Book Description
"I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn't resolve. . . . I used to not like God because God didn't resolve. But that was before any of this happened." In Donald Miller's early years, he was vaguely familiar with a distant God. But when he came to know Jesus Christ, he pursued the Christian life with great zeal. Within a few years he had a successful ministry that ultimately left him feeling empty, burned out, and, once again, far away from God. In this intimate, soul-searching account, Miller describes his remarkable journey back to a culturally relevant, infinitely loving God.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent.......2007-10-22
This is a very good book that was recommended to me and I recommend it to others.
Love that Schama!.......2007-10-18
Just as fun as the PBS series! Has more information than the series too.
Good, but hypocrytical . . ........2007-10-11
As a Christian who frequently finds sustaining spirutuality in more resources than just the bible, I enjoyed this book some of the time.
Miller is dead on in his assertion that "the Church" and from that really all Christians, need to re-connect with the example of Christ's love, especially with regards to those whom Christians don't mingle with on a daily basis (at least my "daily basis" anyway).
His hypocrisy ruins it for me, though. It seemed like every time things were warming up about "loving others", Miller would drop some hugely critical comment about Republicans, fundamentalists, evangelicals, etc. I get it that these people aren't necessarily his cup of tea. However, if we are to accept, and adopt, Christ's example of love, it's all inclusive.
Loving only the less fortunate doesn't count; Christ loves all of us. And if Miller is going to write with integrity about emulating and expanding that love in our own lives, he can't pick and choose whom to love and not to love. In short, he falls in to the very trap he accuses "the Church" of living in.
And the hypocrisy of that makes it difficult to take his message seriously, at least for me.
With all that said, I am sending a copy of the book to an atheistic friend. You never know!
Miller's faith perspective rings true.......2007-10-10
Get Real: a spiritual journey for men
Blue Like Jazz is a beautifully written book that requires the reader to think honestly about issues of faith. Miller has moved well beyond the posturing and pretense that characterize too much of Christian apologetics. It's impossible to read Miller without being struck by his disarming candor and honest self-examination. Rather than introduce doubt, Miller makes sense, and he makes a strong case for a Jesus who is real and interactive in the world today. Like journalist Derek Maul's "Get Real: a spiritual journey for men," (2007) Blue like Jazz presents the Gospel as engaging, incisive, and deeply authentic.
Inspired Me to Read His Other Books.......2007-10-08
Blue Like Jazz is a sort of meditation on Don Miller's spiritual life so far (he's in his early 30s), sprinkled with a little Christian apologetic told by narrative rather than by theories or "spiritual laws" (Miller's "Search for God Knows What" is more along the lines of an apologetic though). Miller's writing style is accessible and easy, though he's prone to meditative tangents on the nature of God or faith or creation that may annoy the less religiously-inclined reader. Miller has a lot of credibility in the so-called emerging church movement for his narrative approach (and probably for his decidedly left wing politics), but his religious beliefs themselves come across as pretty standard evangelical Christian, which I was a little surprised by. It's not heavy theology by any means, and there's a lot of raw meat in Miller's book for the internet's theology attack dogs to tear apart, but the books resonated with me. After reading "Blue Like Jazz," I was inspired to read Miller's "Searching for God Knows What" and "Through Painted Deserts." My favorite moment in the book was the "reverse confession booth," where the campus Christians confessed the sins of the church to astonished students. For a new spin on evangelical Christianity, check out "Blue Like Jazz."
Book Description
The very name of Judas raises among Christians an instinctive reaction of criticism and condemnationThe betrayal of Judas remainsa mystery. Pope Benedict XVI, October 2006 The Gospel According to Judas, by Benjamin Iscariot sheds new light on the the mystery of Judasincluding his motives for the betrayal and what happened to him after the crucifixionby retelling the story of Jesus through the eyes of Judas, using the canonical texts as its basic point of reference. Ostensibly written by Judass son, Benjamin, and following the narrative style of the Gospels, this re-creation is provocative, compelling, and controversial. The Gospel According to Judas, by Benjamin Iscariot is the result of an intense collaboration between a storyteller and a scholar: Jeffrey Archer and Francis J. Moloney. Their brilliant workbold and simpleis a compelling story for twenty-first-century readers, while maintaining an authenticity that would be credible to a first-century Christian or Jew.
Customer Reviews:
nice effort, unfortunately dull.......2007-09-25
I was waiting for something interesting to happen, some insight... I didn't really come across anything new.
Overall, a bit disappointing, luckily not a big book.
For much more illuminating Biblical historical fiction, I highly recommend the Kingdom & the Crown Series by Gerald Lund (3 books) and the Women of Genesis books by Orson Scott Card.
It actually has nothing to do with 'mysteries' of Judas.......2007-07-06
Oh come on people:
"The unlikely partnership of Jeffrey Archer and Francis J. Moloney was formed after Archer had sought advice from Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini on who should guide him through this demanding project. Among his many past students of the Pontifical Biblical Institute, Cardinal Martini singled
out Professor Moloney, a graduate of that institute in 1972, who had completed his doctoral studies at Oxford University in 1975.
The project was as bold as it was simple: Archer would write a story for twenty-first-century readers, while Moloney would ensure that the result would be credible to a first-century Christian or Jew."
And that's EXACTLY the case. An interesting read.
Judas the Ensnared.......2007-06-28
I've been reading Archer since Kane and Abel and when I saw that he was writing a fictionalized account of the life of Judas as told by his son, I thought, wow, this could really be a great read and a little controversial. Neither came true. Basically, it's formatted like the gospels (nothing wrong with that), but just not an exciting read this time around. I was actually kind of bored reading it and the only reason I kept going was because it came in at around ninety pages so I persevered with it. The last chapter or two is when the basis of the story comes out and nothing earth shattering here. Judas was the victim of the religious zealots at the time to get rid of Christ. Maybe, maybe not. Does it change my point of view or my beliefs, probably not. Just something more to ponder about; the Bible, its writers (Did they embellish the truth from generation to generation before writing it down, whether on purpose or by accident. Kind of difficult to keep the same exact story going for tens or even hundreds of years orally without some of it being changed on the next telling), and the facts that surround it that science today continues to try to prove happened. I expected Archer to put this into more story form like all his other works and I think then he could have gone into more depth with this alternate theory and really provoked the reader's imagination. But he chose not to, giving us instead this lackluster rendition of what could have been a great story about Judas Iscariot.
