Grace by Max Lucado, A Book Review

What is grace? More specifically, what is the grace of God? Grace is a fundamental doctrine of Christianity, yet it defies clear explanation. Max Lucado adds his voice to a multitude of authors making the attempt to explain grace in his book: Grace, More Than We Deserve, Greater Than We Imagine.

Grace, So Many Questions

Here are more questions concerning grace:

• Do we really understand it?
• Have we settled for wimpy grace?
• Do you believe in grace?
• Have you been changed by grace?
• Are you softened by grace?
• Has grace snatched you by your neck and shaken you to your senses?

Author Max Lucado, in his unmistakable, methodical style, makes his case answering these and many other questions to assist the reader in understanding grace. Each chapter of Grace, More Than We Deserve, Greater Than We Imagine begins with an illustration from the Bible and follows with a real-life illustration from Lucado's experience.

A Review of Grace

I enjoy reading the writings of author Max Lucado. He writes in a loose, easy-to-read manner. He presents his thoughts and concepts in words that are understandable. You don't need a doctorate in theology to understand what he is trying to say! Grace, More Than We Deserve, Greater Than We Imagine is no exception. It is interesting, engaging, and even entertaining.

This book didn't wow me. It didn't open any new revelation for me on the subject of grace. But then maybe that is the point of this book. Is the grace I have personally experienced wimpy? Have I been changed by grace? Am I softer in action and reaction because of grace? Have I been awakened by grace? The more I study about grace the more I am convinced that only I can answer these questions for myself.

In Conclusion

It's my conclusion that understanding grace comes with having knowledge of who and what God is. The more we know of God the more we will understand his grace. The more we understand grace, the more we will love God for who and what he is. Books by Max Lucado are always good reading and thus I can recommend Grace, More Than We Deserve, Greater Than We Imagine for a personal library.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com review program. I'm not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express 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."

Book Review: Unashamed To Bear His Name by R.T. Kendall

"For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed (Luke 9:26)."

These are the words of the Lord Jesus Christ speaking about bearing the shame of him. Is there a stigma involved in following Christ? Should following Jesus cause a stigma? Are we, should we be ashamed to bear the name of Jesus Christ? The simple meaning of the word stigma is a mark of shame or discredit.

R.T. Kendall addresses the stigma of bearing the name of Jesus in his book, Unashamed To Bear His Name, Embracing the Stigma of Being A Christian. The author reaches into his personal background and experience and goes into great detail about the stigma and scandal of following after and bearing the name of Jesus Christ.

Chapter 2 of the book begins with a look at Romans 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ," diving directly into the destigmatizing of the gospel which is so evident in our day. The author steps into embracing the shame of the name in chapter 5 where he speaks of the anointing and the greater the anointing the greater the suffering for it. Chapter 7 speaks of dealing with unnecessary scandal and stigma.

Chapter 9, The Reason the Jews Missed Their Messiah is very interesting. R.T. Kendall puts forward a reason which I have never thought of before, seeking the praise which comes from men instead of God. He then follows this chapter with a chapter dealing with the stigma of no vindication. He closes out the book with a chapter dealing with being outside the camp, again offering excellent insight.

While I cannot agree with every doctrine put forward by R.T. Kendall in Unashamed To Bear His Name, Embracing the Stigma of Being A Christian, I can recommend this book as a challenge to accepting the shame, scandal, and stigma of bearing the name of Jesus.

I received this book from Bethany House Publishers as a part of their reviewers 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 16CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Your Comforts Delight My Soul

Photo courtesy stockxchng/lindagr 

He is unemployed, laid off from a good job. The unemployment checks are no longer coming in. He continues to apply for work wherever and whenever he can. He hears over and over, “not qualified, over qualified, the position you are seeking is now filled.”

He sits at the kitchen table with bills covering it. He plants his elbows down on the table, resting his head in the palms of his hands. His fingers massage his forehead as he closes his eyes. “God, how do I do this?” he questions in his thoughts.

She stares fearfully at the pink slip of paper in her hand. Tears fill her eyes as she opens the door, slips behind the steering wheel, then closes the door. She grips the back of her head with her hand and straightens herself in the seat tilting her head back. “God, “ she thinks, “What am I going to do now?”

A mother and father are standing at the bedside of their only child. The stinging words of the doctor rings in each of their thoughts, “I am so sorry.” They embrace as the tears begin to fall and the soft sobbing begins. “God,” the father thinks, “I don't understand.”

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Mt. 11:28 KJV),” the Master promises. “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world (Jn. 16:33 KJV).”

The bills may remain unpaid. The sickness may need to be endured. Make no mistake about it, death will come. Maybe you are thinking, asking silently, “God, how do I do this? Why is this happening?” Believe it or not, He cares. Believe it or not, He waits to flood you with compassion. But in Him there is peace, for He is the Prince of Peace.

If you know Him, come. If you do not know Him, come. You see, this one thing I know, “In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul (Ps. 94:19 NKJV).”

