​“To ask for the guidance of God is to make a choice, and this takes faith.  It must be faith of a far higher kind than the breezy ‘if I like what I see I’ll take it.'  It is faith that has strength to wait for the rewards God holds, strength to believe they are worth waiting for, worth the price asked. 
Our prayers for guidance (or for anything else) really begin here:  I trust him.  This requires abandonment.  We are no longer saying 'If I trust him, he’ll give me such and such,'
​but 'I trust him.  Let him give me or withhold from me what he chooses.'”
~Excerpt from “Introduction”

​We are all looking for guidance, for a road map outlining the direction and purpose of our lives.  In this lost and floundering society, we hunger and thirst for clear guidance and bullet-point instructions on how to live our lives.  We want God to send us an email, text message, or Facebook alert on what we should do, when we should do it, and where.  We want finding and discerning the will of God to be easy, predictable, and formula based.  That is why we love advice that sounds like “5 Easy Ways to Discover God’s Will” or “10 Secrets to Finding Your Life’s Path.” 
 
However, it’s not that easy.  We can’t simplify the intents and purposes of an infinite God into a series of bullet-points comprehendible by finite men.  It’s impossible and unreasonable.  But at the same time, discovering God’s will is not a game of chance or a haphazard endeavor.  It must be pursued with purpose and through a process.  A Slow and Certain Light sheds much light on this topic.
 
Written by Elisabeth Elliot in 1973, this little, 116 page book published by WORD BOOKS holds much wisdom and insight into discerning God’s will for our lives.  But this is not a “how to” book.  It doesn’t contain secret tips and tricks on how to “discover” the will of God.  Rather, Elliot’s emphasis is on faithfulness, obedience, and trust.  
 
If you walk faithfully the road God sets before you one step at a time and trust God through the processes, you’ll find His will for your life.  However, God’s will is not always what we think or imagine it to be.  Often times it includes unforeseen seasons and situations that we might not have chosen for ourselves.  Nevertheless, the path of faithfulness requires obedience no matter where the road takes us.  As Elisabeth writes in her chapter “The Objectives”:

​So whether you’re a high school or college graduate, young person looking for life direction and purpose, or merely someone looking for the “next step”, this book is for you.  Pick it up, read it, and let me know what you think. 
 
May the Lord open your eyes to His light and truth through the pages of A Slow and Certain Light!

God gave His greatest gift to us in that He took on human form—a huge sacrifice and love offering that we will never be able to fully fathom.  But the least we can do is try to wrap our minds around the unimaginable.  To contemplate, dwell upon, and appreciate the gift God gave.  And this is what this book does. 
 
Written by wonderful story-teller and preacher Max Lucado, God Came Near captures the absurdity and astounding fact that the eternal God stepped into time, took on human form, and walked among us.  Originally published in 1986 and then reprinted in 2004, this book has encouraged and touched believers with a closer, down-to-earth, and tangible look at the life of Jesus.
 
A few of my favorite sections include:

“Rest, tiny feet.  Rest today so that tomorrow you might walk with power.  Rest.  For millions will follow in your steps.  And little heart…holy…pumping the blood of life through the universe:  How many times will we break you?  You’ll be torn by the thorns of our accusations.  You’ll be ravaged by the cancer of our sin.  You’ll be crushed under the weight of your own sorrow.  And you’ll be pierced by the spear of our rejection.  Yet in that piercing, in that ultimate ripping of muscle and membrane, in the final rush of blood and water, you will find rest.  Your hands will be freed, your eyes will see justice, your lips will smile, and your feet will carry you home.  And there you’ll rest again—this time in the embrace of your Father.
~Excerpt from “Mary’s Prayer”
 
“He could have come back as a man in another era when society wasn’t so volatile, when religion wasn’t so stale, when people would listen better.  He could have come back when crosses were out of style.  But his heart wouldn’t let him.  If there was hesitation on the part of his humanity, it was overcome by the compassion of his divinity.  His divinity heard the voices.  His divinity heard the hopeless cries of the poor, the bitter accusations of the abandoned, the dangling despair of those who were trying to save themselves.  And his divinity saw the faces.  Some wrinkled.  Some weeping.  Some hidden behind veils.  Some obscured by fear.  Some earnest with searching.  Some blank with boredom.  From the face of Adam to the face of the infant born somewhere in the world as you read these words, he saw them all.”
~Excerpt from “Out of the Carpentry Shop”

So as you seek to know the Savior more and follow in His footsteps, see if God does not come nearer to you through the contemplations and thoughts of Max Lucado.  And may this book be a blessing to you and refocus your new year.

