Book Reivew: Day of War

I recently read “Day of War” by Cliff Graham, the first in the Lion of War series, after seeing a recommendation of it on a Christian blog written to provide encouragement for mothers of boys. “Day of War” is a fictional account of David (before he became king) and his warriors, based on 2 Samuel 23 and 1 Chronicles 11. It is chiefly a story of Benaiah, David, Uriah the Hittite, and the Three (Josheb, Eleazar and Shammah).

The book starts out telling of Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, when he “went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.” Although I would classify this as a “guys’ book” from the very beginning, it had me riveted. Great story-telling, great imagery.

What interested me most about “Day of War” is that – although fictional – it paints a seemingly realistic picture of life as a warrior in Old Testament times. I’m not a history buff or a student of wars, so this account helped me understand why David and his army faced and endured what they did – and how so much killing could occur in the name of Yahweh.

Though rough men with distant, abandoned families and haunting pasts, they shared a trust and deep-seated belief in God (most of them, anyway). When preparing for battle and in the midst of adversity, David and his men speak this prayer to Yahweh: “Cover me in the day of war.”

Most of us don’t face war and battle like the characters of this book. And – I would venture to guess – most of don’t fully appreciate the freedom that we have to comfortably live our lives peacefully in Christ, knowing that we have that choice and will not be persecuted or slaughtered because of it.

But in one way or another, we all have our own days of war. Our own struggles and conflicts. We would do well to remember David and his mighty men, and ask God to cover us in our days of war.

meet the reviewer: kristy wright

Kristy Wright is a born-and-raised Minnesotan, spending her first six years of life in St. Paul before moving to the northern metro with her family. She spent four years in Marshall attending Southwest Minnesota State University and earning a Bachelor’s degree in English/journalism with a minor in literature. Kristy moved back to the Twin Cities in 2000 and settled in Cottage Grove with her husband, Jeremy, in 2003. The Wrights have two young children, Jesse and Alex, and spend most of their time playing with the boys and being with friends and family. Kristy has a background in writing, working as a reporter for two years and in communications for 11 years. She currently works as a Vice President at a St. Paul-based credit union trade association, a position she has held since 2011.

Book Review: Indescribable

Book Review, submitted by Jon Schommer

INDESCRIBABLE

By Louie Giglio and Matt Redman

Published by David C. Cook, Colorado Springs, CO (2011)

Louie Giglio is the pastor of Passion City Church in Atlanta and Matt Redman is a songwriter and worship leader based in Brighton, England. In this book, they take the reader on a journey to the furthest known reaches of the universe, describing stars, galaxies, the sun, the moon, distance, light, and astronomical principles. They weave together Bible verses with scientific thought and paint a picture of a Creator who is beyond comprehension.

As I read this book, I became lost in wonder. On one hand, I was overwhelmed with how many Bible verses there are that relate to our Creator and the role of His creation in worship of Him. This book does a great job in aligning Bible verses in a way that leads one to worship God! On the other hand, I was overwhelmed with the enormity and grandeur of even the small part of creation we can now describe through scientific inquiry. As Ralph W. Sockman pointed out, “The larger the island of knowledge, the longer the shoreline of wonder!”

Giglio and Redman conclude the book by pointing out that the psalmist wrote, “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth” (Psalm 33:6). But just when be might be tempted to believe that God is too big to be concerned with someone as tiny as you or me, we read, “From heavens the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; from His dwelling place he watches all who live on earth – He who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do” (Psalm 33: 13-15).

Looking up to the heights of the cosmos increases our sense of the glory of God. At the same time, it helps us realize just how extravagant His divine love is. The same hands that flung the stars into space, also surrendered to the cruel nails of the cross to bring us salvation. Oh, such indescribable love.

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”  — 2 Corinthians 9:15

Book Review: The Power of a Praying Parent

Book Review, submitted by Jon Schommer

THE POWER OF A PRAYING PARENT
By Stormie Omartian
Published by Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, Oregon (1995)

Being a parent …. It is the best of jobs. It is the most difficult of jobs. It can bring the highest highs and the lowest lows. No area of your life can make you feel more like a success and no area of your life can make you feel more like a failure.

