Month: February 2009

Book: “Financial Peace”

Posted in Book Reviews1 Comment

dave-ramseyI just finished rereading Financial Peace by Dave Ramsey. The book is a must read for every young couple considering marriage and every couple struggling with their finances. Through the years, I’ve read a number of books like this one, but I like Dave’s straightforward, in-your-face approach the best.

Dave also has a financial training course that can be taught in local churches called Total Money Makeover. I hope to offer it at our church on a regular basis as a part of our discipleship program. I also recommend that you listen to Dave’s radio program for further information and inspiration. Radio program airing information can be found here.

This is book 9 of 52 of my quest to read 52 books this year. For more information on this quest please see One Book Per Week = 52 or this series of posts.

Book: “The Stewardship of Life”

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kirk-noweryI just completed Kirk Nowery’s book, The Stewardship of Life. Nowery served as President of INJOY Stewardship Services. Prior to his role at INJOY, he served for 18 years as Senior Pastor of one of the nation’s largest congregations in Miami, Flordia. In addition to his many roles, he was Chaplain of the famed Miami Dolphins footall team from 1983 to 1995.

In the book, Nowery explores the need for Christians to be good stewards of all the resources God gives to them. Naturally, he talks about finances, but that is not the main focus of the book. He talks about stewardship in the areas of vision, influence, commitment, time, and opportunity. The final chapter is called The Stewardship of You.

I recommend the book to anyone wanting to examine the area of stewardship. One bonus for me as a pastor was the fact that I gleaned several sermon ideas for future stewardship-related sermon series.

This is book 8 of 52 of my quest to read 52 books this year. For more information on this quest please see One Book Per Week = 52 or this series of posts.

Grow Up

Posted in Discipleship, Life Happens2 Comments

baby4“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation….” 1 Peter 2:2 (NIV) 

A few days ago, Nadya Suleman, a 33-year-old in Southern California mother, gave birth to six boys and two girls ranging from 1 pound 8 ounces to 3 pounds 4 ounces. I certainly wish them well and pray that God will bless them to live healthy, productive lives for His glory.

As I was thinking about the octuplets, it dawned on me that they all have one thing in common besides having the same mother–they were all born as babies! That is true for all of us. We all begin the same way and we all end the same way. What we do in the middle makes all the difference!

As Christians, we all begin the same way spiritually as well. We all are born spiritually (John 3) through Jesus and begin as newborns in the Lord. Unfortunately, many believers never move beyond that point. Nothing saddens me more than seeing believers that should have long ago become spiritually mature still thinking and acting as spiritual newborns.

Where are you in your spiritual development? Frankly, God expects and commands us to grow up.

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” 2 Peter 3:18 (NIV)