Another Study Bible

I will go ahead and admit it -- I'm a sucker for study Bibles.  When I see one, I want to get it to see how its study notes are different than any other.  The MacArthur Study Bible is the "gold standard" in my opinion, so I confess a hardship in trying not to compare others to it.

The NKJV Apply the Word Study Bible is a new release and has some rather positive qualities.  First, I really like the name -- apply the Word -- because that is what we should do each and every day.  Second, I love (and I mean love) red letter editions because they help as you disciple new Christians to help delineate between narrative events and the words of Jesus.  As such, this one does not disappoint.  Third, there are good notes within it to point out some words and social/culture components.  It does not, however, go into the doctrinal or hermeneutical depths of a MacArthur Study Bible (see...I struggle in avoiding the comparison).

This one is the size of a "normal book" and not the typical Bible -- which is larger than a normal book.  To that end, the print is somewhat small and there is not much room for notes to go in the margin.  If you need larger print and desire to write notes on the pages, well, this is not the Bible for you.  Still, I can recommend this to you because you cannot go wrong studying God's Word! 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLookBloggers.com review 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.”

Still Searching for Jesus

Robert J. Hutchinson has written a chronicle, of sorts, describing his quest to understand who the real, historical Jesus was.  The result is the book Searching for Jesus; and as the title suggests, it leaves anyone still searching for Jesus.  My main complaint is that the book left way too much open for interpretation instead of helping close the door with his own conclusions. 

For instance, he has a small section (A Conclusion...and a Beginning) that, of sorts, summarizes it all.  I use the two words "of sorts" twice for a definitive reason -- as much as the author leads to a conclusion, he never delivers one.  His final paragraph starts with -- "whether intentionally or not, Jesus ignited a worldwide crusade."  Well, if you read the New Testament, we see what His followers believed and that seems to be convincing enough to take a stand on something.  Further, there are a multitude of glittering statements like "whatever you believe" or "more evidence is still being gathered."  I do believe he does nail this one aspect right one the money -- we cannot construct a day by day, minute by minute reconstruction of everything that Jesus Christ did, and that is okay because Christianity is built upon faith not incontrovertible facts (which would remove any and all need for faith). 

If you are "on the fence" and are seeking secular sources to help you make a decision to accept or deny Christ, I doubt that this book will help you in that regard.  Thus, my title of the review is "Still Searching for Jesus." 

Let me offer you, however, a glimpse into the value of this book.  It provides a wonderful historiography of cynics, skeptics, atheists, and gnostic beliefs alongside modern scholarship that advances those thoughts BUT then balances it with modern scholarship that challenges those same components.  This is a "one stop shop" of Christology summarized and, for that reason alone, it is a valuable book to have on your shelf.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLookBloggers.com review 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.”

Power in the Parables

John MacArthur has demonstrated, once again, why many consider him to be one of the strongest Bible teachers of the modern age.  In the recent book Parables:  The Mysteries of God's Kingdom Revealed through the Stories Jesus Told, he unpacks these parables and offers the explanation that is often missed.  Far too often we fail to consider the surrounding context that unlocks the teachings that Jesus was offering for those listening.

One of our greatest errors in Scriptural interpretation is using our modern culture to glean the meaning of the parable.  As MacArthur shows, that cultural bias leads to incorrect interpretations and applications.  For instance, the parable of the widow and the unjust judge does not make as much sense until you understand the Jewish and Roman judicial structure as well as the legal mandate to care for the helpless widows.  Further, the court system of that day was made for men; so, a woman advocating for herself in court means that she had nobody else to assist her.

MacArthur considers several parables:  (1) Good Samaritan; (2) Hidden treasure in a field and pearl of great price; (3) the Sower; (4) Pharisee and publican - my personal favorite of the book; (5) Two servants, ten bridesmaids, and the talents; (6) the Unjust judge; and (7) Lazarus and the rich man.  You can see that the author combines several into one larger discussion and, when you read the book, the understanding why becomes clear.  Chapter 8 is an interesting read - I'll leave it at that.