In raising children, the most important things we can do for them is to bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4), live as examples for them (Proverbs 20:7), and pray for them (Lamentations 2: 19) in all situations and in all aspects of life.

In this book, Stormie Omartian begins by giving great insights about how to become a praying parent and how we can release our children into God’s hands. Then, she provides useful chapters that focus on topics that we can pray about. There are 28 topics (one in a chapter), so it takes just over half a year to pray through the book. When you reach the end of the book, you can just start over again!

Each chapter ends with a written prayer that can be prayed out loud and a number of Bible verses that relate to that chapter’s topic. It is a practical, useful tool for being a praying parent. There is even a chapter that focuses on insights for how we can pray for our adult children.

This is a practical book for helping us to do something that is extraordinary.

“Pray without ceasing.” I Thessalonians 5: 17

Book Review: Radical Together

RADICAL TOGETHER
By David Platt
Published by Multnomah Books, Colorado Springs, CO (2011)

In a follow-up to his 2010 best seller titled ‘Radical,’ Pastor David Platt proposes that as long as individual Christians journey alone – no matter how ‘radical’ they are – their effect will be minimal. However, as men and women who are surrendered to Jesus Christ join together and are wholly committed to the purpose of Christ, nothing can stop the spread of the gospel to the ends of the earth.

In ‘Radical Together,’ Pastor Platt outlines six basic ideas (that are often overlooked) for Christians as we work together:

 

• One of the worst enemies of Christians can be ‘good’ things in the church.
• The gospel that saves us from work, saves us to work.
• The Word does the work.
• Building the right church depends on using all the ‘wrong’ people.
• We are living – and longing – for the end of the world.
• We are selfless followers of a deservingly self-centered God.

This book outlines an ‘equip and send’ approach for churches. Church is not about performances, places, programs, or professionals … it is about people. We are the church. Our motivation rests in our sovereign, holy majestic God who is worthy of all worship, who is high and lifted up.

God does not involve us in His grand, global purpose because he needs us. He involves us in his grand, global purpose because he loves us. So here we are, with the gospel of God in our hearts, with the gift of God known as the church, and with a grand and gracious invitation from God to lock arms with one another in the passionate spread of His glory to the ends of the earth. Let’s rise up together as selfless followers of a deservingly self-centered God.

“And what is the immeasurable greatness of his power towards us who believe, according to the working of his great might, that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gives him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.” Ephesians 1: 19-23

meet the reviewer: jon schommer

Jon Schommer grew up in Calumetville, Wisconsin (dairy farm country) and currently lives in Woodbury, Minnesota. He has been married to Lisa since 1988 and they have two children; Dave (born in 1993) and Emily (born in 1996). Jon’s hobbies include gardening and hiking. During the summer, he enjoys golfing once or twice and during the winter he enjoys ice fishing a few times. Jon earned his Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin – Madison and currently is a professor at the University of Minnesota.

Book Review: Reaching For The Invisible God

REACHING FOR THE INVISIBLE GOD

Philip Yancey

Published by Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (2000)

 

 

 

In this book Philip Yancey tackles the questions:

• How can I have a personal relationship with a being when I’m never quite sure he’s there?
• Why does God seem so distant so often?
• How can I bridge the gap?
• How am I supposed to relate to Him?
• Why is my hunger for God more frustrating than satisfying?
• Why do I sense a disturbing disparity between God’s promises and life’s realities?

Yancey points out that for many people, it takes the jolt of tragedy, illness, or death to create a crisis of faith. At such moments, we want clarity. However, God wants our trust. We have a choice: to fear God or to fear everything else, to trust God or to trust nothing. The difficult part for many is that in pursuing relationship with God, we must come on God’s terms, not or own. Faith in Him requires obedience without full knowledge. Why is this? We want God to be like us: tangible, material, perceptible (hence humans’ long history of idolatry). We want God to speak in audible words that we can clearly understand. Apart from the Incarnation and rare epiphanies, God shows little interest in corresponding on our level. Rather, God seeks from us correspondence in the spiritual realm and seems more interested in things like justice, mercy, peace, grace, and love – spiritual qualities that can work themselves out in the material world. In short, God wants us to be more like Him. Friendship is not the primary model used in the Bible to describe our relationship with God. Worship is.

