WHY I REVIEW BOOKS:

"Dude, why do you post so many book reviews on your blog?  How boring!"
"Don't you have anything better to do than read and write about books?  Like, watch TV?"

I'll be honest, I don't have the literary style that draws millions to read my thought-provoking insights.
I don't even have that kind of mass influence.
I have direct influence over 2 people because I have that right and responsibility...and they're both under 6 years of age!

In all honesty, here's why I review so many books here:
1) I love reading.
2) I love reading great books that inspire me to draw closer to my Creator.
3) I hate bad theolocially, cold spaghetti, and lame books.
4) I am opinionated, and I love sharing my opinion about the good and the bad - ask anyone who knows me.
5) I'm frugal and love...LOVE...free stuff (especially books and food)
6) When I'm asked to give my opinion of free books, in my opinion that's the best of all worlds.
7) I think Christians should practice the art of reading thoughtfully and critically.
8) I think mature Christians should point others to God-honoring books and repel them the bad.
9) I think our voices need to be heard that bad teachers/authors can go away.
10) I think our voices need to be heard by publishers that they must not publish garbage!

But hey, that's just my opinion....

"FASTING", by Scot McKnight

Fasting; I haven't done it in a couple years, but I think I may incorporate it into my worship again.  While fasting in the past, I fasted in order to "hear from God".  I fasted for the wrong reasons.  I didn't understand WHY I should fast; only that I SHOULD fast.  But only after reading "Fasting", by Scot McKnight, do I now see the practice of fasting with a fresh set of lenses in a whole new light.  My former view was summed up perfectly by McKnight, who wrote, "...focusing on the results causes us to misunderstand fasting entirely" (p. xix).

Fasting, rather than being a focus on results, should be "a response to a sacred moment", something I'll define shortly.  Fasting was not intended by God to provide a way for us to achieve desired results.  Instead, fasting is our natural response to the sacred moments that draw us to closeness with our Creator.  McKnight describes the process in a "A" leads to "B" which leads to "C" format.

"If one wants to see the full Christian understanding of fasting, one must begin with A, the grievous sacred moment.  That sacred moment generates a respons (B), in this case fasting.  Only then, only when the sacred moment is given its full power does the response of fasting generate results (C) -- and then not always, if truth be told." (p. xix)

What are these "grievous sacred moments" which McKnight referred to?
Sin; Death; Impending disaster or disaster relief; The lack of holiness and love and compassion; The impoverishment of others; The sacred presence of God; The absence of justice, peace, and love.

These 7 sacred moments (generally speaking) serve as the main body of the book, and are directly addressed in their respective chapters:
#3 - "Fasting as Body Turning": "... the most common form of fasting is part of confessing sin. (p. 24)

#4 - "Fasting as Body Plea": "...in the Bible, pleas and supplications and prayers were accompanied by the embodied act of fasting. (p. 38)  The body and the soul were considered unified in worship of God.  Today, we esteem the "body" as evil and the "soul" as good.  But if the scriptures are true, then we must love the Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength (including body).

#5 - "Fasting as Body Grief": "body grieving here is a response to death and not a discipline performed to gain something." (p. 54)

#6 - "Fasting as Body Discipline": "The foundational sacred moment for body discipline is consciousness of sin, consciousness of weakness, the need for God's empowering grace, the desire to cut back in life...and a yearning to grow morally in love and holiness." (p. 64)

#7 - "Fasting as Body Calendar": "Most of the church calendar has also been wiped away -- we only celebrated Christmas [not advent] and Holy Week [also called Good Friday and Easter]. ... "Yes, we do know what Lent is, but many evangelicals consider it something that Catholics do and therefore something we don't need to do because we have been saved from rituals." ... "Most significantly, we don't read through the Scriptures aloud together as the liturgical churches have always done.  Why? Again, the answer is simple: the calendar is Catholic; therefore, we don't do it." (all - p. 83)

#8 - "Fasting as Body Poverty": Citing Isaiah 58, "fasting was a response to injustices in the land" ... and "also responded in compassion to the poor and in efforts to establish justice in the land..." (p. 104)

#9 - "Fasting as Body Contact": "Fasting is to union with God what a marriage ring is to a loving couple. As the ring is not what prompts their union, so also the fasting is not what prompts union with God.  Love prompts the giving of a ring, and it is the love that moves the relationship beyond the ring to genuine union with one another." (p. 114)

