‘Mirror Ball: Living Boldly and Shining Brightly for the Glory of God’ by Matt Redman – Book Review

One of my favorite Christian singer/songwriters is Matt Redman. I had the pleasure of reading his wife, Beth’s, book ‘God Knows My Name: Never Forgotten, Forever Loved’ last year (you can read my review here). So when I was presented the opportunity to read his latest book, ‘Mirror Ball,’ I knew I wanted to take advantage!

Here is the synopsis of this book:

Passion is more than a song or a feeling. It’s a story of guts and glory, perseverance and purpose. For anyone who follows Jesus, passion is a way of life. But how do we live out this grand calling?

In Mirror Ball, worship leader and songwriter Matt Redman reminds us it’s never too late to live a big life. We are wide-eyed worshippers, stunned by a glorious God and living life with high expectations of all we can become in Him.

When the wonder of God really takes hold on the inside, a life of worship explodes out in every possible direction. Mirror Ball is a call to get a great big view of Jesus and then live as boldly and brightly as we can for His honor.

You may never be the same….

Here is the biography of this author:

Matt Redman is married to Beth and they have five children: Maisey, Noah, Rocco, Jackson, and Levi. Based in Brighton, England, they are part of St. Peter’s, a new church planted out of Holy Trinity Brompton in London. They are excited about the challenge of working in a city that is currently one of the most unchurched in the UK. Previously they were a part of Passion City Church in Atlanta with pastors Louie and Shelley Giglio, and they continue to work alongside the Passion movement.

Matt has been leading worship full-time since the age of twenty, and this journey has taken him to countries such as South Africa, Japan, India, Australia, Germany, Uganda, Croatia, and the Czech Republic.

His early compositions include such songs as “The Heart of Worship,” “Better is One Day,” and “Once Again.” More recent songs have included “Blessed Be Your Name” and “You Never Let Go,” both written with his wife, Beth, to encourage Christians to worship God through the storms of life. As Matt explained, “’Blessed Be Your Name’ is a declaration of something that we’ve both found to be true in the tough seasons of life – that to worship God and trust Him no matter what is always the best path to take. The song ‘You Never Let Go’ takes up the same theme – it starts off with some thoughts from Psalm 23 and reminds us that no matter what we come across in life, there is a God who is in control, closer than we could ever know, and holding us.” Most recently, Matt has written songs such as “You Alone Can Rescue” with regular cowriter Jonas Myrin and “Our God” with Myrin, Chris Tomlin, and Jesse Reeves.  

Matt is also the author of several books, which all center around the theme of worship. The Unquenchable Worshipper unpacks what a healthy heart of worship might look like and how that translates into the lives we lead. Facedown explores how we can paint a big picture of God through both our songs and actions. The third book, Blessed Be Your Name, coauthored with Beth, is an encouragement to trust in the sovereignty and goodness of God, even when doing so seems costly. Matt has also compiled two other books – The Heart of Worship Files and Inside-Out Worship – both of which contain practical worship-leading advice from many experienced leaders from around the globe.

If you’ve never had the pleasure of hearing one of Matt’s powerful songs, here is one of my favorites, ‘Nothing But the Blood:’

Matt is very passionate about taking action in our faith. He explains that that is also what Jesus expected:

After the events of the cross and resurrection, Jesus meets with Peter, and the lessons in love continue. Following the disciple’s failure to acknowledge Jesus on the day of His death, the risen Savior has a question for Him: “Do you truly love me?” (John 21:15).

