Christian Book Notes

Cross, Kevin and Steven White. Building Your Financial Freedom in 52 Days: The Lessons of Nehemiah. Alachua: Bridge-Logos, 2009. 178 pp. $14.99.  Purchase at Amazon.com.

Introduction

Last week I spent the entire week looking at financial resources.  I had hoped to include this book in my week-long series, but was unable to do so.  Nonetheless, I would like to share with you a unique book on money that is a wonderful resource for anyone looking to be a better steward with what God has given them.

Kevin has a website, Account417, where you can find many free resources for taking charge of your finances.  You can also learn more about the Nehemiah Challenge while surfing this website.

Review

I say this financial book is unique because it is a devotional book.  Even more than that, the daily devotions are unique in that there is no questions to answer each night or something to memorize each week or some immediate application you are challenged to make the next day.  Rather, you will find that you want to do all of these things as you read through the biblical account of Nehemiah rebuilding the post-exile temple.

Each day requires three to five pages of reading.  Each day is introduced with various quotes–some humorous, some serious, some from non-Christians, some from Christians, many from the Scriptures.  Each day offers real life illustrations as well as looking closely at how Nehemiah managed to rebuild the temple and how he managed the resources that God gave him.

After fifty-two days of reading this devotional, your perspective on money will change.  This is not a get-rich quick scheme nor is it a “the world is ending and you need to hoard your resources” platform.  Building your Financial Fortress is a sound resource to better understand how to win with money by managing (stewardship) what God has entrusted to you.

Recommendation

While there are some challenging questions, you are never goaded into making choices.  Truth be told, I believe God will use this resource to help men and women become interested in their money from a biblical perspective.  Sure, there are deeper books on God and money (see last weeks reviews), but not everyone is ready for those.  Everyone is ready for Building your Financial Fortress. A fifty-two day devotion is just the thing to kick start one’s taking back their money for godly purposes.

Giveaway

Kevin has been gracious enough to sign two copies of Building your Financial Fortress for giveaway.  To win one of two copies simply leave a comment below about how studying Nehemiah would help you with your finances or post something on Twitter using @ChristBookNotes in your tweet.

This contest will end Monday, 12 October at noon.  God bless and good providence.

I have received permission from Professor Grant Horner of the Master’s College in Santa Clarita, CA. to share this with everyone.  This is an interesting way of reading the Bible.  I caution you though that if you decide to do this you will find your life will be revolutionized! –Terry Delaney

The Idea

Each day you will read one chapter from each list, in order. Use ten bookmarks or sticky notes with the individual lists on them to keep track of your locations. On day one, you read Matthew 1, Genesis 1, Romans 1, and so forth. On day 2, read Matthew 2, Genesis 2, etc. On day 29, you will have just finished Matthew, so go to Mark 1 on the Gospel list; you’ll also be almost to the end of 2nd Corinthians and Proverbs, you’ll be reading Psalm 29 and Genesis 29, and so forth. When you reach the last chapter of the last book in a list – start over again. Rotate all the way through all the Scriptures constantly. As the lists vary in length, the readings begin interweaving in constantly changing ways. You will NEVER read the same set of ten chapters together again!

Every year you’ll read through all the Gospels four times, the Pentateuch twice, Paul’s letters 4-5 times each, the OT wisdom literature six times, all the Psalms at least twice, all the Proverbs as well as Acts a dozen times, and all the way through the OT History and prophetic books about 1 ½ times. After you’ve read any particular book once or twice, your speed in that book usually doubles or triples because you’re familiar with it and can move quickly and confidently — because you are no longer merely decoding the text but thinking it through in the context of all of the scripture! Acts 20:27.

Even an ‘average’ reader, if focusing on moving through the text, rather than trying to figure everything out, can usually do this in about an hour a day – 5-6 minutes per chapter. If it is taking you longer, then you are ‘reading wrong’ – stay relaxed, focus, and just keep it moving. After a few days it gets *much* easier; in a month it will be a habit, and in six months you’ll wonder how you ever survived before on such a slim diet of the WORD. I began in 1983 as a new Christian and have now read (most of) the Bible hundreds of times. You also need to get ONE Bible, keep it, and do all your reading in it, so you learn where everything is. I’ve had the same Bible since 1983 and I know it intimately. If you keep switching Bibles, you ‘lose’ this intimacy with the text. Find a translation and format you like and stick with it. If your Bible is falling apart — you probably aren’t.

