Cheating by Design

When Work and Family Collide by Andy Stanley is a re-release of a 2002 book entitled Choosing to Cheat. I can only assume that the title change is due to untoward implications of the phrasing; however, the previous title certainly would have captured your attention. The most recent title provides a clear understanding of the book’s topic – work and family collide in that both demand your all-too-scare time but only one can be the winner in that struggle.

Stanley divides his book into 2 parts: (1) Inside the Cheating Heart and (2) Strategy for Change. In the first half of the book, he outlines the struggle for our time and offers a parable of “falling rocks.” I’m not going to spoil that one for you but will encourage you to read the book to discover it. Interestingly, he discusses work from both a professional and personal outlook. The personal outlook is for individuals that work at home and can allow the never-ending “to do list” to dominate quality time with the family. Throughout, he intersperses examples of couples that encountered difficulty because they did not spend the appropriate amounts of time with their families.

The strongest part of the book was the first half where Stanly established the clear problem – competition for our time. Throughout this part, he cleverly turns some great phrases, and a few of my favorites follow: page 28, “good intentions have never accomplished anything” and page 26, “your Creator doesn’t define your life by your career or the neatness of your pantry.” He does rightly hit the notion that we often say we do not have time to spend with our families; however, that excuse goes right out the window during a crisis. Rather than waiting for the crisis, we need to devote our time to our family members now.

The second part of the book provides some nebulous strategies to, as my title suggests, cheat by design. He postulates that someone will be disappointed because we cannot give everyone all of the time that they demand. Immediately after establishing that known fact, he begins his case for disappointed friends and coworkers rather than family. He accomplishes that case through a brief and not-too-deep study of the prophet Daniel.

Oddly, he says that he does not want to provide a prescriptive list to be followed as a solution; however, he does just that on pages 110 and 111. This latter part of the book lacked the strong ideas and clearly stated components of the first. He used a Biblical example that, for many modern people, would not work. I believe his thesis could have been bolstered through a conclusion that clearly delineated God’s design for the family. That simple structure is the heart of the entire matter as we exchange our selfishness for relational satisfaction.

All in all, not a bad read. In fact, the book can be digested quickly, and, therein, I believe is part of the problem. It’s brevity – only 133 pages – caused it to lack depth and specificity. Despite my perceived shortcomings, this book will not do you harm and it very well may help you balance the demands on your time. In my opinion, it just did not live up to his other works; thus, the middle rating.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. For additional details, please visit http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/bloggingforbooks. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 25: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

A Different Daily Devotional

Moments of Truth, a daily devotional written by John MacArthur, continues his long line of scholarship based upon Biblical truth. You may be thinking that another daily devotional will be just like all the rest – short thoughts to be quickly pondered with a verse and concluding question. While MacArthur’s work does have that format, it is unlike any other daily devotional that I have seen. While each day offers meditations upon a verse of Scripture and a concluding question of reflection, the heart of the work rests in the short, daily entries.

These thoughts are short snippets from a wide array of MacArthur’s previous works that meet the subtitle of the book – “unleashing God’s Word one day at a time.” The author has a reputation for promoting the Truth, and this devotional retains that focus. While not printing new thoughts, this devotional does provide a reader something valuable. Readers are allowed to sample short parts of MacArthur’s other works, such as The Truth War, before committing to purchase that book. Additionally, these sections include the book name and page number for future inquiry.

The beauty of this work rests in its monthly divisions so that MacArthur’s truth thoughts are appropriately grouped by concept. For instance, look at an illustration of these monthly topics: January is beginnings (the start of the year), April is growing (the spring for flowers), June is marriage (the month for most weddings), and September is work (the month of Labor Day). A clever approach naturally draws the readers into the monthly themes.

This book would make a great gift for family and friends or it could even be purchased for personal enjoyment. These thoughts are a great way to start and end the work day, thereby, providing book ends for our daily labors. I highly encourage you to get a copy and see how God can use it in your life.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Truth is the Foundation of Love

I have been asked to take over an Adult Bible Fellowship at my church, and my preparations are in earnest for the first series in January. The overall series will be entitled "Big Things Come in Little Packages." In a sense, I will take some of the smaller books of the Old and New Testament to show how mighty those minute books are -- Haggai, Habakkuk, Obadiah, 2nd John, 3rd John, Jude, and Philemon. The problem is that we neglect the time and effort in those small writings. The doctrine is there, but American Christians are lazy (self-included).

2nd John is just such a book. Reading through it should take no more than 5 minutes; but as you read through this epistle, notice the focus on truth and love. You can subdivide the book into three sections: Welcome (v1-3), Walk (v4-6), and Warning (v7-13). Clearly, John is hammering the point that truth is of absolute importance as a foundation for love and fellowship. Sometimes, scholars will debate the truth and love in a similar fashion about which came first -- the chicken or the egg?

