Isaiah by Alfred Martin

Isaiah by Alfred Martin ISBN-13: 9780802418241 Paperback: 144 pages Publisher: Moody Publishers Released: June 5, 2018

Source: Review copy from the publisher through Amazon Vine.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Prophecy can be confusing. In a book like Isaiah, historical events are presented out of order and right next to future prophecies without obvious distinctions between the two. Plus, it’s full of strange symbols like the sprout that grows out of the root of Jesse. What we need is a guide—someone who will tell us what’s historic and what’s prophetic, and explain all the strange symbolism clearly and simply. This is what the best preachers do, but you don’t have to wait until Sunday’s sermon. Encounter the beautiful depth of Isaiah through an enlightening commentary from Alfred Martin that’s both straightforward and insightful.


My Review:
Isaiah is a commentary on Isaiah. The author gave some background information about the book (when it was written, who wrote it, etc.) and then commented on large groups of verses as he worked through Isaiah. The verses being commented on were indicated in the top margin of each page, and sometimes a chapter or more was covered on one page. The author spent the most time on Messianic references or verses referred to in the New Testament. He also spent some time responding to the critical views of Isaiah and defending the unity of Isaiah (as in, it was written by one person: Isaiah). This commentary works best if you read the passage and then read his comments (or his comments and then the verses). Overall, I'd recommend this Bible-study tool to Christians wanting an overview of Isaiah.


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.

On Bended Knee by Crickett Keeth

On Bended Knee by Crickett Keeth ISBN-13: 9780802419194 Paperback: 224 pages Publisher: Moody Publishers Released: June 4, 2019

Source: review copy from the publisher through Amazon Vine.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Discover anew what our loving God does with a little faith and a whole lot of prayer. This Bible study was written for you. It examines the prayers of eight biblical characters and teaches you how to pray like the prayer warriors who went before you. You’ll study:

Jesus: A Model Prayer
Paul: A Prayer of Intercession
Job: A Prayer of Despair
Hannah: A Prayer of Longing
David: A Prayer of Lament
Asa: A Prayer of Seeking God
Jehoshaphat: A Prayer of Dependence
Nehemiah: A Prayer of Boldness


My Review:
On Bended Knee is an 8-week Bible study for individuals or groups (as there's a leader's guide in the back). Each week had 5 days of study. The author started with a one paragraph summary of the point of that day's lesson and a prayer. She then had you read a section of verses and answer questions. Most of the questions were reading comprehension: what four things did he do? what does it say in verse 4? There were also one or two personal application questions, plus she had you read other, related verses (often in Psalms) and answer questions about those verses. She then briefly summarized that day's reading and the lesson she got out of it. Each day ended with a Christian quote relating to that day's reading.

The first two weeks closely looked at prayers (Jesus and Paul)--what was said that you might also want to pray. After that, though, most of the study was focused on a person's life--what was his attitude toward God? Did it change?--and the bad situations they faced that inspired their prayer to God. I liked the first two weeks, but I felt like the rest of the study lost it's focus on actual prayer, so her lessons kept making the same basic point--come to God humbly and expecting great things.


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.

Daniel by John C. Whitcomb

Daniel by John C. Whitcomb ISBN-13: 9780802418234 Paperback: 224 pages Publisher: Moody Publishers Released: June 5, 2018

Source: Review copy from the publisher through Amazon Vine.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
We love the stories of courage and faith in Daniel, but the prophecy in the second half of the book can befuddle us. What we need is a guide—someone who can paint a picture of the historical background that brings the stories in Daniel to life, and who can explain all the prophetic symbolism clearly and simply. This is what the best preachers do, but you don’t have to wait until Sunday’s sermon. Encounter the beautiful depth of Daniel through an enlightening verse-by-verse commentary from John C. Whitcomb that’s both straightforward and insightful. You’ll gain important historical background, insights from the original languages, explanations of prophetic symbols, and more!

You don’t have to go to seminary to encounter God in exciting, new ways through His Word. Discover how much more enjoyable your personal study will be with understandable, quality Bible commentary for everyday life.


My Review:
Daniel is a commentary on Daniel. The author gave some background information about the book (when written, who wrote it, etc.) and then commented on each (small) grouping of verses as he worked through Daniel. He talked about the conservative response to liberal views about when the book was written and supposed contradictions in Daniel. He provided word studies, cultural and historical background information, and preaching-style insights into the meaning of the text. It works best if you read the passage and then read his comments. I thought he did a good job of helping explain potentially confusing verses. The commentary was more academic than conversational in tone, but I had no trouble understanding his points. Overall, I'd recommend this useful Bible-study tool.


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.

The Hand of God by Alistair Begg

The Hand of God by Alistair Begg ISBN-13: 9780802418951 Paperback: 256 pages Publisher: Moody Publishers Released: Jan. 1, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through Amazon Vine.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Are we hapless victims of life's whims? Are we driven along by some blind and impersonal force? Are we battered by circumstances beyond all control? A thousand times, "No!" says pastor and author Alistair Begg. Instead, we are the objects of God's providential care. We reside under His guiding and protecting hand.

In this richly textured study of Joseph's life, readers will see God at work shaping Joseph's circumstances so that he can ultimately redeem and reconcile his family. And they'll see the hand of God in their own lives, lovingly guiding them through their disappointments and struggles to a place of peace. God works through the circumstances of life to bring about something miraculous, something abundantly good, even out of what we perceive to be our darkest moments.


