Great Book on Prayer - Reformed Forum

Glen and Camden at Reformed Forum discuss Ole Hallesby's book, Prayer. This is an older work that provides much wisdom on the subject and duty of prayer.  Don't miss this episode and follow the link to purchase the book.

What's Your Worldview?: An Interactive Approach to Life's Big Questions

One of two books this year named by World Magazine as Book of the Year, James Anderson's, What's Your Worldview?: An Interactive approach to Life's Big Questions, hit the mark. Check it out.

Product Description

How do you view the world?

It’s a big question. And how you answer is one of the most important things about you.

Not sure what you’d say? Join James Anderson on an interactive journey of discovery aimed at helping you understand and evaluate the options when it comes to identifying your worldview. Cast in the mold of a classic “Choose Your Own Adventure” story, What’s Your Worldview? will guide you toward finding intellectually satisfying answers to life’s biggest questions—equipping you to think carefully about not only what you believe but why you believe it and how it impacts the rest of your life.

Listen here to an author interview by the gents at Reformed Forum.

The Envy of Eve: Finding Contentment in a Covetous World by Melissa Kruger

This looks to be a well written and insightful work.  

The Envy of Eve: Finding Contentment in a Covetous World by Melissa Kruger
What's truly at the heart of our desires? The Envy of Eve guides readers to understand how desires grow into covetousness and what happens when this sin takes power in our hearts. Covetousness chokes out the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, allowing discontentment to bloom. The key to overcoming is to get to the root of our problem: unbelief-a mistrust of God's sovereignty and goodness. An ideal resource for deeper study or group discussion.

Endorsements

“Through biblical examples and sympathetic counsel we are pointed again and again to the delivering power of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Faith Cook, Author of Troubled Journey, Derbyshire, England.
“With I've-been-there understanding and been-in-the-Word insight, Melissa Kruger helps us to look beneath the surface of our discontent, exposing our covetous hearts to the healing light of God's Word.”
Nancy Guthrie, author of the Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament Bible Study series author of the Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament Bible Study series.
“In an age and culture where we all tend to have an overdeveloped sense of entitlement, this book makes a brilliant diagnosis that goes right to the heart of the problem.”
Ann Benton, Author and family conference speaker, Guildford, England.
“With empathy and grounded biblical insight, Melissa Kruger shows us the path to abiding joy amidst life’s varied ‘ups’ and ‘downs’.”
Lydia Brownback, Author of Contentment, Wheaton, Illinois.

Audio Book Discussion: Gray Matters: Navigating the Space Between Legalism and Liberty by Brett McCracken

Insightfully, author Brett McCracken examines the top cultural issues of our day in Gray Matters: Navigating the Space Between Legalism and Liberty.  This work will be thought provoking and informative as the author creates a balance for many weighty issues of our day. For a good discussion with the author click over to Reformed Forum.

Book Description
Culture is in right now for Christians. Engaging it, embracing it, consuming it, and creating it. Many (younger) evangelicals today are actively cultivating an appreciation for aspects of culture previously stigmatized within the church. Things like alcohol, Hollywood's edgier content, plays, art openings, and concerts have moved from being forbidden to being celebrated by believers. But are evangelicals opening their arms too wide in uncritical embrace of culture? How do they engage with culture in ways that are mature, discerning, and edifying rather than reckless, excessive, and harmful? Can there be a healthy, balanced approach--or is that simply wishful thinking?

With the same insight and acuity found in his popular Hipster Christianity, Brett McCracken examines some of the hot-button gray areas of Christian cultural consumption, helping to lead Christians to adopt a more thoughtful approach to consuming culture in the complicated middle ground between legalism and license. Readers will learn how to both enrich their own lives and honor God--refining their ability to discern truth, goodness, beauty, and enjoy his creation.

Book review: The Greener Grass Conspiracy: Finding Contentment on Your Side of the Fence By Stephen Altrogge

The Greener Grass Conspiracy isn't new but well worth the time, effort and thought the reader devotes to it. The "If Only" syndrome hits us all, even Christians, and we must deal with and deal with it Biblically. Below is a review from sometime ago and a video from the publisher, Crossway. Invest in this one and put it to use in your life today.