He goes on to ask the same question two more times. And then after each time Peter answers, “You know that I love you,” Jesus urges him, “Feed my sheep” (vv. 15-17). There are many themes and ideas implied in His words here, but one of them surely is a call to action. For we can tell Christ we love Him again and again and again – we can whisper it, shout it, or sing it. But in the end, only a life of devotion will breathe meaning into these words. Jesus tells Peter how he can put his spoken declarations of love into action – “Feed my sheep.” And from that moment on we witness Peter doing just that – faithfully ministering to the people of God as his act of worship. He completes the integrity of his spoken responses with an obedient and consistent life. (p. 36)

This book came to me at a low period in my faith. It contains really valuable truths, including this reminder of God’s grandness:

If we live our lives with low expectations in God, we will rob ourselves of a fulfilled life and massively dilute the honor that is due Him. If instead we can step into the realm of faith, we will bring pleasure to the heart of God and enjoy the wonder of adventuring in His purposes. When God has spoken to us, we can be sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not yet see. (p. 57)

Here is another important reminder:

In a world where all others may falter or fail, Jesus remains constant. When we are inconsistent, still He remains utterly dependable and steadfast. Life is ever fragile and changeable, but He alone stands solid and secure. Our God is unshakeable, unchanging, unwavering, unfading, unfaltering, unswerving, and unending. He announces His faithfulness and is never found to be lacking. He is the spotless and unfailing King of glory. He is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. He illuminates situations. He beautifies lives. He exposes and expels darkness. He brightens the path of those who seek Him. Whenever He radiates His glory, nothing stays the same. For now and all eternity, our God is everything He says He is. (pp. 72-73)

Only a person who truly knows the Lord would be able to write a passage like that!

I love this convicting paragraph:

If you meet a Christian whose story is dull, reserved, and devoid of action, then there’s something seriously wrong. God designed us to be fascinated with life, never bored with it. We are called to take great delight in looking outwardly and not simply living inwardly. We are to be characterized by hope and joy, not dragged down by cynicism and apathy. The kingdom life should flow with surprises and mark us with freedom and adventure. (p. 89)

Here is one more amazing revelation:

There is more going on around us than we could ever realize. God is at work. He is not distant, dormant, or docile. He never sleeps and never grows tired or weary. He is the powerful, promise-keeping and change-breathing God. The doors He opens no one can close, and the doors He closes cannot be opened. His words never return to him empty. He is always at work in you and all around you. The one who wove together the intricacies of this universe gets up close and personal and cares about the details of your situation. He is powerful and present; He is interested and involved. We must not exist merely on a diet of what we see reported on TV, what Internet blogs say, or what local conversations tell us. We must look up and see His bigger picture. (p. 99)

Often in this fallen world, we need a reminder that God is always near. We also need to remember that our actions here have an impact on eternity:

We soon begin to see that our everyday moments can count for something eternally. We walk this earth with one eye on the horizon – aware of all that’s going on around us in this world and in our individual situations – but knowing that God is working out His everlasting purposes. We will not become spiritual mystics unable to connect those heavenly scenes with our earthly existences – actually, quite the opposite. We will get a grip on the greatest reality of all, seeing destiny at work in the daily, and the eternal injected into the everyday. We will then walk in the knowledge that the sovereign One is unveiling His marvelous plans all around us and that even one act of compassion, one gospel-centered conversation, or one prayer of intercession could have eternal consequences in the life of someone we meet. In faith we start to believe that the salvation, hope, healing, and rescue of Jesus can break into the lives of our friends, families, or colleagues at any moment. (p. 103)    

This book is a quick read – but it’s rich, as are his songs. The book includes a Discussion Guide at the end. The Discussion Guide is explained this way:

This guide uses each chapter of Mirror Ball and many of Matt’s songs – including some of the very newest songs from his album, 10,000 Reasons – as a launching pad into honest discussion of the ideas, challenges, and biblical themes raised. If you’re going through this guide with a group, your spouse, or a friend, try to remain open, honest, and compassionate in your discussion, and if you feel comfortable, pray through each session before your begin. (p. 109)

I really appreciate Matt’s heart for the Lord, and how he shares it with all of us!

You can order this book here.

This book was published by David C. Cook and provided by the B & B Media Group for review purposes.

‘The Wiersbe Bible Study Series: Nehemiah – Standing Firm in the Face of Opposition’ by Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe – Book Review

One of the most prolific authors of the Twentieth and Twenty-First Century in the field of Christian studies is Dr. Warren Wiersbe. I have read many of them! The latest ‘The Wiersbe Bible Study Series: Nehemiah – Standing Firm in the Face of Opposition.’

