The God First Life

The God First Life by Stovall Weems is based on Matthew 6:33. "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these thing will be given to you as well." Weems states that until we put God first in all things and seek Him above anything else on this earth, we cannot live a fulfilled and satisfied life. It isn't circumstances, relationships, or material items that satisfy us. It is only when we seek God and His kingdom do we find what we require for life. By understanding this, Weems says, we discover that God has a plan for our lives. We don't have to carry the burdens of this life ourselves. And we realize His ways are so much better than ours. When we seek God above all else, He promises us a new family (with Him and the church), a new life (in Christ), and new freedom (to be who He created us to be). We enter God's family through salvation. We enter His righteousness through Christ, but we seek His righteousness by ordering our lives according to Him so our priorities reflect His priorities. Finally, when we live His way, we experience true life and breakthroughs we never knew of. Weems insists that whatever has first place in our lives order them. That force is what shapes all of our decisions and actions. To live a life of blessing, God has to be that force that has first place in our lives. In this book Weems describes how we can make that happen. We need to start by being part of a local body of Christ, His church. No church is going to be perfect. However, we were made for community and we need corporate worship as part of our lives. To do this, we need to meet regularly with fellow believers. We need people to hold us accountable and to walk with us in tears and laughter. We need an extended family, and God will provide that when we become part of this community. We also need time with other believers in worship and study. We need to immerse ourselves in the Word individually and in a setting where we can talk about its applications. When others see the freedom that comes from putting God first, they will want it too. We need to keep our priorities in order according to God's kingdom. This book is clear and easy to follow. Weems intertwines personal experiences with stories and Scripture. He talks with passion about being part of God's kingdom. He demonstrates that freedom and joy are possible. I would recommend this book to anyone feeling stagnant in his or her walk with God. Or even to those who may just need a fresh infusion of God's love and practical advice on how to put Him first. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

How High Will You Climb?

How High Will You Climb? by John Maxwell is all about attitude. The right attitude can make the difference between a successful leader and someone who is stuck in neutral. The book begins by talking about what attitude is. Maxwell defines attitude as "an inward feeling expressed by behavior." (10) The idea is that we can express our attitudes even without speaking. When we let our inner feelings take control of us, we will demonstrate them by our expressions and mannerisms, not just our actions. He reminds us the heart is the most important part of our attitude, because how we feel and think will lead to how we act. He also discusses the importance of an obedient attitude, particularly in our spiritual growth. Sometimes our circumstances and our emotions do not seem to put us in the right place to have a positive attitude, but we can overcome those by being obedient despite them. Maxwell insists our attitudes can be controlled, and our attitudes affect many things: our approach to life, what we expect from life, our relationships with other people, whether we find success or failure, the outcome of a task, and even whether our problems become blessings or not. The second part of the book discusses ways to construct a positive attitude, all of which have a biblical basis. When we are young, our environment plays a large role in the development of our attitude. As we get older, we begin to have more control over what we allow in our environment, and therefore, have more control over our own attitudes. He encourages us to see ourselves as loved children of God, because we can never perform in a way we cannot see ourselves. Our self image is extremely important in developing our attitude. We cannot let fear or the opinions of others damage our self esteem or cause us to shrink back. We need to find ways to squash negativity when it enters our lives. We can prepare a plan ahead of time to be ready for attacks to our attitude. Overall, this book has a lot of practical pointers, and it includes a study guide, as well as questions and scripture to help guide readers. It is easy to understand and well organized, so the reader can return to sections of the book for inspiration as needed. The questions help the reader apply the principles Maxwell discusses throughout the book. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Thrive: Digging Deep, Reaching Out