Just like little children, we should not worry about understanding the relationship, we should simply live it. The times when we feel most estranged from God can bring on a sense of desperation, which presents a new starting point for grace. Lasting relationship grows in the soil of child-like trust and grace and forgiveness, not law. God moves in ways we can neither predict nor desire on our own. To empower us, He provides His Holy Spirit. The living presence of God inside us should permeate everything we see and do. God simply calls on us to trust Him and to obey.

“By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.”

–  I John 4: 13

 

John H. Sammis, 1887   Trust and Obey

When we walk with the Lord in the light of his Word, What a glory He sheds on our way!

While we do His good will, He abides with us still, And with all who will trust and obey.

But we never can prove the delights of His love, Until all on the altar we lay;

For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows, Are for them who will trust and obey.

Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at his feet, Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;

What He says we will do, where He sends we will go; Never fear, only trust and obey.

Book Review: In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day

IN A PIT WITH A LION ON A SNOWY DAY

Mark Batterson

Published by Multnomah Books, Colorado Springs, CO (2006)

Pastor Batterson focuses on a Bible verse found in II Samuel 23: 20 which says “Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from Kabzeel, who had done many deeds. He had killed two lion-like heroes of Moab. He also had gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day.”

The Bible doesn’t tell us what Benaiah was doing or where he was going when he encountered this lion. We don’t know the time of day or Benaiah’s frame of mind. But the Scripture does reveal his reaction. And it was gutsy. Typically, when we encounter a man-eating beast, we run away. But Benaiah followed the lion into the pit. He went into a situation in which he was the underdog. And the snowy conditions on that day didn’t help his chances either. However, Benaiah was victorious and in II Samuel 23:23 we learn that King David appointed him over his guard.

What a story of courage! Pastor Batterson reminds us that we also are faced with choices. Do we run away or give chase? Do we follow opportunity under seemingly impossible odds? A pattern seen throughout Scripture shows that God won’t intervene until something is humanly impossible. And He usually does it in just the nick of time.

Pastor Batterson suggests that it is time for us to stop trying to create God in our image and let Him create us in His. This means that we should stop praying for comfort, and begin praying for character. We should view adversity as a blessing in disguise. He reminds us that faith in Christ doesn’t reduce uncertainty. Rather, faith embraces uncertainty.

When we face an opportunity, we often make excuses such as:

• I’m too busy
• I’m not qualified
• I’m too qualified
• I’ve got too many problems
• I don’t have enough money
• I’m not ready yet.

Newsflash …. We’ll never be ready. Sometimes opportunities arise when we least expect it. What will we do when we find ourselves in a pit with a lion on a snowy day?

Do not pray for easy lives, pray to be stronger men.

Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers, pray for powers equal to your task.

–        Phillips Brooks (1835 – 1893)

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, he is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you. – Deuteronomy 31:6

meet the reviewer: jon schommer

Jon Schommer grew up in Calumetville, Wisconsin (dairy farm country) and currently lives in Woodbury, Minnesota. He has been married to Lisa since 1988 and they have two children; Dave (born in 1993) and Emily (born in 1996). Jon’s hobbies include gardening and hiking. During the summer, he enjoys golfing once or twice and during the winter he enjoys ice fishing a few times. Jon earned his Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin – Madison and currently is a professor at the University of Minnesota.

Book Review: Not A Fan

NOT A FAN

Kyle Idleman

Published by Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (2011)

The most basic definition of “fan” in the dictionary is “An enthusiastic admirer.” Pastor Idleman uses this definition to describe many Christians today. We are like a fan who goes to a football game and cheers for his favorite team. He may wear a shirt with his team logo and may have a bumper sticker on his car. But he’s never in the game. He enjoys attending the stadium each week, but never breaks a sweat or takes a hard hit in the open field. He knows all about the players and their latest stats. He cheers and raises his hands, but nothing is really required of him. There is no sacrifice he has to make. He’s just a fan.

