Red Like Grace: A Review

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me; words penned by John Newton so long ago. Yet everyone is still trying to define the word grace. Joe Coffey and Bob Bevington step beyond defining grace by showing what grace looks like. Red Like Blood, Confrontations With Grace is aptly titled.


AMAZING GRACE; TWO PERSPECTIVES


Red Like Blood, Confrontations With Grace is a book about grace from the perspective of two very different men. One man is a pastor and the other man is not unlike all of us, a sinner.


Joe Coffey and Bob Bevington each share their view of grace from stories of their own personal lives and from stories of many people they have encountered. These stories combine to form a message that true grace will confront brokenness, heartache, and despair.


WHAT IT DOES FOR ME


Maybe the best way to understand true grace is to see it in action. The manner and perspectives presented in Red Like Blood, Confrontations With Grace do precisely that. Seeing grace in action through the words of two men from very different life experiences is inspiring. The material is presented in a conversation-like manner and is very readable and easy to understand. Seeing grace confront brokenness in their words makes the meaning of grace easier to grasp.


I found myself relating to many of the stories shared by authors Joe Coffey and Bob Bevington. I have been in the position time and again to confront brokenness and sin with grace. Many times I had to put the book down and ask God to forgive me for blowing it when I had opportunities to extend grace. Grace should be a natural extension from me for being one who has received so much grace.


I RECOMMEND IT


Red Like Blood, Confrontations With Grace is raw and sometimes brutal, but it's real. It's real-life situations where only true grace could prevail to overcome what may have turned into disastrous endings. If you are ready to have a confrontation with grace, then read this book. I recommend it. Then do it, extend grace.


I received this book free from Cross Focus Media,LLC. 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."

Did The Devil Make Me Do It Review

Did the devil make me do it? Where did the devil come from? What is he like and what does he do? What about demons? What did Jesus do? What should we do?

These are some of the questions asked in the book Did The Devil make Me Do It by Mike McKinley, the pastor of Guilford Baptist Church in Sterling, Virginia.

WHAT'S THIS DEVIL STUFF ALL ABOUT?

Who exactly is the devil and what exactly is he up to in the world in which we live? Did The Devil Make Me Do It addresses many questions and concerns about the existence of the devil and the demons.

Author Mike McKinley packs a large amount of information about the devil into the 78 pages of the book. A specific question heads each of the five chapters and within the chapters are more questions pertaining to the topic.

MY THOUGHTS

I like the question-answer format of the book. It helps in making this a very easy book to read. The information presented is easy to understand. The author answers each question from Scripture rather than giving just an opinion.

Did The Devil Make Me Do It is packed with biblical information concerning the devil. The information the author presents is basic and to the mature Christian would be common knowledge. To a new babe in Christ this information is absolutely vital, not to scare but to prepare and equip them for their walk with Christ.

CONCLUSION

The title Did The Devil Make Me Do It is catchy. Mike McKinley concludes the book with an answer to that very question. I won't spoil it with the answer here.

We should be fully equipped as witnesses for Jesus Christ. This includes being able to answer questions about the devil and the realm of evil influence. This booklet could be useful as a tool for sharing the gospel.

I received this book free from Cross Focused Reviews as part of their book review program. 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 SIN OF FORGIVENESS by Edward F Mrkvicka, Jr.: A Book Review

Can forgiveness be placed in the category of being sin? Really? If so, how can it become sin? When can it become sin? Edward F Mrkvicka, Jr. provides answers to these questions in his book The Sin of Forgiveness.

WHAT IS THIS ALL ABOUT?

The Sin of Forgiveness is about conditional and unconditional forgiveness. It is about forgiveness as the world understands it and forgiveness as the Bible commands and demands it.

Edward F Mrkvicka, Jr. makes a strong case for forgiveness falling into the realm of becoming sin. He ties forgiveness directly to another biblical term and command, the command of repentance. The author gives extensive scripture to make the case against secular forgiveness and for true biblical forgiveness.

THE SCANDALIZING TRUTH ABOUT FORGIVENESS

The title of this book is scandalizing immediately compelling one to question how anyone can consider the act of forgiveness being a sin. The introduction opens with a separation between divine forgiveness and secular forgiveness. Edward F Mrkvicka, Jr. methodically steps from chapter to chapter, from context to the lies about forgiveness, to "I'm sorry" not being being good enough, to unconditional forgiveness, to the if, the when, and the how of forgiveness. He makes a very compelling case for forgiveness becoming something God did not intend it to be.

The title of this book, The Sin of Forgiveness, grabs my attention instantly. I would never conceive the thought of forgiveness being sinful, or wrong, until reading this book.