Your Bible is the only thing on Earth that, as you wear it out, will actually work better and better.

The Ten Lists

List 1 (89 days)
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
List 2 (187 days)
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
List 3 (78 days)
Romans, I&II Cor, Gal, Eph, Phil, Col, Hebrews
List 4 (65 days)
I&II Thess, I&II Tim, Titus, Philemon, James, I&II Peter, I,II&III John, Jude, Revelation
List 5 (62 days)
Job, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon
List 6 (150 days)
Psalms
List 7 (31 days)
Proverbs
List 8 (249 days)
Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I&II Samuel, I&II Kings, I&II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther
List 9 (250 days)
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah,
Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
List 10 (28 days)
Acts

SECRETS TO SUCCESS WITH THIS SYSTEM:

*Put these instructions in your Bible and review them from time to time*

• Read one chapter from each list each day, in one sitting or two. At the end of a book, go to the next book. At the end of the list – start it again. Do it in the order given above.

• Read quickly (without “speedreading”) in order to get the overall sense. Read as fast as you comfortably can with moderate retention. You’re not studying deeply or memorizing; shoot for 5-6 minutes per chapter. At the end of a chapter, move immediately to the next list.

• GET THROUGH THE TEXT – no dawdling, back-reading, looking up cross-references!

• There are different ‘kinds’ of reading: super-quick skimming, careful moderate-paced, studying the text, deep meditation. You should be between the first and second kind.

• Most people decrease their time spent and increase their retention after just two-three weeks! I now read and retain Matthew in 35 minutes, Romans in 20, Genesis in an hour!

• Don’t look up anything you ‘don’t get’ – real understanding will come through contextualizing by reading a LOT of scripture over time. Get through the text!

• If you miss a day or two – ok, get over it, then keep going. Don’t cover yourself in sackcloth and ashes and quit! Move the bookmarks along, to find your place(s) quickly next day.

Heb 4:12&5:11-14; Eph 5:26&6:17; Col 3:16; 2 Tim 3:16; Ps 119; Ezra 8; Prov 3: 1-2, 10:14; Dan 1

Taylor, Ruby L. No More Good-Byes. Pennsylvania: Joy Will Come Ministries, 2009. 100 pp. $24.99. Purchase at Amazon for $18.99 or less.

Introduction

Ruby Taylor took a tragedy from her life, the death of a close cousin, and has turned it into a ministry to help others cope with the loss of a loved one. She has a ministry, Joy Will Come, that offers help and support to those who are experiencing grief. She is a social worker and an educator who loves working with inner city children and adults. Ruby has an enthusiastic personality. She shows how to love the Lord with all your heart, mind, and soul while loving your neighbor as yourself.

Review of No More Good-Byes

More than a book to sit down and read, No More Good-Byes is a study resource designed to show those left behind to deal with the loss of a loved one just how God is speaking to them during this dark time in their life. The book begins with Ruby’s story of how losing her cousin led to the writing of this book and the founding of her ministry, Joy Will Come. It certainly helps to know that she is writing from experience and not from the isolated world of a home or church office.

The study is divided into three parts and is for twenty-one days though all three parts are not of equal length. In part one Ruby leads the reader down the process of grief and loss. She moves through the stages of grief and shows from Scripture how these stages are normal. Part two moves directly into reliance upon the Lord. In a time of loss, it is nice to know Who is with you. Finally, part three details how the life to come if far better than the life here and now.

Recommendation

Drenched in Scripture, Ruby leads her reader gently by the hand to see a God who is always there and who will never leave nor forsake you. She begins with the common man-centered understanding of dealing with grief and shows how that is all fine and well, but quickly points the reader to a greater hope in God our Savior through Christ our Lord.