Great book that helps unearth meaning behind these parables.  I highly recommend it. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLookBloggers.com review 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.”

Black Earth Shines a Light onto a Dark Subject

Black.  Earth.  Two words that stand alone but have multiple constructs in meaning.  For instance, "black" can reference a color, have racial overtones, indicate a style of cooking (e.g. blackened shrimp), or darkness.  "Earth" can reference our planet of habitation, dirt, or the physical realm.  When you take these distinctive words and combine them, they completely change.  I believe Timothy Snyder knew exactly what he was doing when he coined the title of this book:  Black Earth - The Holocaust as History and Warning.

Here is a warning for you -- this book is not for the faint of heart or the intellectually lazy.  Why not for the faint of heart?  The topic of the Holocaust is difficult partly due to the origination of the term "genocide" to describe the horrific events.  Snyder includes some of those (e.g. Nazis tossing babies into the air to shoot them like clay targets...chilling described on page 190) but attempts to avoid those gruesome specifics.  Why not for the intellectually lazy?  The author digs into the intellectual rationale used by the Nazis to create a Judeo-bolshevik myth that served multiple arenas -- political, physical, spiritual, racial, and social -- in gaining collaboration from others to murder the Jews.  This myth became the primary reason (not anti-Semitism) that individuals participated in the killing of the Jews even when they were not forced to do so and could have opted out without consequence other than peer pressure.

In short, the Judeo-bolshevik myth was Hitler's way to solve problems.  Everything he believed that led to the Holocaust was rooted not in statehood but in race.  Additional countries were not needed for empire building but to sustain and help purify the Aryan race.  His utilized politics to further advance his race-baiting in strokes that created murderous consequences for the Jews.  As Germany occupied areas formerly held by the Soviet Union and discovered mass graves due to Russian savagery, the Germans cast the Jews as collaborators.  They took their property, adorned them in Soviet flags, and had them march to the Soviet anthem.  Why?  He forced an identification of the Jews with Russian actions, so the local populace would blame them and willingly understand the need to exact revenge.  The odd part is that many of the individuals now killing the Jews were the actual collaborators with the Soviets in the earlier killings.  Thus, the Judeo-bolshevik myth was the tool to move the Holocaust into its advanced stages of mass killings rather than one off shootings.

With a background in philosophy and intellectual history, this book took an approach that I greatly appreciated.  Snyder pulls back the veil so that our modern world can catch a glimpse into how this could have happened.  His final chapter -- "Conclusions for our World" -- is strong and powerful; yet, I even believe he could have stretched it further in application.  This book is not your normal approach to the Holocaust; however, it offers a fresh and engaging perspective to a terrible time.

A worthy read of a time that we cannot forget so as to prevent it from ever occurring again....


To comply with new regulations introduced by the Federal Trade Commission, I am offering this disclaimer:  I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review.

Churchill's Trial....not an error

Before I launch into the review, please allow me to be upfront -- this is NOT a Christian book even though it is put forward by a "Christian publisher."  The closest it comes to having anything redemptive is in the secondary title of the book where is uses the word "salvation."  The book is policy review of Churchill's life based on conservative principles and uses any opportunity to highlight the need of free government in America. 

Arnn is clearly a scholar and, at times, makes connections beyond what the average person will access.  He is masterful in his writing and logical in his thinking.  This book is not a detailed biography of possibly the greatest British prime minister.  What he has produced, however, is an overview of certain parts of Churchill's life that drive home his (Arnn) philosophical views.  Please do not misunderstand that last statement -- I am not questioning Arnn's scholarship because he and Churchill would agree on many things.  My point is simply this:  I am curious as to how Churchill scholars (or even the Churchill Society itself) would speak to this book by Arnn.