The Gospel According to Judas by Benjamin Iscariot.......2007-06-21
The Gospel According to Judas by Benjamin Iscariot
Where Do I begin. Lets start with the title, The Gospel According to Judas by Benjamin Iscariot by Jeffrey Archer, come on!! It should be the fictional story of The Gospel According to Judas by Jeffrey Archer as Benjamin Iscariot.
A Relevant Story:
A friend of mine recently told me of a Pastor who liked to make hot fudge, apparently he used all organic ingredients. One day the Pastor's daughter wanted to see PG parental guidance rated movie, that only had 5%, swearing/drug use or sex scenes. After much insistence the daughter when to see the movie, the next day the Pastor decided to make some hot chocolate fudge the aroma filled the house the Pastor stated that he'd used 5% of a special organic source and kept the matter a secret until all the fudge had been consumed. Then he asked did you notice any difference in the quality/flavour? No.. they replied, well the 5% special ingredient was organic it wont do any REAL harm, it was only dog p##h. lol
If you take a solid truth as the Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus and you contaminant 5% to 10% of it with a special 'organic substance' what do you have in the end - dog p##h. I felt the tone and reason for the book was a Jewish backlash hardliner trying to have some justification why Jesus wasn't who he said he was the Son of God. The book was written from the sour grapes attitude, "[Jesus wasn't] ...the long-awaited Messiah."p1, on the betrayal of Christ, Archer says, "...Judas knew that he was innocent of such an accusation, as his only purpose was to save Jesus from an unnecessary death." After Jesus' Death, the sorrowful Judas goes a lives amongst the Essenes then a Masada as a "marked man". And the book concludes with "Judas died as Jesus did. He was crucified by the Romans." It's all a bit desperate!
The whole story Gospel of Judas is unbalanced what about Isaiah 53 The Sin-bearing, Suffering Servant? The Gospel of Judas omits the 30 pieces of silver, and suicide of Judas. The Gospel of Judas is nothing more that fragments of quotation out of context in Holy Bible blended together (very poorly) it just doesn't stick!
Let us set aside a few things, just say by chance that this gospel of Judas was right, and the whole of the New Testament wrong. Ok we've been deceived by the BIGGEST hoaxes since man made fire. We could be waiting for the Messiah to still come as the Gospel of Judas indicated, unhappily Israel still waits, they missed the boat. Not one Holy Prophet has been around for over two thousand years.
Israel is one of the most violent, sad and godless places on earth. There is no peace, the temple has gone, the glory has gone, as a nation they forsook the Lord time and time again and were taken off to captivity. Jesus said in Matt 23:37 "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city the kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See your house is left to you, desolate..."
Now let's just say that the Gospel of Judas is false piece of fiction. Look at the people in New Testament who believe and were change by it and gave their lives for it (Peter & Paul), they did not write empty words by words of someone who knew and walked and talked with Jesus. The story of people in Bible give us hope, in a world where we are saturated with Hollywood, sexism, drugs and alcohol, domestic violence (rape/guns) the list keeps on going on. I want freedom from all that this world offers because it like hot sweet chocolate fudge one isn't enough and one piece is too much.
In closing a quote from James 3:13, "Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish.
What was Archer really trying to achieve by the release of this book?
Lacks Impact.......2007-05-28
In spite of the clever packaging---this small 100+ page novel appears to be an ancient leather-bound journal complete with built in ribbon bookmark--- Jeffrey Archer's "The Gospel According to Judas by Benjamin Iscariot" fails to deliver the punch needed to smack it into the significance realm of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
I expected some grand revelation---perhaps Judas and Jesus had concocted the whole betrayal bit; Judas gladly takes the hit and for two millennia is thought to be the ultimate 30 pieces of silver traitor. As I read this little gospel formatted tome, I am thinking, Judas's legendary despicable actions were all part of his Master's ultimate plan, right?
Wrong.
Supposedly, in "The Gospel According to Judas by Benjamin Iscariot" Archer and Moloney collaborate to formulate a tale believable to both Biblical scholars and modern laymen readers. The format definitely bespeaks of their desire to create something that resembles a gospel rendering complete with chapter and verse and the Jesus quotations (most of which are familiar from evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) highlighted in a red italicized font. Nevertheless, the story itself disappoints as it is far too similar to the actual gospels from which it is based to excite any degree of controversy. The supposed mystery of the real Judas simply neglects to properly mystify.
Bottom line? Years ago, I had read Frank Yerby's novel, "Judas, My Brother." Believe me as scandalous as the plotline of this older book seemed to me then, it could far more captivate its audience now than this Archer-Moloney collaboration. Sadly, "The Gospel According to Judas by Benjamin Iscariot" attempts to retell the story of Christ's ministry utilizing a fifth evangelist format that simply doesn't work. Why read this when the original four authors of the New Testament gospels have already told the tale and have told it the best way possible? Not recommended.
Diana Faillace Von Behren
"reneofc"
Book Description
“This book is… my personal search ‘for the face of the Lord.’” —Benedict XVI
In this bold, momentous work, the pope—in his first book written as Benedict XVI—seeks to salvage the person of Jesus from recent “popular” depictions and to restore Jesus’ true identity as discovered in the Gospels. Through his brilliance as a theologian and his personal conviction as a believer, the pope shares a rich, compelling, flesh-and-blood portrait of Jesus and incites us to encounter, face-to-face, the central figure of the Christian faith.
From Jesus of Nazareth… “the great question that will be with us throughout this entire book: But what has Jesus really brought, then, if he has not brought world peace, universal prosperity, and a better world? What has he brought? The answer is very simple: God. He has brought God! He has brought the God who once gradually unveiled his countenance first to Abraham, then to Moses and the prophets, and then in the wisdom literature—the God who showed his face only in Israel, even though he was also honored among the pagans in various shadowy guises. It is this God, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, the true God, whom he has brought to the peoples of the earth. He has brought God, and now we know his face, now we can call upon him. Now we know the path that we human beings have to take in this world. Jesus has brought God and with God the truth about where we are going and where we come from: faith, hope, and love.”
Customer Reviews:
Real Jesus.......2007-10-22
If you are interested in discovering the real Jesus then this book is a must read.
As a father teaches his children.......2007-10-18
Jesus of Nazareth
In language that is readily understood, despite often tackling intricate exegetical issues, the Holy Father shows his loving desire to open the pages of Scripture for his children anxious to have a deeper personal relationship with the historical Jesus. In explaining certain portions of the life of Christ as written in the gospels in the context of the total biblical treasure, Pope Benedict draws upon both Catholic and non-Catholic resources to make Jesus appear in the mind of the reader in the fullness of His Messianic mission. To read this very enjoyable book is to come face to face with the one Person in the history of mankind who matters most in understanding the big questions of life: Who am I? and Where am I going?
