SO YOU THINK YOUR FAMILY IS A MOTLEY CREW

Wednesday, May 08, 2013

My mother passed away when I was elven years old and I went to live with my sister and her husband.

Two of my brothers and their wives would drive a hundred miles every few week-end to visit with me.

When my brother-in-law saw them coming he would call out to my sister, "The damn Ditmores are here."

That always infuriated me!

But I guess the truth is that most of us think our relatives are a pretty motley crew.

Consider these thoughts from Leonard Sweet:

When we peel back the genealogy of our Lord from both Mary and Joseph's sides, we come to a startling revelation. God the Father chose some of the worst examples in human history to be blood kin to the Son of God Himself. Consider the Lord's kinfolk:

* Judah--a Jew who had sex with his daughter-in-law, thinking she was a prostitute
* Tamar--a Gentile who bore two sons out of incest
* Rahab--a Canaanite prostitute
*Ruth--A Moabite (the Moabites' lineage began with incest between Lot and one of his daughters
*David--a king who committed adultery and murder
*Bathsheba--a woman who committed adultery

Can you imagine a more embarrassing lineage? It's certainly no lineage suited for a king. Yet these were the ancestors of the spotless, holy Son of God. ...This was no accident. It was the sovereign choice of a sovereign God, who chose each of these people to be the blood kin to our Lord.

This poses good news for every child of God

(The thoughts of Leonard Sweet were taken from JESUS--A Theography by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola)

7 MEN AND THE SECRET OF THEIR GREATNESS

7 MEN
AND THE SECRET OF THEIR GREATNESS
By Eric Metaxas

OVERVIEW: SEVEN MEN offers answers in the captivating stories of some of the greatest men who have ever lived. In this gallery of greatness, seven historical figures come to life as real people who experienced struggles and challenges that probably would have destroyed the resolve of most other men. Having heroes and role models was always tremendously important for society, but in the last few decades this has changed, with seriously troubling results. Eric Metaxas says it's time to reverse the trend. With vitality and warmth, the New York times best-selling author restores to the reader a sense of the heroic―the idea that certain lives are worthy of emulation.

AUTHOR: Eric Metaxas is the author of New York Times #1 bestseller and ECPA "Book of the Year" Bonhoeffer, the bestseller Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery, and more than thirty other books. He is currently the voice of BreakPoint, a radio commentary broadcast on 1,400 radio outlets with an audience of 8 million. Metaxas was the keynote speaker at the 2012 National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, DC, and was awarded the Canterbury Medal in 2011 by the Becket Fund for Religious Freedom. Metaxas has written for Veggie Tales, Chuck Colson, and the New York Times. He currently lives in New York with his wife and daughter.

MY REVIEW: I can give no better recommendation for this book than to quote author, Oz Guinness who said, "This is a book to read, to read aloud to others, and then read again. In a day when children are growing up stunted because of our diet of empty-headed celebrities and contemptible villains, true heroism and manliness need special nourishment. Eric Metaxas had done it again, and again we are in his debt."

This is a splendid book and I highly recommend it. Metaxas writes about seven great men: George Washington, William Wilberforce, Eric Liddell, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Jackie Robinson, Pope John Paul II, and Charles W. Colson.

After hearing Eric Metaxas speak on television and at our church and then reading his marvelous book, Bonhoeffer, I couldn't wait to get my hands on 7 Men. I was not disappointed. Eric Metaxas is rapidly becoming one of my favorite authors.

This is a book that I would like to give to every teenager―but not just teenagers. This is a book for all of us. We need positive role models. Metaxas writes about great men that lived inspirational lives. By looking at those lives we become inspired to live better lives ourselves.

I suggest you get this book and then pass it on. We all need to be inspired!

(I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson (BookSneeze) for this review.)

FALLING IN LOVE WITH GOD

Wednesday, May 01, 2013

FALLING IN LOVE WITH GOD
By Bob Hostetler

OVERVIEW: Drawing from the ancient love story of Hosea, a prophet whose life and prophecy map how to fall in love with God, Falling In Love With God will fulfill the desires of all who long for a different-or deeper-relationship with God. This thoroughly biblical book will help and bless all who long or love God with all their hearts...but just aren't sure why they don't, if they could, or how it happens.

AUTHOR: Bob Hostetler is a writer, editor, and speaker from southwestern Ohio. His thirty books have sold over three million copies. He has won two God Medallion Awards, four Ohio Associated Press Awards, and an Amy Foundation Award. He is co-founder of Cobblestone Community Church in Oxford, Ohio. He and his wife Robin have two grown children, Aubrey and Aaron.

MY REVIEW: Kendra Smiley, speaker and author of Live Free says Falling In Love With God will help you fall in love with God over and over and over and over again. I agree!

Bob Hostetler is becoming one of my favorite writers. He writes in such an inspiring way that you want to keep reading―even when you don't have the time. I have read the book of Hosea many times and preached several sermons from this Old Testament Book. I never preached any as good as the ones in this book. Hostetler has written his own personal paraphrase of Hosea and uses it as the primary text throughout this book. For me, and I hope for you, his paraphrase helps to reduce confusion for today's reader―those of us living in a modern world far removed from Old Testament times. He has written prayers at the end of chapters three through eleven. Sincerely praying these prayers will make you a partner with the Holy Spirit in bringing about not just "head improvement" but "heart movement." And heart movement is the purpose of this book.

(I received this book for free from Leafwood Publishers for this review.)

GREEN BEANS & ICE CREAM―The Remarkable Power Of Positive Reinforcement

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

GREEN BEANS & ICE CREAM
The Remarkable Power Of Positive Reinforcement
By Bill Sims Jr.