I did appreciate the fact that it was a different approach on Churchill which, as Mark Levin put it, is "rare."  The focus is not so much on historical events -- they merely serve as the backdrop -- but upon the writings, speeches, or actions of the famed leader.  The book is a good, fast read and does offer some interesting insights and lessons.

Whether or not to get this book depends on what you are seeking from the life of Churchill?  An understanding of the World War 2 years?  Find another book.  A detailed biography of the man?  Find another book.  Insights into conservativism and intellectual thought of the man?  This is probably your book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLookBloggers.com review 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.”

Slow to Judge...a fast-paced and convicting read

David Capes has written a book that will absolutely hurt you to read.  Slow to Judge:  Sometimes its Okay to Listen starts with a focus on a phrase that Solomon used in requesting wisdom from God -- he wanted a "listening heart."  That phrase serves as the foundation for the rest of his book; and if that is not convicting enough, he hits your hard when he discusses pride.  That chapter hammers (and I mean hammers) you as it exposes the reason we are so quick to judge others -- our pride as manifested in the desire to be right or superior to others.  If we are going to have any type of conversation with others, it cannot be a debate (which is prideful).  Instead, we need deep, abiding relationships that come through humility, love, and grace.

 Capes shares his own growth in this area by a radio talk show involving him, a rabbi, and a father.  He makes a wonderful statement that he uses later on -- we can agree to disagree but we cannot ever become disagreeable.  That phrase becomes critical when he discusses "toleration" as used in the modern world, and it is not true toleration.  He offers a critical point that toleration really has a hidden agenda -- protecting my beliefs and my power at the expense of yours.  This section was hugely important as it exposes the agenda of the left and right -- neither side is really interested in listening to the other because they just want their way (uh, isn't that pride?).  It is much easier to throw around words like "bigot" or "prejudiced" rather than stopping to really understand the position held by the other person.

The last two chapters were somewhat strange in my opinion.  I've already let someone borrow this book and will need to go back through them because I, honestly, did not understand what he was trying to there.  As I did not comprehend them on the first read, they seemed to weaken the overall strength of the book.  He did not have a great deal of Biblical exegesis but he had sufficient Biblical explanation to give you an "aha" moment on certain passages.

Considering all the name-calling and stereo-typing of Christians that is occurring in our modern world, this book offers a refreshing read on how to counter-act those trends. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLookBloggers.com review 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.”

Scholarly Work that Requires Some Knowledge Base

Before ever reading the information on the back about the author's background, the book itself reveals that Andrew Gant is a musician and scholarly expert on this subject.  His work - The Carols of Christmas: A Celebration of the Surprising Stories Behind Your Favorite Holiday Songs -- is scholarly and requires a musical background to understand much of what he digs into.  Since I do not have that background (while in college, I struggled to make it out of Introduction to Music which was required for my major), I found much of the book to be meaningless to me; and that led to a lower rating of the book.

For those of you that absolutely love this book, please understand that these are my opinions based upon my knowledge base.  I am not a musician but am a lover of history, so I assumed this would be a treatise that I would greatly enjoy.  My hopes were that this examination of Christmas carols would be similar to Stephen Nissenbaum's Battle for Christmas; however, excluding the more narrow scope by Gant, the accessibility factor and seamless construct are the major differences.  As another example of accessibility for a reader, the author includes multiple Latin phrases to make a point about the origin of some language in a song; yet, the English translation is missing.  That omission leaves a reader wondering exactly the point the author is attempting to make.

The book does have neat stories and some interesting tales about the differences in these Christmas carols across nations and cultures.  He raised and answered some interesting questions about what are "carols" for the Christmas season.  For instance, consider "Jingle Bells" and "O Christmas Tree."  Neither one mention Christmas nor are they about the Christ child - now, you may want to argue the last one, but I simply say read that chapter and you will understand.  I did learn several things from this book, so it does have some value in it.

If you have a strong based of musical knowledge and love to know stories behind songs, then this is THE book for you.  I simply do not have that foundational knowledge, so reading this was a struggle for me. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLookBloggers.com review 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.”