Colossians by Joyce Meyer

Colossians by Joyce Meyer ISBN-13: 9781546026143 Hardcover: 208 pages Publisher: FaithWords Released: March 31st 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Let the wisdom of Colossians transform relationships in every area of your life -- home, church, and even the world -- with this study guide from renowned Bible teacher Joyce Meyer. Paul's letter to the Colossians reminds us that as we have died with Christ, so, too, do we need to die to our sins. It encourages us that because we have also been raised in Him, we must submit to Jesus and adopt qualities motivated by Christian love.


My Review:
Colossians is a Bible commentary on Colossians that can be used for personal Bible study or even as a devotional. The author provided the Bible verses in the book (often using an amplified version). She covered several verses at a time and worked her way through Colossians. She talked about each group of verses and brought out insights to improve our understanding. She stayed focused on the verses rather than telling funny stories, but it wasn't highly academic or difficult to follow. It's written at a layman's level and contained short enough sections that it could be used for daily devotional reading. She included questions for personal reflection along with space to write in your answer. Overall, I'd recommend this to anyone wanting to better understand Colossians.


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.

That Way and No Other by Amy Carmichael

That Way and No Other by Amy Carmichael ISBN-13: 9780874863031 Paperback: 144 pages Publisher: Plough Publishing House Released: March 3rd 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Amy Carmichael left everything to become a missionary in India. But then seven-year-old Preena, fleeing sexual slavery, threw herself on the newcomer's protection. Could Carmichael relinquish a religious vocation to become a "nursemaid"? A picture of Jesus washing his disciples' feet came to her mind, and "the question answered itself and was not asked again." Joined by a growing team of Indian women, Carmichael founded Dohnavur, a community of households that has provided family for hundreds of girls who might otherwise have been sold into prostitution.

The practical wisdom in these selections were taken from her many books.


My Review:
That Way and No Other talked about Amy Carmichael's work and what she felt it meant to be a fully devoted disciple of Jesus. The first quarter of the book was descriptions of Amy Carmichael's life provided by others to give context to Amy's writings. They talked about her work in India rescuing young children from sexual abuse in Hindu temples. The rest of the book was written by Amy Carmichael. She sometimes talked about things occurring with the children (how she learned about the abuse, rescuing a child, raising the children), but they were more tidbits than full stories. Since this is a collection, the book didn't have a tied-together feel. She mostly talked about topics like praying. Overall, I'd recommend this book to those interested in Amy Carmichael's work and thoughts.


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.

A Journey to Victorious Praying by Bill Thrasher

A Journey to Victorious Praying by Bill Thrasher ISBN-13: 9780802415639 Paperback: 256 pages Publisher: Moody Publishers Released: June 6th 2017

Source: review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
It’s something many Christians can relate to: the desire to pray but the failure to execute. A Journey to Victorious Praying will tell readers why this is—and how to move past it. Addressing common misconceptions about prayer, then offering biblical truths and practices instead, Bill Thrasher teaches readers how to honestly share their desires with God, turn temptations into victorious prayers, experience the Spirit’s motivation in prayer, get help when they don’t know how to pray, implement fasting into their prayer life, move from anxiety to peace, and more.

Filled with practical insight and pastoral warmth, this book will give readers renewed enthusiasm for embarking on the essential journey of prayer. And its brief chapters, organized around various themes, make it perfect for quick reference, as does the appendix with tips for stimulating prayer.


My Review:
A Journey to Victorious Praying talked about various aspects of praying. Each chapter was about 4-8 pages long, and there were 30 chapters. This book would work well as a daily devotional as each chapter leaves you with something to think about throughout the day. The author talked about things like praying Scripture, gaining strength through prayer, the benefits of fasting and how to do it, and transforming your anxiety into peace. The author was easy to understand, his points were biblically-based, and his tone was encouraging. Each chapter left me wanting to pray rather than feeling that prayer was too difficult to get right. He also told stories about praying people in the past and present to help illustrate a point or encourage the reader. At the end of the book, there were journal writing prompts, some verse references for prayers from the Bible on various topics, and ideas to stimulate prayer. Overall, I'd highly recommend this encouraging and useful book.

"What is prayer? O. Hallesby, one of Norway's leading Christian teachers, said that prayer is an attitude of our hearts towards God. It is an attitude of helplessness. This attitude of helplessness is not meant to drive you to anxiety but rather to drive you to God. In other words, prayer is helplessness plus faith. We may stumble over this until we realize that faith is simply coming to Christ with our helplessness. When we petition God in prayer, we come to Christ and tell him what we and those for whom we pray are lacking. It is opening up our needy lives to him." From page 25.


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.

Footprints in the Ash by John D. Morris

Footprints in the Ash by John D. Morris ISBN-13: 9780890514009 Hardcover: 128 pages Publisher: Master Books Released: August 19th 2004

Source: Bought the book.

Book Description from Goodreads:
In the aftermath of the Mount St. Helens eruption and the subsequent glacier slide and mudflows, there remained a geologic gold mine for earth scientists. No natural disasters in recent history could compare with the variety of process which resulted from this tectonic and volcanic event. As creation scientists have carefully studied this geological phenomenon, they have concluded that Mount St. Helens accomplished the same sort of geologic work that biblical creationists attribute to Noah's flood. While this explosion was certainly much smaller in scale and intensity, many lessons were learned through this occurrence that help us understand the unobservable past. Journey back to this catastrophic event with scientists Dr. Steve Austin and Dr. John Morris and see what was discovered as they reconstruct the sequence of earthquakes, eruptions, avalanches, mudflows, and other geologic processes and unveil their fascinating research findings!