Here is the synopsis of this book:

Overcome the impossible. The life of Nehemiah is an inspiring testament to the power of determination. Years after Jerusalem’s defeat by Babylon, the Jewish people returned to their land only to discover a city left in ruins. Surrounded by enemies, Nehemiah finds himself tasked with an overwhelming charge: to rebuild the walls of his beloved city. This bible study examines Nehemiah’s remarkable journey from the everyday to the extraordinary and explores the unique power found in perseverance.

The Wiersbe Bible Study Series explores timeless wisdom found in God’s Word. Based on Dr. Wiersbe’s popular “BE” series, each study provides topical, relevant insights from selected books of the Bible. Structured for small groups, this eight-week study features selected commentaries from Be Determined, engaging questions, and practical applications, all designed to help you connect God’s Word into your life.

Here is the author’s biography:

Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe is an internationally known Bible teacher and the former pastor of The Moody Church in Chicago.  For ten years he was associated with the Back to the Bible radio broadcast, first as Bible teacher and then as general director. Dr. Wiersbe has written more than 160 books, including the “BE” series of Bible commentaries, which have sold more than four million copies. He and his wife, Betty, live in Lincoln, Nebraska. 

In the Introduction to Nehemiah, Dr. Wiersbe introduces us to this powerful man of God:

Nehemiah was the kind of person who cared. He cared about the traditions of the past and the needs of the present. He cared about the hopes for the future. He cared about his heritage, his ancestral city, and the glory of his God.

In my estimation, when it comes to leadership, Nehemiah stands with Old Testament heroes like Moses, Joshua, and David. It has done my heart good to study this book afresh and learn from Nehemiah the secrets of resolute leadership and successful service. I trust that reading these chapters will increase your own determination to serve God faithfully and finish your ministry with joy. (pp. 7-8)

The book is broken down into eight lessons:

1.   A Caring Attitude (Nehemiah 1-2)

2.   Workers (Nehemiah 3-4)

3.   Selfishness (Nehemiah 5)

4.   Pressures and Testing (Nehemiah 6-7)

5.   People of the Book (Nehemiah 8)

6.   Grace (Nehemiah 9)

7.   Dedication (Nehemiah 10)

8.   Sacrifice and Promises (Nehemiah 11-13)

There is also a bonus lesson, which includes a summary and review.

Each chapter has sections entitled ‘Getting Started’ and ‘Going Deeper,’ which come from the corresponding Wiersbe commentaries (in this case, ‘Be Determined’). Each chapter also features sections entitled ‘Looking Inward,’ ‘Going Forward,’ and ‘Seeking Help.’ They include insightful and challenging 

questions that allow us to study the particular sections of Scripture.

In Lesson 3 on Selfishness, I was challenged by this series of questions about leadership:

In what way was Nehemiah a good example as a leader and as a follower of God? Why is it critical for leaders to set good examples? What happens to organizations when leaders live out the “do as I say, not as I do” axiom instead? Is it fair to hold leaders to a higher standard than followers? What is the follower’s role in helping leaders become good examples? (p. 51)

My husband, Fred, loves to read books on leadership. He is a fairly new Christian (about ten years), and he has not read the book of Nehemiah in depth. I think this is the perfect study to learn more about Godly principles of leadership and service. I intend to study this with him; we can all learn more about those two important topics!

The chapters also include sections ‘From the History Books,’ which provide history tidbits with which one may be unaware. In Lesson 6 on Grace, Dr. Wiersbe shares this pertaining to Nehemiah 9:

The feasts and celebrations noted in Nehemiah probably most resemble the tent meetings of preachers such as John Wesley (1703-1791), Peter Cartwright (1785-1872), and Billy Sunday (1862-1935). These events drew huge crowds to meetings that were largely evangelistic but also often served as revival celebrations intended to spark new fervor in local congregations. While tent meetings have mostly faded into history, the most well-known evangelist of all, Billy Graham, continues to draw large crowds to stadiums. (p. 95)

