"THE RIGHT TO LEAD", by John C. Maxwell

“The Right to Lead”, by John C. Maxwell is one of those kinds of books one picks up every now and again when looking for encouraging words for motivation or to pass on. In fact, its format is much like a gift book one would give for a graduation, a promotion, or even a retirement.

“The Right to Lead” is not only an easy book to read, but it is an easy book to look at. Each of its pages is sturdy, glossy, and dressed with inspiring pictures or imagery.

CONTENT: “The Right to Lead” is written in 7 brief sections: (1) Action, (2) Vision, (3) Sacrifice, (4) Risk, (5) Determination, (6) Service, and (7) Integrity – all areas that Maxwell believes make a good leader. Each section contains a handful of inspiring stories of leadership from the vantage point of these 7 sections, some of which are drawn from the military to civilian, from business to government, from various timeframes throughout the course of history.

LIKES: This book is great for the person who has a few minutes of spare reading time. It would be a good book to thumb through just prior to an interview, as its encouragement is both practical and wise.

DISLIKES: A handful of stories used to express his point were not all that interesting to me. Fortunately, there were plenty of other stories that would drive a similar message home in a different way.

RECOMMENDATION: Great gift for college graduates this season.

This book was provided to me free of charge by Booksneeze in exchange for my review.

SIMUL IUSTUS ET PECCATOR:

"Christians are simultaneously justified and still sinners. While Christians are justified in Christ and soaked in His love and mercy (freed from sin's guilt), we continue to wrestle with the ongoing realities of sin (its abiding pollution)." -- Dr. Kelly M. Kapic

In "the New Testament, justification occurs when God declares that a person is just. That declaration takes place the moment a person puts his or her faith in Christ. Sanctification is the process that follows justification by which those who have been declared just by God are actually conformed to the image of Christ. But the glorious good news of the gospel is that we don't have to wait until we become just in order to be counted just by God.

"God judges us not on the basis of our own righteousness, but on the basis of a righteousness that has been added to us by faith, namely, the righteousness of Christ.

"By grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone we are positionally sanctified, yet in some mysterious way, God has chosen to sovereignly work in us, through us, and with us to sanctify us progressively by His free grace through repentance, faith, and obedience that we might die more and more unto sin and live unto righteousness." -- Dr. R.C. Sproul

(All quotations cited from the May 2010 issue of Ligonier Ministry's 'Tabletalk' magazine)

Pictured above is an artist's rendition of the great reformer, Martin Luther.