Thrive: Digging Deep, Reaching Out by Mark Hall and Tim Luke arrived at a perfect time for me. I had been reading and studying the Scriptures for years, and was ready to dig deeper and learn how to use the information I was receiving from The Word. But sometimes it is difficult to know where to begin. Mark Hall has a way of helping me understand how to dig deep into God's Word; not just to gather information, but to see how the Word applies to me and how my life should look as I read the Word. Hall begins by explaining how life seems to work for the majority of people: we go from task to task, hoping for things to get better, rushing through things looking for the elusive thing that will satisfy us. We tend to gaze fondly into the future, as if life will be better when we get there. However, we are missing the present. God meant for us to enjoy life every day, not just when things are working out the way we want them to. Hall explains a drawing he created of a tree, with its branches reaching high into the sky, and its roots digging deep into the ground. In order for us to thrive daily, we need to dig deep. Our roots need to be in our relationship with God and Jesus. We need to understand who God is, and who we are in Him. Then we use this root system to allow us to reach out to others, to make God known to the world. Every moment matters. In our daily lives, we need to glorify God. We do this by spending time with God, in His Word, in prayer, in reflection. And then taking the things He speaks into our lives and sharing them with others. We are commissioned to share Jesus with the world. If we only have roots, but no reach, we are out of balance. The spiritual disciplines of worship, prayer, and the study of Scripture are essential, but on their own, they are missing balance. We also need community. We are to share our lives with other believers. And then we are to glorify God by knowing Him and making Him known to others. This book offers personal stories and practical ways to apply this knowledge. Hall writes as if he is writing a letter to a friend. He wants his readers to know the joy of a relationship with God, and how to thrive in this life by living for Him. Overall, the book offers great insight and is a tool to return to over and over as we read Scripture and apply it to our lives. I would recommend this book to anyone feeling a need to dig deeper or unsure of how to reach out to others. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

How to be Rich

How to be Rich by Andy Stanley is not the type of manual you may think it is. It is not a manual to help you earn more money. It will not talk about portfolios or investments. In fact, the book actually assumes you are rich already. Now, I know I often do not think of myself in that way. I worry about my finances, I cut coupons, and I do not have a large savings account. However, according to Andy Stanley, I am rich. And when I look at the facts he states, I guess I would have to agree. I live in one of the wealthiest societies ever. I have enough money to provide for my family, and I have a roof over my head. Stanley says if you have ever had to decide whether or not to upgrade your cell phone, or choose which restaurant in which to have dinner, that you are rich. So following Stanley's logic, if I admit to being rich, what does this mean for me? This book is a guide to help you become more generous. To learn how to handle your riches in a way that is honoring to God. The Bible tells us to store up riches in Heaven, and Stanley argues that the way to do that is to be a good steward with the materials you have on earth. Stanley reminds us that everything belongs to God. The money I have in the bank, the house I live in, even the food I eat, is not mine. God provides all of it. I could argue that I work hard for those things, and that may be true. But in reality, God gives me the ability to do that hard work. He provides the job, the intellectual and physical ability, and the means for me to do those things. When I look at my possessions and money in that mind-set, I realize none of it is mine. When I tithe, I am not giving part of my money to God. I am honoring Him as the Lord of my life by returning what is His to Him. However, Stanley says tithing is not enough. God does not want us to simply obey a principle and then feel we are free to do whatever we wish with the remainder of our money. Stanley says generosity is a lifestyle that stems from the right understanding about God and our role as stewards. When we realize what God has done and continues to do for us, we want to honor Him by acting in a similar way. We want to share His blessings with others. The heart of being rich then, is to be generous. God never says money or possessions are evil. But what we do with them matters. God gives us things so we may bless others, so others may see a generous God. Our actions need to be a reflection of understanding His blessings toward us. Stanley incorporates true stories and Scripture to make these truths understandable. His writing style is appealing and draws you in. It is like listening to a true friend who loves God with all of his heart. And it makes you want to live that type of lifestyle too. If you don't feel rich, or you worry about finances, but you love God and want to share Him with others, this is a wonderful book to help you see how all of those thoughts and feelings can go together. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The War on Christmas edited by Bodie Hodge

