Saturday 23 February 2013

Review: Towards a Powerful Inner Life [Being With God series] author Graham Cook


Book 5 of the Interactive Journal Being With God series.
"The Journey of Developing an internal Spirituality when overwhelmed by external circumstances" 

We are beings at war with ourselves. Inside each of us are 2 parts in conflict: a soul - otherwise known as the outer man - and a spirit - also known as the inner man. These 2 parts of the whole strive for complete control of who you are. Each desperately wants to run the show, but only one can. With the soul in control, we are ruled by our emotions and external circumstances. If we can learn to submit our outer man to our inner man, nothing from the outside world will be able to shake who we are in Christ. [Brilliant Bookhouse]

Great clarifications. New perspectives. Foundational essentials to living spiritually strong.
61 pages of Highly recommended, life changing reading. 

Interactive exercises included for practical life applications and furthering what has been learned are helpful additions.









Thursday 14 February 2013

Review: Pursuing Justice author Ken Wytsma with D.R. Jacobsen




Pursuing Justice by Ken Wytsma: Review 

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Pursuing Justice
author Ken Wytsma with D.R. Jacobsen
Publisher Thomas Nelson Feb.13
Since the delivery service arrived at my door this week bearing this review package, I've been working my way through Ken Wytsma's debut writing success, Pursuing Justice.  Considering today is Valentine's Day, at this point I will say Ken's discussion of the 'Love' connection alone, is worth picking up the book.  Here's the set up, abbreviated, but in Ken's words..
A "biblical concept of justice has a lot of shared space with synonyms such as lovemercy, charity... Justice is a sum of many parts.."  All flowing from the very heart of God.  From that heart flowed Love toward us, humankind.  God's only begotten son, Love.  Yet in the interpretation of culture, that Gift, that Love, has been lost in translation.
Love today, as described by Ken, is " an intensity of desire and longing."  In essence, the more I want something, the more I love it."
This, vs Yeshua's version of loving others, as He exampled Love to us.  The distinguishing characteristic of His Love visible via His followers is to be our life laid down for our friends.  Open hearted giving.  Loving in deed and Truth, not in empty words.  " for Jesus, the metric of love is sacrifice.  The irony, then, is that without our noticing, the meaning of love has been replaced with the definition of lust
measured by 
intensity of desire or longing....  the converse of its original significance.  Our culture’s concept of love is primarily self-driven and pleasure-seeking."   A temporary state.  At odds with the depth and focus of self-giving Love exemplified and characteristic of Christ's call to Love.  
"Love that is identified primarily by the intensity of its longing or its desire isn’t love—it’s lust. And actions that demonstrate an ongoing willingness to sacrificially serve others are, by Jesus’ definition, love.  We think we love when we ache with passion; for Jesus, the measure is sacrificial action."

On this annual date with Love, may our actions of Love support our words of Love ...  

May today be a truly Happy Valentine's Celebration!


*Full Discussion Guide for Pursuing Justice available for free direct download HERE plus
  DOWNLOAD DISCIPLESHIP LESSONS AND ACTIVITIES FOR PARENTS AND KIDS FOR EACH CHAPTER




With appreciation to Thomas Nelson for providing a review copy without obligation in exchange for sharing my perspective.