Book Review: My Utmost for His Highest

If by some chance you are still looking for a daily devotional book for the year ahead, and you are one of the very few who has not yet encountered Oswald Chambers’ much-loved ‘My Utmost for His Highest,’ then allow me to warmly recommend it to you.

‘My Utmost for His Highest’ has been constantly in print since just after World War I, and there are very good reasons for this. Chambers was not well-known during his life-time, but after his death, the devotions he wrote while serving as a front-line Chaplain during World War I in Egypt, became a timeless classic that has inspired countless Christians to a deeper walk with God.

Chambers died of a burst appendix during the war, and never lived to see the success of this book, although those who knew him say he would not have cared about personal fame. Chambers’ greatest hope was encapsulated in the title and sums up the book's entire purpose, in that it would assist the reader to "shut out every other consideration and keep yourself before God for this one thing only--My Utmost for His Highest ... determined to be absolutely and entirely for Him and for Him alone."

There are 365 devotions, each about 250 words long, with an accompanying Bible verse and every single one of them is infused with wisdom and depth. Chambers’ real gift was to express something profound and challenging in only a few short sentences without ever sounding like a ‘sound bite’. ‘Utmost’ is certainly not one of those devotional books that tries to tell you ‘God loves you and so all is well,’ but instead deals directly with some of life’s difficulties. Chambers is reckoned by many to have been one of the greatest Christian thinkers of all time, and if he wasn’t, then he certainly is one of the deepest.

So get yourself a copy, if you don’t own one already. Buying ‘Utmost’ is well worth the money especially as all royalties are donated to projects such as a school in Rwanda, and a children’s home in Thailand among other things.

Book Review: Take up the One Year Bible challenge!

So its mid-January and the dust has already settled on many of those New Year resolutions. For many of you the ‘going-to-gym-every-day’ promise may not be going so well and the ‘eat-less-chocolate’ pledge may definitely have already taken a big dive, but perhaps it is time to get serious about something that really matters? What about challenging yourself to read the whole Bible (yes, even those looong genealogies) and what about trying to do it in the space of just one year?

Last year I decided to do exactly that and I have to say that it was simultaneously a frustrating, difficult, joyful, and enriching experience! Yet, it was indisputably an extremely growing and worthwhile journey as I was forced to read or re-read those parts of the Bible I tend to naturally avoid. Most of the time this really got me thinking because whenever I read something I didn’t quite understand, or was frustrated by, I tended to chew over it throughout the day often leading me to do further background study. This process ensured I got to grips with the larger Biblical narrative, both increasing my overall knowledge and my appreciation for the incredible salvation story of which we are all part.

There are many different ways you can set about reading the Bible in the space of just one year. You can google a ‘one year Bible reading plan,’ you can download a mobile app to help you, or you can even do things the old-fashioned way like I did and buy yourself a ‘One Year Bible.’ These are available in a wide variety of translations meaning you can probably get hold of one of your favourites.

Here are the basics of how a ‘One Year Bible’ works:

Each day's reading is broken into four parts: Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs. You typically read a couple of chapters from the Old Testament, roughly a chapter from the New Testament, a Psalm or a portion of a Psalm, and a few verses from Proverbs.

There are positives and negative to reading the Bible like this, but ultimately more positives because you do get to grips with those parts of Scripture you might not normally read. Remember that the One Year Bible is not meant to replace your Bible but rather act as a companion to the one you already have as it leads you through a disciplined, reading plan. My personal experience was that this kind of reading plan is truly worthwhile and will perhaps open doors for you to begin studying the Bible with more depth and greater understanding.

Don’t worry about a late start to the year - you can easily plan to start your reading on January 19 2011 and finish January 19 2012. The most important thing to remember is to not fall too far behind in your reading because it does get really difficult to catch up.

Book Review: A Twenty Yard Stroll

If you have the desire to live a Full Life or wish to understand what values you will need in order to have all your aspirations satisfied, then I encourage you to embark on a Twenty Yard Stroll today.

This book gives you a step by step journey guide on how you can receive that Full life, to find that “something”, that joy, which is so often missing in our lives. It dares you to start taking that first step.

I recommend reading this valuable resource as the reader is challenged to put the journey into practice.

Should you wish to purchase a copy of the book on line please go to the website of the publisher Cobble Crab Publishers http://www.cobblecrab.co.za or e-mail jeanne@cobblecrab.co.za

A Twenty yard Stroll was written by the Rev. Dr. John Bailie and published by Cobble Crab Publishers.

(This review has been written by Jeanné Persson).

Book Review: Into Your Hands Lord

Into Your Hands Lord, is written by John Baillie, a minister in Johannesburg. The book is an account of the Lord’s hand in Bailie’s life. He embarks on a journey which highlights how small incidents can have a very significant impact on one’s life and how each and every one is ultimately connected.

