Review: Outliers: The Story of Success
Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Fascinating read. Gladwell challenges the conventional thinking on success, but not in a contrarian-only way. He brings data and research to bear on the illusory tales of success we have all heard and thought. I don’t want to give anything away. I do recommend reading it.
Review: Power Through Prayer
Power Through Prayer by E.M. Bounds
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Excellent book in the pietistic puritan tradition. Bounds is challenging and convicting throughout this book. He does not set out to develop the theology of prayer. His aim much more practical. Much application is made to the preaching ministry, though it is not only beneficial to preachers. I recommend it.
Review: Tempted and Tried: Temptation and the Triumph of Christ
Tempted and Tried: Temptation and the Triumph of Christ by Russell D. Moore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
One of the best treatments of the temptation of Christ that I have read. Moore deals carefully and in-depth with the wilderness temptation, explaining what was at stake and the triumph of Jesus over it. Moore explains what temptation is and how it works.
This book is also extremely practical. The Bible teaches that Christ was tempted in all points like we are and Moore makes that connection for us in the wilderness temptation. Not only do we see how we are tempted like Jesus was tempted, but also how to overcome that temptation through Him. He writes in a style that is readable and understandable. He brings high concepts down to earth and makes them applicable to daily life.
This is a book that every Christian should read.
Review: Behold Our Sovereign God
Behold Our Sovereign God by Mitchell L Chase
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Excellent book. This book is the culmination of the study of God’s sovereignty over the previous ten years of the author’s life. It is brief, particularly considering the topic, and very readable. The subject is vast and Chase doesn’t offer extensive, in-depth argumentation. I think that is a good thing in this case. He does touch on all the major categories of questions and difficulties and provides good, biblical answers. The strength of this book is that it will serve well to introduce someone to the sovereignty of God or to help someone who has recently begun wrestling with this hard-to-comprehend truth.
Every Christian needs to take this topic seriously and to humbly search the Scriptures for God’s revealed truth. This truth is at the center of what it means for God to be God. Without some understanding of His sovereignty, your view of God is distorted. Is He a kindly, gentle grandfather type over in the corner wringing his hands wanting to do good if people will only let him? Most Christians will grant that God has the power and does heal and they pray to that end. If God has the power to stop cancer, does He not also have the power to prevent it to start with? If He doesn’t, there must be some reason. Where does that reason lie? If God is a God of love, how does that relate to His wrath and judgment of wickedness?
There are many questions that swirl around about the reality of the universe and the God who made it all. I am not saying this book will answer all those questions beyond any doubt, but it will help give you the framework to start thinking about these things and understanding the answers the Bible does give.
If you have been fully persuaded of this truth for years and consider Jonathan Edwards to be a little light reading, this book is going to add much for you on this topic. However, if someone has never really studied this topic or they only have a cursory understanding, this book will be a big help. Even if you’ve believed in God’s sovereignty for a while, you will be blessed and might find a few new nuggets of truth.
Chase’s tone is gracious and helpful here. He didn’t come off condescending anywhere but rather related some of his own experience and struggle with this truth. He also managed to treat a difficult doctrine with practical accessibility that brings it down to earth. I highly recommend it.
Review: An Unpublished Essay on the Trinity
An Unpublished Essay on the Trinity by Jonathan Edwards
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A brief work that is more a collection of thoughts. Edwards seemed to be writing as a means of thinking. It is a very thought provoking read and I recommend it to stir your thoughts about the Trinity.
