5 Minutes with Jesus by Shelia Walsh

5 Minutes with Jesus by Shelia Walsh ISBN-13: 978-0-7180-3253-1 Hardcover: 192 pages Publisher: Thomas Nelson Released: August 11, 2015

Source: Review copy from the publisher through BookLook Bloggers.

Book Description from BookLook:
We balance so many things day after day-families, jobs, church, sports. Sometimes it feels like there is no time left for the most important thing: spending time with Jesus. But Sheila Walsh will help us do just that through these concise but substantial daily readings.

Each entry includes Scripture, a brief devotional thought, and a helpful takeaway. Even after just a few minutes of reading, you will have spent time with God's truth in a meaningful way, and be inspired to think on that truth and live in response to it the rest of the day.

Sheila is a master of short but profound thoughts such as "Peace is not the absence of trouble but the presence of Christ," which have been retweeted time and time again. Readers will be thrilled to find these kinds of encouraging words-along with Sheila's characteristic approach of combining honesty, vulnerability, and humor with Scripture. They'll be reminded of how powerful it is to be in the presence of Jesus, and how much He wants us to stay close to Him every minute of the day.


My Review:
5 Minutes with Jesus is a daily devotional that takes about 5 minutes a day. There are 50 entries. Each day's entry has about four pages. Two pages consist of a story along with the day's thought drawn from that story. The next two pages are headed by a tweet-sized summary of the day's thought and several Scriptures that support or go along with that thought.

These devotionals point out important topics based on Scripture and can get you thinking more deeply on a subject. If you usually spend 5 minutes a day (or less) focused on Jesus and Scripture, then the author covered topics that may be new and potentially life-changing. I liked how open she was about sharing things--both good and bad--from her life. I'd recommend this devotional to people who want to do a devotional-type activity each day but feel too busy. These are short enough that even busy people can find a few minutes of wait time that can be used to read this.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Better by Tim Chaddick, Craig Borlase

Better: How Jesus Satisfies the Search for Meaning by Tim Chaddick & Craig Borlase ISBN-13: 9781434705235 Paperback: 240 pages Publisher: David C. Cook Released: Sept. 1, 2013

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
“What does it take to find satisfaction? Will I ever find something in life that’s better than this?”

Most people live a life they never would have planned. The good news is that coming to the end of their expectations means they’re on the brink of great wisdom, peace, and joy. That’s what the ancient author of Ecclesiastes helps us figure out—it is quite possible to face detours and dead-ends in life and still find more satisfaction than you ever could have imagined.

Better explores the mysteries, scandalous lines, and deep truths of Ecclesiastes and applies them to life today. Better seeks to show how the questions of the heart find their answer in the person of Jesus. Here you will find a vision of life that is neither naive nor cynical, but realistic and hopeful. Because the truth is, when God answers the questions, you finally realize what is better.


My Review:
Better is a study of Ecclesiastes. The author started by asking: what are your expectations of life, where did you get those expectations, and what if those expectations are wrong? He explored the things the Teacher in Ecclesiastes had tried to find meaning and lasting happiness and explored why they don't do so. They also looked at attitudes that don't work (like discontentment and envy) and explained how to get our focus right to find meaning and joy.

The author wrote in a casual tone and was easy to follow. He was good at bringing out the meaning of what the Teacher said and then dug deeper into it. He quoted from other books in the Bible to show how God and Jesus make sense of the things that were shown to be meaningless without God. It's written for the Christian and the non-believer who are looking for meaning and lasting joy. I'd recommend this book to those who feel discontentment with life or who wonder if this is all there is.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

The Truth about Lies by Tim Chaddick

The Truth about Lies by Tim Chaddick ISBN-13: 9781434705242 Paperback: 176 pages Publisher: David C. Cook Released: August 1, 2015

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from NetGalley:
The enemy is bent on enticing us to enjoy the gifts of this world while making the Giver optional or irrelevant in our quest for life. But what if in God's purposes, temptation is not merely an obstacle to overcome but an opportunity to flourish in faith? Tim Chaddick believes our greatest temptation is to act independently from God. In The Truth about Lies, Chaddick reveals how Jesus' wilderness temptations serve as a field guide for understanding our own temptations, why God allows them, and the role they play in who we will ultimately become.


My Review:
The Truth about Lies is a Christian living book. It's short but packed full of life-changing truth. Ever wonder why God allows temptation? This book showed how God uses temptation to expose what we desire the most and to build our trust relationship with Him. The author examined the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness, His trial before the Sanhedrin, and more to show the lies with which Satan tempts us. He also pointed out the truth that was applied to each temptation or that can be learned from it. He also explained how to succeed when faced with temptation, and how we need to look at the root issues behind why we give in to certain temptations.

Basically, this book is about getting the correct, biblical view of temptation. This is a great, foundational book for any Christian, but I'd especially recommend it to those who are feeling discouraged regarding temptation.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

God's Crime Scene by J. Warner Wallace

God's Crime Scene by J. Warner Wallace ISBN-13: 9781434707840 Paperback: 320 pages Publisher: David C. Cook Released: August 1, 2015

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
Join J. Warner Wallace, former atheist and seasoned cold-case detective, as he tackles his most important case ... with you on the jury!

There are four ways to die, and only one of them requires an intruder. Suicides, accidental, and natural deaths can occur without any evidence from outside the room. But murders typically involve suspects external to the crime scene. If there’s evidence of an outside intruder, homicide detectives have to prepare for a chase. Intruders turn death scenes into crime scenes.

Using his expertise as a cold-case detective, J. Warner examines eight critical pieces of evidence in the “crime scene” of the universe to determine if they point to a Divine Intruder. If you have ever wondered if something (or someone) outside the natural realm created the universe and everything in it, this is the case for you.


My Review:
God's Crime Scene is an apologetic book that looks at evidence about the origins of the universe from the point of view of a cold case detective. Does the universe (including the earth, humans, and even their minds) show evidence of outside tampering or can the evidence be explained in purely naturalistic terms?

The author looked at many "lines of evidence" (cosmology, biology, etc.) as he examined the case. I felt he did an excellent job of distilling the arguments down to explanations that non-scientists can understand. He quoted people from all sides of the debate, and he presented a wide range of possible explanations in the process of finding which one best fit the evidence.

He used examples of various cases he's worked on to show how a detective examines evidence to determine if it's from an outside source and who is responsible. He then applied these methods to the evidence found in the universe. This helped to illustrate his points so I could more easily understand his reasoning.

He only examined whether there was a Divine Intruder or not and, if so, what the evidence can tell us about this intruder. He did not attempt to argue who the Divine Intruder might be. He has another book that examines the Christian Bible to see if it's trustworthy evidence, and it's a good companion book with this one. I wouldn't hesitate to give this book to anyone who is uncertain if there is a god or not. It's also a good resource for people who like to debate this sort of thing with atheists and agnostics. This book will especially appeal to those who are interested in detective work.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.