Man's Petty Kingdom

I had to blog this excerpt from Art Katz's sermon as heard on sermonindex.org.

“I have such a sense of sadness to see this fantastic facility, this school, these buildings, the men and families that live all about it as a cluster. To see and recognize that it is an institution and not an organism. It has all the precious potential for the expression of the kingdom if you would make but one radical apostolic shift from things institutional and the systems of man to the things that are apostolic and are the expression of his life in the community of God which is His kingdom, the Zion of God, the heavenly city, the New Jerusalem which cometh down from above where the spirits of just men are made perfect.”

A Book Review of Conversations With God by Alton Gansky

I have not read a book on apologetics since Josh McDowell's "Evidence That Demands a Verdict" back in college. I'm glad I picked up Gansky's "Conversations With God" because it is a perfect read for me as father with three young boys. The book indeed reads as easy as a conversation. These are the conversations that dad's should have with their kids. The approach is very conservative, non-confrontational, and fatherly true to the title. I felt so comfortable all the way through reading this book, as if Father was talking to me.

This is good material for future reference. A good hand-me-down for your children when they become parents. A great gift for an unsaved friend. A conversation starter. Make good use of this book. Pass it on.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the 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 Many Times Must a Man Walk Down This Roman Road?

Writing “Christian Mythology” was a very long process. The last five years of that effort caused something to happen to me which I can only see in hindsight now. I am just beginning to emerge from the clutches of something I did not expect.

As a writer, I never understood until now what other writers meant when they said that many times they “became” some of the characters in their books. I think of poor Heath Ledger the actor. He became the Joker and it literally killed him. The villain was so dark and lived just to see other people burn. In “Christian Mythology” I became the darkest of all that this book railed against. While I did not take on its teachings, I took on a persona just as negative, wrong, and ungodly. The strange thing is, I remember praying about this so much, asking God to show me the truth, to live the truth, and write it. I never dreamed He would do it by exposing the absolute worst in me just as I had brought to light the worst in the kingdom. This was not God’s payback. It was His mercy.

Since I finished the manuscript I have been miserable. Despair has been my constant companion. The state of God’s Bride is horrible, blemished, and stained with sin. God showed me that I am no different. I cried out to Him asking why? Why save me, why go through all this, if I am to remain a miserable wretch?

I wanted to jump right in to completing the sequel to “Christian Mythology”. While this manuscript talked all about what is wrong with the Church, its sequel “The Remnant” talks all about what is right with the Church and what we, the Bride, should be doing as a Body in these last days. I asked God to have me live this reality just as powerfully as He did with the first book. Oh if I only realized what I had asked for, perhaps I would not have been so foolish. The misery and despair only got worse.

I am convinced now more than ever of the simplicity of the gospel. The blood of Jesus afforded me two things: freedom from sin and death, and; reconciliation with God my Father. I will sum this up in just a few verses. The reconciliation part means that God redeemed me back to the relationship He wanted with His creation in the beginning. That is what Jesus prayed for in John 17. Since sin separated us in the first place, it is sin that I must now die to and stay dead to. That is my responsibility as God says throughout Romans. The indwelling Holy Spirit of salvation gave me that power. Specifically, Romans 6:11 claims this simplicity. Romans 7 declares the difficulty. Romans 8 proclaims the victory.

Go and sin no more. That is a glorious life.

A Review of The Final Summit by Andy Andrews

A book review of "The Final Summit" by Andy Andrews for Book Sneeze and Thomas Nelson book reviewers.

This book hit the pinnacle for me. This is the second Andy Andrews book I have read and again I give it five stars. Andrews is a wonderful storyteller. Even though you're not halfway through the climb of this encouraging book, you know you want to put one hand in front of the other and turn the pages. There's no guessing the answer to this one no matter the effort. Enjoy the climb and let the surprise at the top encourage you to go beyond.

As "The Noticer" encouraged me to look at things with a different perspective, Andrews' team lead David Ponder found an answer that helped save me from a precipice. This is indeed "A Quest to Find the One Principle That Will Save Humanity" which will leave you breathless at the top. Take a quick look down from there and make your personal and corporate decision. Enjoy the journey whether it be the next peak or the valley of the shadow of death.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the 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.”