God Knows Me

Photo courtesy stockxchng/asifthebes

"The LORD knows and is fully acquainted with the way of the righteous (Psalm 1:6 AMP)."


Such a powerful promise from God though exciting, also causes me to search deeper into the though that God could know me. Out of all the billions of people who have walked this planet, God could know even me!


I wrote of how God knows the course of life the righteous take in my last post, Road Walked On - Digging Into the Psalms. I wrote of how God will appoint the course of life for the righteous. Yet as I was thinking about it later, I was led to this passage of scripture:


"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (Matthew 7:21-23 KJV)."


The words of Jesus, "I never knew you" are an attention grabber! It's obvious from this passage of scripture these people knew the name of Jesus. It's obvious they professed to know who he was. It's obvious they had accomplished many great works through the name of Jesus. By all appearances these people should be considered righteous; right? Yet Jesus said, "I never knew you."


We call him Lord. We know his name; Jesus. We build magnificent buildings in his name. We write, play, and sing many wonderful songs in his name. We make profession after profession of faith in his name. We prophesy in his name. We pray for healing and deliverance in his name. Yet does he know us?


Who is it whom God knows? He knows those who do the will of the Father. What is the will of the Father? Bearing fruit. "When you bear (produce) much fruit, my Father is honored and glorified, and you show and prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine (John 15:8 AMP)." Jesus spoke of bearing fruit again and again during his ministry. He spoke of sending reapers into the harvest to gather fruit unto eternal life (John 4:36). The fruit we are to bear is the souls we harvest for the kingdom of God.


We possess the power to be witnesses for Christ (Acts 1:8). We are commissioned to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:19). The course of world events has sparked an intense interest in eschatology. The fruit is ripe. The harvest is ready. Are there reapers willing to work to bring in the fruit of the harvest?


God give me a burden, a passion to share Christ with all. Lord, help me to be a branch which bears fruit. I want to be known of God. I don't want to stand before him and hear him say, "I don't know you."


God bless...

A Road Walked On - Digging Into the Psalms

Photo courtesy of Stockxchng/bjearwicke

"For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish. (Psalm 1:6 KJV)."


This verse sums up man's life from beginning to end. God knows. God sees how we live out the time he's granted us. Job, a man who suffered profusely during his time of life, says this, "For his (God's) eyes are upon the ways of man, and he (God) seeth all his (man's) goings (Job 34:21 KJV)."


Take note of the word way (Psalm 1:6) and the word ways (Job 34:21). They are the same Hebrew word meaning a road trodden, or in our case, a course of life. The word used here is a derivative of a Hebrew primitive root meaning to tread or walk. The psalmist is telling us God knows the course of life the righteous take, and the course the ungodly follow will lead them to destruction.


Psalm 1 is a chapter which is loaded with positives and negatives. I find it interesting to note the balance between them. This final verse also offers us a positive and a negative in perfect balance.


The positive comes in the use of the word knoweth. The modern definition of know is to recognize, discern, or understand. The Hebrew definition of the word knoweth, or know, isn't much different. Yet it is richer. Yes, God sees the way, or the course of life we all travel.  But God recognizes, he acquaints himself with, he accepts, and he appoints the course of life of the righteous. The Apostle Paul wrote, "The Lord knoweth them that are his (2Timothy 2:19 KJV)."


The final negative statement of Psalm 1 is, "the way of the ungodly shall perish." An ungodly person is anyone who does what is morally wrong. The ungodly person is one who willfully chooses to reject God and to disobey God's commandments. So how is it the course of life taken by the ungodly will come to destruction?


Let's look at the word perish. It's a Hebrew primitive root meaning to wander away or to lose oneself. The psalmist is saying the course of life taken by the ungodly will cause them to wander away losing oneself to certain destruction. God doesn't want anyone to perish.


Man's destruction was never God's intent. God patiently endures the course of life humanity chooses to take. God does this because he desires that nobody perish, but all come to repentance in changing their hearts and lives. Doing so will place one on the course of life which God not only approves of but will appoint one to.


Your feedback and comments are welcome. We'll start digging into Psalm 2 next time. Till then, God bless...

Reflections of the Journey

A friend asked me the other day to keep her updated about the journey God is leading me on. This request caused me to stop and think about where I've been and where it is I'm going.

"Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee (Jer. 1:5 KJV).

God knew me before I ever existed.

"In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also (Jn. 14:2-23 KJV)."

God knows the destination of this journey.

"And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know (Jn. 14:4 KJV)."

I know the final destination of this journey. I have the directions, the map, of how to get to the final destination of this journey. I know the path which I must take to reach the final destination of this journey.

The final destination of this journey is eternity. The map of directions is clear. The path, the way, we will take to reach eternity is known.

There are two locations in eternity. There are paths leading to each location. There is only one map. The paths are clearly marked. The locations are clearly identified. Location one is eternal life:

"I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me (Jesus, Jn. 14:6)."

