Book Review: Guarding Your Heart

A.W. Pink's Guarding Your Heart is based on Proverbs 4:23:  "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life".  This book is devoted to explaining this verse in detail and providing useful application for everyday life.  As Pink rightly states, "All outward actions are worthless while our hearts be not right with God". Throughout this book, he builds on this truth and seeks to show believers both the importance of having a heart right with God and the diligence it takes on our part to make that happen.  He does not forsake the work of the Holy Spirit in this endeavor, but the focus of this book is on the directive given in Proverbs 4:23.

 

Pink devotes his first chapter to the phrase "keep thy heart".  He offers both definitions and examples before transitioning to the next chapter, "diligent effort".  Here he emphasizes both man's responsibility to keep his heart and his helplessness in and of himself to do so.  My favorite quote in this short book is the prayer that follows:  "Lord, Thou requirest me to keep my heart with all diligence, and I feel utterly incompetent for such a task; such a work lies altogether beyond my poor feeble powers; therefore, I humbly ask Thee in the name of Christ to graciously grant unto me supernatural strength to do as Thou hast bidden me.  Lord, work in me both to will and to do of Thy good pleasure."  

Pink's third chapter focuses on the fact that the Lord looks on the heart.  He exhorts believers to remember this truth when deciding how to spend their time, money, and care.  This chapter concludes with a list of the heart-characteristics Christian ought to have, including Scripture references for further study.

The fourth and fifth chapters focus on practical applications.  Chapter four discusses keeping the heart during different seasons, including prosperity, adversity, public danger, trouble in the church, injuries and abuses, spiritual gloom, and critical illness.  Chapter five addresses "other issues".  Both of these chapters are again full of Scripture and prod the reader to examine his own heart.

In his final chapter, Pink discusses the benefits of keeping the heart.  He offers a conclusion of encouragement to those who faithfully and closely perform this hard work of keeping their heart.  

I chose this book by A.W. Pink for two different reasons.  First, the topic.  Proverbs 4:23 is a verse that confused me during adolescence and young adulthood.  I would hear peers quote "guard your heart" in reference to relationships with the opposite sex.  "Don't give your heart away too soon or to the wrong guy" was what they meant.  While this is wise counsel, I was convinced the verse meant much more than that.  

The second reason I chose this book was because my favorite Bible study author mentioned that A.W. Pink is her favorite theologian. A.W. Pink is new to me, but I can see why my author thinks so highly of him. His writing is easy to follow, but deep with personal application.  This book may only take about an hour to read, but the practical implications need to be mulled over and digested for days, weeks, and months to come.

I look forward to reading more by Pink and intend on coming back to this book for further study in the future.

Rachel's Rating:

★★★★★

Book Review - Gay Girl, Good God: The Story of Who I Was and Who God Has Always Been

I am working through Tim Challies' 2020 Christian Reading Challenge.  For my "book of your choice" I chose Gay Girl, Good God: The Story of Who I Was and Who God Has Always Been by Jackie Hill Perry.

As I observe those around me, I see different responses to those who struggle with homosexuality.  There are Christians and non-Christians alike who see this lifestyle as being acceptable.  They say we should not question who someone loves, and people are homosexual from birth...it is not something they choose to be.  On the other end of the spectrum, we see those who are labeled "homophobic".  They avoid homosexuals and condemn every aspect of their personhood, based on this lifestyle.  My question is, what does the Bible teach about how we are to address those who struggle with homosexuality?  What of a Christian who has same-sex attraction?

In Gay Girl, Good God, Perry gives an open account of her life.  After being rejected by her birth father and raised by her single mother, Perry did not see men as "safe".  As a teenager, she discovered her attraction to females and entered into homosexual relationships.

But God.  Perry came to know Christ as her Savior, and her life changed.  I love how she emphasizes that God did not simply save her from homosexuality.  He did not swoop in and change her, so that she was suddenly no longer attracted to females.  Rather, God forgave all of her sin, transformed her mind, helped her to see her homosexuality as the sin that it is, and gave her both the desire and the strength to turn from this sin.  Same sex attraction is still something she struggles with and likely always will.  As Perry writes, "Same sex desires are actual.  Though born of sin, they aren't an imaginary feeling one conjures up for the sake of being different.  But the actuality of the affection doesn't make them morally justifiable.  It is the mind, when conformed to the image of sin, that moves us to call evil good simply because it feels good to us."