My Review:
The Hand of God looks at the concept of God's sovereignty by looking at how God's sovereignty was at work in Joseph's life. The author went through Joseph's life from birth to death. He takes the reader through a study of the relevant verses in Genesis, also thinking about what it would be like to go through those circumstances. The author pointed out how God's sovereignty was at work even though many of the circumstances would have been confusing and depressing to Joseph. If you are unfamiliar with Joseph's life or wish to learn more about how God sovereignty can be assured in your circumstances, I would highly recommend this book.


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.

Passion in the Pulpit by Jerry Vines, Adam B. Dooley

Passion in the Pulpit by Jerry Vines, Adam B. Dooley ISBN-13: 9780802418388 Hardcover: 208 pages Publisher: Moody Publishers Released: July 3, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
It's easy to let our own personalities dictate the emotional dimension of our sermons, but the best preachers mirror the Bible's emotive intent in their sermons. When we elevate the Bible's emotional intent above our own, we preach truth rather than personality. In Passion in the Pulpit, Jerry Vines and Adam Dooley will teach you how to exegete not just the verbal content of Scripture, but its emotional appeal as well. They show you the role the Bible's emotional intent should play in each stage of sermon prep, and offer exegetical steps to discern the biblical pathos, teach you how to avoid manipulation while making your sermons emotional, help you determine the appropriate limitations of emotional appeal, and give you verbal, vocal, and visual techniques to help convey the biblical emotional intent in your sermons


My Review:
Passion in the Pulpit explains that what you say matters, but so does how you say it. The two authors argue that we need emotion in our preaching--not to manipulate with it but to bring out the intent of the passage and impart that emotion to the audience. One author explained the reasoning and the how-to while the other author gave examples of how he's done those things with his sermons in the past. They talked about the importance of determining the mood and tone conveyed by the text and conveying that through your preaching (tone of voice, movements, what you say, etc.). They suggested looking at the genre of the passage, the words used, the background and big picture, and the intent of the writer. While I found the information interesting, I discovered that I'd already been doing much of what they suggested when I prepare my Sunday School teaching for elementary age children. Maybe children just draw out a more emotion-engaging style. (This book is aimed at preachers for adults in the main church, but I thought I might get something useful out of it, too. And I did.)


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.

The Whole Armor of God by Iain M. Duguid

The Whole Armor of God by Iain M. Duguid ISBN-13: 9781433565007 Paperback: 128 pages Publisher: Crossway Released: August 13, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
The Christian life is a battle. We are in a daily struggle against the world, sin, and Satan. But God didn't leave us to fend for ourselves. He gave us his own armor--armor that Jesus has already worn on our behalf all the way to the cross. The same power that raised Christ from the dead is now at work inside of us. This book unpacks each of the pieces of spiritual armor Paul describes in Ephesians 6, inviting us to take up the armor each day, all while resting in the finished victory of Christ and the assurance that our strength for the battle comes from him.


My Review:
The Whole Armor of God examines the pieces of spiritual armor found in Ephesians 6. The author was easy to understand even though he dug deep into what the different pieces of armor were and how to use them. He drew in references to this same imagery in the Old and New Testament to help gain insight into the spiritual armor. He also pointed out how Jesus used this same "armor" and how that should encourage us. He ended by also talking about prayer and how prayer pulled all these pieces of spiritual armor together. I gained new insights into Ephesians 6. Overall, I'd highly recommend this interesting, encouraging book.


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.

Chosen for Christ by Heather Holleman

Chosen for Christ by Heather Holleman ISBN-13: 9780802416872 Paperback: 192 pages Publisher: Moody Publishers Released: Oct. 2, 2018

Source: review copy of this book from the publisher through Amazon Vine.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
As we pursue a sense of purpose and scramble to be the ones chosen for internships, graduate schools, marriages, careers, or some special honor, we often tie our identity to people, places, and clear plans that leave us frustrated and unfulfilled. We feel like we’re missing the life we’re supposed to live and we somehow veered off course. We ask questions like, “Is this God’s plan for me? How do I know? What is His plan, anyway?” What if Scripture not only answered these questions but also taught us an entirely new way of living? Instead of waiting for the perfect person, place, or plan, what if we lived, above all else, as chosen for Christ?

Chosen for Christ invites you to step into the life you’ve been missing. You were chosen for a Person, not a plan. Now it’s time to live out your calling to: worship Jesus, live as His treasured possession, belong to a new household, become like Jesus, display God’s power, complete the good works He designed for you, and live differently from the rest of the world. Each chapter includes discussion questions that will help women embrace their identity as chosen ones and step into a new way of living each new day.


My Review:
Chosen for Christ explores what it means to be chosen by God and chosen for His purposes. Understanding that you are chosen (even if you don't feel like that's true) helps you combat the fear of rejection and fills your desire for significance. The author explored Scripture to find out what it means to be chosen by God and what God chose us for: to worship Jesus (with a look at what worship is), live as His treasured possession, belong to a new family, complete the good works He designed for you, display God’s power, become like Jesus, and live differently from the rest of the world. And we're a chosen priesthood. Each chapter included four discussion questions that help you process and apply what you learned in that chapter. Overall, I'd recommend this insightful book.


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.