“Through every generation, God has breathed His invitation to joyful embrace, the very essence of true pleasure. In His arms, every pleasure is safe but thrilling, the dissolution of death and the very fulfillment of life.” This excerpt from page 183 of Greg Paul’s newest book summarizes in only a few words the intended message of “Close Enough to Hear God Breathe” – a book with a compelling title but, regrettably, little more.

Even though we’ve all been told not to judge a book by its cover, the fact is that we all do to at least some extent. When I pick up a book with a title and description conveying the idea of Divine intimacy, I naturally anticipate the underlying pages to contain a similar theme. Perhaps I missed something, but during what times I was actually able to decipher the author’s countless stories and fairly unorganized writing style I often disagreed with him anyway. In chapter 14, for example, he portrays the Song of Solomon as little more than a lust-filled romance novel rather than a beautiful portrayal of the mutual love between Christ and His bride as it is in truth.

Intimacy with our Creator, however farfetched it may seem, is indeed possible. If you are as intrigued as I am at the idea of being “close enough to hear God breathe”, then my personal recommendation is to seek out the many Scriptures which teach us how this can be done (Hebrews 12:14 comes to mind). Unfortunately, this book offered me little more than the motivation to seek out a better resource on the subject and is not one I would recommend.

My Rating: 1/5 stars.

Disclaimer: I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review and all expressed opinions are my own.

“Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed Me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed Thee? In tithes and offerings.”

               -Malachi 3:8

To tithe is to be blessed. Many people today claim it is no longer necessary under the New Covenant to give 10% of one’s income back to the Lord, but it seems to me both illogical and unscriptural to think God would suddenly stop providing for His ministry in this way. If the Old Testament expressly forbade the muzzling of oxen as they “tread out the corn” (Deut. 25:4), why then would Christians be encouraged to lay an even greater burden on their pastor by failing to provide him with financial support?

In the Old Testament tithing was instituted, not only to remind the giver of God’s right to their resources, but as the means whereby Levites (i.e. the priests) would sustain themselves and support their families. The Levites, in turn, would then pay tithes on their “inheritance” by presenting a tenth of this to Aaron the priest (Num. 18:25-28). If you think God’s asking too much of you by requiring a mere 10%, consider this: when all tithes stipulated by the OT Law had been paid, each Jew had contributed approximately 23% of their finances to the Lord. Surely things have changed somewhat since then, but wouldn’t you agree that acknowledging our subordination to God is more important than enjoying the unnecessary luxuries of American life?

“But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”

               -2 Corinthians 9:6

Naturally, the most common excuse this generation creates is that paying tithes simply cannot be afforded. Maybe you don’t waste a penny on frivolous spending and yet are certain you couldn’t make room for tithes your budget. If so, let me encourage you to give anyway! Did not David say he had been both young and old, having never seen “the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread?” (Psalm 37:25) “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse,” says God in Malachi 3:10, “that there may be meat in Mine house, and prove Me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”

In God’s perfect will, those who preach the Gospel also live of the Gospel (1 Corinthians 9:14). Certainly He has power enough to meet the needs of all humanity apart from our help, but as “laborers together with God” (1 Cor. 3:9) we are called to join Him in the privilege of doing so. Let us never selfishly judge His commandments to be grievous, but instead embrace each one with joy as cheerful givers of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 John 5:3; 2 Cor. 9:7).

One of the most common things I see people writing about today is how to manage one’s finances. From Dave Ramsey to Oprah Winfrey, it seems that anyone making more than the average fry cook has something to say on the subject. Of course this isn’t necessarily a bad thing since we obviously need financial advice as a nation, but whenever someone starts telling me how to retire as a multi-millionaire I can’t help but feel a little bit uneasy. Didn’t Solomon exhort us in Proverbs 23:4, “Labor not to be rich”?

“For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

               -I Timothy 6:10

You may or may not agree with me on this one, but I truly believe America’s lust for money and desire to be rich is precisely why our economy has been a roller-coaster ride over the past several years and why so many families nationwide are losing their homes due to foreclosure and filing bankruptcy. Of course that’s not to say everyone who loses their home has been greedy or selfish with their money, but if our resolve to live a financially sound life stems from the very same desire to be rich that created our problems in the first place then how can we expect to be successful?