At the end of her book, Perry offers some resources for those who may be struggling with being a Christian while having same sex attraction.  These chapters are well thought-out and filled with helpful Scripture.  Written by one who has struggled through these things herself, this looks to be a very encouraging resource.  These chapters can also be helpful to those who do not understand how a Christian can struggle with same sex attraction and who wish to find clarity on the matter.

Homosexuality is fairly common in our culture, and Christians need to know what the Bible teaches on the subject and how to interact with those who struggle with this sin.  This book helps teach in a way that is practical and easily digestible.  I am thankful for Perry's candor on the matter and would recommend this book to those interested in learning more.

Rachel's Rating:
★★★★☆

Book Review: A Cloud by Day, a Fire by Night

A.W. Tozer's A Cloud by Day, a Fire by Night, is drawn from a sermon series preached by the author.  Each chapter begins with a prayer and ends with a hymn.  Between, there is discussion of how God led the Israelites with a literal cloud by day and a literal fire by night, and parallels of how He leads those in His church today.

Ideally, this book could be used as a devotional.  Though I did not agree with all Tozer had to say, I did find many statements of truth that were encouraging and challenging.

Overall, I found this book to be "okay".  It was one that I looked forward to reading at first, then had to force myself to finish.  My rating may have been influence by the long span of time spent reading the book.  However, this is not one I would be likely to recommend to others.

Rachel's Rating:
★★☆☆☆

Thanks to NetGalley for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: 5 Minutes in Church History

Stephen Nichols' 5 Minutes in Church History is a book comprised of 40 short chapters about
important people, events, or locations in church history.  These brief overviews, or "postcards" as Nichols refers to them, give the highlights of church history through the Early Church, the Middle Ages, the Reformation, and into the Modern Age.

Why study church history?  Nichols writes, "In church history, we see men and women facing challenges not unlike the challenges before us today.  We look back and we learn.  We also learn from the mistakes and missteps of the past.  And, though it is a cliché, learning can be fun."

As a person who does not have a good sense of history in general, this book was full of insight for me.  I had heard of Polycarp, Canterbury, and Robinson Crusoe.  But I did not know how they played a role church history.  Through this book, I have gained a general knowledge of important people and places in church history.  Through this book, my desire to know more about church history has grown, causing my "to-read" list to grow!

Of course, a book about church history also includes many quotable writers and preachers.  I was especially impressed, encouraged, and challenged by William Ames' view of theology.  Summarizing Ames' beliefs about theology, Nichols writes, "Theology is not just thinking toward God; theology is living toward God....The end of theology is worship.  Theology is doxology."  Again summarizing Ames, Nichols writes, "Theology is the good life and theology is happiness.  You want the good life?  You want happiness?  Be a theologian."  What a challenge for all of us.

This book gives a great overview of church history.  Stephen Nichols is also the host of a podcast by the same name.  I look forward to learning more from him in the future!

Rachel's Rating:
★★★★☆

Thanks to NetGalley for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Letting Go of the Need to be Right

In Letting Go of the Need to be Right, Jeff Dollar shares his personal experience of discovering the need for humility.  This autobiography is marketed as a self-help book, but contains mostly stories about Dollar's personal experience, with a minimal amount of questions for self-reflection at the end of each chapter.

Dollar and I differ drastically in our doctrine, and that became very obvious the further I read in this book.  His charismatic background provided the basis for much of his self-reflection, and that was something to which I could not relate.  While his life story was interesting, this book fell short for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rachel's Rating:
★★☆☆☆

Book Review: Misquoted

Misquoted: Rethinking Commonly Misused Bible Verses.  This title grabbed my attention, and I was eager to read what Dan Suelzle had to share.  As a pastor's wife, a leader of ladies' Bible studies, and a student of the Bible, I have repeatedly been reminded of the importance of context, especially when it comes to Scripture.  To pull Scripture out of context can at best make us look silly or uneducated, and at worst, misrepresent God Himself.

I appreciate the layout of Suelzle's book.  He begins by reminding the reader that the Bible is about Jesus, not us.  All of Scripture points to Jesus, and in order to read the Bible in context, we must keep this in mind.

