An Unsolicited Book Review

Are you looking for a “summer read”? I just had to share this. (This is a completely unsolicited book review.)

I want to encourage you to read “Journey in Discipleship – Living the Spirit-filled Life”. Many of the readers of this blog are associated with the Holston Conference of the UMC (or have close personal ties with Holston). Rev. Petty is the pastor at George Street UMC in Jefferson City, TN. But this is not a “denominational” book. This is a book for believers!

Reading Ray’s “personal journey” through this book made it worth the read, but the teaching is superb as well!

I read the book through in about a week, and immediately started back at the beginning with pencil firmly in hand! The book is designed for small group study with a study section in the back, but is a great book for personal study.

It is not the best written book I’ve ever read (for all you English majors out there) but it IS one of the very best books “content-wise” I’ve ever read. The book is available from Rev. Petty. His contact info is raypetty(at)hotmail(dot)com (or e-mail me for his phone number.) The cost is $15.00, but I don’t know about shipping cost.

It would be well worth your time to read it. (Don’t fill your brain with “rot” this summer, feed your soul!)

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It’s Christmas Again!!!!!

I just purchased 4 new books from Christian Book Dealers! Check them out!

It’s Still Greek to Me: An Easy-to-Understand Guide to Intermediate Greek By David Alan Black / Baker This is a guide to grammar for second-year Greek students that’s easy to understand and enjoyable to read. Written by respected Greek scholar David Alan Black, It’s Still Greek to Me is organized according to the way language is actually used and incorporates humor to make important points. Engaging, accessible, and comprehensive, this volume takes the drudgery out of learning intermediate Greek.

Text-Driven Preaching: God’s Word at the Heart of Every Sermon By Edited by Daniel L. Akin, David L. Allen & Ned L. Mathews / B&H Academic em>Text-Driven Preaching features essays by Daniel L. Akin, Paige Patterson, David Alan Black, Jerry Vines, Hershael York, David L. Allen, Bill Bennett, Ned L. Mathews, Robert Vogel, and Jim Shaddix urging pastors to commit to presenting true expository preaching from the pulpit. Concerned over what some church leaders even consider to be expository preaching today, they agree, “This book rests firmly on the biblical and theological foundation for exposition: God has spoken.”Capturing the urgency and spirit of these writings in the book’s preface, co-editor Allen notes, “The church today is anemic spiritually for many reasons, but one of the major reasons has to be the loss of biblical content in so much of contemporary preaching. Pop psychology substitutes for the Word of God . . . in the headlong rush to be relevant, People magazine and popular television shows have replaced Scripture as sermonic resources.”

Tozer on the Holy Spirit By Compiled by Marilynne E. Foster / Wingspread Publishers A powerful collection of 366 meditations excerpted from Tozer’s timeless writings. Here he shares his passionate perspective on the devotional, inspirational, and practical role of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life. Each daily entry includes Scriptures and source references. A treasure-trove of biblical wisdom and insight! 432 pages, softcover from WingSpread.

24 Hours That Changed the World By Adam Hamilton / Abingdon Press No single event in human history has received more attention than the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth. In this book, Adam Hamilton guides us through the last twenty-four hours of Jesus’ life. Each chapter is designed to help the reader experience and understand the significance of Jesus’ suffering and death in a way you have never done before. Whether readers are long-time Christians or simply curious about the story of Christ’s crucifixion, they are invited to join the author in retracing the last 24 hours of Jesus’ life. Hardcover.

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Preserving Democracy: What The Founding Fathers Knew, What We Have Forgotten, & How It Threatens Democracy

I have been asked to read and review a book for Energion Publications. The title is “Preserving Democracy What the Founding Fathers Knew, What We Have Forgotten, & How It Threatens Democracy.”

You can find out more about the book at http://www.preservingdemocracy.com/  It will open your eyes and quicken your heartbeat.

I’ve just started reading the book, and I can hardly lay it down! I am learning things that make my jaw drop. For instance, I never knew who (or what) Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac were. Did you know that  because Fannie Mae had no competition, the government created Freddie Mac simply for the competition?

This would be like my saying, “Well, there are no other caners in the area, and since I have no competition, I need to create another company so that I can have competition…” This makes you want to scratch your head and say, “Huh?”

This book is an enjoyable read (from the standpoint of readability) however, it is disturbing to read from the standpoint of the facts.

This is not a “Republican” book nor a “Democrat” book. It is an “American” book! You NEED to read it.

Abraham Lincoln called America “…the last best hope of earth.”  Friends, time is running out…

I will post more as I continue to read the book.

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