Book Review: God Among Sages

Full Title:
God Among Sages: Why Jesus Is Not Just Another Religious Leader
Author:
Kenneth Richard Samples

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This was my first scholarly read about world religions as I’m not used to reading books that are overly objective like this one. Consequently, I thought I wouldn’t finish the book as I got kind of overwhelmed by the amount of information being presented.

The book discusses details about the world’s major religions alongside their leaders in a comprehensive manner. It also includes tables which are helpful when recalling the major points previously presented. Readers are given tips on how to share Jesus with others using the very information discussed in this book, which makes for a useful reference.

The book is impartial in that it presents not only the weaknesses but also the strengths of the leaders of the religions other than Christianity.

I recommend this book to people who are eager to gain clear-cut facts about how Jesus compares to other religious leaders. I also recommend this to those who are pursuing apologetics.

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Pick up a copy of God Among Sages through the following links:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Christian Book

Baker Books through the Baker Books Bloggers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book.

Book Review: The Real God

Full Title:
The Real God: How He Longs for You to See Him

Receiving a print copy of this book was more than a delighting surprise. It’s got a simple book cover. It’s kind of thick—almost 300 pages, but it’s never a boring read. All throughout, I’ve been eager to devour its every page, albeit the author did not have a sense of humor.

This is the first Chip Ingram book that I was able to read. I didn’t know much about the author; but through this book, I got to know him—and the real God even better. The author succeeded in making the attributes of God more comprehensible for ordinary people like myself. It made a number of subjects—justification, sanctification, and glorification—clear to me.

My tears have welled up many times while devouring the gems in this book. It was able to draw me again and again to the God who’s so loving and faithful yet just.

I love the “Live It Out—B.I.O.” portions. This is where readers are encouraged to pray about what has been covered by certain chapters. These include practical tips that we can apply to our lives and things that we can do alongside others. These prompted me to have the stuff written in these sections printed out on a few index cards for easy access.

Part of Chip Ingram’s life story, which he generously shared in this book, has encouraged me and even helped increase my faith in God.

Even before I read it in its entirety, it has already become one of my favorite books of all time! It even made me look forward to reading all of Chip Ingram’s other books.

Here are some of my favorite excerpts from this amazing book:

Pick up a copy of The Real God through the following links:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Christian Book
Goodreads
Living On The Edge Website

Baker Books through the Baker Books Bloggers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book.

Book Review: Shaken

Full Title: Shaken: Discovering Your True Identity in the Midst of Life’s Storms

I was super excited to own a copy of this book because I thought it was going to be a great read, and I was right! This book went over my expectations.

Prior to reading this book, I didn’t know much about Tim Tebow although I’ve already been hearing and reading about how he’s been living out his faith. Then there goes football. What do I have to do with football? I know not a single thing, not to mention playing the game itself. I neither want to watch it on TV.

On the contrary, this book made me admire Tim Tebow—how he’s kept his faith in Jesus despite all the pressures of being a celebrity, how proud he is of being a Christian, and how he turned down a million-dollar deal… Whoa! He made me admire Jesus more than I admire him, so mission accomplished!

And oh, I was so delighted to discover that Tim was born here in the Philippines, and how much his father loved the Filipino people. I never thought I’d be able to identify with Tim Tebow at all, but through this book, I did. As I go through circumstances similar to his, his life story gives me hope.

I love Chapter 3: “Love Matters.” The story about the guy in the suicide watch is my favorite. What a powerful encounter that was!

I so love the fact that I can watch on YouTube the games that Tim Tebow was talking about in this book. Oh, the quickest overtime win in NFL history—Broncos over Steelers!

This book had me crying here and there as it reminded me of Jesus’ perfect love. The last pages were so awesome that they were able to take me back to my first love.

Order the book here:
Official Website
Amazon | Hardcover, Ebook, Audiobook

[I received a copy of this book from the Blogging For Books program in exchange for this review.]

BOOK REVIEW: Heaven, How I Got Here

This is a very timely read, especially now that the Season of Lent has started.

I’m so glad and grateful to have read this wonderful book by Colin S. Smith. It reminded me of the sacrifices of Jesus, which the author vividly explained. It gave me a clearer view of God’s love, forgiveness and promises, Jesus’ role in the salvation of mankind, and the hope that is readily available for everyone. It also provided me with a different perspective concerning death.

It made me stand in awe of God’s radical love and inspired me through Jesus’ humility and obedience. It made known to me the depth of what Jesus endured in order to free us from the fate that we deserve.

It’s a short book that can be read in one sitting, but one that can’t be put down once you started reading. I admire the author’s courage to tell the story in first person. How the story was told was captivating. It answers the question: “Why does Jesus leave you on earth if it’s not to get better prepared for heaven?” and explains the difference between believing in God and fearing Him.

It made me appreciate the time I have to invest in the things of God, which the thief on the cross did not have.

I pitied the thief on the cross then, but this book made me envy him. If only all of us could experience being in the place of the thief on the cross, we would be able to clearly see God’s big heart for each of us despite our imperfections.

The truths contained in this book have given me goosebumps for a number of times I cannot count.

Even before I finished reading it, it has already become an addition to my favorite books of all time. I recommend this book to Christians and non-Christians alike.

The publisher, Christian Focus, has provided me with a complimentary copy of the book through Cross Focused Reviews.

You can purchase it here:
Amazon.com
Barnes & Noble

I AM Barabbas

There have been many times when I thought I was inferior to many people that I know. However, there have been MORE times when I thought I was better than most of them. Can you identify with me? I hope you don’t. There have also been instances when I’ve come to realize how awfully wrong I’ve been . . . . . . . . . and this is one of those MANY instances. I was VERY wrong to think of the latter (that I was better than other people). As I was watching this video featuring Pastor Judah Smith’s sermon about Barabbas, I was reminded of who I really am. WARNING: You, too, might just discover your true identity while watching this video.

  Related articles: We Are Barabbas | Barabbas was the First | Hello, My Name is Barabbas | Barabbas Ang Pangalan Ko | Give Me Barabbas?.