Go slowly and surely.......2007-10-17
I will first begin by saying that I am not Catholic. I'll continue by commenting that I am an ignoramus when it comes to Catholicism. In fact, I will push that fence even further by calling myself a denominationally ignorant Christian. It is a study that I haven't bothered to engage myself with, but is perhaps an undertaking that I should seriously consider. I grew up in the Reformed Church of America, which may be called Protestant or not. That should roughly say how deep my ignorance goes. Of the little knowledge I've learned so far about Catholicism, I think I can at least outline the controversy between a few doctrinal concerns, such as "grace alone" and "faith + works", which appears to be a consistent theme pitting Protestantism against the Catholic Church. Maybe that statement itself is horribly wrong. The bottom line is that I don't particularly much care about the distinctions right now. I decided to read Pope Benedict XVI's "Jesus of Nazareth" to be enlightened, and came away both enlightened and challenged. Thus, I believe the three star rating to be a compromising "middle ground" between my praises and struggles with this book.
First off, I admire Pope Benedict (previously Cardinal Ratzinger). He promotes a strong Christianity rather than a weak one, or one that is continally struck dead by compromises. He calls this book his personal search for the face of the Lord. Who doesn't pursue a personal search for His face?
With this book, he attempts a thorough and scholarly interpretation of Jesus Christ as presented in the Gospels. This book isn't a light read, and truthfully it took me quite a bit of time to absorb all of its arguments. His research is very extensive, and some resources are quite bewildering and obscure (another reviewer noted how many are quite unknown). The scope of the book is to be largely commended, and the work and skill required for such a work is impressive. He is a spiritual and intellectual role model for all followers of Christ.
This book is a wealthy resource for many unique arguments. It makes an interesting case, bit by bit, from different platforms, such as the careful relationship drawn between the Old and New Testaments and Benedict's delicate descriptions of Jesus' baptism and temptation, and what they mean for us. Its insights are at least tightly reasoned, and Benedict's evidentiary support can be very powerful at times. He also takes time to answer objections raised by liberal theologians, even confronting some of Nietzsche's criticism against the faith. There are sprinkles of gold glittered in these mountains, and you cannot see them if you want to rush along.
A previous reviewer noted the theological differences between the Pope's book and his Lutheran background. Although I cannot properly comment on such a topic, I find it the most important point to be considered. Any work in biblical scholarship, no matter which position of authority the writer is attempting to hold as his mantle, can only be judged against the foundation of one source: the biblical Scriptures. I think Rodboomboom stressed this as a crucial issue in his review, whether or not his disagreements are well-justified, or whether they are problematic. "Jesus of Nazareth" is a thick work, not in page number, but in content. It cannot be touched lightly, or sped through in a short amount of time. A slow journey should be planned before you wander off into such a dense forest. Keep your Bible in hand. This is a very worthwhile book, but unfortunately one that is difficult to digest.
Incredible Story Of How One Holy Individual Discovered Who Jesus Is.......2007-10-13
As a Christian I read two types of books...Leadership and Christian. There are MANY books written about personal reflections of who Jesus is. There are very few, if any, that base their personal beliefs on the words of Christ himself, as He told us through His own Words. This is an awesome journey through the Bible, old and new Testaments, to witness who really was this "Man" called Jesus. If you believe in the Bible you cannot go wrong reading this book. If you believe in Jesus you will gain additional insights into who He really was. If you are just interested to learn more about Christianity, this book will not disappoint.
A pleasant change.......2007-10-12
Although I learn much at my parish thru sermons and the occasional "special topics" seminars, I purchased this book to learn more about Jesus and his few years of ministry and public life. I wanted to have something to answer to the critics, to counter some of the nonsense about Jesus.
Before I read "Jesus of Nazareth", I wondered how Jesus fulfilled so many promises in such a short time while on earth. It doesn't say in the book if He had a list - but I certainly would have needed one. It turns out He was fulfilling promises made long-ago by his Father that were recorded in a few good books. You might have heard of them: Genesis, Exodus, etc. After his short public life, Jesus' words and actions laid the groundwork for the next books that would follow.
This book won't teach you how to debate a critic of religion. But you might learn enough to be able to smile back at them with a quiet satifaction that only knowledge and truth can provide.
So, go ahead and smile.
Book Description
Bishop John Shelby Spong has been on a life–long quest to rescue the church from irrelevancy. In FREEING JESUS FROM RELIGION'S PRISON, he takes aim at the church's core belief: who is Jesus. He first strips the superstitious barnacles that have attached themselves to this incredible person: such as that Jesus was born of a virgin in Bethlehem, that his father was Joseph, that he did miracles, that he had twelve disciples, and especially that he physically rose from the dead. Next Spong explains how these traditions arose by the early disciples seeing all he did through the lens of the Hebrew Scriptures. With these new revelations, we are then able to see the true Jesus, a heroic figure who revealed divinity through his humanness and can still guide us today. In short, Spong breaks Jesus free from the idol religion has created and restores for us a revolutionary and life–giving figure we all need to meet.
Customer Reviews:
Real Christianity.......2007-10-11
Finally, a Christian who knows and tells the truth!
This is a book to be read, and re-read.
If you look at what Jesus said and did, (not what has been merely attributed to him,)
you find that it's very different from what the church has been telling us.
JC needs to be understood in the context of his times.
Spong puts a very different perspective on things, and I think that every believer
and non-believer needs to read this work!
Jesus for the non-Religious.......2007-09-28
This is a great book for those who do not take the Bible as literal words. It will cause you to think and help answer some of the questions that a scientific mind would struggle with. Yet the greatness of Jesus is always present.
The Ultimate Big Surprise.......2007-09-18
This man SPONG is a liar; a modern example of Christ's 2000 year old Warning to those who would be better off with a millstone around their neck at the bottom of the sea than to be leading unwary Souls astray with their books and speeches of elegant lies.
I have not read this book. The reviews tell me all I need to know about it. I have browsed other books like this one in libraries and at The Remainder Tables in bookstores. All such books are strange brews of self-absorbed spiritualism and humanistic poppycock; admixtures of scientific and spiritual jargon formulated to tickle the itching ears of New Age Devotees. The words of Audrey Hepburn's Liza Doolittle apply here: "Just you wait 'Enry 'Iggins, just you wait."
The truth about Jesus.......2007-09-02
I have not gone to church for the past 50 years becuse I cannot believe what they say about the Bible and Jesus. I feel anyone with any sense of history could not accept what churches want their members to believe. Bishop Spong (who has researched the bible extensively) corrects and explains the passages in the bible so one can easily understand his way of thinking
excellent .......2007-09-01
The merchanidze is absolutely in perfect condition and the delivery was also prompt. will call this company again. Thank you for your excellent service.