The journey to the location of eternal life must go through the Lord Jesus Christ."

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)."

Jesus Christ is the only Path, the only Way, to eternal life. Any other path, any other way, any other direction will lead to the other location, eternal death. The map of directions clearly distinguishes between the Path to life and all paths which to eternal death.

You are taking this journey to eternity whether you think you are or not. You are on a path leading to one of the two locations in eternity. You can't ignore it. You can't delay it. You have made your choice.

What makes this journey unique is that while you're traveling, you can change the choice of your final location in eternity. But you must always remember, there is only one Path to life.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (Jn. 3:16 KJV)."

God bless...

The Potter and the Vessel

"Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it (Jer. 18:3-4 KJV)."

I've read this passage of Scripture many times. I've heard multiple sermons preached about the Great Potter and the vessel. What a wondrous concept to comprehend the Potter will mold us into a vessel as He sees fit to make!

A choice is placed before us. We can watch the Potter remake a marred vessel into one which will bring glory to the Potter. We can choose to become the marred vessel in the hands of the Potter.

Those who choose to watch possess a front row seat in the scrap pile of damaged, marred, and imperfect vessels. Those who choose to watch can see the pain and suffering of the vessel on the wheel as it's being remade. Those who choose to watch feel they're safe in the scrap pile. However, the vessels in the scrap pile are useless. The only value they possess is to be crushed back into the clay they were formed from.

Those who choose to get on the wheel, placing themselves in hands of the master Potter, have the guarantee they will become vessels of honor and glory to the Potter. Yet the remaking process is painful. Severely damaged areas must be removed and replaced. Marred areas must be softened, scraped, and resurfaced.

When the vessel is in the shape desired, the Potter places it in the fire of the kiln to harden it withstand the rigor of daily use. The Potter doesn't create these vessels to sit in a display case. These vessels are made for intensive, daily use. They're designed and made to bring glory and honor to the Potter.
 
You're presented with a decision today. You can become a vessel in the hands of the master Potter to endure the pain of being born again to a vessel of value. You can remain in the pile of scrap, broken, damaged, marred, useless vessels awaiting eternal destruction. The decision is yours. Life is wrought with many choices. Eternity offers two. God bless...

Thinking and Reminiscing

Reminiscing

Today is celebrated as Good Friday. We celebrate and reminisce of the crucifixion of Christ on the cross of Calvary. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son (Jn. 6:16 KJV)."

Christ gave all. He is the final sacrificial Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. The blood of the Lamb is applied to the door posts of my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Such a tremendous concept it is of so much love Jesus Christ was willing to die for my sin. What can I ever do to deserve such a gift?

Thinking

You may be thinking, "oh boy, here we go, works!" Salvation is by faith. Faith comes by hearing the Word. The Word is from God, of God, and is God. James said, "Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works (Jas 2:18 KJV)."

Your works may not save you, but I contend they may very well help you to stay "saved". "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." We cannot earn salvation by works, but God does require us to love him with everything we are and possess. Like it or not, this often requires work. Go ahead, tell your spouse you love them and never do anything to show it.

"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me (Lu. 9:23 KJV)." We're saved by faith. Jesus clearly states here that if we're planning on following him, we're to deny ourselves. Self-denial requires discipline and work. It's very difficult for the flesh to surrender ownership of self. Doing so requires a tremendous amount of faith.

Jesus clearly says if we're to follow him we are to "take up our cross daily." You can call it what you want to, but taking up a cross daily implied action. Taking a stand for anything requires discipline and work. You must have faith in the belief that any stand you take for anything is for the right cause.

Jesus said, "and follow me." If you plan to follow anything, you're going to have to move to do it. Following requires action. Following requires work. However, following someone you've never seen requires faith.

I didn't walk in his steps and hear the words he spoke to the multitudes. I didn't see him open the ears of the deaf and give sight to the blind. I didn't see him cleanse the lepers and heal the lame. I wasn't there when he rose Lazarus from the dead.

I wasn't at Calvary when Christ hung on the cross. I didn't see the blood-covered body sag into lifelessness when he said, "It is finished." It's by my faith I believe he did these things. It's by my faith I believe he walked the face of this earth. It's by my faith I believe he became the final sacrifice for sin.

It's my faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that requires me to take action for Jesus Christ. It's my faith that causes me to do the works for Christ. It's my faith that causes me to love the Lord with all my heart, soul, and might. It's my faith that causes me to take a stand with Jesus Christ. It is my faith that causes me to follow him.

Without the faith I possess in the blood of Christ shed at Calvary, there would be no purpose for doing the works God has chosen for me to do. Yes, my salvation is by faith. Yes, my faith has caused me to take action. Yes, by faith I believe Christ rose from the dead. No, I didn't personally see it, but by faith I believe it. And it's by my faith that I too will one day arise and will look into his face and see him as he is. God bless...