OVERVIEW: Green Beans & Ice Cream is the culmination of nearly thirty years work in the area of positive reinforcement and employee motivation/behavior change at large and small North American firms. This book will teach you how to pinpoint the behaviors you want from others and positively reinforce them immediately when you see them. That means deciding what you want people to do. Then focusing on the behaviors that drive the results you need.  Green Beans & Ice Cream will help you find specific things to reinforce positively every day in the actions of people whom you live and work.

AUTHOR: Bill Sims, Jr., is president of The Bill Sims Company, Inc. For nearly 30 years, Bill has created behavior-based recognition programs that have helped large and small firms to deliver positive reinforcement to inspire better performance from employees and increase bottom line profits. Bill has delivered his "Green Beans & Ice Cream" leadership workshop and keynote speeches in Europe, the Middle East, most of the USA, Australia and many parts of Africa.

MY REVIEW: Joe Rea who is Operations Manager at Pacific Aluminum in Gladstone, Australia said, "This is a must read if you're serious about achieving sustainable behavior change with your team." And I agree.

"Human behavior has been a subject of discussion since man emerged from the dust." Understanding behavior presents a big challenge. But the rewards are tremendous if we can just do it. I spent fifty years working in full-time ministry with the church. I was trying to change behavior. Many people assume that culture is what it is, and can never be changed. At best, they will say that culture change requires a long time. Bill Sims, Jr. believes culture can be changed and that it doesn't take a long time. He give many examples to prove his point. He says that all we have to do to change culture is to change behavior. And that is what this book is about―changing behavior. If you are a parent, husband, wife, teacher, boss, supervisor, professor, cop, or anything else in life, what you often want from the people around you is behavior change. Read this book. It will help!

(I received this book for free from The Cadence Group for this review.)

REASONS FOR BELIEF― Easy-to-Understand Answers to 10 Essential Questions

Wednesday, April 03, 2013

REASONS FOR BELIEF
Easy-to-Understand Answers to 10 Essential Questions
By Norman L. Geisler and Patty Tunnicliffe

OVERVIEW: Trusted theologian and bestselling author Norman Geisler teams up with teacher'speaker Patty Tunnicliffe to provide concrete, step-by-step reasons for why Christians believe what they do. Organized around the most basic questions of faith, Reasons for Belief offers clear evidence for the existence of God, the reliability of the Bible, Jesus' resurrection, and more.

Do you know what you believe...and why? Regardless of your age or experience, if you're looking for clear, easy-to-understand answers to the questions: 1. How can you know God exists? 2. Why should you trust the Bible? 3. How can you be sure Jesus is the Son of God? and others, this is  the book for you.

AUTHORS: Norman L. Geisler (PhD, Loyola University of Chicago) is distinguished professor of Apologetics and Theology at Veritas Evangelical Seminary in Murrieta, California. He is the author of some 80 books, including the Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics. He and his wife live in Charlotte, North Carolina. Patty Tunnicliffe (MA, Southern Evangelical Seminary) is a former public school teacher, Bible teacher, and conference speaker. She and her husband make their home in Santa Barbara, California.

MY REVIEW: "Whether you're a curious skeptic or a believer wanting to learn how to defend your faith, Reasons for Belief will give you the answers you're looking for."

During a ministry covering fifty years I acquired a huge library. Many of those books helped me answer the question, "Why are you a Christian." Not every Christian has access to such a library. This small book will be of great benefit to those wanting answers to the basic questions surrounding one's faith. Many times we are challenged with statements like, "God does not exist," "Miracles don't happen," "The New testament's many errors make it unreliable," "Jesus did not rise from the dead," "Christianity is too narrow. There are many ways to God besides Jesus," and others.

I agree with Paige Patterson from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, who said, "Reasons for Belief is vintage Geisler―crisp, correct, concise, and courageous. Written for the Christian who needs answers, not encyclopedias."

( I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers for this review.)

ALTAR EGO―BECOMING WHO GOD SAYS YOU ARE

Tuesday, April 02, 2013

ALTAR EGO―Becoming Who God Says You Are 
By Craig Groeschel

OVERVIEW: Altar Ego will help you discover how to trade in your broken ego and unleash your altar ego to become a living sacrifice. It will help you know your true identity for the first time. You will grow in Christlike character, be bold in your behavior, in your prayers, in your obedience. Alter Ego reveals who God says you are, and then calls you to live up to it.

AUTHOR: Craig Groeschel is the founding and senior pastor of LifeChurch.tv, a pacesetting multicampus church and creators of the popular and free YouVersion Bible App. He is the author of several books, including Soul Detox, Weird, The Christian Atheist, and It. Craig, his wife, Amy, and their six children live in Edmond, Oklahoma.

MY REVIEW: We are not very far into this year, but I have the feeling Altar Ego may be one of the most helpful books I read and reviewed this year. Helpful, not just for me, but for everybody who reads it. It reminded me in a forceful way that my true identity is found in Christ, not in what others think of me.

I like what author and pastor Kyle Idleman said, "Most of us would like to change a few things about our lives, but Craig Groeschel helps us understand that we can't have a new life until we have a new identity in Christ. Once we let Jesus tell us who we are, it changes what we do."

These words from the back of the book sum up my feelings about Altar Ego: "Instead of living with an ego that is outward-driven and based on other people's approval, discover how to live with your altar ego―the truth of who you are in Christ. His masterpiece. Created perfectly  in his image to do what he planned in advance for you to do."

(I received this book for free from BookSneeze for this review.)