Saturday, April 20, 2019

Delivered by Beth Moore

This pocket-sized book, "derived from material previously published in Get Out of That Pit," contains the essential excerpts from that earlier work, making it lean and mean, so to speak. Pared down, it effectively addresses how to work with God when we find ourselves in sin or dogged by sinful attitudes, such as resentment or bitterness, which Beth Moore calls "pits". The author addresses the three ways we get into pits: we are thrown into, slip into, or jump into them. Her next three chapters address how to get out in three steps (cry out, confess and consent), waiting on God, and making up your mind. After deliverance, a new song will result, and you can learn to live without pits. Beth Moore's writing is clear, concise and on target. She is often very funny, and I found her illustrations to be on the money. I highly recommend this book. It would be a worthwhile reread a couple of times a year to remind myself of how to stay in a victorious walk with God. I received this book for free in exchange for my unbiased review through the Thomas Nelson Booksneeze Program.

Thursday, April 4, 2019

The Book of Signs by Dr. David Jeremiah

Subtitled "31 Undeniable Prophecies of the Apocalypse," this outstanding book lays out in a clear, engaging format the author's interpretation of what is commonly called The End Times. It should be stated that it is presented from an unwaveringly pre-Tribulational, pre-Millennial view, which, I should make clear, is also mine; since that is so, I naturally would have no argument with the author's perspective. Since the author's aim is to present his view, there is no discussion of other viewpoints with regard to the events or their sequence. If the reader is hoping to evaluate varying viewpoints in one volume, then this is not that book. For those wishing to have in one source a pre-Tribulational, pre-Millennial view of what is to come, you can do no better than this book as a refresher course of future events, especially if you are acquainted with eschatology, prophetic Old Testament books, and Revelation. The Book of Signs is not an apologetic (that is, a defense of doctrine) work; it is a presentation of one doctrinal perspective. It was very well researched, citing many other respected theologians, sometimes reaching back many years for their works, and used Scripture quotations extensively. Each chapter, beginning with an engaging story meant to capture your attention and make you want to read more, progresses with helpful sections and subsections which help make the book eminently readable. Jeremiah was schooled in a time when alliteration was encouraged as a preaching tool, and it shows. For example, in the chapter "Heaven," the sections are entitled, "The Prominence of Heaven," "The Plurality of Heaven," "The Place Called Heaven," and "The Preciousness of Heaven." This method permeates the book. While the tone of the book is didactic, it is also intended to comfort believers and challenge unbelievers; each chapter focuses on these two things in its closing paragraphs. This was one of the best books on prophecy I have read; it is one I will reread periodically. I did notice a couple of typos: on page 81, it says, "He gave every single one to the hospital, more than $200,000 dollars in all"; and on page 272, it says Adolf Eichmann was a "principle" (rather than "principal") player in the Nazi persecution. I received this book for free in exchange for my unbiased review through the Thomas Nelson Booksneeze Program.