After laying this foundation, Suelzle continues on to address several often-misquoted passages of Scripture.  He asks his reader to first consider the claim that is being made when one quotes a verse.  What is that person actually claiming Scripture says?  Second, consider the true, actual context of that verse in order to determine if the claim being made is valid.  Finally, consider the comfort that comes with finding a right, contextual understanding of the verse.

While I appreciate this approach and completely agree with it, I was surprised to find that I disagreed with one of his interpretations.  In fact, the stance he takes on the passage in question is not even a common one.  Ironic, considering this book was written to clarify misquoted Scripture.

Suelzle's book holds a lot of value.  His process is a good one, and Christians would do well to learn from this.  Context must always be considered when reading Scripture, and this book is helpful for reminding Christians to slow down, consider what is being claimed, consider the context of the verse this claim is based on, and then take comfort in the right, contextual understanding of the verse.

Rachel's Rating:
★★★☆☆

Thanks to NetGalley for making this book available for an honest review.

Book Review: Devotedly, the Personal Letters and Love Story of Jim and Elisabeth Elliot

Devotedly, The Personal Letters and Love Story of Jim and Elisabeth Elliot, was an inspiring and encouraging book to read.  Written by their only  daughter, Valerie Elliot Shepard, this book ties together 5 years of journal entries and letters between Jim and Elisabeth.

I was surprised to learn the details of Jim and Elisabeth's love story.  I wrongly assumed they were like (seemingly) every other couple: finding attraction, dating, falling in love, and deciding to marry.  Their beautiful love story was nothing like this.

What I found so encouraging as I read, was their obvious love for the Lord and their longing to follow Him above all else.  When this meant keeping quiet about their love for each other, they did so.  When this meant staying in one place, while their hearts were in another, they did so.  Yet in all of this beautiful striving to follow God, Jim and Elisabeth were merely two faulted humans.  They struggled in their faithfulness.  They had their quarrels and said their share of regrettable things to each other.  I was so thankful that their daughter did not omit these details in an effort to make her parents look more righteous.  On the contrary, Shepard wrote, "Don't think of my parents as perfect.  They weren't.  Don't think of their relationship as perfect.  It wasn't.  See them as two people - a man and a woman - who willingly invited God to direct their lives His own way.  God is the One doing things perfectly here in their story, even amid disaster, even after many years of testing and waiting, of separation and struggle."

As I read, I was struck by the beautiful way both Jim and Elisabeth wrote.  They were both obviously intelligent people, who loved poetry and the act of writing.  I am so glad they kept journals and kept the letters they wrote to each other.  What a gift they had for the written word!

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in reading an encouraging love story.  Jim and Elisabeth faced many trials in their lives, but God was faithful, just as He is to all of us.  I trust this book will challenge you as it did for me.  As Shepard wrote concerning her parents, "May you take from their real lives the confidence and trust that God has designed you, too, for noble service in His kingdom, as you surrender to Him, obey Him, and daily learn to let Him lead where He alone is able to take you.  Lo, He is your God.  Wait on Him, devotedly."

Rachel's Rating:
★★★★★

Book Review: It's Not Supposed to Be This Way

It's Not Supposed to be This Way.  What a great book title!  The Bible tells us that God created the world good.  Lamentably, with the first sin in the garden of Eden, everything changed.  The heartache, the disappointment, the trials that are now faced by every human in life?  This is not how God created things.  It's not supposed to be this way.

If we study the overarching theme of the Bible, we see that God uses all things to bring about good.  TerKeurst builds on this truth in her book and show how disappointments in life can hold so much potential for good.  She encourages her reader to "be grateful and positive" in the midst of disappointments without "pretending we don't get exhausted by our disappointments".  TerKeurst shares intimate details of her own struggles, connecting herself with the reader.

While TerKeurst's writing was relatable, I could not help but see the first few chapters as a combination of a biography, a pep talk, and a self-help book.  This was not the type of book I was expecting, nor was it one I was particularly interested in reading.

