Book: “The Life You’ve Always Wanted”

Posted in Book Reviews2 Comments

booklife-youve-always-wanted6I just finished John Ortberg’s book, The Life You’ve Always Wanted. I wish I had found this book when it was first written back in 1997 because I’m confident that it will influence my Christian walk throughout the rest of my life. Simply put, THIS IS A MUST READ!

In the book, Ortberg talks about the need for every Christian to experience real life change–transformation into the likeness of Christ. He explains that spiritual transformation comes through the practice of spiritual disciplines. Although there are many possible spiritual disciplines, Ortberg deals with the following ten: Celebration, Slowing, Prayer, Servanthood, Confession, Receiving Holy Spirit Guidance, Secrecy, Reflection on Scripture. Well-ordered heart, and Suffering

I can hardly wait to begin practicing these disciplines with this new understanding. Well, I’ve started on books three, four, and five. Stay tuned!

Book: “90 Minutes In Heaven”

Posted in Book Reviews4 Comments

90-minutes5I am attempting to read a book-a-week in 2009 for a total of 52 books. The book I completed first is called 90 Minutes In Heaven. In this book, Don Piper recounts the tragic car accident that left him dead for an hour and a half.  During this time, the Southern Baptist minister tells about his experience in Heaven.

Piper’s description of Heaven is fascinating and believeable. Nothing from his experience seems to contradict the Bible’s description of Heaven, but his account does shed new light on Heaven.

The book reminded me that our loved ones who were believers are in a far better place that is beyond our earthly comprehension and understanding. What a beautiful place Heaven must be! The next book I am reading is The Life You’ve Always Wanted by John Ortberg.

The Barbarian Way

Posted in Discipleship, Evangelism, Worship1 Comment

barabarian3This afternoon I listened again to Erwin McManus, senior pastor of Mosaic in Los Angeles, preaching his sermon, The Barbarian Way. Wow, what a needed reminder that I should be living on the edge for Jesus. McManus also wrote a great book by the same title.

Read this quote from his book, The Barbarian Way:

Perhaps, the tragedy of our time is that such an overwhelming number of us who declare Jesus as Lord have become domesticated–or, if you will, civilized. We have lost the simplicity of our early faith. Beyond that, we have lost the passion and power of that raw, untamed, and primal faith.

Jesus did not suffer and die so that we could build for ourselves havens, but so that we might expand the kingdom of His love….Christianity has become docile, domesticated, civilized.

God’s will for us is less about our comfort than it is about our contribution. God would never choose for us safety at the cost of significance. God created you so that your life would count, not so that you could count the days of your life.

What about you? Can you remember how passionate you were about Jesus during those early days? Do you remember how burdened you were for your family members and friends who were not followers of Christ?

May God help us to return to that simple, unhampered, all-out, barbarian approach to following Christ!