he knew something about our addiction to clarity.

It is estimated that adults make over 35,000 decisions every day.

Freeman writes that the purpose of this book is to help us to be able to clarify what the next right thing for us is. I found her reminder that often just clarifying the next right thing makes life more livable, and of course there always will be the next right thing to choose.

For more about this book and to order on line click here. You can also purchase it at book stores.

STANDING TOGETHER-The Inspirational Story of a Wounded Warrior and Enduring Love: A Review

Carlos and Rosemarie will bring you to tears-and cheers-with their frank story of hardship-and victory- after major trauma. Their vivid narrative of tough times, tough love, and God’s grace shows the way through both terrible circumstances and struggles of the soul. They don’t give you a feel-good formula or how to tale. They do share how they beat the odds against survival and recovery by leaning on God and all the good people in their lives. You don’t have to love God or love marines to be enriched here, but you cannot read their story without coming to love Carlos and Rosemarie and being grateful for this time spent with them. You’ll learn from them that with Christ all things are possible-Mark A Jumper, PhD, director of Chaplaincy and Military affairs and assistant professor, Regent University School of Divinity,

This is an amazing story about Carlos and Rosemarie. Carlos was in his fourth deployment, this one in Afghanistan. On a patrol in a Humvee they drove over an IED (a mine). Carlos was ok but within that same week he stepped on another IED and lost both his legs as well as his left hand.

There were times he wished he had died, but he did not die. This story relates how he and his wife were able to cope with the recovery stage and finally come out victorious. It was a terrific struggle-years long.

But with the blessing of God and many people they were able to come through it. Now they serve in a ministry reaching out especially to other wounded warriors.

This is a truly inspiring story of faith. Please click here for more information about this book.

40 Days-Prayers and Devotions on Praising God

40 Days Prayers and Devotions on Praising God is Dennis Smith’s 9^th book in his very popular 40 Days Devotional book series. I think it is one of the best!

I especially like the 2^nd devotion in this book entitled Praise is a Choice. Here are some of the highlights from this reading:

Maintaining an attitude of praise toward God is a choice. Paul emphasized this point when he wrote, Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever thigs are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Philippians 4:8).

This advice is given in the context of Paul counseling the Christians not to worry…To avoid worry and anxiety, one must develop the habit of maintaining an attitude of praise and thanksgiving to God.

Everyone has trials and difficulties in life, and everyone has blessings. We have a choice to dwell either on the difficulties of the blessings.

All of us have roses and thorns along the path of life. We can either praise God for the roses, or curse the thorns. I guarantee you will have better emotional, physical, and spiritual health if you praise God for the roses.

How much better it is to praise God for the roses. One’s life will be much happier doing this, and one will be much more pleasant to be around. Praising God is a choice

All 40 readings in this devotional encourage us to praise God. One can use this as a personal devotional study or as a group study.

I encourage you to praise God more each day. To read the first chapter of this book and be inspired as I have been reading it, click here. You can also purchase the book at a bookstore or online.

The Church Triumphant-Called to a Prophetic Destiny: A Review

This is the latest book by Mark Finley. He has written more than 70 books and each one is always very worthwhile reading.

You can read the first chapter of this brand new book on line as well as an interview with Mark Finley about the book by clicking here.

This new book reminds me about a story I heard told by Zig Ziglar some years ago.

Zig Ziglar said “I am from Dallas Texas and I am a Dallas Cowboys Football Fan” and then went on to tell this story how hewas once watching his team play and part way through the game, the opposing team seemed to be  slaughtering the Dallas Cowboys and while many of the Cowboy Fans were weeping and wailing. Zig said he had confidence in his team and had no question that they would win so he did not sweat too much over the situation when it looked like they would not. And yes Dallas Cowboys won! Zig then said, “well I should be honest with you I was watching a replay of the game on TV!” However, he said it is an illustration that we can have confidence who is going to win in the end of this earth’s history because we have read the last chapters of Revelation and we know that God does win!

Please be sure and click on this link here and read both the first chapter of this book and the interview with Mark Finley about the book because that will give you the best information on the message of this book.

Defying Jihad: A Review

This is the dramatic true story of a woman who volunteered to kill “infidels”—and then faced death for becoming one.

Esther was born into a Muslim home: She writes:

This memoir is the true story of my journey from growing up in a militant Muslim family to my life-changing encounter with Jesus. For the protection of my family-both those who remain in Pakistan and those in the United States- I have changed some of the names and specific locations, and in the case of my children, I have created a composite character to safeguard their identities.

I would also like to acknowledge that my story is just that-my story. Not all Muslims are extremists, and not all Muslims interpret jihad the way my community did. I hope this book gives you a window into a life you may not know much about, and I hope it encourages dialogue among people of various cultural and religious backgrounds.

Esther was the third daughter-so far no sons. She was considered bad luck and never felt that her father really accepted her.  She was a very good student and desperately wanted to continue her education beyond what was the norm for Muslim girls where she grew up. When she persisted in continuing with her education, she was granted permission but was required to go to a school that trained young people to be terrorists.

One day the question was asked, “Are there any volunteers for Jihad?” She held her hand up high. At the age of 18 she had just volunteered to die-and kill- for radical Islam.

But then she had a dream and met Jesus in this dream.

Defying Jihad  is the incredible true story of a woman prepared to surrender all for God—and whose life was transformed from one of terror to one of overwhelming love.

For more on this story click here and learn more about this true story. You can shop for this book in your local bookstore or order online.

Creation? Really? : A Review

I found this book fascinating. It is written in a dialogue fashion between Carl, who believes in God and a literal Creation, and Ed who does not believe in either.

They are going on a geology trip together in the western United States, and their differing views dominate the conversations during the trip.

It is quite interesting to see how the same “evidence” can be used to defend either viewpoint-Creation or Evolution and that it is difficult to be totally objective in ones interpretation of the “evidence.” I was impressed how the Creationist aimed very carefully to be objective in interpreting the evidence found.

I encourage you to click here and read on line the first chapter of this book.  You can then either order a copy of the book online or you can check with your local book store to purchase a copy.

I personally find it much more uplifting to believe that God is our Creator then to think that we and this earth evolved from an undetermined source.