Review
Happiness is such an elusive thing. We all want it and can never seem to get our arms around it. We seem to always be searching for that next thing that will make us happy. In his book, The Greener Grass Conspiracy, Stephen Altrogge lays out our problem of discontentment and with wit, humor and a compelling easy to read style, directs us on a Biblical path to obtain that happiness we are all so desperately seeking.

In twelve concise chapters the author spells out our issues with discontentment, idolatry and complaining and then carefully and humorously guides us scripturally to the answers we seek. I repeatedly found myself making connections to many of the real life issues he used as examples. Those things that drag us down and cause us to complain and search for answers in the world and in ourselves rather than letting them drive us to Christ. His chapter on complaining, Eat the Meat and Die (you'll just have to read the book to understand the witty chapter titles), was especially meaningful to me as it likely will be to many readers. Likewise, the last several chapters on counting our blessings, suffering and heaven were warmly written and spoke to some of the serious concerns I have faced and that we all deal with in our lifetimes.

On the surface this may seem like just another self help book but I earnestly contend it is far more than that. Every Christian should be examining their lives for these issues and carefully contemplating their resolution. This little engaging book from Crossway can help you do that.

  "Greener Grass Conspiracy" Trailer - Stephen Altrogge from Crossway on Vimeo.

Want to read more from Stephen Altrogge? Check out his blog here.

God In The Whirlwind by David Wells An Interview

God In The Whirlwind is a diversion for author David Wells. This isn't his normal focus. Still, he's spot on when he states in the interview below that many of us are practical atheists when we're caught up in the whirlwind of life. I can't wait to get my hands on this one. Watch the interview below & I think you'll see that many of us need a wake up call in this area of our lives. Thanks Crossway Books for the interview.

David F. Wells (PhD, University of Manchester) is the Andrew Mutch Distinguished Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. In addition to serving as academic dean at Gordon-Conwell's Charlotte campus, Wells has been a member of the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization, a distinguished lecturer at the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity, and the recipient of a major grant from the Pew Charitable Trust. The author of numerous articles and books, he has written extensively on postmodernism, open theism, and the history of Christianity in America.

Book Review: Note To Self , The Discipline of Preaching to Yourself by Joe Thorn

Note To Self , The Discipline of Preaching to Yourself by Joe Thorn is a refreshingly easy to read and digest little work that is long overdue. Written in short, easy to absorb chapters, this one is a winner and should be on everyone's devotional shelf, after it is read, of course. Author Joe Thorn has written this work in a self-talk style that suggests to the reader that we should all be talking to ourselves in a corrective and positive manner.

Consisting of 48 chapters under three major headings, Note To Self covers a wide range of topics wherein we should be telling, or rather preaching, to ourselves Biblical truth. Ranging from love to risk taking to worship and work, we learn or re-learn Biblical maxims that should be at the core of our thinking. We often fail when we fall back into sinful modes of thought that drag us away from holiness and happiness. But Thorn neatly shows us how to preach to ourselves daily in each of these familiar areas of life. Thorn defines this private preaching as, "Preaching to ourselves is the personal act of applying the law and the gospel to our own lives with the aim of experiencing the transforming grace of God leading to ongoing faith, repentance, and greater godliness." So, we should find that, "...preaching to ourselves puts us into a cycle of law and gospel where we move from our guilt and need to God's grace and provision and then back to the law as joyful and free obedience." The result? "Here the broken find hope and courage, for in Christ we have power and victory to obey, and we will, in the end, be raised in his likeness."

He concludes his introduction this way, "To preach to yourself is to challenge yourself, push yourself, and point yourself to the truth. It is not so much uncovering new truth as much as it is reminding yourself of the truth you tend to forget." So, let me challenge you to obtain, read and preach to yourself in the manner described within the pages of this work for your greater joy in Christ. This little tome is well worth your time and effort to further your spiritual growth and well-being. Don't pass this one up.

Busyness Kills More Christians Than....

Great discussion at Christ the Center on Kevin DeYoung's new work Crazy Busy. This little book is a great read for those whose lives, like most of us, are just too busy. DeYoung explains the balance needed to have joy in God, serve Him, and yet still be productive. Being busy, even in God's work, can have the opposite outcome than what we might expect. Jump over and a have a listen!

Busyness kills more Christians than bullets.