Books Read in 2013*

Happy New Year!

Listed in no particular order here is a list of the best books I read in 2013.


The Hour That Changes The World

This book was first published in 1978 but I was not familiar with the book. The title caught my eye on a vendor's table at the Georgia Home Education Conference in 2013. I downloaded it to my tablet and immediately wondered why I had never heard of the excellent book on prayer.


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And When You Pray: The Deeper Meaning of the Lord's Prayer

A closer look at the prayer Jesus gives in the first 5 verses of Matthew 6 written by Ray Pritchard of Keep Believing Ministries 



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Through The Eyes of C.H. Spurgeon

This book is a collection of powerful quotes from C.H. Spurgeon.



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Ten Indictments Against the Modern Church

This message was preached on October 22, 2008 by Paul Washer who served as a missionary in Peru for ten years. Powerful word for the Church.


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Stop Asking Jesus into Your Heart: How to Know For Sure You Are Saved

Don't let the title fool you, this is an excellent book on the assurance of salvation based on the finished work of Christ not on praying a one time prayer. Easy-believism is a blight on the modern church. This book can help a lot of people: saved and lost.



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Demolishing Supposed Bible Contradictions Volume 1 & 2

Edited by Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis, has provided Christians with an excellent resource to help equip them be able to "always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you"



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The Insanity of God

Powerful! See how God is working through His Church around the world. Persecution and suffering is a very real and normal part for many around the world. God is faithful. Their faith is strong and vibrant. Would our "faith" here in America stand or would it be exposed as a shallow fake?



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Total Truth

Addresses how Christians have developed a wrong way of looking at life.  In the culture war your worldview does matter.



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The Masculine Mandate

A book that calls men back to biblical manhood - masculinity.  Not very popular in 21st century America but very much needed in a the confused culture of our day.



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Discover the Mystery of Faith

How worship shapes believing.



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Walking East to West: God in the Shadows

Ravi Zacharias, distinguished Christian apologist, tells his story.



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50 People Every Christian Should Know: Learning From Spiritual Giants of the Faith

Warren Wiersbe provides brief biographies from church history.



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*  I am not including the Bible in this list. I strive to read through the Bible every year.  I agree with Tony Reinke (author of Lit!), there are two genres of books:  genre A - The Bible and  genre B - All other books.  The books included in this list are from genre B.

Tell Your Children...

July 10

Evening "Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation." Joel 1:3   In this simple way, by God's grace, a living testimony for truth is always to be kept alive in the land--the beloved of the Lord are to hand down their witness for the gospel, and the covenant to their heirs, and these again to their next descendants. This is our first duty, we are to begin at the family hearth: he is a bad preacher who does not commence his ministry at home. The heathen are to be sought by all means, and the highways and hedges are to be searched, but home has a prior claim, and woe unto those who reverse the order of the Lord's arrangements. To teach our children is a personal duty; we cannot delegate it to Sunday school teachers, or other friendly aids; these can assist us, but cannot deliver us from the sacred obligation; proxies and sponsors are wicked devices in this case: mothers and fathers must, like Abraham, command their households in the fear of God, and talk with their offspring concerning the wondrous works of the Most High. Parental teaching is a natural duty--who so fit to look to the child's well-being as those who are the authors of his actual being? To neglect the instruction of our offspring is worse than brutish. Family religion is necessary for the nation, for the family itself, and for the church of God. By a thousand plots Popery is covertly advancing in our land, and one of the most effectual means for resisting its inroads is left almost neglected, namely, the instruction of children in the faith. Would that parents would awaken to a sense of the importance of this matter. It is a pleasant duty to talk of Jesus to our sons and daughters, and the more so because it has often proved to be an accepted work, for God has saved the children through the parents' prayers and admonitions. May every house into which this volume shall come honour the Lord and receive his smile. (taken from July 11 Evening reading in Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon) Too many Christian parents are naive when it comes to the dangers facing their children when they go to school or off to college. We must prepare our children to grow up and live godly. The Bible is very clear about the father's responsibility to his children. (See Deuteronomy 6:6-7, Psalm 78, Proverbs 4, Ephesians 6:1-4). The faith cannot be assumed, we must be intentional in passing it on to the next generation.  They must have real faith, they must know what they believe and why. You had better believe that the devil and the world are going to be intentional in trying to lead your child down the wrong path. "The reality is that when you now come to America’s colleges you have to know who you are or else someone will tell you who you are. There is so much pressure on students to drop certain beliefs, and it is very difficult to stop dropping other beliefs once you give in."  Don't let your kids go into battle unequipped!  Sunday religion will not get the job done. Come on Dad, get in the battle. Your kids are worth fighting for! Soli Deo Gloria, allan