“With her last bit of strength, Lydia pulled the infant close to her breast to shield him from the wind and the biting desert cold.  Caressing him, she whispered, ‘My sweet baby.’  Then she prayed through her tears, ‘Oh Lord, I give my child to you.  Use him as you will, but please let him live.  Please, Lord…deliver my son to safety.’”   ~Excerpt from the Introduction​

​Have you ever wondered what happened to the shepherds of Bethlehem after Jesus’ birth?  Did they ever see the Promised Child again?  After thirty years, what memories did they have of that blessed night?  Or what the aftermath of Herod’s massacre was like for the residents of Bethlehem?  And did Jesus ever return to the city of His birth?
 
These are questions that begged to be answered after reading the various accounts of the Christmas story contained in the gospels.  And while history has no answers to these questions, Richard M. Barry has done a marvelous job of weaving a biblical fiction story from his speculations and reflections on this pivotal moment in history.  Bringing together Jewish culture and tradition, biblical events, Messianic prophecies, the shepherds of Bethlehem, Bethlehemites, and Jesus Christ Himself, Barry creates a timeless classic that has become a Christmas tradition in our home.
 
The Shepherds’ Prayer follows the fictitious character of an orphaned man named Anam who knows none of his families’ history and heritage and goes in search of answers with only a sheepskin blanket for a lead.  And as he goes to Bethlehem, he finds much more than the answers he was looking for as he meets some eccentric shepherds with a very strange story.  So follow the story and journey of Anam on his quest to find the secrets of his past and hope for the future.  And may the story of the humble shepherds’ endear your heart this Christmas and for many Christmases to come!

“What had happened to The [American] Dream?  …  As it finally became apparent that there were not going to be any scapegoats, that our best thinkers could not come up with nay conclusive answers, many Americans gave up asking what had happened.  And yet, this book has an answer.  To many, the answer will be incredible, even preposterous, although two hundred years ago, the majority of Americans would have accepted it readily enough.  And a hundred and fifty years before that, for the first settlers who found their way to these shores, it would have been the only answer.”
~Excerpts from Chapter 1, “The Search”

​Have you ever wondered about the history of America between the landing of the Pilgrims and the Revolutionary War?  Or the cause of the rich Judeo-Christian values ingrained in our Declaration of Independence and Constitution?  And did God have a plan for America and does He still?  Well, you’re not the only one asking.  Preacher Peter Marshall and author David Manuel asked themselves the same questions and embarked on a journey of research and investigation.  From their discoveries they wrote a three-book historical narrative on the history and spiritual background of America—from Christopher Columbus to the pre-Civil War era. 
 
The first book in the series, The Light and the Glory, was first published by Revell in 1977 and has since sold over a million copies, revealing the truth of America’s history to countless readers.  This first book in the series traces the events and people who shaped America from the voyage of Christopher Columbus to the first Presidency of the United States. 
 
While I cannot adequately summarize this insightful and thought-provoking 359-page book, a great synopsis of the content and purpose of this book is given by this excerpt from the opening, introductory chapter “The Search”:

“Men like Bradford, Winthrop, and Washington, instead of aspiring to greatness (which is often the goal today), truly wanted nothing more than to serve God’s people.  And because these servant-leaders were living out the example of Jesus Christ … God was able to use them mightily to show the way in the building of His new Promised Land.  …  How many of the incredible blessings which have been poured out upon this land—how much of the grace which continues to cover this country today—were a direct result of their obedience and willingness to die out to self, only God knows for certain.  That grace seems to be lifting now, but as we look at our nation’s history from His point of view, we begin to have an idea of how much we owe to a few—and of how much is still at stake.  For God’s call on this country has never been revoked. 
​America, America, God shed His grace on thee…”

This is the quest the writers of The Light and the Glory embarked upon, and one that we can join.   So be inspirited and enlightened to the spiritual history and foundation of America and the power of God to shape and direct the history of a nation.

​The author of Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, Dr. Paul Brand, continues his tour of the human body’s intricate workings and it’s application to Christ’s spiritual Body.  Along with his collaborator and editor, author Philip Yancey, this sequel was published by Zondervan in 1984 and reprinted in 2008.   