I have reviewed several other Dr. Wiersbe’s books on my blog: ‘Be Authentic: Exhibiting Real Faith in the Real World,’ reviewing the lives of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (you can read my review here), ‘The Wiersbe Bible Study Series: It’s Always Too Soon to Quit! – 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon’ by Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe – Book Review’ (you can read my review here), ‘Be Available: Accepting the Challenge to Confront the Enemy’ (Judges – OT Commentary) (you can read my review here), ‘Pause for Power: A 365-Day Journey Through the Scriptures,’ (the review is here) and ‘Jesus in the Present Tense: The I AM Statements of Christ’ (you can read my review here). I have found all of Dr. Wiersbe’s Bible studies and commentaries to be extremely insightful and encourage me to dig deeper into God’s Word. He has had quite a wonderful career, and his legacy will live on for all time. It is a privilege to have the opportunity to share his wisdom and insights by reading his many books.

You can order this book here.

This book was published by David C. Cook and provided by the B&B Media Group, Inc. for review purposes. 

‘Revise Us Again: Living From a Renewed Christian Script’ by Frank Viola – Book Review

It’s my observation that it is human nature to stick to the tried and true, to the familiar. This theory is backed up by Frank Viola in his new book, ‘Revise Us Again: Living From A Renewed Christian Script.’ His opinion is that we need to allow the Lord to recalibrate our thinking and to rewrite our life script.

Here is the synopsis of this insightful book:

Rescript Your Spiritual Life. Every person follows a script for living, a life guide that directs our behavior and shapes our choices. As believers, we find the original script for living woven throughout the Bible. Yet while the Christian message is simple, it can become complicated by our environment, our culture, and our religious ideas and traditions. For this reason, we are all in constant need of revising the scripts by which we live.

Author Frank Viola believes we need to revisit and revise what it means to live the Christian life. Drawing from his rich background in ministry, Viola examines ten key areas that impact every believer and explores fresh ways to revise them.

Conversational, insightful, and practical, Revise Us Again encourages us to examine those religious habits that we unconsciously pick up from others and rescript them with new habits that line up with our new nature in Christ.

Here is the biography of this author:

Frank Viola is a frequent conference speaker and author of numerous books on the deeper Christian life and radical church restoration. His books include the best-selling From Eternity to Here along with Pagan Christianity (coauthored with George Barna), Reimagining Church, Finding Organic Church, Jesus Manifesto (coauthored with Len Sweet), and The Untold Story of the New Testament Church. Frank’s website contains many free resources, including audio messages, an interactive blog, a quarterly eNewsletter, articles, and more. Frank and his family live in Gainesville, Florida.

Here is the book trailer:

In the Introduction, Mr. Viola shares what he hopes will happen after people read this book:

My hope is that the Holy Spirit of God, who writes not on tablets of stone but on tablets of our hearts, will use this book to help edit those religious habits that do not map to His heart, and in turn, begin rescripting us into the glorious image of Christ. (p. 11)

Mr. Viola focuses on ten areas in which our life script could use some possible 

revisions from the Lord:

1.    Revising the Lord’s Voice

2.    Revising Christianeze

3.    Revising Christian Code Language

4.    Revising Our Semantics

5.    Revising Our Message

6.    Revising Our Awareness of the Divine

7.    Revising Our Attitudes

8.    Revising Our Spiritual Expectations

9.    Revising the Holy Spirit’s Ministry

10. Revising Our Chief Pursuit

I was intrigued by a point Mr. Viola made in the chapter looking at Christian Code Language – specifically as it refers to a phrase used often by Christians, “Let me pray about it:”

I’m certainly not suggesting that we give up the practice of bringing things to the Lord’s attention and seeking His mind on them, especially those matters that are complex and where our response will affect the lives of others. But “let me pray about it” has become the universal answer that Christians give to undesired requests.

Forgive the personal illustration, but I think it may help some readers. When I have been faced with a crisis and I need the Lord’s precise guidance, I have set myself apart for three days to seek His face on the matter.