From or Out Of: God Always Delivers His People

January 24

Morning

"Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler."Psalm 91:3

God delivers his people from the snare of the fowler in two senses. From, and out of. First, he delivers them from the snare--does not let them enter it; and secondly, if they should be caught therein, he delivers them out of it. The first promise is the most precious to some; the second is the best to others.
"He shall deliver thee from the snare." How? Trouble is often the means whereby God delivers us. God knows that our backsliding will soon end in our destruction, and he in mercy sends the rod. We say, "Lord, why is this?" not knowing that our trouble has been the means of delivering us from far greater evil. Many have been thus saved from ruin by their sorrows and their crosses; these have frightened the birds from the net. At other times, God keeps his people from the snare of the fowler by giving them great spiritual strength, so that when they are tempted to do evil they say, "How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" But what a blessed thing it is that if the believer shall, in an evil hour, come into the net, yet God will bring him out of it! O backslider, be cast down, but do not despair. Wanderer though thou hast been, hear what thy Redeemer saith--"Return, O backsliding children; I will have mercy upon you." But you say you cannot return, for you are a captive. Then listen to the promise--"Surely he shall deliver thee out of the snare of the fowler." Thou shalt yet be brought out of all evil into which thou hast fallen, and though thou shalt never cease to repent of thy ways, yet he that hath loved thee will not cast thee away; he will receive thee, and give thee joy and gladness, that the bones which he has broken may rejoice. No bird of paradise shall die in the fowler's net.

(taken from January 24 Morning reading in Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon)

The snare of the fowler metaphor represents the plots and schemes that come against the believer. We are foolish and weak like poor helpless birds that are easily lured into the fowler's snare. God is watching out for us. He is our deliverer and our protector.  Some  will be protected from the snare and some will be delivered out of the snare. As believers we have reason for confidence in God's protection. He is in complete control. He always comes through with just what we need no matter what the dangers or fears of life that we may be facing.

Soli Deo Gloria,
ah

Best Books I Read in 2012*

I was able to read some good books in 2012. In reviewing the books that I read in 2012, I am listing my 10 favorites in this post.  This is the first year that I have read more books in e-format.  Of the 10 books I have listed below I only have paper editions for 3 of them.  The other 7 are nook books. I am not ranking them other than saying these are my top 10. They are listed in the chronological order that I read them.  The topics covered include theology, marriage, parenting, education, leadership,  and government.

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With Mama joining Daddy in Heaven in November of 2011, I started 2012 finding my thoughts more and more on Heaven.  I read Randy Alcorn's book on Heaven and followed it with We Shall See God to start 2012.

Heaven by Randy Alcorn




We Shall See God: Charles Spurgeon's Classic Devotional Thoughts on Heaven by Charles Spurgeon & Randy Alcorn



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As a parent I need this reminder: Give Them Grace.  My kids need grace, I need grace!  God gives grace, I must give grace.

Give Them Grace: Dazzling Your Kids With The Love of Jesus by Elyse Fitzpatrick & Jessica Thompson




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Don't assume the Gospel. We have to get away from the moralistic, therapeutic deism that is so common today. The Gospel: "Don't forget it! You were saved by it, will be sustained by it, and are currently standing in it."