​In His Image continues where Fearfully and Wonderfully Made left off.  Covering topics such as image, blood, head, spirit, and pain, this second book by Brand will continue to bring you wonder and amazement surrounding the complexities and ingenious mechanics of our body’s intricate workings.  Dr. Brand also gives a new perspective regarding aspects of our body’s design we may consider unfavorable.  For example, no one enjoys pain.  However without this seemingly negative sensation we would be clueless to the wear and strain we put our bodies through, and would constantly be damaging its living cells and tissue.   This is just one example of the many thought provoking, praise inducing, awe-inspiring concepts uncovered in this book.  A few of my favorite excerpts include:

“The body provides the energy for the red cells’ travels by employing the heart, an organ that deserves a book exclusively devoted to it.  Primitive artificial hearts are now available, but I would like to see a government design specification sheet for a truly adequate replacement.  Bids accepted from:  fluid pump with 75-year life expectancy (2,500,000,000 cycles); no maintenance or lubrication required; output:  must vary between .025 horsepower at rest and short bursts of 1 horsepower determined by such factors as stress and exercise; weight:  not to exceed 10.5 ounces (300 grams); capacity:  2,000 gallons per day; valves:  each to operate 4,000-5,000 times per hour.”
~Excerpt from Chapter 4, “Power”
 
“Each day we live at the mercy of organisms one-trillionth our size.  …  Early in the twentieth century the ‘war to end all wars’ cost the greatest toll in the history of human conflict:  eight-and-a-half million lives.  But during the year of armistice an influenza epidemic broke out that would eventually triple the carnage—twenty-five million deaths worldwide.”
~Excerpts from Chapter 7, “Overcoming”
 
“This ability to transpose units of messages—whether from the ear, the nose, the tongue, or the eye—into ever-higher strata of meaning is only possible because of the inner functions of the secluded brain.  Cells inside that ivory fortress have no immediate experience of light, sound, taste, or odor.  Yet every bit of data transmitted by sense organs terminates there.  Indeed, no sensation truly registers until the brain has taken hold of it, translated it, and made sense out of it.”
~Excerpt from Chapter 9, “Pathways"

​The human body will never cease to amaze and fascinate me, and this book—along with Dr. Brand’s first book—help give a deeper glimpse at the perfect design of the Creator.  So if you enjoyed Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, you will want to dive into this continuation.  May you be blessed, inspired, and encouraged by the anatomical and spiritual insights of medical missionary and world-renowned surgeon, Dr. Paul Brand.

“What moves cells to work together?  What ushers in the higher specialized functions of movement, sight, and consciousness through the coordination of a hundred trillion cells?  The secret to membership lies locked away inside each cell nucleus chemically coiled in a strand of DNA.  …  The Designer of DNA went on to challenge the human race to a new and higher purpose:  membership in his own Body.” 
~Excerpts from Chapter 5, “Unity”​

​This is the subject matter of Dr. Paul Brand’s Fearfully and Wonderfully Made.  Co-published with author Philip Yancey in 1980, this book takes the Apostle Paul’s correlation between the physical body and Christ’s Body and goes deeper, looking down to the cellular level.   

​Writing from the perspective of over 30 years of medical practice, Brand uses science, human anatomy, and personal vignettes to convey the wonder and complexity of the human body.  He then takes these concepts and applies them to the Church as Christ’s Body.  You will learn so much about the inner working of your body that you never knew existed as you follow Dr. Brand through a tour of cells, bones, skin, and motion.  A few of my favorite excerpts from within the first three chapters include:

“Though a hand or foot or ear cannot have a life separate from the body, a cell does have that potential.  It can be part of the body as a loyalist, or it can cling to its own life.  Some cells do choose to live in the body, sharing its benefits while maintaining complete independence—they become parasites or cancer cells.”
~Excerpt from Chapter 1, “Members”
 
“If you look for a pleasure nerve in the human body, you will come away disappointed; there is none.  There are nerves for pain and cold and heat and touch, but no nerve to give a sensation of pleasure.  Pleasure appears as a by-product of cooperation by many cells.”
~Excerpt from Chapter 2, “Specialization”
 
“The basis for our unity within Christ’s Body begins not with our similarity but with our diversity.”
~Excerpt from Chapter 3, “Diversity”​

When the psalmist David wrote, “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well,” he was absolutely right!  So whether you’re interested in the medical field, fascinated by the human body and all its workings, or simply desiring to gain a better understanding of what fearfully and wonderfully made really means, I’d encourage you to read this book!  And while you’re learning about the amazing designer of the Master Designer, you’ll also gain deeper insight into the analogy of the Body of Christ and much food for thought.  So be ready to learn and praise the Maker as you read through Fearfully and Wonderfully Made!