#10 - "Fasting as Body Hope": Early Christians "fasted because they longed for Christ to return to establish the Kingdom of God." (p. 123)  McKnight shows how the Bible uses feasting and fasting in relation to the Kingdom of God.  The ancients fasted in anticipation of the coming Messiah Jesus; while He was present, the people fasted; today, the church fasts in hope of the coming Kingdom; and finally, in the heavenly Kingdom, we will feast.  Fast - feast - fast - feast. (p. 126)

LIKES: While all the chapters contained invaluable insight, I think chapter 4 was best.  McKnight laid out a compelling argument that the body cannot be ignored in our worship of God.  We must not confuse the "body" with the "sinful flesh" Paul speaks about.  Our entire being -- including our bodies -- were made in the likeness of God.  We worship with emotion, with hands raised, with dancing, singing; yet, we forget the body is a vital part of our union with God.  We too often seek only union in the soul, but neglect our body union with the Creator.

DISLIKES: Again, while each chapter had value, I started getting bored with the book about half way through.  I had to force myself to take a couple days off from reading it so that I wouldn't be negatively influenced by some of the repetition.  That said, however, the parts that were repeated, truth be told, needed to be repeated (i.e., the A-B-C formula was found in nearly every chapter).  No doubt, those redundancies drove McKnight's point solidly home.

"Fasting" is book #4 in the Ancient Practices Series.  Along with "In Constant Prayer", I honestly believe "Fasting" would be a priceless asset to any believer's bookshelf who has interest in learning more about the purpose of this largely-ignored practice: fasting.  The book is only 169 pages long, made up of 2 parts, 13 chapters, and a short study guide.

I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.  I deducted 1 star only because it didn't maintain my undivided attention throughout.  The content, however, was invaluable.


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PRAYER WITH SURVIVORS OF TRAGEDY:

I started reading this book, Gray Matter, by Dr. David Levy over the weekend that I received for review from Tyndale House Publishers.  (This posting is not a book review.)  The jist of the book is this: Dr. Levy is an accopmlished and well-respected neurosurgeon in San Diego, and a couple years after becoming a Christisn he underwent a life transformation that led him to start praying with patients before and after surgical proceedings.



I agreed to review "Gray Matter" because my personal quest and theme in 2011 is to spend more time in prayer than I did in 2010...which, I regret to admit, isn't actually all that hard to accomplish.  I have been riveted by Dr. Levy's devotion to his career and to his God.  He admits that his requests to pray with patients gives many of them an uneasy feeling, as though he's overly concerned about the inherent dangers of their particular situation or that he doesn't have what it takes to make for a successful operation.  Nevertheless, he puts those feelings aside and gently asks them if he could pray with them (not just for them). 

The other day at work, I was sent to give another death notification to a man, whom I'll call Jeff, whose brother committed suicide in another state.  I was requested to locate the next of kin and deliver the horrible news.  It was difficult enough just trying to locate him, let alone jumping through all the hoops his employer had in place to protect him once I did find him.  Prior to meeting up with Jeff, however, I prayed that the Spirit would still my anxious heart, quiet my frustrated thoughts, and help me deliver a peaceful message amidst tragic circumstances.

I met Jeff and delivered the news to him, and quite honestly, he received it well, remarking, "I'm actually not surprised to hear this.  He's been having some big problems lately.  My sister's really going to take it hard, though."

As our conversation was drawing to a close, I felt a nudge in my spirit (some might call it a still, small voice), "Ask him if you could pray with him."  Our conversation continued and he was moving around in his chair as if to stand up and leave the room.  As he was doing that, I sensed that nudge again, "Ask him if you could pray with him."
"Jeff, would you mind if I pray with you before we leave today?"  He looked at me in what seemed like a different light and replied, "I would like that, trooper.  I'm a believer myself."  My prayer was simple.  It was short, lasting all of 15 seconds.  I didn't need to preach a sermon or make Jeff uncomfortable...after all, how many people have had the cops pray with them?  Basically, I prayed that God would be sure to make Jeff and his sister know that He was near at this time of tragedy.

After concluding, Jeff appeared comforted and at peace.  It didn't change the hurting in his heart, but I think it helped him remember that God really cares and that He is always near.  He thanked me for the way I delivered the message and how I handled the situation.  It's actually hard receiving "thanks" when bearing bad news, but it felt good to be of service to Jeff physically and spiritually at such a tragic time.