Of course none of us would say outright, “I want to be filthy rich.” Most of us even humor ourselves with the thought that we’re actually a content person. Really, we don’t want to be wealthy at all; we just want to drive what wealthy people drive and wear what wealthy people they wear. “If we had more resources,” we tell ourselves, “just think of how effective our ministry would be.” Apparently we’ve misread I Corinthians 1:26-29 and somehow think that, in order to be used by God, we have to have something to offer Him first.

“And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.”

               -I Timothy 6:8

Many times throughout my life I’ve asked the Lord never to make me rich; instead, my prayer has been like that of Agur’s in Proverbs 30:8-9 when he said, “give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny Thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.” It’s not that I think it’s wrong to have a big bank account. But I’ve seen a camel before and am pretty sure it wouldn’t through the eye of a needle (Mark 10:25). In fact, I doubt a $1 bill would either.

*Photo by Rein Nomm on Photo.net.

I’ve been tossing around ideas for a new blog series all day. I’m usually able to fit all of my thoughts on a subject nicely into three or four paragraphs, but I’m afraid I would be doing the topic God has placed on my heart a great injustice by trying to condense it all into one post this time. Understanding what God has to say about money and finances is crucial, not only to pleasing God and receiving His full blessing on our lives, but is fully necessary if we wish to have true financial success as Christians. With that said, starting tomorrow I will begin a series of posts which will cover the following topics:

• The Love of Money
• Tithing
• Spontaneous Giving

Obviously, I’m no financial expert. I’m not claiming to have any wisdom of my own in this area, but I do nevertheless feel a burden to share with you the Scriptures God has placed on my heart in this area. I’m open to suggestions for additional posts you think should be incorporated into this series, and hope you’ll check back tomorrow afternoon for the first post of what I trust will be an enlightening series for all of us. God bless!

In “Enemies of the Heart”, Andy Stanley examines in depth what he considers to be the four most destructive emotions in the human experience: guilt, anger, greed, and jealousy. “Practically every conflict and relational wound you’ve experienced,” says Stanley, “can be traced back to one of these four.” (p. 48) Of course such a general analysis of sin leaves room for the occasional exception, but overall this rule stands up to the scrutiny of common sense: get rid of these things and your heart will undoubtedly be a much cleaner place.

For me, this book was both timely and very convicting. I was forced to look beneath the surface of my actions and figure out exactly what motivates my everyday behavior, and also given very specific advice for overcoming traces of these four “enemies of the heart” in my own life. Specifically, Andy names confession, forgiveness, generosity, and celebration as the most effective means whereby one can conquer sins which would otherwise conquer them.

The unfortunate truth we must all come to grips with is that, in this life, nobody gets their way in everything. Learning to handle conflicts and disappointments without contracting spiritual heart disease is fundamental to every Christian’s spiritual growth, and so I recommend this book to you as a wholly valuable resource in helping you do just that. As always, keep a Bible nearby and be prepared to compare each chapter with the truth of Scripture (perhaps reading Hebrews 10:26-29 before you begin chapter 11). If you can do this, then you’re all set to dive into a book that contains a message much bigger than its physical size: “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8)

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

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Disclaimer: I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review and all expressed opinions are my own.

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

                -Jeremiah 29:11

As do all young people, I spent a good part of my earlier youth looking forward to the privileges that come along with being an adult. I wanted to drive my own car, work at my own job, and fill those numerous credit card slots which lined the inside of my wallet. Ordering something off of TV would be the next step, of course, though I can’t really think of anything I’m just dying to have four of at the moment. (Am I the only one who’s noticed you can never buy just one of anything anymore?)

Even if you never shared those exact ambitions, I’m sure you can remember what it was like having your own list of things to do on that day when you finally grew up. For most of us that day came much sooner than we ever dreamed and we suddenly found ourselves faced with a handful of privileges and a truckload full of new responsibilities. In my own experience, those boring typing lessons from 6th grade suddenly became a valuable asset to take with me as I looked for my first job, while getting  credit card has been officially been marked off of my to-do list. Simply put, preparing for future responsibilities has proven far more important than buying that dream car or owning a checkbook.

