Reading Material

I’ve finished some books which I checked out of the public library before Christmas. I felt like I was supposed to list them in the blog, telling a little about them (from the jackets) and if there is a personal story surrounding them. So here goes (unless otherwise noted, most Scripture is (New International Version, ©2010) from biblegateway.org):

The Daily Bible, 30 Days with Jesus: The Gospels in Chronological Order – Life-Changing Devotions, by F. LaGard Smith (New International Version)

“This remarkable one-month walk through the words of Christ combines the four Gospel accounts into a single chronological story of Jesus’ life. The good news about Christ, along with devotional reflections, speaks powerfully and lovingly to your personal needs and deepest yearnings.”

After Thanksgiving, as it was coming up to Christmas, I began to reflect on my failure to read the Bible through in the year as I had intended at the beginning of the year. I thought about reading through the gospels since we would soon be celebrating the birth of Christ, but I wasn’t sure how I was to do this. I thought to myself that maybe I’d try to read them so that I’d read similar stories together, but realized how ambitious for me that was to try to get through them all in one month if I didn’t read them straight through.

Then I went to the library, and there was this book; it seemed to be just the sort of thing of which I’d been thinking! So I got the book and read it during the month of December. I still may try to put something together on my own, but at least for Christmas I was into the gospels, into the story of Christ.

Luke 2:14

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

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A League of Dangerous Women: Stories from the Road to Redemption, by Mary Frances Bowley with James Lund

In this book, “Mary Frances Bowley tells the incredible true stories of women who knew only abuse, abandonment, and addiction – until God met their weakness with His strength. Now these remarkable women are warriors for a heavenly kingdom, their lives a testimony to the extraordinary grace of a heavenly
Father.”

Around Thanksgiving, I received an email asking for contributions to “Wellspring Living, a holistic recovery program for women.” While I didn’t have any funds to contribute, I did pray for the ministry and those involved, and I then forwarded the email to others who I thought may have been interested or moved to contribute. Before I forwarded the request, I did look up Wellspring Living on the internet, and that is where I saw that the founder had written a book. I checked the public library and saw that they had the book and that it was available for checkout. So I put the book on hold and went to get it.

As I read the book, I thought of the many women I’ve known who have similar stories. Some I know from my association with a transitional housing program, the House of Hope Christ-Centered Recovery, Inc. (houseofhoperecovery.org), some from Celebrate Recovery meetings (sort of a Christian 12 step program), some from Bible studies or worship with people who were homeless or from shelters, some from my family, some from my church – from all over. And from where ever I’ve known them, it’s been amazing to see how God can help and has helped them.

One of the women to whom I had forwarded the email said she knew the founder. A couple of other things came up where Wellspring Living was mentioned. Then, just last week, I spoke with someone whose church was having a concert with the proceeds to benefit Wellspring Living. So, Wellspring Living is prominent in my thoughts these days even though I’m not sure why. But I’ll wait on the Lord and see what He ultimately says and / or does.

Job 19:25

I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth.

Psalm 19:14

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 107:2

Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story— those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,

Psalm 119:134

Redeem me from human oppression, that I may obey your precepts.

Psalm 119:154

Defend my cause and redeem me; preserve my life according to your promise.

Isaiah 48:17

This is what the LORD says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.

Isaiah 54:5

For your Maker is your husband— the LORD Almighty is his name— the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.

Galatians 3:14

He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

1 Peter 1:17-19

17 Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. 18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

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Do I Know God? Finding Certainty in Life’s Most Important Relationship, by Tullian Tchividjian

Although he is the grandson of Billy and Ruth Bell Graham, the author of this book “struggled to come to faith personally.” This book “captures the sincerity and intensity of his own spiritual quest, and shows the way for a new generation of seekers.”

Not too long ago, I had gone to an agency and was speaking with one of the employees about job opportunities. This woman and I ended up talking a lot about God and sharing stories of His goodness. We had been laughing about something and suddenly her countenance changed. I thought she was going to go back to talking about jobs and work, when she looked very seriously at me and said, “you know God.” She said some other things to me, but she repeated a couple of more times, “you know God.” Then she seemed to shift back to where she had been, and went on talking about the same subject we had been laughing about.

I must admit that I was a little startled, but I did write down what she said, and I continued to think about her stating that I know God. I thought about my May 1, 2010, blog entry (Not Who I Think…) and just thanked God that maybe I was / am starting to get it (such that even others can see something of Him in me).

John 1:18

No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

John 17:3

Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

Ephesians 1:17

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

Colossians 1:9-14
9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Titus 1:16

They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.

2 Peter 1:2-3

Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

1 John 4:7-8

[ God’s Love and Ours ] Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

2 Peter 3:18

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

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You Were Made for More – The life you have; the life God wants you to have, by Jim Cymbala with Dean Merrill

Jim Cymbala, pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle, “believes that anyone who wonders whether there is something more to life is on the right track. God does have more.”

Guess I’m just in expectation for the fulfillment of God’s promises for the “more” in my life.

Song: Meant for More, Switchfoot (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hp6Qh-wT3ys&ob=av2nm)

Numbers 23:19 (New Century Version)
19 God is not a human being, and he will not lie. He is not a human, and he does not change his mind. What he says he will do, he does. What he promises, he makes come true.

Psalm 119:49 (New Century Version)
49 Remember your promise to me, your servant; it gives me hope.

Philippians 1:6 (New King James Version)

being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

Hebrews 13:20-22 (New King James Version)
Benediction, Final Exhortation, Farewell
20 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

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Colors of the Spirit, by Dorothy K. Ederer

Here the author shares her own prescription for a fulfilling inner life, and illustrates it with the stories of those individuals (“the colors”) who have enriched her own journey.

A reminder of how we each have an effect on the lives of others, and it’s not always in the way that we think.

1 Samuel 16:7
7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

Genesis 9:13

I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.

Genesis 9:16

Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”

Ezekiel 1:28

Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

Revelation 4:3

And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne.

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How to Believe: Teachers and Seekers Show the Way to a Modern, Life-Changing Faith, by Jon Spayde

“In this stirring new book, esteemed journalist Jon Spayde goes on a quest to learn how people across the country use faith in the modern world….Spayde’s odyssey brought him to a new understanding of why action is more important than the intellect in faith, how true solace is found in forging a personal relationship with God, and why worrying about one’s own ‘worthiness’ is always besides the point.”

Relationship lived out, and not (just) religion…

Ephesians 4:11-16
11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Ephesians 3:4-6
4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. 6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

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As I was going through these books, I see that I actually got them at two different times. Since I had originally gone to the library to get the Bowley book, at that time I got the Spayde book and a couple of others that I decided when I got home that I was not going to read. One in the latter category was a book by Deepak Chopra on Muhammad – for that one, the message was very strong in my spirit that I shouldn’t read it (something like, “Now, why would you want to read a book about Muhammad coming up to Christmas?”) When I saw that the same author had a book on Jesus, I went back the next day and got that book, plus the other four. However, when I read enough of that book to see that the Jesus being written about was not my Jesus, that book had to go back unread as well.

…and my journey with Him continues…