TerKeurst's worldview snuck through at times through her particular choice of words.  She wrote of how "God showed [her] a picture of how He wants [her] to be as [she does] life from here."  She states the she is "not really a 'see some sort of vision' kind of girl" and how "at first [she] thought it was just [her] imagination wandering off for a minute.  But then [she] felt an impression on [her] heart that this wasn't random; this really was from God."  TerKeurst then depicts this vision she was supposedly given, in great detail.  This phrasing and practice concerns me and caused me to be on guard as I continued reading. 

TerKeurst writes of how God has given His Word to guide through disappointments.  She goes on to encourage the reader to store up "fighting words" and make declarations over situations they are facing.  She states, "We all need to have some fighting words on hand so we can declare God's truth over our difficult situations".  Some "fighting words" she recommends are, "I am declaring right now that I will not be swept up into a storm of fear and wild emotions", "I will not be one of [Satan's] victims, nor will I be afraid", "I will not be a woman controlled by the lies of the enemy or by my own doubts and fears", "I will see the things that come my way as God's perfect plan to develop my character to match my calling", "I am declaring hope and truth over my life".

My heart bristles at this wording.  Our confidence it to be in God alone, not in our declarations.  Though each statement she makes is backed with a Bible verse, when phrased as "I declare", the focus is taken off of God as our strength and placed on our very declaration.  Declaring "I will not" does not make the declaration occur.  To expect it to be so, is to set oneself up for disappointment.  I would have loved to see these same statements made with a humble prayer, even begging God to let these things be true in our lives.  Let the source of our strength be God alone, and our declarations be ones of praise for who He is.  Let our "fighting words" be His Words, stored in our hearts and overflowing in our lives.

While the bulk of the content of TerKeurst's book was good, and she had some very relatable, quotable material, I was not a fan of her writing style or the things already mentioned above.  If I were to recommend a book regarding disappointments, I would be much more likely to recommend Elisabeth Elliot's Suffering is Never for Nothing.

Thanks to NetGalley for making this book available for an honest review.

Rachel's Rating
★★☆☆☆

Book Review: Suffering is Never for Nothing

Elisabeth Elliot.  The story of her life has always fascinated me.  When I saw she had written Suffering is Never for Nothing, I had to read it.  I thought, if anyone can speak of suffering and give godly wisdom on how to suffer well, it is this woman. 

As you may or may not know, Elisabeth Elliot's first husband was Jim Elliot.  Jim and four other missionary men were murdered by the Auca Indians, whom they were trying to reach with the Gospel.  Elisabeth and her young daughter Valerie continued to live with and minister to the Aucas.  Later, Elisabeth remarried.  She then lost her second husband to cancer.  She uses these pivotal life experiences to connect with others and share that God will bring good from our suffering.

Suffering is Never for Nothing is a book written from Elliot's lectures at a conference years ago.  Elliot begins by defining suffering as, "having what you don't want, or wanting what you don't have".  She acknowledges that all people suffer, whether in seemingly great ways or small.  She encourages that God is sovereign in all things, and He can be trusted at all times.

I love this paragraph, which speaks of God's goodness:
"But when we’re talking about the gifts of God, we’re talking about gifts that come from One who knows exactly what we need even though it is not necessarily to our tastes and preferences. And He gives us everything that is appropriate to the job that He wants us to do. And so, understanding that, then we can say yes, Lord. I’ll take it. It would not have been my choice but knowing You love me, I will receive it and I understand that someday I’m going to understand the necessity for this thing. So I accept it. And then I can even go the step beyond and say thank You. Thank You, Lord. "

Suffering is Never for Nothing is a book I would recommend to all.  Whether our suffering is great or small, it is good to be reminded of God's hand at work through all of it and to praise Him for it.

Thanks to NetGalley for making this book available for an honest review.

Rachel's Rating:
★★★★★

Book Review: Sovereign Hope

I chose to do a review of Claudia Barba's Sovereign Hope:  A Study of the Minor Prophets.  As I prepare for a Bible study on the book of Hosea, I was looking forward to using this as a resource.

Barba does an excellent job of presenting the central themes of each book of the Minor Prophets.  She gives a brief overview of each book and highlights some things that can be applied to daily life.  In each chapter, Barba poses several questions to guide the reader in their study and does a great job of  incorporating supporting Scripture.  If one is seeking a book to give main ideas an a general overview of each book of the Minor Prophets, this book is an excellent starting point.