“Biblical belief is more than just an intellectual acceptance or a heartfelt acknowledgement; it is a commitment to follow.  Following by definition requires more than mental assent, it calls for movement.  …  There is no forgiveness without repentance. There is no salvation without surrender. 
​There is no life without death.  There is no believing without committing.” 
~Excerpts from Chapter 2, “A Decision or a Commitment?”
​

When did you believe that Jesus was the only way of salvation?  Did you choose to believe to receive all the free handouts?  Or did you commit to follow Christ?  These are the types of questions that Kyle Idleman asks his readers in this inspirational, convicting, and soul-probing book published by Zondervan in 2011.  

​Many of Christ’s followers—both in the first century and today—are actually fans; those who are trying to get something or simply observe, but not to take part in.   So in this book, Idleman seeks to define and diagnosis fans versus followers by looking through the gospels at people who encountered Jesus and either chose to follow or walk away.  He gives five tests diagnosing fandom, and then walks through the marks and evidence of what following Christ really looks like.  Even though you may be a true follower of Jesus and not a fan, this book contains many timely reminders and challenged me in whether I was truly following my Lord as completely as He desires.  A few of my favorite quotes include:

“No matter how much good you do, no matter how much you accomplish for the kingdom,
​that’s not what makes you a true follower.”
~Excerpt from Chapter7, “The Relationship Defined”
 
“The phrase ‘deny himself’ isn’t just the idea of saying no to yourself—or even resisting yourself.  The idea here is that you do not even acknowledge your own existence.  … 
When you call Jesus ‘Lord,’ you aren’t saying, ‘He’s the teacher—and I’m the student.’ 
​You are saying, ‘He’s the master and I am the slave.’  That’s what is means to deny yourself.”
~Excerpts from Chapter 10, “Deny—A Total Surrender”
 
“This idea of following the rabbi closely is captured in a Jewish saying that has become popular in Christian circles:  ‘May you be covered in his dust.’  The most literal way to define a ‘Follower of Jesus’ is
​‘​Someone who goes where Jesus goes.’  …   Ultimately if you follow Jesus ‘wherever,’
you won’t just end up covered in his dust, you will end up covered in his blood.”
~Excerpts from Chapter 12, “Wherever.  What About There?”​

​The American church is filled with nominal Christians or fans of Jesus, but true followers—those completely surrendered and willing to follow Christ’s footsteps anywhere—are few and far in between.  Following Jesus has never been easy or comfortable, but requires self-denial, dying daily, and sacrifice.  Nevertheless, this is the only path that leads to eternal life and the freedom Jesus promises.  Therefore, let us join Kyle Idleman in declaring:  “I am not a fan.”

​Important note:  This book contains various testimonies and vignettes from people other than the author, and some of these are rather graphic when speaking about the before-Christ days.  Therefore, I would highly advise parental preview for readers under 18.   

Written by Andrew Murray in the 1800s and reprinted in 2007 by Moody Classics, this short expository on the parable of the Vine and Branches found in John 15 is a must read for 21st century believers today.  Full of rich imagery and straightforward reading, The True Vine provokes deeper thought into the meaning and application of abiding in Christ.  

​We live in a world where we are connected to the internet and technology all the time.  Our society, culture, and world at large is completely built and dependent upon it, and therefore many of us have come to rely upon this scientific advancement for just about everything.  Consequently, how much more crucial is this message of total reliance and connection upon Christ for everything including life itself!  We are nothing in and of ourselves.  Even though we may think that we’ve accomplished something and made something of ourselves--whether it be through the number of social “friends” and followers on social media or number of zeros contained within each paycheck--at the end of the day, without Christ, we’ve achieved nothing.  And this is the truth Murray keeps coming back around to:  the branch by itself is worthless and dead; life, fruit, and growth is only found by abiding in the Vine.
 
Drawing on the biological science of the natural vine and applying it to our relationship to Christ as branches of the True Vine, Andrew Murray goes through the parable verse by verse and often phrase by phrase and looks at them from various angles and perspectives.  Below are a few of my favorite excerpts:

“The branch does indeed receive from the vine sap for its own life, by which it grows thicker and stronger.  But this supply for its own maintenance is entirely subordinate to its fulfillment of the purpose of its existence—bearing fruit. … Your first aim in life, your first aim every day, should be to know how Christ desires to carry out His purpose in you.”   ~Excerpts from Chapter 4, “The Fruit”
 