Edward F Mrkvicka, Jr. says the book is not asking one to believe something "new", but something old and true. He makes a compelling and thought-provoking case of unconditional forgiveness without true repentance being sinful. He does an outstanding job of backing every concept he presents with scripture placed in its rightful context.

THE END OF THE MATTER

This is a book well worth reading. Forgiveness is a subject the Christian, the Christ-follower, at every level, newborn or mature in Christ, must understand and implement. Not only are we to forgive, but our own forgiveness hangs in the balance. Eternity hangs in the balance.

The Sin of Forgiveness presents important aspects which one should consider when studying true biblical forgiveness, even though they may be viewed controversial by many. I recommend this book to anyone serious about understanding one of the most fundamental doctrines of Christianity.

I received this book free from Cross Focused Reviews as part of their book review program. 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 Romance of Grace; A Gift of Eternal Love

ANOTHER BOOK ABOUT GRACE?

Grace seems simple in definition yet difficult to wrap the human brain around. Many attempt to explain grace and how it should work. The Romance of Grace goes beyond defining grace. Jim McNeely explores the subject of grace from its root. The point is for us to realize and embrace the fact that God is romancing us from a position of unconditional love in which grace becomes the ultimate cost of God giving his all.

TREASURE AND PEARLS; THE KINGDOM OF DESIRE

Desire, good, coercion, breathing grace, living under grace, do we want grace, temptation, desire again, giving gifts, gratitude, all wrapped up in hidden treasure and pearls. This is grace. This is The Romance of Grace.

Jim McNeely weaves meticulously through a deep exploration of grace to the point of putting in this amazing context: "He (God) has such overwhelming desire that He (God) impoverishes Himself (God) in order to gain us (pg. 135, The Romance of Grace)."

GRACE; GIVING IT ALL AWAY

I must confess that this book started rather slowly for me. The depth to which the author probes required a time of processing in my brain. However once I began thinking about what I was reading, I had to read on. Each chapter builds progressively on the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price. The ultimate climax for me was the section "The Love of God and the Suffering of God" in the final chapter. Then I "got it." God made Himself poor because He loves me. God paid it all for me. This is grace. This is the romance of grace.

Author Jim McNeely laces The Romance of Grace with scripture. Each chapter concludes with questions for reflection. I readily admit that I was doing plenty of reflecting before I reached the end of each chapter! The chapter dealing with the gift culture absolutely puts the subject of grace into another realm of light. I cannot help but ask myself what would my life and the lives of those around me be like if I were to embrace this gift culture.

MY RECOMMENDATION

I would not recommend this book to a brand new Christian convert. The depth to which the author explores grace verses the law could become confusing. After a foundation is laid however, I can highly recommend The Romance of Grace to anyone looking to move their Christian walk to another level. This book will also make for an excellent group study. I give it four out of five stars.

I received this book free from crossfocusedreviews.com. 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."

A Review of Greater by Steven Furtick

Tired of the ho-hum of everyday life? Dream bigger.

Where do I start? Smaller.

How? Ignite God's vision for your life.

So we begin with three lofty ideals, right? Sounds great doesn't it? Steven Furtick goes beyond the pumping and priming to motivate us with another self-help book. He issues a direct challenge in his book simply entitled Greater.

BURNING YOUR PLOW

The author develops the entire thesis of Greater around the story of the life of the ancient Israelite prophet, Elisha. Elisha is the lesser known ancient prophet. Everyone knows Elijah. Yet Elisha does twice the miracles of Elijah, some of them simply mind-blowing and it all starts with burning a plow.

Steven Furtick begins with the calling of Elisha, the everyday plowboy. He concludes with a life being restored when it touches this plowboy's dead bones. He points out how many of the miracles of this transformed plowboy began with the lesser, the small and sometimes strange reasoning. God turns them into the greater not only in the life of Elisha but in the lives he affected. And you have access to this God of the greater.

IGNITING GREATER

Greater is well-written by Steven Furtick. It's light and easy to read. It's easy to grasp the message the author intends as he traces the transformation of the plowboy into the powerful, blessed with the double portion prophet. The author goes deeper than the make-you-feel-good cliches offering the reader a challenge to step into a life of greater, not lesser, not more of the same.

Jesus makes the statement in John 14:12 that not only would we do the works that he did, but we would do greater works. This statement has always intrigued me. It is this promise, as I take it from the scriptures, that drew me to the book Greater by Steven Furtick when I saw the title and the dream bigger, start smaller, and ignite God's vision for your life on its cover.

The book lives up to its title. It inspires me to dream bigger though I must start at small and what seems to be the boring normal. I am challenged to seek God even deeper for the vision he has for the greater in my life. This is one of those books I will read more than once. I recommend it highly.

I received this book free from Multinomah Books as part of their BloggingForBooks.org book review program. I wasn't 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."