Grace For The Moment Daily Bible - A Review

Grace For The Moment

Daily Bible

With Devotional Writings By

Max Lucado

A Review

Combining a selections of readings that take the reader through the Bible in one year and 365 readings selected from Max Lucado’s previous writings, this book (originally published in 2006) can serve as a helpful guide to read through in a year’s time.  The devotions appear to be different (though I did not check each entry) from those published in the original Grace for the Moment devotional - making it a suitable gift for someone who has the earlier work.  

Given that this work combines the Word of God with the writings one of the most thoughtful thinkers of the modern era, the believer should find the book encouraging and useful.

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This review is based on a free copy of the book provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.  

Trapped - A Review

Trapped

by

Irene Hannon

A Review

Trapped is an exciting thriller with a bit of faith and a bit of romance wrapped in.  The book is believable and seems to parallel events found in the national news two or three times a year.  

Darcy Griffith had disappeared.  A runaway that did not want to be found and a police department that did not want to be bothered.  It would fall on her half-sister, Laura, to find her before it was too late.  Laura turned to Phoenix, Inc., a private detective agency composed of three former law enforcement officers, and to James “Dev” Devlin specifically.

The two weeks that passed from the day she walked out the door to the night she was found nearly fried to death seemed like an eternity.  But in the midst of the fright, Laura and Darcy would discover the power of love and prayer, a lesson that all must learn.  

When Laura first walked into “Dev”s office, neither the detective nor the client were looking for love.  But in the days ahead, they learned to trust and lean on each other.  God had to work in both of them, bringing healing from past failures and tragedy.  But God would work out the kinks and quirks in their relationship so they could move forward.

Whether the reader is looking for a thriller, the role that faith can play in the desperate lives of individuals, or the growth of a relationship over time, Trapped delivers.  I am ready to find the first book in the Private Justice series, Vanished, or the next book in the series, Deceived, planned for the summer of 2014.       

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This review is based on a free electronic copy of the book provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.  

Moonbow - A Review

Moonbow

by

Sheila Hollinghead

A Review

This thriller was well worth the time I spent reading it - forcing me to reflect again on the issue of abortion. The mystery is left to Dr. Raymond Brooks to solve while the life of Gisa and her unborn child hang in the balance. Along the way, there are some who would do anything to keep the details about the child and mother secret - including murder. As I came to the last third of the book, I did not want to put it down till I finished it.

Though it was a great read, I was still left with questions.  Could the Pierce family be trusted?  Dave is still alive and roaming through the Southeast United States.  These elements could lead to a lively sequel.  Just my thoughts, but I would be interested in reading another book based on the same characters.  One can only hope.

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This review is based on a free electronic copy of the book provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.  

Inescapable - A Review

Inescapable

(Road to Kingdom Book #1)

by

Nancy Mehl

A Review

A very light mystery wrapped in a central Kansas Mennonite Community, Unescapable is more about finding grace in a community known for its legalism. Written in the first person, Charity runs home after being accused of a crime she did not commit, but once there, she and her family need to learn about the freedom that comes from experiencing God's grace for the first time. Though at times the story seems to happen too fast (e.g. falling in love; Charity's mother's food tastes at Cora's Corner Cafe, having never eaten there before; etc.), the lightness of the story was a pleasant surprise even for a cozy mystery. Whether I read other books in the series remains to be seen, but I enjoyed my first trip to Kingdom, KS.  

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This review is based on a free electronic copy of the book provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.  

On-Line Listening

Listening On-Line

I enjoy listening to streaming music from a limited number of genres.  Right now, Christmas, that set of genres has grown - but that will end in a week.  Some of the stations I listen to are of my own creation - using Pandora to generate a musical set based on the music I like.  Other stations are streams sent from non-profit sites with limited commercial (most with no) interruption.  There are also a few stations that are also available over the air - except I listen to the on-line stream of those stations.  Here is a list of my current favorites.

Christian Praise and Worship

Christian Praise and Worship (Pandora)

Adoration (Family Life Network)

Resound (Family Life Network) - Pop, Rock, and Urban

The Gospel Road (Family Life Network) - Gospel Quartet, etc.

Gentle Praise (Family Life Network) - Lighter instrumental and classical worship

Praise and Worship Channel (Moody)

Country

Country Mix (Pandora)

Folk (Pandora)

Country 105 (12 in a Row Country) - Petersborough, ON

Relaxation

Gentle Praise (Family Life Network) - Lighter instrumental and classical worship

Relaxing Worship Music (Pandora)

Enya Radio - 1 (Pandora)

Enya Radio - 2 (Pandora)

Light Classical (Pandora)

Ambient (Pandora)

Celtic

A Celtic Dream Radio (Pandora)

Celtic Radio (Pandora)

Traditional Celtic Radio (Pandora)

Celtic Woman

Christmas

Holiday Instrumental (Pandora)

Christmas Radio (Pandora)

Christmas Fun (Pandora)

Peaceful Christmas (Family Life Network)

Christmas (Family Life Network)

The Candidate - A Review

The Candidate

by

Daniel Pembrey

A Review

Though this short  book is well-written, it left me dissatisfied.  It held my interest as I moved through through it, but in the end it left me feeling empty, leaving the main character walking away, literally, with no answers and no life.  Very sad.

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This review is based on a free electronic copy of the book provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.  

Poison Town - A Review

Poison Town

by

Creston Mapes

A Review

Though Creston Mapes now has six books listed at Amazon.com, this is only the second that I have had the opportunity to read; and it is better than the first in this series, “The Crittendon Files”.   Written from an unashamedly Christian perspective, it focuses on the need for forgiveness even under the most difficult of circumstances.