“Consider a moment what this pruning or cleansing is.  It is not the removal of weeds or thorns or anything from outside that may hinder the growth.  No; it is the cutting off of the long shoots of the previous year, the removal of something that comes from within, that has been produced by the life of the vine itself.  It is the removal of something that is proof of the vigor of its life.  …  The branches, sometimes eight and ten feet long, are cut down close to the stem, and nothing is left but just one or two inches of wood, enough to bear the grapes.  …  All that is to be left of us is just enough to receive the power of the life-giving sap of the Holy Spirit.”  ~Excerpts from Chapter 6, “The Cleansing”
 
“This is the highest measure of love:  When a man gives his life he holds nothing back; he gives all he has and is.  It is this that our Lord Jesus wants to make clear to us concerning His mystery of the Vine; with all He has He has placed Himself at our disposal.  He wants us to count Him our very own; He wants to be wholly our possession, that we may be wholly His possession.  He gave His life for us in death not merely as a passing act that when accomplished was done with; no, but to make Himself ours for eternity.  Life for life; He gave His life for us to possess that we might give our life for Him to possess.” 
~Excerpt from Chapter 26, “Christ’s Friendship:  Its Origin"

​In closing, I would encourage all Christians to read this power-packed little book, and especially those following the John 7-21 Study with me.  You may gain fresh and deeper insights in the allegory of the Vine and Its branches.  May you be blessed, encouraged, and exhorted by the wisdom gleaned by one of God’s saints and a fellow branch from the 1800s!

​For the first post on the Book Review blog, I must highlight the most important book in all history—the Bible.  It’s sold the most copies, been translated into the most languages, is the most widely known and read, and has changed the most lives.   Why?  Because it’s not just a book.  It’s divinely breathed Scripture; the living, active words of God; a two-edged sword poised and ready to pierce the division of soul and spirit and discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
​
Written in three different ancient languages; penned by forty separate authors; and drafted over approximately a two thousand year time frame; comprising of sixty-six individual books; and covering everything from history to theology, poetry, and prophesy; the Bible is the most unique manuscript around.  Yet despite these unique variables, the message and meaning stays consistent throughout.  Many have questioned the authenticity of the Bible and tried to disprove its legitimacy; however, this divinely inspired book remains and is backed by the secular historic record and modern archeological findings.
 
The Bible is a book covering God’s workings throughout the history of man.  Starting with the creation of the entire world and beginning of mankind and ending with future prophesy regarding a new heavens and earth, the Bible is truly God’s story starting with “In the beginning” and finishing with “Amen.”   Characters include royalty and those of humble birth, men and women, children and wise elders, leaders and followers, men of war and those advocating peace, farmers, musicians, doctors, fisherman, princes, slaves, politicians, homemakers, government officials, carpenters, and the list goes on.  In short, the entire spectrum of mankind is featured throughout this comprehensive narrative. 
 
This book is broken into two main sections:  the Old Testament and the New Testament.  The Old Testament predominately covers the history of Israel and lays the foundation and groundwork for the New Testament.  Within the New Testament lies the pinnacle and climax of history:  the coming of Emmanuel—God with us.  Jesus, fully God and fully man, enters the scene and forever changes history.  Through His birth, life, death, and subsequent resurrection, He opens the way to God that was previously barred shut due to sin.  It is only through Him and belief in His name that man may receive forgiveness of sins and life everlasting.  This is the message of the gospel, the central theme of the Bible, and the truth that each person must eventually face.  The New Testament also contains history of the early Church, instruction on how to correctly live and walk the Christian life, foundational theology and doctrine, descriptions of the end times, and promises of a new heaven and new earth where pain and suffering will be no more.     
 
In closing, all other books may be good, but the Bible is the best.  It is the only one that contains answers to why we’re here on planet earth, our purpose, how we should live, what we should do, where we are going, and how to get there.  And it’s the only tangible, material thing that will last through the ages and into eternity.  So as we unpack other books in the future, remember that this is the only one that can truly change your life, draw you closer to the Savior, and reveal the living God in the glory of His splendor. 
 
Now I’m not doing this Living Book justice, so to truly discover the amazing power and message of the Bible, you’ll just have to read it for yourself!  Therefore, get started, and see if God won’t transform your life…

Author’s Note ~

• For the younger reader (under 13) I would recommend the New International Version 1984.  It is a non-literal translation meaning that instead of being translated word for word from the original languages it was translated thought for thought.  I do not endorse nor recommend the latest New International Version (2011).  So if you’re looking to buy a NIV Bible make sure that it is copyright 1984!
• For the more advanced reader, I recommend the English Standard Version, which is a literal translation.  This means that it was translated from the original languages word for word.  The latest copyright version (2011) of ESV is acceptable.