Pastor Idleman points out that Jesus was never interested in having fans. He doesn’t want enthusiastic admirers who don’t go all-in. In fact, Jesus criticized people “who honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” (Matthew 15:8). Instead, Jesus wants completely committed followers. Jesus described it this way … “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23).

Jesus calls upon his followers to die daily. “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it” (Luke 9:24).

It is only by dying to ourselves that we truly find life. When we finally let go of our lives and follow him completely, we find real life in Christ. “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God” (I Corinthians 1:18).

• The cross that represented defeat – for a follower, it is an image of victory.
• The cross that represented guilt – for a follower it an image of freedom.
• The cross that represented pain and suffering – for a follower it is an image of healing and hope.
• The cross that represented death – for a follower it is an image of life.
• The cross that may not be attractive – for a follower it is beautiful.

Taking up a cross and dying to self sounds like torture. We think that such a decision would make us miserable. However, there is a surprising side effect to dying … we discover true life. We find that giving up our lives and turning them over to Jesus gives us the life we so desperately wanted all along.

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose. – Jim Elliot

For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world; and is himself destroyed or lost? – Luke 9: 25

meet the reviewer: jon schommer

Jon Schommer grew up in Calumetville, Wisconsin (dairy farm country) and currently lives in Woodbury, Minnesota. He has been married to Lisa since 1988 and they have two children; Dave (born in 1993) and Emily (born in 1996). Jon’s hobbies include gardening and hiking. During the summer, he enjoys golfing once or twice and during the winter he enjoys ice fishing a few times. Jon earned his Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin – Madison and currently is a professor at the University of Minnesota.

Book Review: Freedom from Tyranny of the Urgent

FREEDOM FROM TYRANNY OF THE URGENT

Charles E. Hummel

Published by IVP Books, Downers Grove, IL (1997)

Charles Hummel points out that many of us constantly wish for more time. We find ourselves working harder and harder, but enjoying life less and less. However, our dilemma goes deeper than a shortage of time; it is basically the problem of priorities. Hard work does not hurt us. We all know what it is to go full speed for long hours, totally involved in an important task. The resulting weariness is matched by a sense of achievement and joy.

Not hard work, but doubt and misgiving, produce anxiety as we review a month or year and become oppressed by the pile of unfinished tasks. We sense uneasily that we may have failed to do the important. The winds of people’s demands have driven us onto a reef of frustration.

Our greatest danger is letting the urgent things crowd out the important things. We live in a constant tension between the urgent and the important. The problem is that important tasks rarely must be done right away. We give in to the tyranny of the urgent.

This book gives guidance for helping us prioritize what is truly important. For example:

• We should manage our time under the lordship of Jesus Christ, from whom we get our goals and values.

• There is no substitute for the confidence that today – in this time and place – I am obeying the will of my Father.

• Just when you think you can’t afford to take time out … that’s when you need it the most.

• Use the Scriptures to set priorities. When reading the Bible, ask yourself: (1) Is there a command to obey?, (2) Is there a sin to confess and forsake?, (3) Is there an example to follow – or avoid?, (4) Is there a promise to claim?, (5) Is there a new insight about God?

• The value of an action lays not in its size but in its motive – love for God.

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time. – Ephesians 5: 15-16a

On my calendar there are but two days; today and That Day. – Martin Luther.

meet the reviewer: jon schommer

Jon Schommer grew up in Calumetville, Wisconsin (dairy farm country) and currently lives in Woodbury, Minnesota. He has been married to Lisa since 1988 and they have two children; Dave (born in 1993) and Emily (born in 1996). Jon’s hobbies include gardening and hiking. During the summer, he enjoys golfing once or twice and during the winter he enjoys ice fishing a few times. Jon earned his Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin – Madison and currently is a professor at the University of Minnesota.