A major industry is destroying the town - and those sworn to protect the town may be having their pockets filled with cash that is being made in the process.  If, and how far, Demler-Vargus might go to cover up their pollution and greed remains to be seen.  Two reporters, one experienced, one at the beginning of his career, must decide how much risk to take, personally and with their family and friends, to uncover the crimes being committed by those involved.  It would not be easy - taking more than one trip across state - to find the answers they are looking for.   Poisoning, gun fire, and arson, will give direction to the work that they must finish before it is too late.

I love the fact that the author has managed to weave elements of his previous book into this story without leaving the reader feeling as if he or she has missed significant events.  This all leads to a story that the reader cannot put down - one that must be finished before the night is over.  Both the plot and the characters must reach a point where lives come together and God is at work.  I will look forward to a third book in the series at some future time.  

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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.  

NIV Essentials Study Bible - A Review

NIV Essentials
Study Bible

Published By
Zondervan

A Review

The NIV Essentials Study Bible is the best Study Bible to be added to my library.  Pulling resources from six classic study and devotional Bibles, this volume contains a vast amount of resources in one book.

The six resources are well documented:

• NIV Study Bible
• NIV Quest Study Bible
• NIV Archaeological Study Bible
• NIV Student Bible
• The Great Rescue Bible (a devotional Bible from Walk Thru the Bible)
• The Essential Bible Companion (a short Bible handbook)

Unexpectedly and occasionally entries are taken from other resources which are individually cited in the text.  An example is given below.

Though the editors responsible for choosing each entry are not given, the chosen topics are interesting and helpful - with a mix of study and devotional materials.  The source of each entry is clearly identified, with the exception of those from the Essential Bible Companion.  The assumption is the the book descriptions for each book of the Bible are pulled from this source, but it is not clearly stated that this is so.  Almost every verse has at least one note associated with it - some have two or more from different sources.  For example, Psalm 23 has footnotes from the NIV Study Bible and a devotional from the Quest Study Bible.  Finally, a good ⅓ page is devoted to a selection taken from The Zondervan Illustrated Bible Commentary.  

The one issue I had with the book was its font size - fitting this much content within the 1700+ pages of this book requires a small font.  The font is clear and readable, but I suspect that at some point a magnifying glass might help in reading some of the notes.  Of course, this has been true of other Study Bibles and is not an unexpected problem for a good study Bible.  Much of the content might better be read with the help of a good electronic Bible (e.g. Word Search).  The catch is that not all of the resources used to build the NIV Essential Study Bible are available in compatible electronic formats.

As hinted at earlier, this is one of the most complete study Bibles to cross my path.  It is a pleasure to add it to my library - both for review and for daily use.  

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This review is based on a free copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.  

Ministering to Problem People in Your Church - A Review

Ministering to Problem

People in Your Church

by

Marshall Shelley

A Review

Beginning with an all too familiar case study - not one that has been told before, but one that has been heard all too frequently, the author begins to explore the the people and attitudes that can and do disrupt the pastor’s ministry and life.  The author continues by exploring some of the what drives or agitates these people who seek to manipulate and hurt the church.  These include the technological tools that are available to both the church and the world, and the psychological ills that are so common in 21st century society.  Finally, Shelly explorers ways for the pastor and church leadership to respond to the rumors and innuendos that others may throw at their ministry and/or family.    

The material was interesting and did address real problems and issues in the local church.  The book would serve as a great text for the pre-pastoral student (whether in seminary, Bible College, or as part of a CPE Unit).  It would also be useful for those counseling or coaching those in active ministry.  Some in active ministry may find the book to be inviting trouble. For example,  I found myself asking, “Who do I know like that in my church?”  In some way, I felt, as a pastor in ministry, that the book was problem oriented rather than solution oriented.  With the cautions mentioned here, I would recommend the book for the active duty pastor.

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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.  

The Biographical Bible - A Review

The Biographical Bible

by

Ruth A. Tucker

A Review

The Biographical Bible is not a Bible - it is not a Study Bible or a Devotional Bible.  Rather it is biographical dictionary of the major individuals found in the Christian Scriptures.  Based on solid scholarship, it also has a devotional flavor.

Each chapter is devoted to a period of history - most covering the lives of two or more Biblical characters.  For example the first three chapters cover the following characters:

Chapter 1 - Adam, Eve, and the Boys:  From Eden to the Tower of Babel

Chapter 2 - Abraham and Sarah: Joys and Tribulations of Old Age

Chapter 3 - Isaac and Rebekah: Marital Missteps and Misery

With 24 chapters, I am estimating that 75 to 100 people are discussed with varying amount of detail.  

Within those 24 chapters, the author brings to life people and events that make up Biblical history in very readable series of vignettes that allow the reader to appreciate the contribution that each has made to the Spiritual history of Israel and the Church.  

My major complaint with the book is the separation of Biblical footnotes from other references (i.e. other primary and secondary sources).  Biblical footnotes are collected in an index at the rear of the text, other references are footnoted in place.  Each chapter also includes a list of suggested works  for “Further Reading”.    

The book is a welcome reference book to the library of a pastor or teacher doing a biographical study - whether of a single individual or of a series of characters.  It stands along similar works by such authors as Alexander Whyte, James Hastings, Charles Spurgeon, and John MacArthur.  It is my hope that this book gains a wide audience and appreciation within the church.

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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.