"THE COMFORT OF VENGEANCE", by Ben Redmond

“As Comforting Avenger, God brings hope to the oppressed and fear to the oppressor.” (p.32) “The Comfort of Vengeance”, authored by Ben Redmond, youth pastor at Westwinds Community Church in Jackson, MI, is a commentary on the Old Testament prophet, Nahum’s, prophecies against Assyria.  Redmond writes, “there is a big difference between God in the First Testament [OT] and Jesus in the Second Testament [NT]” (p.19). Many ponder how God could be so mean in the Old Testament and so loving in the New. This idea serves as Redmond’s springboard into solving the dilemma. I think Redmond did well by bringing the entire message of Nahum – the message of a mean, angry God – full-circle to the Cross of Calvary.

LIKES:

I truly believe the pinnacle chapter in “The Comfort of Vengeance” is #16. It was built up when I became concerned with one paragraph in chapter 15, which read, “We will be judged for our sin eventually, every one of us. For now, we believe that final judgment has been suspended through Jesus. When we live apart from God in this life, the consequences are largely a natural part of our world.” (p.139) While the Bible is clear that we will all be judged, it doesn’t suggest judgment is “suspended” for believers, as though Jesus simply delays it.

Instead, God’s judgment of our sin was finished on the Cross. Jesus Christ condemned sin in the flesh that the righteous requirements of the law might be fulfilled in those of us [who are His]” (Rom 8). And that is precisely where Redmond leads his readers in the 16th chapter of his book, which is why it’s my favorite. He asks, “How can anyone survive [God’s judgment]? The answer is Jesus. The work of Jesus on the cross allows us to survive the judgment of God.” (p.143) “The cross says that when our skirts are lifted, Jesus will be the only thing God sees.” His best statement looked like this: “The cross wasn’t just a token sacrifice; it was all of God’s judgment and anger toward the world, dropped like a bomb on one person.” (p.144)

While Redmond admits, “God doesn’t make sense to me” (p.19), I think God makes more sense to him than he gives himself credit for. He gets it that God is jealous for His people; that He is a just Judge; that He will “have vengeance on His adversaries and wrath on His enemies” (Nah 1). He gets it that we are worthy recipients of God’s anger, and that God finally and completely unleashed all of His anger on sin upon His very own Son, Jesus Christ. The God of wrath portrayed in the Old Testament didn’t disappear at the end of Malachi. He crossed over a couple pages into the New. But the magnificent love of God for us would cause Jesus to step in the way when He decided to throw the final blow to sin and death. Jesus bore it all on Himself. “How can anyone survive?” Redmond asks. “The answer is Jesus.” Brilliant plan! Brilliant paragraph.

Redmond did well in a few chapters inspiring his readers to identify themselves with the ugly monster deserving of God’s wrath. G.K. Chesterton once commented when asked what is wrong with the world.  He replied, "I am what's wrong with the world."  Redmond tied the message of Nahum together so thoughtfully that even an unbeliever might see his/her own ugliness and finally turn to God for mercy. The reader couldn’t help but recognize the wrath of God that was ever present in the Old Testament was alive and well in the New when He abandoned His Son on the Cross in our place.

DISLIKES:

There were more than a couple chapters in the book where Redmond could have dug into the topic discussed much deeper than he did. For example, in Chapter 6, “faith” could have been discussed more in depth by considering what Biblical faith is, where God is when life stinks, where God is when we don’t get answers, etc. Another is the theme of identifying with the “villain”. I would have liked to see Redmond explore that idea more by maybe combining a few of the shorter chapters that touched on the topic together into one larger, deeper chapter.

There were a few “ticks” throughout the book (spacing issues, spelling errors, etc.). While these didn’t detract from the message of the book, it is important to speel chek are werk so peepal tak us serusly. It wasn’t nearly that bad, but you get the idea. Seldom do great authors have errors. If so, one could count them on one finger.

The book is short and sweetly simple. The average chapter is about 4-5 pages with double-spaces between paragraphs, and sometimes single sentences make up an entire paragraph. This makes the book even shorter. To be sure, the book was intended to be a “teaching atlas” for Westwinders. “The Comfort of Vengeance" is wrapped up in 3 sections, one section for each Biblical chapter of Nahum, and 17 chapters. There are also questions for further reflection at the end of each section, tying all the chapters of that section together. In all, the book runs 161 pages. It reads much shorter than that, however.