The War on Christmas was a book I received from Handlebar Publishing. This is an interesting book, as it addresses many concepts of Christmas within the Christian tradition. When I first received it, I imagined it to be about pagan culture and how it is attempting to remove the traditional idea of Christmas from society. In some ways, I was right. It does discuss cultural ideas and issues Christians may deal with while celebrating Christmas. But it does much more than that. The book begins with the concept of Christmas itself and why it is important. There is a lot of history in the book to remind us of the origins of Christmas. Overall, it reminds us that Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Christ, regardless of any other associations we may have with the holiday. Culture often overshadows the purpose of Christmas. Sometimes even Christians are known for focusing solely on Christ's birth, rather than His entire purpose. Christmas, as any other day, should be a time for gratitude, reflection, and acknowledgement of the Christ. It is much more than His birth. It is a celebration of His willingness to be a sacrifice for us, and to come to earth in the form of an infant in order to fulfill His purpose. The book walks through many of Christmas's traditions and gives the history and explanations for them. For example, the book discusses the date of Christmas and why it is celebrated in December. This book also discusses other parts of the Christmas tradition, such as the wise men, the manger, and whether or not X-mas is an appropriate way to write Christmas. The book did seem repetitive at times, and sometimes asked questions in an attempt to move the narrative forward. Overall, though, the information made me examine my celebration of Christmas more deeply. It made me stop and reflect on my motives during this time of year, and helped me focus on Christ as the purpose of celebration. I think it is a worthy read.

31 Days to Happiness

31 Days to Happiness by David Jeremiah is a study of Solomon's words in Ecclesiastes. Jeremiah walks readers through Solomon's thoughts and musings from Ecclesiastes 1-12. Jeremiah uses personal stories, biblical stories, and commentary to explain the process Solomon goes through to understand the meaning of life and happiness. Solomon was given the choice of a gift from God, and he asked for wisdom. Because of this, he enjoyed a blessed life, yet as he reached the end, he felt devoid of meaning. He began pondering all of the blessings he had witnessed and all of the tragedies in life to find the true meaning of all it. Jeremiah walks readers through 12 chapters of Solomon's thoughts on vanity. Foe each area of life where Solomon feels there could be meaning, he finds it empty without God. Solomon looks for meaning in his career, justice, government, finances, questions, misery, rebuke, pleasure, humility, wisdom, the little things in life, and leadership. For each of these areas, Jeremiah shows how Solomon examines them and decides each one is nothing but vanity, a short span in life, that is here one day then gone like a vapor. Instead of looking for happiness in these vain pursuits, Jeremiah says Solomon realized true meaning comes from the giver of life, not from aspects of life itself. Instead, people can find happiness by knowing they are living a life for the Lord. He concludes that life is uncertain, but we are to embrace it. Because life is short, we need to enjoy it, and look for the blessings from God. We are to examine life because it is mysterious. Everything comes from God, and the only meaning we can find, must come from living for Him. Jeremiah takes readers through the journey made by Solomon to show the wisdom in his conclusion. The book is easy to read and follow, although if you are looking for a how-to manual, this is not it. Instead, Jeremiah explains Solomon's conclusions and allows the reader to decide how to adapt these ideas for themselves. It is a worthwhile read, although not what I expected based on the title. This is a book one must read carefully and thoughtfully, allowing each chapter to be absorbed and digested. Although the title suggests a monthly reading plan, I think to get the most from this book, one may need to re-read or allow several days per chapter to take it all in. It is not meant to be light reading. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

You'll Get Through This

Can I just say I love the way Max Lucado writes. Lucado can weave interesting stories, share Scripture in a wise manner, and still sound as if he is sitting across from you at your kitchen table. His writing is that of an old friend, one who is wise and honest, ready to support you in the suffering you face. Lucado does not sugar-coat the truth, but he is encouraging, because his message is one from Scripture, and it is one of encouragement. In this book, Lucado tackles the suffering we all face. Whether it is a job loss, a relationship loss, a disappointment that is difficult to get past, or any other tragedy of life, he does not try to gloss over it. The reality is that we all face personal tragedies. We all feel pain. Lucado does not try to diminish this, nor to deny our feelings. However, he does remind us that the reality is so much more than that. Although we have struggles, we will get through them. We will feel pain. We will learn tough lessons. But the reality is that God is there for us through it all. He will be the One we can turn to, lean on, and call out to in those times. The problems we go through will not be easy and cannot be wished away. But in the midst of them, we can draw closer to our God, who has experienced everything we will experience. There is nothing that is beyond His reach. Lucado shares personal stories, as well as Scripture, to remind us that we are not alone. His writing is realistic and inspirational at the same time. He writes simply, yet profoundly. The truths in his book are ones we need reminding of, particularly when our lives seem to be spiraling out of control. There is comfort in the words of this book, and the words of the Bible. Lucado strives to remind us to focus on God, not our circumstances. His writing will encourage you in today's troubling times. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”