The Explicit Gospel by Matt Chandler & Jared Wilson




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This past summer my church did a Biographies Summer Teaching Series on Wednesday nights.  Jim Elliott was the biography covered one week.  A few days later I was in the local library returning some books the kids had checked out and on the used book cart for less than a $1 was Through Gates of Splendor.  I took this as the of Providence of God. I bought the book and read this classic. I had been hearing the story  of Jim Elliott since high school but had never actually read the book.  "He is no fool who gives what he can not keep to gain what he cannot loose."

Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot


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I think this book should be required reading for all parents, church staff members and educators. This is where we have lost the culture war. To quote Voddie Baucham, "If you send your kids to Caesar for their education don't be surprised when they come back as Romans." It has taken over 150 years of secular education for our culture to get in its current condition.   "Parents must take full responsibility for the education of their children." "Christians must understand the significant influence that education has on a person's life."

Kingdom Education: God's Plan for Educating Future Generations by Glen Schultz



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Written by a real American hero who was a POW for five and  a half years in Vietnam.  Leadership is so important and is so missing in this day and age.

Leading With Honor: Leadership Lessons From the Hanoi Hilton by Lee Ellis



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We lost a giant when God called Charles Colson home on April 21, 2012.  This book was originally published as Kingdoms in Conflict, this revised edition was published in 2007.   I like his original title. As Christians we must remember this world is not our home and while we are here we will have conflict. Although we are only passing through, while we are here we must be "salt and light".

God & Government: An Insider's View on the Boundaries between Faith and Politics by Charles Colson




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Marriage is under attack in today's society. What God has said about marriage has not changed. The Kellers have written a book on marriage that is solidly grounded in Scripture.

The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God by Tim & Kathy Keller



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In this book Andy Stanley lays out his philosophy of ministry for North Point Church. "Churches should be theologically sound and culturally relevant."

Deep & Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend by Andy Stanley



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If you are looking for books to read in 2013 I can recommend each of these books to you. Reading them will be a good investment of your time.

Soli Deo Gloria
ah


*  I am not including the Bible in this list. I strive to read through the Bible every year.  I agree with Tony Reinke (author of Lit!), there are two genres of books:  genre A - The Bible and  genre B - All other books.  The books included in this list are from genre B.

Sin...exceeding sinful

Morning ...  March 11

Romans 7:13
Sin . . . exceeding sinful.


13 Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure.
Romans 7:13 (ESV)

13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
Romans 7:13 (KJV)

Beware of light thoughts of sin. At the time of conversion, the conscience is so tender, that we are afraid of the slightest sin. Young converts have a holy timidity, a godly fear lest they should offend against God. But alas! very soon the fine bloom upon these first ripe fruits is removed by the rough handling of the surrounding world: the sensitive plant of young piety turns into a willow in after life, too pliant, too easily yielding. It is sadly true, that even a Christian may grow by degrees so callous, that the sin which once startled him does not alarm him in the least. By degrees men get familiar with sin. The ear in which the cannon has been booming will not notice slight sounds. At first a little sin startles us; but soon we say, "Is it not a little one?" Then there comes another, larger, and then another, until by degrees we begin to regard sin as but a little ill; and then follows an unholy presumption: "We have not fallen into open sin. True, we tripped a little, but we stood upright in the main. We may have uttered one unholy word, but as for the most of our conversation, it has been consistent." So we palliate sin; we throw a cloak over it; we call it by dainty names. Christian, beware how thou thinkest lightly of sin. Take heed lest thou fall by little and little. Sin, a little thing? Is it not a poison? Who knows its deadliness? Sin, a little thing? Do not the little foxes spoil the grapes? Doth not the tiny coral insect build a rock which wrecks a navy? Do not little strokes fell lofty oaks? Will not continual droppings wear away stones? Sin, a little thing? It girded the Redeemer's head with thorns, and pierced His heart! It made Him suffer anguish, bitterness, and woe. Could you weigh the least sin in the scales of eternity, you would fly from it as from a serpent, and abhor the least appearance of evil. Look upon all sin as that which crucified the Saviour, and you will see it to be "exceeding sinful."

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Soli Deo Gloria
ah