My Review:
Footprints in the Ash talks about how observations of events during and after the explosion of Mount St. Helens impact our understanding of how quickly various geological formations are created. The book had many photographs of the destruction and of the geological formations that were created in the aftermath. The author started by detailing the events of the eruption, like the start of the mud flow or the various catastrophic events that happened at Spirit Lake.

The author then moved on to the observations taken by the scientists at that time and in the years afterwards. He talked about how a certain sedimentation pattern or whatever would be explained if seen in places like the Grand Canyon, but we now know how quickly they form because we saw them form in a matter of hours or sometimes days.

He talked about rapid strata formation, rapid hardening of sediments into rock, rock deformation, the damage caused by flowing water and mud slurry, radioisotope dating on the new lava dome, rapid erosion of canyons into solid rock, rapid formation of Badlands topography, comparing it to the Grand Canyon, the rapid formation of peat and coal beds, the rapid formation of shoreline features, the rapid fossilization of trees and about petrified wood, and how quickly plants and animals returned to the ash areas. Overall, I'd recommend this very interesting 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.

Searching for Truth by Tim Chaffey, Colin Dyer

Searching for Truth by Tim Chaffey, Colin Dyer (Illustrator) ISBN-13: 978-1683440338 Paperback: 72 pages Publisher: Master Books Released: April 15th 2017

Source: Bought the book.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
In a cultural climate that exalts personal preference above all else, here is a dramatic, visually stunning story that addresses issues and concerns of utmost importance as life meets truth. Discover why the Bible can be trusted as God’s Word, including its prophetic revelations, evidence of the supernatural, consistency over time, and the scientific and historical accuracy of its text. What makes the Bible unique and its account of truth different from all other religious writings is discussed through thought-provoking questions.


My Review:
Searching for Truth is a graphic novel. It uses a simple fiction story to present the gospel and some reasons to believe Christianity. Several college students are taking a course on world religions and get into a discussion about why one of them still believes in Christ. They bring up objections to Christianity that the professor has given, and the Christian provide a response. They cover topics like: are there errors in the Bible, is the Bible an accurate copy of the originals, is it scientifically and historically accurate, etc. They cover some of the evidence for the Bible, then the gospel is presented and one of the characters accepts Christ. The illustrations were colorful and realistic in style, and the comic format was quick and easy to read. Overall, I'd recommend this for tweens, teens, and adults who like this style.


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 Believer's Walk with Christ by John F. MacArthur Jr.

The Believer's Walk with Christ by John F. MacArthur Jr. ISBN-13: 9780802415196 Paperback: 224 pages Publisher: Moody Publishers Released: January 3rd 2017

Source: review copy from the publisher through Amazon Vine.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
‘Walking’is a rich biblical metaphor. Figures like Enoch, Noah, and Abraham are remembered because they walked with God. Evil kings are remembered because they didn’t. All humanity is a parade one way or the other, and Christians must know the difference. The Believer’s Walk with Christ plumbs nine New Testament passages to unfold this great theme and help us live in step with the Spirit. MacArthur will help you know what it means to grow in Christian maturity, and how to make it the mark of your life.


My Review:
The Believer's Walk with Christ is an in-depth Bible study on "what does it mean to walk with Christ?" The author examined nine New Testament passages that talk about different aspects of the Christian walk. He would take each passage and provide verse-by-verse commentary (including word studies). The tone was formal and somewhat academic rather than casual. The commentary was very focused on what Scripture has to say about our walk with Christ. The verses covered were Ephesians 4:1-6, Ephesians 4:17-24, Romans 6:1-10, Galatians 5:16-25, 1 John 2:3-6, 1 John 1:6-7, Ephesians 5:1-7, 2 John 1-4, and 2 Corinthians 5:6-10. Overall, I'd recommend this Bible study to those interested in what the Bible says about this topic.


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.

Eyewitness to Crucifixion by Stephen M. Miller

Eyewitness to Crucifixion by Stephen M. Miller ISBN-13: 9781640700017 Paperback: 192 pages Publisher: Discovery House Released: February 4th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Stephen M. Miller has a journalistic approach to explaining Bible knowledge. Now Miller has set his sights on crucifixion, gathering firsthand testimony from ancient witnesses to discover, What does it really mean that Jesus was executed on a Roman cross? You’ll examine the historical context for your faith as seen through first-century eyes.


My Review:
Eyewitness to Crucifixion is a collection of quotes from historical documents about crucifixion. The author used casual language when discussing the information and translated the quotes into everyday English. He included any mention of crucifixion, even if it was just in passing. The author discussed what led up to and came after the quote so that it was in context, and he also gave a brief biography about the life of the author of the quote. Some of the quotes described crucifixion rather than just commented on who was crucified, and those could get gory. The author also talked about how critics think that little about Jesus's crucifixion is actually described and how our images of his crucifixion may be wrong.

He included a section of quotes written after Jesus death which referred to crucifixion, usually a description of how the early Christians were killed during persecution. This also got gory. The author talked about what early Christians said about Jesus's crucifixion and what outside sources said. This involved a lot of discussion about what the critics say to discredit some of these quotes. He finished by talking about what the Bible actually does say about Jesus crucifixion, and then he talked about some of the comments he has gotten on his YouTube video on this topic. Overall, despite the casual tone, this really is more in-depth and academic than would interest the casual Christian. But if you really want to know this information, here it 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.