The answer is simple: truth.

Truth underscores love. Five times in the first four verses, we see that powerful focus on truth. The author says truth is alive, available, and always. We know that Christ is the truth (John 14:6), and since He is alive, truth lives too. We know that truth is available because Jesus stands at the door and knocks (Revelation 3:20). Finally, we know that God's Word is always (Psalm 119 and John 1).

Admittedly, I struggle with love and mercy because I often get hung up on truth. However, we must balance our stance upon truth with love. This does NOT mean that we compromise doctrine for fellowship, but it does indicate that truth has a loving side. How do I know? Look at what John said in this introduction. He offers salutations of grace, mercy and peace. I like these acronyms to explain these terms:

God's
Riches
At
Christ's
Expense

Messiah's
Extraordinary
Redemption that
Changes
You

Providence
Exemplified
As
Contentment
Ensues

Grace puts us in a restored relationship with our Creator God. Mercy is backed by tremendous love that, once understood, produces a change in our daily lives. Those two items -- grace and mercy -- produce peace that the world cannot understand. We see the truth of those terms, but God enacts them because of his love.

Truth is the foundation of love, but love is behind all truth.

Does the Church Matter Today?

Why Church Matters by Joshua Harris is a clear and concise book that deals with some of the questions many ask in pondering church membership. Having read several of his other works, this one pales in comparison to them because the depth and insight that are normally in Harris’ manuscripts were lacking. Granted, I have been in church my entire life; so, my perspective quite possibly clouds my judgment in that regard. If I were, in his words, a “church dater,” this book may have been a perfect fit.

His progression is logical in that he cites the prominence of uncommitted “church daters.” He then discusses the symbolism of the Church as the bride of Christ. Finally, he shifts into a description of the need for a church, how to choose one, and why there is a need to join. Without a doubt, chapter 6 – “Rescuing Sunday” – was the best part of this little book. Harris provides solid steps for Christians to maximize the most of their time at Church. We are all guilty of simply going through the motions; so he offers suggestions on how to be more purposeful in church attendance.

If you are looking to continue a similar study, get a copy of David Jeremiah’s latest book I Never Thought I’d See the Day. He has a chapter about the irrelevance of the church in our modern world. Jeremiah’s intent is somewhat different, but a comparison of their thoughts is rather enlightening. While the books are written seven years apart, they do offer the same conclusion -- yes, in this world of heartache and pain, the Church does matter while, sometimes, the churches do not.

My biggest gripe for Harris rests upon the lacking style of his scholarship. I am not challenging his intellectual basis; however, I am questioning his attention to detail. I discovered several wonderful quotes that I wanted to explore further; yet, Harris denied me (and other readers) that opportunity. Instead of providing clear citations from other books, personal emails, or sermons, Harris merely stated the quote with the author’s name.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. For additional details, please visit http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/bloggingforbooks. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 25: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Some Issues with Expansion....

The NKJV Expanded Bible, which is part of the Signature Series by Thomas Nelson, fits its name perfectly. This Bible provides additional insight for deeper study. The bold type presents their translation into more modern language while the regular type, within brackets, serves as the expanded portion. These comments focus upon more literal renderings of the word, traditional renderings (often from the King James), cross-referencing material, or textual variants from the original manuscripts.

If a reader compares this New King James translation with another, they will immediately discover differences within the translation. That rationale is explained by the editors in the beginning. Rather than waging into the debate between formal (literal) equivalent or functional (meaning) equivalent translations, the authors “compromise” by blending both formats in this Bible.

While each equivalency has pros and cons, this merging of the two creates its own set of problems. First, the eminent readability of functional translations (the NIV) is lost while the beauty of language within the formal translations (the KJV) is also missing. Second, the “safety” of formal translations (typically theologically precise due to less personal interpretation by editors) may have been lost. I am not a student of the original languages, but this type of Bible forces one to rely upon the three editors for precision. I am not saying these men purposefully skewed the text one way or another, but this blended format opened the door for bias to enter into textual renderings.

The above-mentioned format for the NKJV Expanded Bible affords itself to personal, in-depth study; however, I cannot recommend this Bible for a new Christian or someone wishing to own a smooth reading text. The quirky nature of the expansion brackets inhibits the natural flow and, at times, can present confusion. I reviewed the electronic version of this Bible and am uncertain whether the same erratic pattern would exist. Maybe the actual hard copy would resolve some of that issue for me.



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Churched....

Churched by Matthew Paul Turner is a sometimes witty and funny discussion of spiritual upbringing. As a reader, I wondered how much of the book is truly a memoir as opposed to an embellishment to prove his underlying thesis. Clearly, the author has a sense of humor – just read pages 28-30 about the KJV term for donkey in Scripture! This format, in my opinion, cheapened his story and left it unfinished.