Covering 12 books of the Bible in approximately 140 pages does not allow for much depth.  I would have loved to see Barba cite her sources, in order to use them for further study.

Thanks to NetGalley for making this book available for an honest review.

Rachel's Rating:
★★★☆☆

Book Review: No Little Women

I first heard about Aimee Byrd's No Little Women a few years ago, and I quickly downloaded an e-version of the book. For various reasons, I never did finish reading it.  I always wanted to though, so I chose this book as the second for my 2019 reading.

Byrd begins her book by pinpointing the problem of "little women" in the church.  This phrase refers to 2 Timothy 3:6-7, where Paul warns of false teachers "who creep into households and capture weak (little) women".  Byrd warns that, "in many cases, women's ministry becomes a back door for bad doctrine to seep into the church".  She asserts that women need to have good theology.  However, as Byrd points out, so many devotionals targeted at women slyly distort the truth.

How does one solve this problem and avoid becoming one of the "little women" mentioned in 2 Timothy?  Byrd encourages women to develop discernment.  "Do the hard work of learning his Word and becoming so familiar with it, through time and study in it, that we know him and his character well".  Then, we will be able to discern whether what we are reading is consistent with Scripture.  Byrd encourages women to read more, read well, and read from trusted sources.  "A vital skill for becoming a competent woman is learning how to read well.  We need to be alert and equipped, because Christian bookstores don't have genre labels like 'fluff' and 'I may look like I have my life together more than you, but I'm about to wreck your theology'."

I loved this part of Byrd's book.  I agree with her assessment of women's devotionals and her cry for discernment.  As a woman who is currently involved in choosing and leading women's Bible studies, I take this very seriously.  What our church group studies must be consistent with the beliefs taught in our church.

Along with Byrd's encouragement, she also lists some examples of writings that are not doctrinally sound.  While I agree with the majority of her assessments, I did feel there were times she focused too much on the specific wording of an author rather than his intent. 

The remainder of Byrd's book addresses the role of women in the church, how pastors and church leaders can encourage women to develop good doctrine, and gives examples to practice discernment skills.

Overall, I really appreciated Byrd's book.  There is a lot to glean from her writing, and I would recommend it especially to women involved in women's ministries, and to men who are leaders of the church.

Rachel's Rating:

★★★★☆



 

Book Review:. The Gift of Church

Taken from a blog posted by me in 2010:

I was excited when I found out that I had the opportunity to do my first official book review.  Then I faced a difficult decision:  What book would I choose that would be pertinent to my own life, as well as to the life of you, my blog reader?

I chose Jim Samra's The Gift of Church.  I do believe the local church is a gift to Christians, and I am saddened when I hear loved ones express the frustrations and difficulties they have experienced within their own local church.  I read in anticipation, eager to find some truths that I could share with these loved ones to encourage them to persevere in their trials.

In his introduction, Samra acknowledges that the church has been hypocritical, among other things, "and worst of all has been these things while claiming to represent God".  With all the failures of the church, why is it so important for Christians to be involved?  Simply put, "God designed and created the church for our benefit and for his glory".  The church is God's idea!

Samra walks the reader through the different parts of Scripture, showing what God designed the church to be and how He designed it to function.  Samra clearly points out the difference between churches and parachurch organizations and shows the benefits that can only truly be found in churches.  He also candidly discusses possible hindrances to the community that should be found in the church.  His conclusion brings the reader back to the fact that the church is the place where "God's infinite grace is highlighted".  What a great reminder that the church is God's design, and it is intended for His glory.

I would encourage any of you who are questioning the importance of being involved in a local church to read this book.  Although the writing is somewhat difficult to follow at times, the content is excellent.  Samra does not attempt to ignore or sugar-coat the problems that are all too often found in our churches, but addresses them with candor.  Perhaps the problems in our churches actually stem from the heart attitudes of you and me.  Or perhaps the answer to the problems in our churches is actually the involvement and dedication of you and me.

* This book was given to me for review purposes, and I do not have to return the book to the publisher. All opinions expressed in this post are mine.