In every case, God has been faithful to give me clarity at some point during the three- day period. So I’m not against bringing vital matters before the Lord to discern His mind.

Such cases, however, are the exceptions. As Christians, we possess a mind (1 Cor. 2:16; Phil 2:5 NKJV). We possess a frame of reference where we know by instinct or wisdom what our responses should be in most situations. (p. 41)

I used that exact phrase with a friend who suggested I take on a responsibility. Now I am wondering what my motive was in relying on that thought process! I do see how that expression can be abused.

I found the most interesting chapter to be the one focusing on revising our attitudes:

Numerous things about the Christian life amaze me. One of them has to do with a phenomenon that has repeated itself throughout church history. I call it “being captured by the same spirit you oppose.” (p. 85)

He elaborates:

Those who are captured by the same spirit they oppose tend to impute the motives of their own hearts onto those who threaten them. Christian leaders who have inflated egos or deep insecurities are easily threatened by others. As a result, they will unwittingly read their own heart motives into the hearts of others.

Psychologists call this “projection.” I can’t face my own shortcomings and defects so I unconsciously project them onto other people. I accuse others of the very same dark things that are lurking deep within my own heart. (p. 89)

The Holy Spirit really convicted me when I read that section of the book…

Speaking of the Holy Spirit, Mr. Viola made an interesting point about placing too much emphasis on the Holy Spirit instead of on Christ:

To my mind, the Holy Spirit has but one job: to reveal, to make known, to magnify, to glorify, and to make central and supreme the Lord Jesus Christ. (p. 123)

In the chapter looking at revising our spiritual expectations, Mr. Viola makes an enlightening (pardon the pun!) point about night and day, and darkness and light:

So God’s beginnings start with evening. What we call the end of the day, God calls the beginning. In fact, every life-form begins in darkness. There are nine months of darkness for a human, and then the human sees light. At night when we are asleep, our bodies are resting and restoring, but we are unaware of it until morning. To put it another way, God’s beginnings are our nights. And what we call the end, He calls the beginning. (p. 103)

Mr. Viola goes on to share this principle: God takes away to establish, and what He establishes is always better than what He takes away (p. 101). 

Examples from the Bible include the lives of Job, Joseph, Moses and Aaron, and David. This principle culminates in the life of Jesus:

God took away the first man, Adam, and put him out of his misery. He then established the second man, Jesus Christ (Rom. 5-6; 1 Cor. 15:20-49).

Our first birth was a birth into Adam. We inherited his nature and incurred his judgment. So God rejects our first birth. It is our second birth – our new birth into Christ – our birth from above that God accepts. (p. 114)

He goes on to share this encouraging thought:

….[W]hen you are going through the dark night, remember: it’s not the end. It’s only the beginning. As high as God is going to elevate you is as deep as He digs to lay the foundation.

There is a spiritual principle that the Lord never gives anything, but that He first allows it to be lost. Jesus said that until you lose something, you can’t really have it (Matt. 16:25; Luke 6:38). God gives something first, then allows it to be taken away, that it may be given again. This is the principle of death and resurrection, and it is repeated all throughout Scripture. Ever notice all of those re-terms in the Bible: restoration, regeneration, restitution, recreation, rebirth, renewal, resurrection, revive, etc? (pp. 114-115)

He wraps up ‘Revise Us Again’ by reminding us of our freedom in Christ:

Thus the Christian life is rooted in liberty – the liberty that is in Jesus Christ (Gal. 5:1). This is a liberty that sets us free from trying to be good. It is also a liberty that sets us free from practicing evil. It is a liberty that brings us into a living knowledge of the One who indwells us – the One who happens to be the greatest Liberator in the universe as well as the Savior and Lord of the world.

So the next time you hear someone preach or teach, ask yourself, “What gospel am I hearing? Am I being exhorted to feel comfortable in my sin and justify it (libertinism)? Am I being exhorted to try harder to be a better Christian (legalism)? Or am I being presented with my beautiful Savoir, the Lord Jesus Christ, and reminded of my high standing in Him as a son or daughter of God (the gospel)? (p. 154)

Those are some great questions to ask! And blessed hope that we have been set free!  