With questions at the end of each day to allow for interaction and pages for journaling, Ruby Taylor has authored a nice resource that would serve pastors well to have on hand when it comes time for grief counseling in your congregation. It would also be a great resource for funeral directors to be able to offer to families when they are dealing with death and the inevitable questions that will ensue. You can order in bulk at generously discounted rates from her website.

Young, Sarah. Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2004. 382 pp. $14.99. Purchase at Amazon.com. Also, you can purchase the audio CD version from Amazon for $16.49.

Introduction

Jesus Calling was written by a young missionary woman seeking to feel the presence of God more. With a simple pen and pad of paper, Sarah began taking down notes. The Lord pressed certain scripture passages on her heart and she would meditate on them. What we have in this book is her meditations from a personal journal made into a daily devotional for men and women seeking to feel the presence of God closer in their lives.

Sarah and her husband have planted in churches in Japan and Australia as well as counseled countless men, women and families. They currently minister to Japanese people living in Perth, Australia.

Content of Jesus Calling

If there is one phrase that best sums up Jesus Calling it would have to be “Come to me.” Those are the first words that appear the most often at the beginning of one of the daily devotions. Each day the reader is called to draw closer to God. This beautifully echoes so many passages found in the book of Hebrews where the writer tells us to draw close to God to find grace and mercy (Heb. 4:16), so that intercession may be made for us (Heb. 7:19), and so that we are made perfect (Heb. 10:1).

Each devotional is written as though God was writing directly to the reader. For example, pronouns like “I” and “me” are used to refer to the writer of the devotion while “you” is used to refer to the reader. It is obvious the “I’s” and the “me’s” are not referring to Sarah, but to God. The reader really does feel as though they are engaging God in a conversation.

At the end of each devotion, there is a listing of scripture passages to read and meditate on. These are carefully selected to further the devotion and point you to the unchanging Word of God.

Recommendation

This devotional is God-centered, Christ-exalting, and soul-refreshing. This one-year, daily devotional would make a great gift for a Christian brother or sister. I am thinking especially of someone who is going through some seriously tough issues, and who ain’t these days, in life. I am thinking of the woman whose husband just left her with 3 kids and a house payment. I am thinking of the man who just lost his job and has no idea where to go next. There are numerous people in my own life that I can think to give this book to and I am sure there are in yours as well. If the book is not available at Amazon (it was not as of the writing of this review), then you can purchase it directly from Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Tripp, Paul David. A Shleter in the Time of Storm: Meditation on God and Trouble. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2009. 160 pp. $12.99. Purchase at Westminster Books for $8.96.

Introduction

Paul Tripp is no stranger to writing books of meditations. He has also written Crossway’s Whiter than Snow (read review) which is 52 meditations on Psalm 51. In addition to his books, he is the president of Paul Tripp Ministries and is on the pastoral staff at Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, PA. Read more…

Bryan, Hunter, & Harrison Hall.  Mano-A-Mano.  Xulon Press, 2009.  431 pp.  $22.99.  Purchase at Amazon.com for only $17.93.

Introduction to Mano-A-Mano

The men of the Hall family set down to write a devotional for men who are parents to teenage sons.  Bryan, the father,  serves as a deacon, small group Bible Study leader, a fourth grade Sunday School instructor, and is a member of the worship choir at Brentwood Baptist Church in Brentwood, TN. Hunter is a biology major at Bryan College while Harrison is a junior at Brentwood High School.  All three have participated in multiple missions trips. Read more…

Fitzpatrick, Elyse M. Comforts from the Cross: Celebrating the Gospel One Day at a Time. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2009. 146 pp. $14.99.

Elyse M. Fitzpatrick, head of Women Helping Women Ministries, holds a masters in biblical counseling from Trinity Theological School. She wrote this book of meditations in order to help us to truly celebrate the gospel each and every day for a month. This may seem silly, but if the truth were told, I bet more often than not Christians do not celebrate the gospel of Jesus Christ. Sadly, I often fall into this category more than I care to admit.

Fitzpatrick has written a month’s worth of devotional material to help keep you focused on the most important matter in one’s life: the saving truth of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection that is the gospel. In a style that I would describe as motherly, she sets out to show the centrality of the gospel and the joy found therein.