After reading this a second time, I am left puzzled as to the author’s true intent. Was it merely to portray fundamentalists is a poor light? If not, where is the rest of the story about his journey? The back cover of the book indicates that he “falls in love with Jesus,” but that cannot be assumed unless the author provides details lending to that claim. The subtitle referenced a journey toward God; however, the balance of the book does little more than poke fun at anyone that is a fundamentalist.

The first chapter and the last chapter scantly mention time outside of that circle; so, as a reader, I did not see how he has fallen in love with Jesus.
On page 213, the author issues one of his own personal absolutes: “Fundamentalism has little to do with Jesus.” Such a statement betrays a misunderstanding of Fundamentalism, but on page 223, Turner professes that he does not believe the Bible is infallible. Much of his humorous angst against fundamentalists comes from his own lack of understanding.

Historically, the term fundamentalism originated with the publication of 12 pamphlets entitled The Fundamentals by Princeton Theological Seminary (1910-1915). Contextually, these sought to explain the macabre events of World War One and provided a reaction to Darwin’s evolutionary theory. From that point of origin, many Christian colleges were created to teach these fundamentals – including the one that produced Pastor Nolan described in this book.

Simply put, fundamentalism, unlike modern liberalism, teaches the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Thus, salvation from sin is by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ. The author’s absolute could not be further from the truth. Yes, some circles within the broader fundamentalist movement have introduced legalistic practices; however, the author’s far-reaching generalization is unfortunate and wrong.

Turner says on Page 108 that “being a fundamentalist was pointless without hell.” Once again, I have to disagree. I was born and raised within one of those legalistic, fundamental circles; yet, I developed an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Through much personal study and wrestling with Scripture, I came to realize that many of the teachings (i.e. suits on Sunday and tapered haircuts) were personal preferences rather than Biblical theology.

My current fundamentalist life is fueled by a love of Jesus. That love has produced theological depth and personal growth; yet, God utilized those times to forge a passion for the glory of God. I cannot agree with the front and back cover of the book which labels fundamentalism as a “holy mess” or the “chaotic mess of religion.” Such terms portray fellow believers as crazed and blinded simpletons, meaning the author completely overlooked the tenets of 1 Corinthians 12:26 that “the members [of the body of Christ] may have the same care for one another.”

If you are looking for humor, this is a great book. If you are looking for a story that shows a personal story producing a love for Jesus, this is not the book for you.



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. For additional details, please visit http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/bloggingforbooks. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 25: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Culture Shift

Culture Shift: The Battle for the Moral Heart of America by R. Albert Mohler, Jr. offers cogent insight into the cultural war within America and the world at-large. He highlights the major edicts of secularism and offers arenas wherein the battle is raging – the law, public education, science, philosophy, and religion. The short chapters are filled with detailed research that transforms this book into a swift read; yet it deserves prolonged attention and reflection.

In discussing this topic, Mohler portrays a rather novel thesis for his discourse. His mentality permeates the entire treatise and is built upon Matthew 22:36-40. On page 26, he says: “we are motivated by love for other human beings, believing that health and welfare and happiness and commonweal [sic] are dependent on society’s being ordered in such a way that the Creator’s intentions for human relationships are honored and upheld.” This rationale perfectly explains why Christians should actively work within the world while not living like the world. Our love for God trumps everything else, yet that love for God drives us to live like no one else.

I agree with Mohler that public schools present ideological problems for Christian parents seeking to rear children from a Biblical worldview. He provides ample evidence of the cultural shift; however, I take exception to the conclusion of chapter 8. His solution, as stated on page 60, is for Christians “to develop an exit strategy from the public schools,” but this idea conflicts with his thesis on page 2. There, Mohler extrapolates that loving God and our neighbor “gives us a clear mandate for the right kind of cultural engagement.” The exit strategy hypothesis performs the exact opposite by exalting cultural disengagement on the part of Christians.

I am a Christian that proudly serves within the public school system. Yes, public education has significant flaws; however, the opportunities to showcase the love of God abound. Since we are commanded to be salt and light in this world, withdrawal prevents fulfillment of the directives in Matthew 5. Instead, Christian parents should remain highly involved in the education of their children by offering a Biblically-based education. Their children with then have the opportunity to live those lessons in the world, which will bring God the glory.

Despite the criticism of that point, Mohler’s book passionately proclaims the need for every Christian to present the world with “the undiluted truth of Christianity” (page 124). While I encourage you to get a copy and deeply consider its contents, I strongly urge you to dig deeper into the Bible to evaluate your life against God’s standards of truth.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. For additional details, please visit http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/bloggingforbooks. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 25: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”