Overall, I think the book deserves 3 ½ stars…a half point deduction for ticks and a point deduction for lack of depth in a few areas. Worth the read.

"SABBATH", by Dan B. Allender

"Sabbath" is book #3 in the Ancient Practices Series, edited by Phyllis Tickle.  It is divided into 3 parts and subdivided into 11 chapters, a conclusion, and a short study guide.  The entire books runs just shy of 200 pages.

Sadly, editor Phyllis Tickle's love affair with equating Christianity, Judaism, and Islam started on page "vii" of the Foreward.  I mention this because it unfortunately takes away from the work Allender tried to accomplish.  Allender's work is strictly gospel-centered, and Tickle's opinion always operated in the back of my mind as I read the book. 

She writes, "The Abrahamic faiths of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam share a common religious ancestry...in their adherence to a fixed set of seven religious concepts and practices..."  "The processes by which each faith group has adapted tithing, fasting, fixed-hour prayer, Sabbath observance, adherence to the liturgical year, sacred pilgrimage, and participation in the sacred meal..."

Quite frankly, Islam does not observe, nor celebrate, a Sabbath.  Nowhere does the Qur'an mention  Islam's god resting after creation (Qur'an: Surahs 19:68; 21:31; 32:9; 53:43-48; 71:14-19; 77:22) and commanding Sabbath to Muslims.  There are five pillars in Islam, but Sabbath-keeping is not one of them.  But, I digress, since this review is not intended to be an apologetic against Tickle's inclusivism or Islam's incompatibility with Christianity and Judaism.  For the remainder, I'll stick to reviewing the book, "Sabbath."

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE: I think Allender did a good job organizing "Sabbath".  Each chapter built upon the foundation the previous chapters established.  For example, Allender set the stage in chapter 1 with the notion that many, if not most, Christians don't even practice Sabbath-observance.  Not only that, but we have a skewed notion of what Sabbath really is.  Most equate Sabbath with simply "going to church".  With that, he uses the next 4 chapters to explain what Sabbath is and what it is not; what it entails and what it eschews.  That forms the first part of the book. The following 2 parts of "Sabbath" then build on the first part: What its purposes are, how to enjoy it, and how to practice it.

WHAT SABBATH IS? Allender provides helpful insight into what Sabbath is:
- "...an intentional choice to enter joy and follow God as he celebrates the glory of his creation..."
- "...an invitation to enter delight."
- "...a day of delight for humankind..."
- "...a feast day that remembers our leisure...anticipates our play in the new heavens and earth..."
- "...a day when the kingdom to come has come and is celebrated now..."
- "...a fest of remembrance and anticipation..."
- "...an encounter with God's delight."
- "...is our re-creating the garden and recreating in the new heavens and earth."
(all cited from the Introduction)

WHAT SABBATH IS NOT: Mixed in with what Sabbath is, Allender helps us understand also what it is NOT:
- "...not merely a good idea; it is one of the Ten Commandments."
- "...not a day to 'perform' religious activities...thoughtless routine...or diversions."
- "...not about time off or a break in routine."
- "...not a minivacation to give us a respite..."
(all cited from the Introduction)

With these phrases in mind, Allender provides support throughout the remainder of the book for the benefits and necessity of observing Sabbath. 

Quite frankly, though, I got bored with "Sabbath" rather quickly.  Since I can't imagine being tasked with writing a book on such a difficult topic as Sabbath, I will at least give the man credit for diving and digging in.  However, I didn't need to have my pencil ready beyond page 1 of chapter 3...and I'm one who likes to mark and write in all my bibles and study books.  Much of what Allender wrote in the introduction and first 2 chapters seemed to suffice the topic for me.  He certainly left few stones unturned in the writing of the book.  It's just that those stones merely uncovered small details scurrying around in the mud and minor insight buried under the shadows of the particular stones. 

Maybe I simply wasn't interested in the topic; maybe it was simply his plain writing style that didn't keep my attention.  However, if exploring Sabbath practice is something that interests you, this may be a good book for your money.  I just won't go recommending it to all my friends (I'll just take the hit for you instead.)

Favorite quote: "No five-star fare is a feast if eaten alone or eaten in silence or banality with another." (Introduction, page 14)

RATING: 3 out of 5 stars


I received "Sabbath" free of charge in exchange for my unbiased review for Thomas Nelson Publishers (aka, "Booksneeze").  I was in no way compensated or threatened to provide a positive review.