Drops Like Stars (Book Review)

In order to understand others and culture in general, I believe it is important to be well-rounded in what I choose to read.  I had this thought in mind when selecting a book to review, and I chose Rob Bell's Drops Like Stars.  The byline of this book:  A Few Thoughts on Creativity and Suffering.  While I do not agree with Rob Bell's theology, I was intrigued to read what he would have to say in this book.  I was also curious to find out how creativity and suffering were associated.

I received the book and eagerly began reading.  My husband questioned my laughter after five minutes of reading, and I told him "I am already finished with one fourth of this book".  I timed the remainder of my reading and was amazed that the entire book took a total of 27 minutes to read.  Bell's post-modern thinking is evidenced by even the layout and writing of his book.  The book is full of photographs and sentence fragments.  As for content, he did not delve into the topic in a way that was beneficial.

If you are searching for a book that is filled with nice pictures and stories that assure you are not alone in your suffering, perhaps this is the book for you.  It is available in a hardback coffee table edition, which could make an artistic addition to your living room.  However, if you are seeking a book that digs deep into the issues underlying suffering, this book will leave you disappointed.  I will note that Bell does not claim to answer the "why"s associated with suffering.  His claim is to answer the "what now"s.  However, I feel he fails to do even that.

*This book was given to me for review purposes, and I do not have to return the book to the publisher. All opinions expressed in this post are mine.

The Gift of Church

I was excited when I found out that I had the opportunity to do my first official book review.  Then I faced a difficult decision:  What book would I choose that would be pertinent to my own life, as well as to the life of you, my blog reader?

I chose Jim Samra's The Gift of Church.  I do believe the local church is a gift to Christians, and I am saddened when I hear loved ones express the frustrations and difficulties they have experienced within their own local church.  I read in anticipation, eager to find some truths that I could share with these loved ones to encourage them to persevere in their trials.

In his introduction, Samra acknowledges that the church has been hypocritical, among other things, "and worst of all has been these things while claiming to represent God".  With all the failures of the church, why is it so important for Christians to be involved?  Simply put, "God designed and created the church for our benefit and for his glory".  The church is God's idea!

Samra walks the reader through the different parts of Scripture, showing what God designed the church to be and how He designed it to function.  Samra clearly points out the difference between churches and parachurch organizations and shows the benefits that can only truly be found in churches.  He also candidly discusses possible hindrances to the community that should be found in the church.  His conclusion brings the reader back to the fact that the church is the place where "God's infinite grace is highlighted".  What a great reminder that the church is God's design, and it is intended for His glory.

I would encourage any of you who are questioning the importance of being involved in a local church to read this book.  Although the writing is somewhat difficult to follow at times, the content is excellent.  Samra does not attempt to ignore or sugar-coat the problems that are all too often found in our churches, but addresses them with candor.  Perhaps the problems in our churches actually stem from the heart attitudes of you and me.  Or perhaps the answer to the problems in our churches is actually the involvement and dedication of you and me.

* This book was given to me for review purposes, and I do not have to return the book to the publisher. All opinions expressed in this post are mine.

Bringing Up Our Girl

Our church librarian passed along a book that I have been reading lately.  I have a little bit of difficulty with this book, for the simple fact that it overwhelms me.  I am reminded yet again of the tremendous responsibility I have as a mother.  That fact scares me!!!  At the same time, I love this book, because it is opening my eyes to some things I need to work on.  The book:  Bringing Up Girls by Dr. James Dobson. 

I have especially been challenged by the idea that it is my responsibility as a mother to teach my daughter to be a little lady.  I am the one who is responsible to teach her manners, which leads to the development of morals.  Dr. Dobson asserts that manners facilitate morals, but they also "help develop confidence and poise.  A girl who has been trained properly is never completely knocked off balance when she is in an unfamiliar circumstance.  She knows what is expected of her and how to deal with it.  Her sense of self-worth is reinforced by the way adults react to her charm, poise, and grace."  (pg 41)  Wow.  All beginning with manners.

We are working on "thank you" this week.  My little lady is 21 months old, and she repeats "thank you" when prompted.  We are working on getting her to say it whenever someone gives her something.  I am excited for the day when she looks up at someone and says "thank you" because she knows it's the polite thing to do...not because Mommy told her to.

I am currently halfway through this book, and I intend to post more about it later.  Stay tuned!