Brad Bigney, from his blurb on the back of the book, says, “The church today, particularly in America, has been languishing in selfish, impotent, shallow immaturity—barely able to survive, let alone thrive and make an impact on our culture.” Need I say more? This month long set of devotions will quicken your heart to love Christ for what He has done for you on the cross. In addition, you will be challenged—through your own joy in the gospel—to share it with others. If you struggle to find joy in the gospel, allow Elyse Fitzpatrick to help you. If you do not struggle, chances are you know someone who does; this book would make a perfect gift.

Storms, Sam. More Precious than Gold: 50 Daily Meditations on the Psalms. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2009. 282 pp. $15.99.

Sam Storms, founder of Enjoying God Ministries, has become in recent years an instrument used by God to show us His glory through the discipline of meditating on Scripture. In this volume, Storms focuses in on the Book of Psalms. In the preface, he calls the Psalter the “first among equals” in regards to the 66 books of the Bible.

In the Psalter, you can find just about every emotion imaginable from anger to apathy and hatred to hurt. This is why the Book of Psalms is perhaps the most beloved book of the entire Bible (generally speaking) among Christians.

This book of 50 meditations is breaks down the five books found within the Book of Psalms into six parts—book one is split between parts one and two. Obviously, not every Psalm is used in this meditation. I assume that if they were, the book would be more than a one year meditation on Psalms.

Also, not every Psalm that is used is treated like one might think. For example, it would be easy to camp in Psalm 119 for an entire week or even part of the book. However, Storms only offers one day to the longest chapter in of any book found in the Bible. On the other hand, Psalm 1:1-3 receives two days.

Through all 50 meditations, Sam Storms offers one common thread—the glory of God experience through His word. If you have read his previous meditative works (The Hope of Glory and To the One Who Conquers, then I do not need to tell you that this book of meditations should be on your shelf. If you have never read any of the meditations by Sam Storms you have been missing out on one of the great meditative writers of our generation.

Beals, Timothy J., The RED Letters: The Sayings and Teachings of Jesus. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2009. 160 pp. $16.99

Have you ever picked up a book not really expecting it to be what you thought it was going to be? Timothy J. Beals’ book is that book. The Red Letters was a delight to the soul. The concept of this book is to let Christ speak for Himself. The first half of the book takes a chronological look using J. Dwight Pentecost’s outline, at the life of Christ, in His own words, from His boyhood experience in the temple (Luke 2:49) to His Great Commission statement in Matthew 28:18-20.

The second half of the book is a systematic theology of what Christ said concerning various topics. These topics include the unity of the Father and the Son to consequences of not following Jesus. Choosing to let Christ’s words do all the talking, Beals adds no commentary other than to offer the context of what is being said in the chronological section.

At the beginning of the book, we are treated to the origin of what has become known the “red letter edition” Bibles. The only black letters in the body of the book include the parenthetical contextual notes and the referent of the verse being quoted. Beals used the English Standard Version. At the end of the book, there are ten blank pages left to write down one’s reflections if you have not already marked up your copy.

While we must always be careful when rearranging the text of Scripture, Timothy Beals offers a unique way to study the life of Jesus Christ. As I stated earlier, this book was a pleasant surprise and will be one book that I add to my annual reading list and one I will refer back to again and again as I seek to meditate on what would Jesus say. By all accounts, this is a book worth owning.

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus ed. Nancy Guthrie.  Wheaton:  Crossway Books, 2008.  142 pp. $12.99. Buy from Westminster Books

Note:  This is not a book review per se because of the genre of the book (devotional) and the seasonal nature of this devotional.

Christmas is that time of year when everyone gets rushed and hurried in the home, in the office, and in the shopping stores.  We go about our daily business with the addition of the Christmas festivities.  It is so easy to get caught up in it all and shove the real reason we celebrate Christmas to the back burner.  Nancy Guthrie has put together a book of 22 meditations from some of the pastoral giants of past and present.  (Joni Eareckson Tada is one of the contributors and is not included in the phrase ‘pastoral giants.’)

Read more…