Average customer rating:
- I was hoping for more
- Funny, unique approach that pays no disservice to its subject
- Humanizing but Reverent
- Brilliant, irreverence...not for the faint of heart!
- Laughing this much must be a sin!
|
Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
Christopher Moore
Manufacturer: Harper Paperbacks
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ASIN: 0380813815
Release Date: 2004-05-25 |
Amazon.com
While the Bible may be the word of God, transcribed by divinely inspired men, it does not provide a full (or even partial) account of the life of Jesus Christ. Lucky for us that Christopher Moore presents a funny, lighthearted satire of the life of Christ--from his childhood days up to his crucifixion--in Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal. This clever novel is surely blasphemy to some, but to others it's a coming-of-age story of the highest order.
Joshua (a.k.a. Jesus) knows he is unique and quite alone in his calling, but what exactly does his Father want of him? Taking liberties with ancient history, Moore works up an adventure tale as Biff and Joshua seek out the three wise men so that Joshua can better understand what he is supposed to do as Messiah. Biff, a capable sinner, tags along and gives Joshua ample opportunities to know the failings and weaknesses of being truly human. With a wit similar to Douglas Adams, Moore pulls no punches: a young Biff has the hots for Joshua's mom, Mary, which doesn't amuse Josh much: "Don't let anyone ever tell you that the Prince of Peace never struck anyone." And the origin of the Easter Bunny is explained as a drunken Jesus gushes his affection for bunnies, declaring, "Henceforth and from now on, I decree that whenever something bad happens to me, there shall be bunnies around."
One small problem with the narrative is that Biff and Joshua often do not have distinct voices. A larger difficulty is that as the tone becomes more somber with Joshua's life drawing to its inevitable close, the one-liners, though not as numerous, seem forced. True to form, Lamb keeps the story of Joshua light, even after its darkest moments. --Michael Ferch
Book Description
The birth of Jesus has been well chronicled, as have his glorious teachings, acts, and divine sacrifice after his thirtieth birthday. But no one knows about the early life of the Son of God, the missing years -- except Biff, the Messiah's best bud, who has been resurrected to tell the story in the divinely hilarious yet heartfelt work "reminiscent of Vonnegut and Douglas Adams" (Philadelphia Inquirer).
Verily, the story Biff has to tell is a miraculous one, filled with remarkable journeys, magic, healings, kung fu, corpse reanimations, demons, and hot babes. Even the considerable wiles and devotion of the Savior's pal may not be enough to divert Joshua from his tragic destiny. But there's no one who loves Josh more -- except maybe "Maggie," Mary of Magdala -- and Biff isn't about to let his extraordinary pal suffer and ascend without a fight.
Download Description
"
The birth of Jesus has been well chronicled, as have his glorious teachings, acts, and divine sacrifice after his thirtieth birthday. But no one knows about the early life of the Son of God, the missing years -- except Biff, the Messiah's best bud, who has been resurrected to tell the story in the divinely hilarious yet heartfelt work ""reminiscent of Vonnegut and Douglas Adams"" (Philadelphia Inquirer).
Verily, the story Biff has to tell is a miraculous one, filled with remarkable journeys, magic, healings, kung fu, corpse reanimations, demons, and hot babes. Even the considerable wiles and devotion of the Savior's pal may not be enough to divert Joshua from his tragic destiny. But there's no one who loves Josh more -- except maybe ""Maggie,"" Mary of Magdala -- and Biff isn't about to let his extraordinary pal suffer and ascend without a fight.
"
Customer Reviews:
I was hoping for more.......2007-10-17
Clever? Yes. By all means, it is clever. Funniest book ever? No way. The book was a bit too much like a fantasy novel for me to be absorbed by it. And although I recognized and appreciated the many humorous moments, it didn't make me laugh. Not once. A smile here and there, the occasional roll of the eyes. But unfortunately, I didn't laugh.
That said, I wouldn't mind seeing Biff's story on the big screen. Hmmm...
Funny, unique approach that pays no disservice to its subject.......2007-09-30
It's hard to get offended reading 'Lamb' as Moore treats the titular character with respect while portraying his human side, and of course letting Biff do all the dirty work. Those of faith will easily dive into the book, relishing in a story about a man who, while divine, is still a human with all the same anxieties, fears, and desires. The book takes a somewhat odd turn in the middle that I felt pushed it a little too much into fantasy, but in retrospect it did add a lot to the story and broke the book up into three acts. The end was particularly moving, and the change in tone and tempo appropriately brought a new perspective to one of the most-told tales.
In terms of writing style, the book is conversational and it is easy to shoot through. You can pick it up for five minutes and make progress or two hours and not grow weary.
Humanizing but Reverent.......2007-09-27
While it may not be the expected response, this comedic novel on the missing 30 years in the Gospels helps my faith, in both Christ and humanity in general.
In spite of its fictional base and outlandish experiences based at least partly in myth, Moore uses a logical and solid grounding in both the Bible and history that resonates strongly. While the poetic license in some areas is strong (the Messiah using the power of his mind to cram himself into glass jars) in others the facts speak for themselves (Jewish customs both honored by Christ after the "coming" and those dismissed).
Almost no one's faith is ridiculed in this novel, with Moore instead using Biff as the catalyst for the humor focused on a personal level. Instead of ridicule, between bizarre experiences and funny anecdotes, Moore goes about methodically answering how Jesus became Jesus, and not just some poor kid from Nazereth. It may not be a convincing or even possible explanation, but it carries its own logic and the reader is carried along a natural progression.
Moore has to create a character of the Son of God, no easy feat. I think he accomplishes this end very well, since I found myself wrapped up in the plight of these two childhood friends, even though I already "know" how the story turns out.
