Monday, May 27, 2013

Book Review-Limitless-Devotional by Nick Vujicic

LIMITLESS 
A Devotional by Nick Vujicic
In the acknowledgements Nick Vujicic refers to God;s limitless love and not to our abilities or to his own abilities.  Although God has this limitless love, God needs a willing heart from us.  Vujicic reminds his readers that although many may say that they aren’t smart enough or talented enough, they are putting limits on how God can work through them.
Through Scriptures that introduce every devotional and many examples of real life used, Vujicic wants readers to realize that the greatest rewards come when you give something of yourself.  Life isn’t about having.  It is about being.  A good quote from the devotional is “You may not be able to control what happens to you, but you can control how you respond.”
Our response is a choice.  We can either be negative or positive.  Our past cannot be changed but our future can be changed.  Through the difficulties of Vujicic’s life, he has learned that there are two types of risk—the danger of trying and the danger of not trying.  When the focus is self-centered rather than God-centered, we loose our greatest source of power.
The experiences of overcoming his physical adversity has given Vujicic wisdom that is based on his strong faith in God. 
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.  

Saturday, May 25, 2013

I - PERFECTING THE HEART - 9

I – PERFECTING THE HEART – 9
As we come to the end of this series, let us consider the definitions of perfect and perfecting.  Something perfect is an extreme degree of excellence, pure, complete, mature.  Perfecting requires action on our part in striving to become perfect.  Perfecting will achieve actual accomplishment with the end in view. 
Paul’s situation helps explain the path to perfect out heart.  It is a process and is not obtained at once.  Neither is it obtained by only our doing..  Phil.3:9   Righteousness is a great part of perfection.  This comes from God.  Our part is our faith in Jesus Christ and our obedience to Him.  2 Cor.5:21   It is an exchange.  Jesus has taken our sin on Himself and in return has given us any righteousness which we have.
The process continues.  Phil.3:12     Paul realized he had not yet attained but in the process, he presses on.  Phil.3:13,14   This is important for us as well.  Just as we do not have righteousness of ourselves, our power to go on to perfection is provided by our Lord.  1 Pet.5:10    He will perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.  If we stay close to our Lord, we should never say, “I can’t”.
As we reach for perfection, we realize that the goal may be different for various individuals as they receive differing gifts or abilities from the Lord.  1 Pet.4:10,11   This should encourage us; however, never let it be used as an excuse.  God knows our capabilities and we are to develop them as we work for the Lord.  Col.3:23; Heb.13:21
We are certainly blessed to have this help from the Lord for without Him, we can do nothing.  Jhn.15:5   Yet it takes a great deal of effort and faith on our part.  Jam.1:4   We can have a great desire to perfect our heart but do nothing to achieve the perfection.  We cannot stay “babes” in Christ.   Heb.6:1   Our effort must continue in every aspect of our Christian lives.  The early Christians continued steadfastly (continually devoting) in apostles’ teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer.  Acts 2:42   To continue in these we need to be where saints are gathered together.  Heb.10:25   We are stimulated to love and good deeds.  Heb.10:24
Our heart must be infused with the fruit of the Spirit.  Gal.5:22,23   These qualities are of the Spirit and if we live by the Spirit, we must walk by the Spirit.  Gal.5:25   As we walk by the Spirit, our thoughts become an instigator of what we do and say.  What we hear and see provides the subjects of our thinking and what we think, we are.  Prov.23:7   Scripture gives us a beautiful filter for our thoughts.  Phil.4:8   This filter must ever be before us as we watch, read, listen.  These pictures and thoughts that are brought to our mind aren’t for the moment.  We might think they are very insignificant but they sink deep into our hearts only to return in a flashback.
As our heart is being perfected when we live by the Spirit, passions and desires of the flesh are destroyed.  Gal.5:24    Our heart can be divided if we reject the things of the Spirit.  Pride divides our heart.  We think we know without God’s help.  Lk.18:14   Another divider is jealousy and selfish ambition.  It is all for “me”.  Jam.3:14   We should know we are in trouble when we have a love for money.  Matt.6:21   Can we honestly think we are perfecting our heart if our tongue is not controlled?  Jam.1:26   Too often the estimation of self is not in keeping with God’s who knows our hearts.  Lk.16:15   If we let our heart become divided from our goal of perfection, we are spiritually in trouble and need to get back on track.  Gal.3:3
In gaining perfection, thankfulness is an absolute.  How we are blessed by God!  Eph.5:20   Notice that this is “always” and for “all things”.  Our prayers are not complete without thanksgiving for the small things and for those things that are great.  Phil.4:6   God blesses but His will is that we thank Him.  1 Thess.5:18  
Occasionally some will think the act of baptism culminates their responsibility of obedience.  That is only the beginning.  Obedience to our Lord is important in every phase of our life.  Even Christ, the Son of God, was obedient.  Phil.2:8   We are to have that same attitude.  Phil.2:5   Every thought we have is to be in obedience to Christ.  2 Cor.10:5  
Does our lack of forgiveness deplete our goal of perfecting our heart?  Matt.6:14,15   Hopefully, not one of us would say we don’t need God’s forgiveness, yet we hold on to grudges and things of the past that we refuse to forgive.  Heb.9:22   We have been showered with forgiveness as Jesus, shedding His blood, died on the cross.  We need to perfect our ability to forgive completely in our heart.  Eph.4:32
In perfecting our heart, we can become proud.  Rom.12:3   We need to beware of this tendency.  We have been given what we are able to be and do.  It is not of ourselves.  2 Cor.3:5   Perfection of the heart could never be obtained if we are not steadfast.  1 Cor.15:58   We dare not falter from our faith.  We want to be able to take hold of eternal life for we know not when.  1 Tim.6:12
Although much of the perfecting of our heart is of the inner man, there is work to do.  1 Jhn.3:18   Our love for God and others is expressed in deeds.  We are God’s instruments to be used for Him.  Rom.6:13   Although we are not saved by works which we have done (Jam.2:17), we were created for good works.  Eph.2:10   We should never grow weary of doing good works.  2 Thess.3:13   It is encouraging to know that God knows and will not forget.  Heb.6:10   In times of difficulty, remember that we work for God and not man.  Col.3:23
So many times we feel as if we are not up to the task ahead.  The words of Paul encourages us in this respect.  2 Cor.12:9   We can’t underestimate the power within us.  1 Jhn.4:4   As we come to the end of our life, whether in death or when Jesus returns, may we be able to say with Paul, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith as I pressed on to perfect my heart.  In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.  2 Tim.4:7,8   Our pursuit of perfection will then be over.




Thursday, May 2, 2013

Humble Orthodoxy Book Review


HUMBLE ORTHODOXY
Joshua Harris
Joshua Harris has addressed a real problem prevalent in today’s religious world.  Over and over Harris stresses that Truth matters, but so does attitude.  “We don’t have to choose between Truth and kindness.  Orthodoxy (Truth) “shouldn’t be a club to attack someone.”  Harris mentions an important fact in the question, “Does good doctrine have to lead to being argumentative and arrogant?”  Another good quote is, “If we would honor God, we must represent Truth humbly in our words, in our demeanor, and in our attitude.”
Harris does not back down or apologize in representing and teaching Truth as found in the Word of God; however, it cannot be with a mean and spiteful attitude.  The core idea represented in his book is that we must be humble even when contending for the Truth.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.