Book Review: Wild Goose Chase

WILD GOOSE CHASE

Mark Batterson

Published by Multnomah Books, Colorado Springs, CO (2008)

Celtic Christians referred to the Holy Spirit as An Geadh-Glas (the Wild Goose). Pastor Batterson proposes that, much like a wild goose, the Holy Spirit has an element of danger and an air of unpredictability, mystery, and adventure.

He suggests that many, if not most, Christians are bored with their faith and use the “excuses” of: (1) responsibility, (2) routine, (3) assumptions, (4) guilt, (5) failure, and (6) fear for not following the Holy Spirit with all our being. We turn Christianity into a noun and become safe, silent, and stale. Christianity is intended to be an action verb. The Wild Goose (Holy Spirit) is always calling us into terra incognita … that is where the action is. For example:

• Nehemiah was a cupbearer with no architectural training, but God used him to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem.
• Noah was a farmer who God used to build the ark.
• A shepherd boy named David was used by God to defeat a Philistine giant.
• A murderer named Paul was used by God to write about half of the New Testament.

For us, it might be time to fill out the application, make the call, pack the U-Haul, write the check, set up the appointment, have the conversation, make the move, or go on that mission trip. In the words of Andre’ Gide, “People cannot discover new lands until they have the faith to lose sight of the shore.” Rarely does the Holy Spirit lead us down the path of least resistance. It is not in His nature. We are called to lives of faith in Him no matter what.

Pastor Batterson challenges us to:

• quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death
• not let what’s wrong with us keep us from worshipping what’s right with God
• not just make a living … but to make a life.

Furthermore, he challenges us to:

• pursue God-ordained passions
• live today like it is the first day and the last day of our lives
• burn sinful bridges
• chase the Goose!

“Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4

meet the reviewer: jon schommer

Jon Schommer grew up in Calumetville, Wisconsin (dairy farm country) and currently lives in Woodbury, Minnesota. He has been married to Lisa since 1988 and they have two children; Dave (born in 1993) and Emily (born in 1996). Jon’s hobbies include gardening and hiking. During the summer, he enjoys golfing once or twice and during the winter he enjoys ice fishing a few times. Jon earned his Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin – Madison and currently is a professor at the University of Minnesota.

Book Review: The Jesus I Never Knew

THE JESUS I NEVER KNEW
Philip Yancey
Published by Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1995)

Prolific and best-selling author, Philip Yancey, uses a self-reflective, biographical, historical, and biblical approach for investigating (1) who Jesus was, (2) why he came, (3) what he left behind, and (4) what this means for who he is right now in our lives.

Yancey paints a rich picture of Jesus as he describes how Jesus came to earth as a particular race, at a particular time, in a particular place, and in a particular culture. Furthermore, Jesus’ activities on earth point to God’s intentionality as He unfolded His perfect plan of sacrificial love to restore relationship with Him.

Jesus made it possible to go from the old covenant in which:

• God’s name could not be pronounced
• Only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies once per year
• Sacrifice for sins was done at the tabernacle

To the new covenant in which:

• God is called Abba (daddy)
• We have intimate relationship with God at all times through Christ
• We are saved by grace and are His tabernacle

When Jesus ascended into heaven almost 2000 years ago, he left with a long-range plan (His return to restore all things) and a short-range plan (His church on earth to do His work). Yancey refers to Jesus’ time on earth as ‘Good Friday” and His triumphant return as “Easter Sunday.’ Where we live right now is on Saturday, the day with no name. Human history grinds on, between the time of promise and fulfillment. Jesus has entrusted us to be his hands and feet, His body and heart until the time of His glorious return.

But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood he entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. – Hebrews 9: 11-12

meet the reviewer: jon schommer

Jon Schommer grew up in Calumetville, Wisconsin (dairy farm country) and currently lives in Woodbury, Minnesota. He has been married to Lisa since 1988 and they have two children; Dave (born in 1993) and Emily (born in 1996). Jon’s hobbies include gardening and hiking. During the summer, he enjoys golfing once or twice and during the winter he enjoys ice fishing a few times. Jon earned his Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin – Madison and currently is a professor at the University of Minnesota.

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