Book Review: He Chose the Nails by Max Lucado

Why did Jesus Christ die on the cross? Why did he allow himself to endure the torture, the humility, and the horrendous pain? What stories are told by the thorns, the timbers, the nails, the wine and the blood? Max Lucado provides answers to these questions in his own unique style in his book He Chose the Nails, What God Did to Win Your Heart.

Max Lucado takes the biblical account of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and weaves it into answers of why and what God did on the cross to win your heart, your love. He utilizes each specific item to tell a joyous, yet heart-wrenching story of the agony Christ experiences on the cross in taking the punishment which should have been ours. He goes into exquisite detail about the stories told by the tools of torture challenging the reader to listen intently to what they are saying to all of humanity.

The message Max Lucado presents in He Chose the Nails, What God Did to Win Your Heart touches my heart deeply. It is written in a manner so anyone can readily understand this message. He closes the book with a challenge to take all of our moments, the bad, the mad, the anxious, and the final moment of life to the foot of the cross and leave them there. This statement had and still has a profound effect on me (I quote from the book):

"You know, Max, if I leave all those moments at the cross, I won't have any moments left but good ones."

If you are looking for inspiration, if you are looking for a reason to continue to love and serve the Lord Jesus Christ, I recommend reading He Chose the Nails, What God Did to Win Your Heart by Max Lucado highly. Slow down and let the words speak to the depths of your soul and your spirit.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their 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."

The River of Living Water

"I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water (Isa. 41:18 KJV)."

When the thirsty cry out to God for water, God provides. you see, there's this river. The water flowing in this river is clear as crystal. This river is a pure river of the water of life.

The One who is called Alpha and Omega gives those who thirst this promise, "I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely (Rev. 21:6 KJV)."

Jesus cried out, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink (Jn. 7:37)." Jesus Christ is the only source of Living Water. There's no other method of obtaining this water than through Jesus Christ. As Peter stated so clearly, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12 KJV)."

You can die from thirst, or you can come to the Source of Living Water and drink deeply. The choice is yours.


Here's what I find interesting. Jesus said whoever drinks of the water he gives will never get thirsty again. He also said, "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water (Jn. 7:38 KJV)."

Why do I find this interesting? Do we think the river of Living Water stops flowing once it's inside of us? The river of Living Water should flow in us, through us, and back out of us to bring a pure supply of drinking water to any thirsty man, woman, or child we come into contact with.

When is the last time you shared a Drink with someone else? God bless...

We Have A High Priest

"For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin (Heb. 4:15 NKJV)."

This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. It offers the promise to believers that God understand our worries, fears, pain, and sorrow. The significance of this verse lies in the three words, "in all points". This means our he has faced every trial we have, or will face.

The man Jesus Christ was flesh and bone. He felt the burning of a raging fever and experienced the agony of sickness. He dealt with the frustration of physical disability. He felt the pain of physical injury. The compassion showed by Jesus for the multitudes is a clear testament to his knowledge of human suffering.

Jesus Christ felt the pain of rejection at its highest point. It was much more than the rejection experienced between boy and girl, man and woman. The King of glory came to his people and they rejected him. Humanity still rejects him.

Jesus lived through the worry and fear of having to face another tomorrow. He understood the need of and the worry for food, shelter, and clothing. It led him to say, "Therefore do not worry , saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear?... For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things (Mt. 6:31-32 NKJV)."

Jesus Christ tasted firsthand the sting and sorrow of death. He was so moved by the death of his friend that he stood at his graveside and wept. More importantly, Jesus faced his own death alone at Calvary. Do we comprehend that the Spirit of God could not remain in Christ as he experienced human death for himself?

Christ became sin for all humanity. He became the sacrificial Lamb as sin was nailed to the cross. The Spirit of God cannot dwell in the presence of sin. At the point of his death, the man Jesus Christ experienced exchanging flesh for an eternity apart from God. Think about it, he died as sin, separated from God.

Jesus Christ is qualified to be the ultimate High Priest for all humanity. He experienced sickness, fear, sorrow, and pain. He experienced the ultimate death of facing eternity apart from God. God now sees humanity through the sacrificed Lamb, Jesus Christ. God experiences the deepest of pain when each man, woman, or child reject him and pass on into eternity apart from him.

Lord God, don't only give us the Spirit of Christ. Allow us to see humanity through the eyes of Christ. Plant within us the heart of Christ. Help us to understand the grief you experience when another of your creation slips into eternity apart from you. Help us to translate our experiences of suffering into ultimate glory to your holy name. God bless...