Brilliant, irreverence...not for the faint of heart!.......2007-09-17
From the moment "Josh" (Aka: Jesus) was described as babysitting his younger brother...quietly sitting with him and occasionally putting the lizard in his mouth that his brother had just whacked on a rock...thus bringing it back to life....then handing it back to his brother.....*whack* goes the lizard....*pop* back into Josh's mouth...*whack* and so-on.....Josh was described as calm, patient, everything you'd hope and expect him to be...even as a babysitter...(and no, that's not exactly a spoiler there.) Biff on the other hand was Josh's alter-ego. His other half. He was the one who could get away with everything Josh couldn't - and then Josh would in his way live vicariously through Biff and his adventures. The book goes into the missing years of Jesus's life. What DID he do in those missing years? Well, the Bible doesn't exactly say. Christopher Moore gives a fascinating account of what he could have been up to. He certainly could have gone out on a hunt for the Three Wise Men. He could have. Did he? Who knows? But oh, wouldn't it be fun if his adventures were something like this? Christopher Moore's irreverence and humor makes Jesus more approachable. In his way, Moore turns this foray into Biblical history into an enjoyable and yes, sometimes disgusting tale. You delve into different belief systems - different Traditions. You see that Jesus himself respecting other beliefs and even following those Traditions and religions as a student of all things. I found myself thinking more than once that it's a shame more people who claim to follow Jesus's teachings don't do the same.
If you can look at Jesus with a sense of humor, read this. You won't be sorry. What you will do, however, is laugh until you cry, so you'd better be prepared with some of those funny little incontinence pads just in case. Don't say I didn't warn you.
Laughing this much must be a sin!.......2007-09-11
This is one of the few books that I joyously read over and over. From the moment I read that Biff's mother was beset by demons... I knew he was my kind of guy.I have given this book to several of my friends as a must read. The best way to describe this story is to say that it is an irreverant satire that becomes reverant. Wonderful, READ IT! You wont be sorry.
Amazon.com
In Dinner With a Perfect Stranger, David Gregory relates the story of two men sharing a meal. The point of interest is knowing that one man believes he is Jesus. What will the other man think by the time the evening is through? The conversation begins, as one could imagine, scratching the dry hard surface of skepticism and doubt, but gently and persistently goes deeper and deeper, spiraling in from that starting point until they are eventually talking about the true stuff of life; the career drifting off-track, the marriage experiencing its own kind of strain, the life being lived where the philosophical questions of youth have given way to simply coping with modern day-to-day living.
Gregory's book is a refreshing reminder of what evangelical Christianity is at its very best -- a faith enlivened by the personal relationship between the Creator and the created. In the end, evangelical Christians are focused on who Jesus Christ is, and more specifically, who He is to them. Doctrinal stances, theological conundrums, questions about literal or non-literal Biblical interpretation, these are all beside the point for the certain type of Christian whose central focus is the life and person of Jesus.
In the Narnia series, C.S. Lewis touched on some of the core questions of religion, from the Christian viewpoint (is there a hell? What is heaven like, really? How can other religions be wrong, and just one be right?) Taking his cue from Lewis, Gregory does the same, realizing that questions like these come alive when they're in the context of a story, and we can be the third party, watching with interest while they are put on the table and considered. In the end, Gregory's book succeeds because of his willingness to approach interesting, hard questions like these. He is always, undoubtedly, aiming for the heart, but he realizes that to win the heart one must never forget that the mind has to come along for the ride. --Ed Dobeas
Book Description
You are Invited to a Dinner with Jesus of Nazareth
The mysterious envelope arrives on Nick Cominsky’s desk amid a stack of credit card applications and business-related junk mail. Although his seventy-hour workweek has already eaten into his limited family time, Nick can’t pass up the opportunity to see what kind of plot his colleagues have hatched.
The normally confident, cynical Nick soon finds himself thrown off-balance, drawn into an intriguing conversation with a baffling man who appears to be more than comfortable discussing everything from world religions to the existence of heaven and hell. And this man who calls himself Jesus also seems to know a disturbing amount about Nick’s personal life.
…………..
"You’re bored, Nick. You were made for more than this. You’re worried about God stealing your fun, but you’ve got it backwards.… There’s no adventure like being joined to the Creator of the universe." He leaned back off the table. "And your first mission would be to let him guide you out of the mess you’re in at work."
………….
As the evening progresses, their conversation touches on life, God, meaning, pain, faith, and doubt–and it seems that having Dinner with a Perfect Stranger may change Nick’s life forever.
Customer Reviews:
Dinner with a Perfect Stranger.......2007-10-12
A beautifully written narrative that has solid apologetics yet captures the imagination and the heart.
A Perfect Book.......2007-09-17
I received this book as a gift and enjoyed it so much that I bought it to give to my daughter-in-law. What would it be like to have dinner with Jesus? This book answers that question in a way that includes humor and an inside look at witnessing as Jesus might do it if he invited an unbeliever struggling with life's problems to dinner. A thought-provoking book beautifully written.
A wonderful book.........2007-09-07
An excellent book. Perfect for the whole family to listen to. It is funny at times and then brings the right amount of drama at the right time. It makes you think things through and to a higher level.
kateinkalifornia.......2007-08-29
A quick read, I actually read it twice. I will keep it and lend it out, but I want it back. It's one for my permanent collection.
Reads like a religious brochure.......2007-08-24
My mom gave me this book to read as, one would guess, a last minute ditch effort to get me back into religion. Flipping through the book and seeing that it was only around 100 pages, and was printed in nice big "kid's book" letters, I figured, hey, what's a couple hours? I'm certainly willing to hear other viewpoints, and weigh them accordingly.
My first complaint is that if this is how religious people think that non-religious people think, feel, and act, then they are sorely mistaken. It's as if everyone that isn't Christian is empty, sad, and just sort of generally depressed. I guess using logic and consistency in your life makes you depressed? I guess not accepting whim-based rules about how to live life because "this book said so" and instead working rigorously to come up with a consistent set of morals and values makes you feel empty?
Anyways, the author attempts to make logical proofs, and in doing so, shows that he has no clue what a logical proof is. His undeniable, irrefutable proof that god exists is that an earlier part of the bible predicts a later part of the bible. Seriously. Nevermind that the later part of the bible was written a couple centuries after the fact, and by monks who were fully aware of the prophecies in Daniel, etc.
He also makes the claim that either Buddhism, or Hinduism, (i forget which, and i don't have the book in front of me) can't be true because it says that the universe is eternal. "How does that stack up against what your scientists have recently discovered?" alluding to the idea that we now *think* that the universe had a starting point. Regardless of the fact that we don't KNOW that it had a starting point, using science to dethrone one religion after another but not applying it to your own is a methodology only useful to those completely wrapped up in their own beliefs. One wishes the guy having dinner with Jesus would have responded with "well... that's funny... what does our science say about the idea of consciousness without matter? Or simultaneously being all-knowing and all-powerful? Or energy without any means to measure it? I guess that means your dad doesn't exist... which in turn means you don't exist, because you're one with your dad or whatever... so I guess I'm talking to myself... which would explain why the waiter has been looking at me strangely all night."
