The Return

Review: Fixing My Eyes on Jesus: Daily Moments in His Word Anne Graham Lotz Zondervan 2012 The introduction to this devotional series provides a wonderful illustration of what this author intends for the rest of this book, to point the reader toward the true north of life, Jesus.   Each day then seeks to continue in that course.   There’s encouragement, correction, teaching, and even reproof if the reader cares to look that deeply.   She does not shy away revealing some of her own “teachable moments.”   The tone is always gentle and infused with love.    Good way to start your day, or lift up a day that’s not going the way you’d hoped, or to prepare for the next day.   It reads well any time of the day.  The author draws from the entire Bible for this series, primarily New Testament, but given the focus that is not unexpected or a flaw, but shows a balanced breadth of Scripture use, in my opinion.  A few comments about ...

Review: The Briarpatch Gospel: Fearlessly Following Jesus into the Thorny Places Shayne Wheeler Tyndale Publishing House 2013 A delight to read, but it isn’t fluff.   Wheeler engages the reader from the first page.   I found myself nodding in agreement, most of the time, with all he had to say.   This man knows how to communicate some serious stuff in ways that make you want to keep reading.   Even better he can inspire the reader to action related to the serious stuff.    So what is the book about?   His experience and advice on entering the world of those least likely to show up in your church on Sunday morning including the courage to face your own prejudices and fears.   That’s all.   Told you it wasn’t fluff.   What’s not to like here?   I can’t think of anything.   I would love to use this book for my small group.   That’s how much I like this book.   The publisher included d...

Review: A Rabbi Looks at the Last Days Jonathan Bernis Chosen Books 2013 To read this book is to step into another world that is largely unfamiliar to the average Christian reader or believer.    And that is a good thing to do.   The Rabbi in the title is a Messianic Jewish believer and his perspective is very different from the teachings I had received.   Yes, I know Jesus was a Jew by birth and practice, but I hadn’t given that much thought to be honest.   This book serves as a good starting point to examine my mindset and how that differs from his.    He explores history, heritage and the role of Jews in history.   Then and now.   Some very good information here.   He also see the end times as dependent on the evangelization and redemption of the Jews.   He interprets some of the passages in Romans (among many others) from a different slant and one that has given me pause to consider more closely what he has wr...