Now, for all of you nodding in agreement, consider this:

What aspect of your current future do you most look forward to? Owning a home? Getting married? Taking your son to Little League practice? For every privilege you hope to one day lay claim to there’s at least a dozen more responsibilities which will come along with it. You say you can’t wait to be a mother, but are you really strong enough to bear the unique responsibility of parenthood?

With all the uncertainties inherent to planning one’s future, one thing is absolutely certain: just as suddenly as you found yourself driving that new car or casting your first ballot, so, too, will you find yourself a spouse, a grandparent, or retiree. Waiting until tomorrow before preparing for it leaves a person with very little time to get ready and is a mistake none of us can afford to make. Are you prepared?

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

               -II Timothy 1:7

This Thursday I and my family are going to see Courageous, the new Christian movie by Provident Films. Of course I can’t endorse a movie I’ve not yet seen, but the title and accompanying theme song by Casting Crowns certainly have a punch to them that’s had me thinking lately: God’s people are called to be men and women of courage, overcoming evil rather than being overcome with evil (Romans 12:21).

By courage, of course, I’m not speaking of a total absence of fear; although I think God’s people struggle with this far more often than is really acceptable, courage has been accurately defined “not [as] the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.”* Put another way, even the most courageous of saints are not exempt from being afraid at times. Instead of acting on their fear, however, they act in spite of it and do what they know is right while leaving the results up to God.

“Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left;”

               -Joshua 23:6

When king Nebuchadnezzar began to heat his fiery furnace in which to destroy the three Hebrew children (Daniel 3), we can be sure that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were at least a little bit uneasy at what they saw. They had determined in their hearts to follow God no matter the cost, but that didn’t mean they were thrilled with the idea of becoming martyrs. They may have been afraid to some degree, but their courage and not their fear is what controlled their actions on that day. May we all learn to follow in their footsteps, soldiers of the cross and servants of the King.

*Ambrose Redmoon

According to James in the eighth verse of his epistle , “a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.” I know most of the time we apply this verse to those overtly living a double life, but when you contrast this verse with the ones with which it shares context, it seems apparent to me that the group being targeted here is not exclusively those who go around committing gross and obvious sins; the fact is that even those who pray without a complete faith in God are guilty of a divided heart (v. 6-7).

I know this sounds a bit harsh, but we can’t at all underestimate the danger of combining something as precious as faith with the vileness of doubt. If  somebody you know claimed to take you at your word and yet couldn’t stand on the least of your promises without using words like “if” and “maybe”, wouldn’t you feel offended? In much the same way, Christians do a great disservice to both themselves and the Gospel when they attach strings of doubt and uncertainty to promises which come from the One Who cannot lie (Hebrews 6:18). Not only are they missing out on the incomparable peace available to those who fully trust in Jesus, but they suggest to the world that God is not a reliable foundation on which to place their lives.

“But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”

               -James 1:6

Simply put, a divided kingdom cannot stand (Mark 3:25). If you make room in your heart for the sin of doubt then you’ll soon discover that, just as “a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump”, so, too, a little doubt renders any accompanying faith of none effect  (Galatians 5:9; Matthew 21:21). Decide this day to do away with double-mindedness and lay hold on the promises of God, remembering the psalm of David as you do: “Happy is that people that is in such a case; yea, happy is that people whose God is the Lord.” (Psalm 144:15)

In his newest book, “Has God Spoken?”, host of the nationally syndicated “Bible Answer Man” radio show Hank Hanegraaff does what I would consider to be a very good job of demonstrating the truth of God’s Word. Perhaps even more importantly, he urges the reader not only to acknowledge this irrefutable truth, but to furthermore discover for himself exactly what has been revealed to us through the sacred text of Scripture. After all, simply knowing God has spoken is of little worth; we must know what has been said!

As somebody who naturally enjoys apologetics, I suspected from the beginning that this volume would be one I enjoy. I was not at all disappointed and at times found myself completely absorbed in the thought-provoking points Hank presents throughout. To be fair, though, many of these points were needlessly repeated in such a way that, when mixed with his extensive vocabulary, made certain portions of the book rather dry and boring. Since so much of what he repeats is in fact very good material, however, it didn’t bother me too much overall.