There was also a fantastic bit at the end about how if Jesus was in this guy's heart, he (Jesus) could love the guy's wife when he (the guy) couldn't anymore. Or something to that effect. I'd talk more about that, but I don't want to misquote it and have someone negate the whole review based on it, so I'll let it go.
I could go on for pages about the rediculous assumptions this book makes about how life should be lived, and the causes of evil in the world, etc. But I won't. Suffice it to say that this book is patently ridiculous, and actually rather offensive to truly free-thinking, open and honest people.
Then again, the author believes in a god that said "Thou Shall Not Kill" and then went on to murder millions and millions of people, as well as an entire planet's worth of animals that are completely amoral. So I guess anything goes, and he's as capable as anyone else to cherry-pick the parts that he does and doesn't support out of the bible.
Book Description
For almost 1,500 years, the New Testament manuscripts were copied by hand––and mistakes and intentional changes abound in the competing manuscript versions. Religious and biblical scholar Bart Ehrman makes the provocative case that many of our widely held beliefs concerning the divinity of Jesus, the Trinity, and the divine origins of the Bible itself are the results of both intentional and accidental alterations by scribes.
In this compelling and fascinating book, Ehrman shows where and why changes were made in our earliest surviving manuscripts, explaining for the first time how the many variations of our cherished biblical stories came to be, and why only certain versions of the stories qualify for publication in the Bibles we read today. Ehrman frames his account with personal reflections on how his study of the Greek manuscripts made him abandon his once ultra–conservative views of the Bible.
Customer Reviews:
Good reading.......2007-10-18
This is a very good study into alternative views of how The New Testament was put together. I recommend reading this book.
Enlightening.......2007-10-13
Keep your bible handy when you read this book, no matter how familiar you may be with the New Testament. Ehrman is very convincing--the NT as we know it is a far, far cry from the original, but he makes no claim to knowing that original. His point is that the copies of copies of copies have introduced thousands of changes--some very significant. And he backs his claims with scholarly and very convincing arguments. The title is misleading, however. Jesus' words, as recorded in the NT, make up only a small portion of this work. It's thrust, instead, is how ignorant, prejudiced and sometimes well-meaning scribes altered the texts, time after time. Fascinating, interesting, enlightening and very readable.
good reading.......2007-10-04
Anything worth believing is worth questioning. This book will help you realize there is a lot more to know about the bible, than you have been told. I would recommend this to people who have never looked into how the NT came to be.
For those who take the Bible seriously.......2007-10-03
Whether you are a member of a Bible study group or a skeptic, this book should be read. The author is candid about his personal spiritual path, which allows readers some insight into his possible bias, but he is also scrupulous about his scholarship. If you believe every word of the Bible--whichever translation you read--is divinely inspired, you may have no interest in reading this book. However, if the idea that modern translations alter the meaning of the King James version on which you were raised has already occurred to you, you may have begun to wonder about other changes to the Bible over the years. This book is enlightening, and for anyone willing to study the Bible seriously, reading "Misquoting Jesus" will be important to your spiritual study. Because the author respects his readers enough to explain the painstaking nature of his field of study, the book demands a willingness to wade through some difficult passages, but the effort is worth it. I highly recommend this book.
Clear and respectful exposition of a hot topic.......2007-10-02
In spite of the provocative title, "Misquoting Jesus" is very respectful of Scriptures - so much so that it willing to tell the truth about them. Bart Ehrman does his typically great job of explaining a difficult topic -- in this case, the history, operation and findings of biblical textual criticism -- to a lay audience. Ehrman's journey as a textual critic has been a long and difficult one, and it seems to have knocked him off-balance, at least for a time. Starting as a fundamentalists of the fundamentalists (to paraphrase Paul) he decided to study scripture. His first epiphany was when he asked himself, if the Bible is God's word, then why do I have to learn Greek and Hebrew to understand it? This question led to others, culminating in a nuanced and complex understanding of the Bible and its history -- as told by the ways scribes have changed the Bible itself.
Ehrman discusses the history of the Bible's transmission through the centuries-- via scribes whose literacy was sometimes comprised only by their ability to copy the shape of letters from an old copy to a new, without understanding their meaning. This was eye-opening for me, but Ehrman supports his contentions with evidence that is sometimes funny and always persuasive. Ehrman helps us to understand the world from the scribe's point of view, as they miss and repeat words, misunderstand abbreviations and (as they listen to dictation) write down homonyms that sound the same but mean vastly different things.
Ehrman gives us a glimpse at the history of biblical textual criticism. We learn how we got the Vulgate, St. Jerome's 4th-century translation of scriptures into Latin, and about 16th-century scholar Erasmus's rush to be the first to print a Greek New Testament. Erasmus's slapdash work then became a basis for the King James Bible, a translation still considered sacrosanct and untouchable by many. Through Ehrman, we learn of the great men whose work lay the foundations for modern biblical scholarship. We also learn of the tens of thousands of variant readings of Scripture that exist. It is this variation that causes consternation for those who believe the Bible to be unblemished and inerrant, and prompts delight for scholars who use the variants to piece together the original words, and to determine the theological biases of the scribes who introduced the variants into the text.
Ehrman is not on a mission to destroy the sacredness, the authority of the Church or to downplay the teaching of Jesus. He seemed constantly poised to deliver a death blow to the basic authenticity of the Bible. But mostly, he delivered examples that show the conservatism of even the most interventionist of scribes. Most of the variants, Ehrman admits, are insignificant -- misspellings and such. Interestingly, the truly significant variants are mostly tentative add-ons to the text, where a scribe changed one unpalatable word, but left the rest of the text alone. Textual critics identify these "patches," note their mismatch with the surrounding text, and propose solutions that bring us closer to the originals. Ehrman shows how variants can tell us much about the struggle for ideas that was the history of the Church. Ehrman identifies texts that were used against heretics like Marcion, against Jews, against gnostics and against women. Difficult texts, says Ehrman -- those that contradict what we would like the Scriptures to say, may well be the most accurate. For instance, in Mark 1:40-45, Jesus encounters a leper hoping to be cleansed. Most translation say that Jesus, filled with compassion, touched and healed the man. But some variants say that Jesus grew *angry* before healing him. Which is correct, and why? Ehrman argues that the variant in which Jesus becomes angry fits better into Mark's overall presentation of Jesus, and may therefore be original.