I am really grateful to read books that challenge my thinking; ‘Revise Us Again’ certainly did that. It has been a while since I have read a book in the Christian Life category. I have been reading a lot of fiction lately; it is nice to get back to the real world with this book! Mr. Viola clearly writes with a heart for the Lord. He has sifted through all of the man-made additives to the Gospel, and has brought us back to the heart of it – Jesus Christ as Lord. I know that, personally, I need that reminder, with all of the distractions in this world, that He is all we need. I appreciate the fact that Mr. Viola wrote this book. It has redirected me back to the importance of Jesus, and away from all of the extraneous issues that take our focus away from Him. If you want to be challenged to revise your life script, read ‘Revise Us Again.’

You can order this book here.

This book was published by David C. Cook and provided by The B & B Media Group for review purposes.

‘Jesus in the Present Tense: The I AM Statements of Christ’ by Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe – Book Review

I am a voracious reader of any book written by Dr. Warren Wiersbe. The latest on my checked off list is ‘Jesus in the Present Tense: The I AM Statements of Christ.’

Here is the synopsis of this book:

God is in the present? Are you? Do you find yourself living in memories, imaginations, and fears more than in the current moment? As Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe writes, “My past may discourage me and my future may frighten me, but ‘the life I now live’ today can be enriching and encouraging because “Christ lives in me” (Gal 2:20).”

In Jesus in the Present Tense, Dr. Wiersbe explores the I AM statements of God – from His burning-bush conversation with Moses, to His powerful reassurances to the Israelites, to Jesus’ startling claims to be the Light of the World, the Good Shepherd, and the True Vine.

The better you understand God’s I AM statements from both the Old and the New Testaments and apply these truths to your life, the more you will abide in Christ and bear fruit for His glory today. Then you will be free to live, serve, and know God more richly in the present tense – which is just where  He wants you to be.

Here is the author’s biography:

Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe is an internationally known Bible teacher and the former pastor of The Moody Church in Chicago.  For ten years he was associated with the Back to the Bible radio broadcast, first as Bible teacher and then as general director. Dr. Wiersbe has written more than 160 books, including the “BE” series of Bible commentaries, which have sold more than four million copies. He and his wife, Betty, live in Lincoln, Nebraska. 

In the Foreword, Michael Catt, senior pastor of Sherwood Baptist Church and executive producer of Sherwood Pictures (‘Fireproof,’ ‘Facing the Giants,' and ‘Flywheel’) said this about this book:

Joy in the Present Tense is a reminder that our Lord is not a distant deity, nor is He just a figure of history. He is the living God, the great I AM. Dr. Wiersbe guides us through a practical and applicable study of these statements. While these statement are familiar, we often forget that they are for us today, not just for those who heard them in the first century.

When you read this book, you’ll love Jesus more. You’ll see how the divine life is intended to work itself out in daily living. Many books today seek to water down truth to make it more acceptable, but not this one. This book will stretch you to look to the Lord daily for all your needs.

In a day when many are offering cotton-candy theology, Warren Wiersbe takes us to the meat, break, milk and honey of the Word of God. The content is sound and scriptural. May the I AM speak to you, as He did to me. (p. 10)

In the Preface, Dr. Wiersbe explains the power of Jesus:

No leader, no author, no organization, and no set of religious disciplines can do for us what Jesus alone can do, if we let Him. Even the book you are now reading can merely point the way to Jesus. Divine truth becomes dynamic life only when we yield to Jesus by faith and follow Him. If the founders of the world’s philosophies and religious systems were alive on earth today, they could only say, “I was.” They are dead, and they can’t personally help you. Jesus doesn’t say “I was.” He is alive and says, “I AM.” He can meet our needs today. He is alive this very moment and offers us a satisfying spiritual life in the present tense. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb 13:8). Past history, present reality, and future certainty all unite today in Jesus Christ, the great I AM. (p. 11)

Dr. Wiersbe explains that God explains Himself to His people in the Old Testament:

         

In nine places in the Old Testament, the Lord “filled out” or “completed” the name I AM to reveal more fully His divine nature and His gracious ministry to His people:

·         Yahweh-Jireh:  The Lord will provide or see to it (Genesis 22:14)

·     Yahweh-Rophe: The Lord who heals (Exodus 15:26)

·     Yahweh-Nissi: The Lord our banner (Exodus 17:15)

·     Yahweh- M’Kaddesh: The Lord who sanctifies (Leviticus 20:8)

·     Yahweh-Shalom: The Lord our peace (Judges 6:24)

·     Yahweh-Rohi: The Lord our shepherd (Psalm 23:1)

·     Yahweh-Sabaoth: The Lord of hosts (Psalm 46:7)

·     Yahweh-Tsidkenu: The Lord our righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6)

·     Yahweh-Shammah: The Lord is there (Ezekiel 48:35) (pp. 20-21)

These names apply equally to Jesus.

The book goes on to detail all of the name with which Jesus referred to Himself: ‘The Bread of Life,’ ‘The Light of the World,’ ‘The Door,’ ‘The Good Shepherd,’ ‘The Resurrection and the Light,’ ‘The Way, the Truth, and the Life,’ ‘The True Wine,’ and ‘The Neglected I AM.’

I am involved with a women’s ministry entitled Gracestoration. It focuses on Jesus as the Good Shepherd. So I will focus on that chapter. Dr. Wiersbe explains why Jesus called Himself the Good Shepherd:

Jesus calls Himself “the Good Shepherd” because He is the genuine shepherd in contrast to the false shepherds and hired hands who over the centuries had exploited God’s people. Remember that civil rulers such as kings, princes, and governors were called shepherds, even though many of them were like wolves and robbers (Isa. 56:9-12; Ezek. 34). The promised Messiah was to be a loving shepherd (Isa. 40:9-11; Ezek. 34:20-24), and Jesus is that Messiah. The word translated “good” in “good shepherd” carries the meaning of “noble, praiseworthy, desirable, and pleasing to God.” Jesus qualifies. (pp. 81-82)

Dr. Wiersbe goes on to discuss how the shepherd is very aware of each of his sheep: he owns them, he knows them, he calls them, he cares for them, and he gathers his flock. Jesus engages in all of these activities with His church.

Dr. Wiersbe encourages us that the Godhead is still active today:

History is so often being rewritten these days that we may not know exactly what has happened in the past; and since we are not omniscient, we cannot predict the future accurately. However, there is still good news: Right now, in this present hour, God gives us the privilege of making decisions that may alter some of the consequences of the past and also help establish some exciting new directions for the future. “I tell you, now it’s the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2). Now! Today!

God wants His children to live a day at a time, in the present tense, trusting in His guidance and grace. “Give us this day” applies not only to our daily bread but also to everything else involved in our day-by-day pilgrim journey. From the first day of creation, the Lord ordained that our galaxy function one day at a time as Planet Earth makes its annual trip around the sun. The next time you say, “I wish I had more time,” remind yourself that we all have the same amount of time – twenty-four hours a day – and that perhaps we should be saying, “I wish I had more control over our time.” This means being wise and “making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:15-16) (p. 175-176)

I have reviewed several other Dr. Wiersbe’s books on my blog: ‘Be Authentic: Exhibiting Real Faith in the Real World,’ reviewing the lives of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (you can read my review here), ‘The Wiersbe Bible Study Series: It’s Always Too Soon to Quit! – 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon’ by Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe – Book Review’ (you can read my review here), ‘Be Available: Accepting the Challenge to Confront the Enemy’ (Judges – OT Commentary) (you can read my review here) and ‘Pause for Power: A 365-Day Journey Through the Scriptures,’ (the review is here). Just as I did with those books, I recommend this one as well. Dr. Wiersbe writes with wisdom and authority, and the reader will always glean truth and grace in His writings.

You can order this book here.

This book was published by David C. Cook and provided by the B&B Media Group, Inc. for review purposes.