Whether you are a seeker, a skeptic, or a believer, I consider this book a highly valuable resource for anybody willing to accept the truth without prejudice. Sure, you won’t agree with everything that’s said. I myself disagree with Hank on more than one issue. But since none of these appeared to compromise any key element of the Faith, I count “Has God Spoken?” a very welcome addition to my bookshelf and one I hope you’ll check out.

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Disclaimer: I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review and all expressed opinions are my own.

In the U.S. if you destroy an Eagle's egg – that's an embryo –  it is a federal crime punishable by more than 10 years jail time and a $250,000 fine. Destroy a human embryo and it’s federally funded.

If someone shows no respect for the life of an infant should it come as any surprise when they don’t respect you? Vote pro-life.

“But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.”

               -Numbers 32:23

There’s no such thing as secret sin. I remember being told many times as a child that no matter how earnestly I might try to keep something hidden from my parents, they would eventually find out and I would be punished for my actions. Perhaps this was said in part just to convince me that my mom had eyes on the back of her head as she often claimed, but, as someone who put this rule to the test enough times to know, I can certainly attest to the truth of this Scripture: sin will always be brought to light, no matter how well you think you’ve hidden it.

According to the Scriptures as recorded in 1 Corinthians 4:5, even if you’re sly enough to successfully deceive your spouse or your parents, the Day is coming when the Lord shall return, “Who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts.” His eyes “are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” (Proverbs 15:3) Try as you might to get away with wrongdoing, your best efforts to conceal it are like that of a little child covering his eyes in the corner: he thinks he’s out of sight and can do what he wants, but in reality he’s the only one being fooled.

“And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.”

               -Genesis 3:8

Even as members of a fallen race, most humans recognize sin as a shameful thing. The problem isn’t that we don’t see it, but that we often spend our time trying to cover it up rather than obtaining the forgiveness which is freely offered through Jesus Christ (Romans 3:24). If the Holy Ghost has used these words to lead you to repentance (Romans 2:4), then don’t hide any longer in the bushes as Adam and Eve did; confess to Him – and to those you’ve misled – your need for forgiveness, cast off the cloak of lies you’ve so long been clinging to, and be washed in His blood and covered with His grace. Only then will you “obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)

“And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.”

               -I Corinthians 7:35

Parasites are deadly. According to the World Health Organization malaria kills approximately 781,000 people every year, making it one of the most lethal diseases on our planet and one we’ve fought hard to eradicate for years. It all starts when a mosquito, no more than a centimeter or so in length, decides to tap into your bloodstream and feast on stolen nutrients while you occupy yourself with other things. “Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!” (James 3:5)

Spiritually speaking, the obvious comparison is that Christians also struggle with “parasites” which attempt to steal our thoughts and affections, though they’re usually much more difficult to identify than the buzzing of a mosquito or the crawling of a tick. Things inherently sinful such as ungodly movies or mp3’s are naturally among the first things we list as harmful to the Christian, but more often than not the things which hinder us most are actually self-made idols – those daily, and yet perhaps somewhat unnecessary, routines that require so much and yet promise so little.

“He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.

               -Psalm 112:7

Unfortunately, the hardest part of removing any hindrance from our lives usually isn’t just recognizing what it’s doing to us; for many, taking action after this realization is just as difficult – especially when such action requires sacrifice. It’s like that mosquito bite you just can’t stop scratching: even though you know you’re only making things worse for yourself, to stop means you’ll have to endure the discomfort of it itching again.

That’s where the words of Christ is Luke 14:27 come in: “And whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after Me, cannot be My disciple.” Does that sound like a cakewalk to you? It certainly doesn’t to me, but rather serves as a humbling reminder that we must give our God all or nothing. To hold back is to be lukewarm, and to be lukewarm is to place ourselves in jeopardy of being rejected by the Lord as one who refused to love Him with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Revelation 3:16; Luke 10:27). “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.” (Matthew 6:24)

Don’t allow parasites to rob you of your affections. Instead, determine this day to “set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” (Colossians 3:2) Accommodating these distractions might seem satisfying for the time being, but they’ll soon rob you of far more than you anticipated.