Ehrman's greatest sin is the way he vastly overstates his case. Perhaps this is due to his extremely conservative starting point (one shared by his more vituperative critics and reviewers) which cannot tolerate even the suggestion of the hand of Man in the Bible. Perhaps Ehrman's seeming overreaction (and the consequent lack to deliver) is akin to the doctor who warns that a procedure will hurt, bringing relief to the patient when he delivers only a minor sting. More darkly, perhaps Ehrman really believes that his work brings the Bible into such disrepute that he has lost faith in its divine authorship. But one need not believe that God inspired the Scriptures by literally dictating his words to scribes. One need not believe, along with the simpleminded, that Jesus had scribblers in his entourage. There are solutions to the divine authorship of the Bible that don't require the unsupported belief in its inerrancy posited by the fundamentalists nor the utter rejection of atheists. Some sort of imperfect, mysterious divine-human cooperation is an alternative, supported by mainstream scholars, which Ehrman's work certainly supports.
"Misquoting Jesus" is a terrific primer to the obscure field of textual criticism, especially as applied to the Bible. Though it provides many examples to illustrate Ehrman's points, it is not an exhaustive study of the discipline, but ably and gently leads Bible lovers to a new level of understanding of their holy book. There is no question that Ehrman simplifies his presentation. For instance, he gives us little insight into which textual criticisms are generally accepted and which are hotly debated. Some might see this book as a way for Ehrman to rush his own opinions into print. But Erhman backs up each of his contentions with logic and plausible theories. At the very least, the reader gains enough knowledge to follow the argument.
Ehrman's book helps us to be more careful about selecting biblical translations, and helps us appreciate the work of the legion of scholars who try to parse out the real meaning in its many verses. It lets us see through the gauze of false piety to understand and appreciate the differing worldviews and intentions of the Bible's writers and scribes, letting them speak for themselves. Above all, "Misquoting Jesus" helps us to see that the Bible cannot be read apart from the personalities and world-views of those who wrote it, those who copied it, those who translated it or those who read it. As such, it is a living document.
Which when you think of it, may have been its Inspirer's idea all along.
Amazon.com
The Case for Christ records Lee Strobel's attempt to "determine if there's credible evidence that Jesus of Nazareth really is the Son of God." The book consists primarily of interviews between Strobel (a former legal editor at the Chicago Tribune) and biblical scholars such as Bruce Metzger. Each interview is based on a simple question, concerning historical evidence (for example, "Can the Biographies of Jesus Be Trusted?"), scientific evidence, ("Does Archaeology Confirm or Contradict Jesus' Biographies?"), and "psychiatric evidence" ("Was Jesus Crazy When He Claimed to Be the Son of God?"). Together, these interviews compose a case brief defending Jesus' divinity, and urging readers to reach a verdict of their own.
Book Description
Using the dramatic scenario of an investigative journalist pursuing his story and leads, Lee Strobel uses his experience as a reporter for the Chicago Tribune to interview experts about the evidence for Christ from the fields of science, philosophy, and history. Winner of the Gold Medallion Book Award and twice nominated for the Christian Book of the Year Award.
Customer Reviews:
Builds Faith.......2007-10-20
I have bought probably 10 copies and keep on buying them for people who need help in the faith department. It is great for answering questions many have about the facts of Christ.
My boyfriend met Christ through this book.......2007-09-12
I think this book does a pretty good job at analyzing Jesus' existence and the validity of the bible from various angles, such as via archeology, psychology, anatomy, science, logic, etc. And amazingly, by God's grace, my boyfriend met Christ through this book! Praise God.
Compelling Arguments.......2007-09-01
I found The Case for Christ to be well written and the arguments put forward to be very compelling. Mr. Stobel uses a series of interviews with a variety of experts to build his case and each presented facts or points of view that were very hard to refute. Excellent book.A Startrek to Eternity
A good starting point for both skeptics and apologists.......2007-08-28
I've read this book numerous times and read the reviews of those who gave the books low scores. This book is a good starting point for people with lots of agnostic/atheist friends. Granted, if your friend was Hawkings or Dawkins, you might have a tough time relying on this book. Sometimes it doesn't cover topics you'd like to be covered and sometimes the reasoning takes a bit of thinking to understand, but generally, this book covers all the bases.
Of course, the writer had a Christian agenda. Everything has a systemic bias. I could write a review on The Selfish Gene saying that the book has an evolutionist bias. For others, just "the Bible says so" is a good argument. This is even more sillier, like driving a car without knowing how to brake. When your friends give you an obstacle, you can only swerve around it or crash and burn. In Matthew 22:37, Jesus said to love the Lord with all your mind and that sound doctrine should be taught. If you can't argue for sound doctrine, how can you teach and understand it?
Thought provoking.......2007-08-23
This book is very well written in an investigative style and counters some of the less challenged arguments of those who do not believe in Christ as the Son of God. Usually, agnostics and atheists present what appears to be an intellectually sound argument against Christ's position as the Savior of the world. These arguments are countered methodically and give the non-theologian a source for countering arguments against Christ. I have read Strobel's "A Case for Faith" and because of that read this book. It is nice to read intellectually sound arguments for Christ that can't be dismissed as the work of religious zealots or "kooks" as Christians are sometimes portrayed when defending their beliefs.
Book Description
A way of sacrifice. A way of failure. A way on the margins. A way of holiness. All of these ways prepared the "way of the Lord" that became incarnate and complete in Jesus. But somewhere along the line, have we lost the way?
In The Jesus Way Eugene Peterson continues the thought-provoking spiritual-theological conversation that he began in Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places and Eat This Book. This third volume, offering more of Peterson's singular blend of probing biblical exposition and keen cultural analysis, considers all the ways that Jesus is the Way compared to the distorted ways the modern American church has chosen to follow.
Arguing that the way Jesus leads and the way we follow are symbiotic, Peterson begins with a study of how the ways of those who came before Christ -- Abraham, Moses, David, Elijah, Isaiah of Jerusalem, and Isaiah of the Exile -- revealed and prepared the "way of the Lord" that became complete in Jesus. He then challenges the ways of the contemporary American church, showing in stark relief how what we have chosen to focus on -- consumerism, celebrity, charisma, and so forth -- obliterates what is unique in the Jesus way.
Customer Reviews:
Living Like Jesus.......2007-07-15
"The Jesus Way" is the third book in Peterson's opus concerning conversations in spiritual theology. The first two books are "Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places" and "Eat This Book." Spiritual theology is teaching on how to grow spiritually.
Peterson's latest work reminds one of Dallas Willard's excellent premise: to be like Jesus we must live the way Jesus lived. Peterson fleshes out how Jesus lived by looking at the life of Christ and by looking at Old Testament and New Testament examples of people who lived like Jesus.
For deep insight into spiritual formation into the image of Christ, "The Jesus Way" points the way with biblical precision and relational power.
Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of Soul Physicians, Spiritual Friends, and Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction.
Perfect for any collection strong in Christian thinking........2007-06-09
THE JESUS WAY: A CONVERSATION ON THE WAYS THAT JESUS IS THE WAY draws a symbiotic connection between the ways Jesus leads and the ways people follow, studying those who came before Christ and how they led and comparing these with Jesus' methods of leadership. Chapters challenge the methods of the modern American church and argue against consumerism, charisma and other barriers to understanding the Jesus path, using a blend of scholarship and spiritual insights to push the boundaries of belief and wisdom. Perfect for any collection strong in Christian thinking.
The way we follow must be internalized and embodied.......2007-06-06
Especially in his senior years, Eugene H. Peterson has become a prophetic voice, gently but firmly challenging the American church to be concerned with the way it declares and lives out the Gospel. The title of the book refers to Jesus's statement recorded in John 14:6: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life." Jumping off from that point, Peterson quickly delves into a discussion of ends and means. "We cannot skip the way of Jesus in our hurry to get to the truth of Jesus." Put another way: "Only when the Jesus way is organically joined with the Jesus truth do we get the Jesus life." Or: "The popularized acronym WWJD ('What would Jesus do?') is not quite accurate. The question must be 'How does Jesus do it?'"
After an initial chapter about Jesus Himself, which includes Peterson's interpretation of the meaning of Jesus's three wilderness temptations, Peterson presents six chapters based on Old Testament characters who illuminate Jesus's message and meaning for us. (1) Abraham --- a way of faith and sacrifice. (2) Moses --- "the way of language," as receiver of the Torah, in some ways analogous to the Gospels. (3) David, whose "way of imperfection," including prayers that express his need and repentance and gratitude, "provide us with an imagination that is capable of understanding the operations of God to do His perfect work in us." (4) Elijah, who lived on the margins of society: "The essence of the Elijah way is that it counters the...culture's way." (5) Isaiah of Jerusalem, who proclaimed and lived in the reality of the holiness of God. (6) Isaiah of the Exile, who preached "images of the living God of salvation" that were rooted "in a solid sense of creation and history." Here Peterson returns to a discussion of the means of our salvation: the suffering servant.
A much shorter Part 2 looks at three contemporaries of Jesus who show us what the "Jesus Way" is not. (1) King Herod, who plays a role in the Nativity story. (2) Caiaphas, the High Priest. (3) Josephus, a prominent Jew who colluded with Rome against his people. This section includes history lessons, such as background on the Maccabees, Zealots and Essenes.
Though this book stands on its own, it is the third in a series of five billed as "conversations in spiritual theology" (CHRIST PLAYS IN TEN THOUSAND PLACES and EAT THIS BOOK are the previous installments). THE JESUS WAY is not light inspirational reading; yet on nearly every page you'll find a memorable or pithy line that grabs your attention and draws you along, anticipating the next thoughtful insight into what it means to live as a Christian. There's a pastoral engagement in Peterson's writing, including well-placed personal anecdotes (even one about Winnie the Pooh) that transforms these books from academic theology or biblical exposition to spiritual nourishment. Toward the end of the book there's a revealing comment in this regard: "We can only pray our lives into the way of following Jesus.... The way we follow must be internalized and embodied."
For further help in digesting Peterson's spiritual theology, a study guide will be available June 15th from the publisher.
--- Reviewed by Evelyn Bence
Leisurely and enriching.......2007-05-25
Peterson's series continues to inspire and enrich. It's a thoughtful tour of familiar biblical characters and incidents, giving us a new way of appreciating them.
Getter closer to what means to walk with Jesus today.......2007-05-15
I have read this book with great interest and a good feeling inside. The question of what Jesus really meant when he said "I am the way (and the truth and the life)" has bothered me for a long time. After reading Eugene Peterson's book I still have to think it over. Peterson does not give any simple answer. However he does - like what I believe Jesus did - tell anecdotes and supply us with jigsaw pieces that can be put together, approaching an answer.
I have tried to do that. From Abraham's faith and the narratives of Moses, through David's prayers and repentance, Elijah's trust in God, and the emerging gospel partly uncovered by "Isaiah" (of Jerusalem and of the Exile) - from all these we get contributions to what it means to follow Jesus. Even the lessons to be learnt from the encounter with Herod, Caiaphas and Josephus - political and ecclesiastic leaders of their day - contribute to understanding of what it meant to be a Christian in those days. That experience is easily translated into what you can expect being a Christian today.
Book Description
Uniquely inspired treasures from heaven for every day of the year. By missionary Sarah Young.
Customer Reviews:
jesus calling.......2007-10-17
A beautifully written devotion touching the inner-most part of the heart. I've bought several for other people who are going through trials and need an extra "hug" from our Lord Jesus.
The best devotional I have ever read!.......2007-10-17
This is probably the best devotional I have ever read. You must read Sarah Young's introduction to learn how she came to write this book. You will quickly realize that her work is anointed! She weaves Scripture throughout every devotion. It will speak to your heart and nourish your soul! It is now my favorite gift to give others!!
Jesus Calling.......2007-09-25
This is a very beautiful, inspirational book for all christians. I have it and I read it every day I also give it as gifts. Every one who I have given it to as a gift has loved it and then they give it as a gift.
Inspirational.......2007-09-22
Jesus calling has been a wonderfully inspirational part of my daily devotions. I have also given this book away to many others, most of whom have been so powerfully touched by it that they have also given it to their own friends and family. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Jesus Calling.......2007-09-21
Jesus Calling is a daily devotion book that has touched and encouraged me tremendously. The author is gifted at connecting God's own heart to the reader. Each daily reading is a reminder that Jesus cares personally and that His Presence can be a regular part of my life.
Each day's reading is short enough to be practical, but powerful and meaningful enough to be fulfilling. The author's words are as if Jesus is speaking to the reader, and there are scriptures references indicating the biblcal content used.
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- Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon
- Candida Albican Yeast-Free Cookbook, The : How Good Nutrition Can Help Fight the Epidemic of Yeast-Related Diseases
- Carry a Big Stick: The Uncommon Heroism of Theodore Roosevelt (Leaders in Action Series)
- Cirque Du Freak #12: Sons of Destiny: Book 12 in the Saga of Darren Shan (Cirque Du Freak: the Saga of Darren Shan)
- Civil War On Sunday (Magic Tree House #21)
- Collected Papers on Mathematics, Logic, and Philosophy
- Contingency, Irony, and Solidarity
- Critique of Pure Reason
- Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment 2007 (Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment)
- Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution, Revised Edition
Books Index
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