Bailie unassumingly takes no credit for his achievements, and merely states that through God’s grace, he has found Jesus as his personal Saviour, and that he is constantly being shaped into the person Jesus knows he needs to become. Today, each and every experience of his amazing life journey is begun with the words: “Lord, today, into your hands I place my Spirit.”

Accounts of these events were easy to comprehend. It's an easy read, and, I believe, inspired by God. I recommend it highly.

(This review has been written by Jeanné Persson).

Into Your Hands Lord has been published by Cobble Crab Publishers.

Should you wish to purchase a copy of the book on line please go to the website of the publisher Cobble Crab Publishers http://www.cobblecrab.co.za or e-mail jeanne@cobblecrab.co.za

Book Review: My Simple Faith

My Simple Faith is a series of short yet thoughtful spiritual reflections on a diversity of topics from Spur Football Club loving friends, to Ferraris, to a tortoise named Timmy. Most of all, however, these reflections centre on the author’s own personal experience of the love and grace of God. The author, Sean Bastable, writes with clear simplicity, but his book is not simple in the sense of being simplistic or ignorant of deeper issues. Rather Sean uses this series of very personal reflections to describe how faith can continue to have simple yet profound meaning even amidst the more challenging situations faced in life today. In this, Sean writes about the growth of his own faith and how that has connected with the questions, doubts and differing paradigms of those around him, most especially his good friend Dave (who writes the foreword).

Sean makes no attempts to neatly clarify or tie up any of the big faith questions he wrestles with, but rather he holds them in tension, dialoguing with them in a way that is both graceful and sensitive. Sean grapples with questions such as the authority and trustworthiness of Scripture, belief in God, the nature and shape of God’s love, as well as free choice and consequences, and as he does so he invites his reader into the conversation as a way of stimulating their own thoughts and spiritual growth. Sean writes as a fellow traveller in faith’s journey, and I would warmly recommend this book to anyone who has ever grappled with what it means to follow God in his way of love.

(You can order a copy of this book from www.mysimplefaithbook.com).

Book Review: Transform your work life

"God wants to use you – in the marketplace!"

“Most people will spend between sixty and seventy percent of their lives at work. This is an incredible investment of time, energy and creativity and God has a very particular desire for that huge portion of your life. God cares about every part of your life, not just the parts that are spent in church and on church related activities.” (From the back cover).

In ‘Transform Your Work Life,’ co-authors Graham Power and Dion Forster outline their belief that the God-given destiny of each Christ-follower is intrinsically wrapped up in the marketplace, but that many people never take this truth seriously enough. Christians are too quick to limit the idea of serving God to certain times and places (like Sundays and the church) but surely God can use us in wonderful ways between 8 and 5, Monday to Friday? Power and Forster combine creative theological reflection with down to earth practical advice on how to embrace your God-given calling at work. Through twelve chapters they seek to challenge, teach and guide you to “turn your ordinary day into an extraordinary calling.”

This book is very well written and manages to express deep concepts in an easy to read style. I recommend it very highly to all Christian readers – to pastors who can learn something about developing the workplace as a mission field for their congregation members and most especially to lay folk who live with that nagging feeling that surely God could use them in some way.

The book is for sale at Christian Republic on special for R88. Also on Kalahari.net for R95 and then in Wordsworth books, Exclusive books and CUM books (for between R100 - R115)

Christian Republic: http://www.christianrepublic.co.za/catalogue/Transform-Your-Work-Life.htm
Kalahari.net: http://www.kalahari.net/books/Transform-Your-Work-Life/34923/37717631.aspx

‘Transform Your Work Life’ is published by Struik Christian Books.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Graham Power is the founder and Board Chairman of the Power Group. He is also the visionary behind the Global Day of Prayer.

Dr. Dion Forster is a consultant and chaplain to the Power Group of Companies as well as the Global Day of Prayer and Unashamedly Ethical movements.

WHAT DO OTHER EXPERTS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS BOOK?

“Graham Power and Dion Forster have finally brought the role of the marketplace into the prominence it deserves! When you read the Bible, it soon becomes obvious that the focus of the ministry and outreach of Christ was nearly exclusively on the marketplace. If you are looking for the secrets of how to succeed with your faith in your workplace, then ‘Transform Your Work Life’ is for you.”
(Dr. Bruce Wilkinson, author of ‘The Prayer of Jabez’).

Book Review: Now - Refuse to let the moment pass

In Delme Linscott’s first book, Living Oceans Apart, he addressed a subject that touches the lives of everyone who struggles with the pain of living great distances away from loved ones. It proved to be an important message of hope and encouragement for many.

This second book that Delme has authored, however, is perhaps even more powerful because its message is directly relevant to every human being. Seize the day! Live in the now! Live to the full! Delme freely admits there is nothing new about these messages at all, yet at the same time they are both timeless and priceless.

Timeless, because the tendency to thoughtlessly waste our precious God-given moments of life is sadly a universal weakness clearly evident throughout human history, and thus, requires continual challenge. Priceless, because the immense value of hearing and heeding this particular message just cannot be measured, it can only be seen, tasted, touched and experienced in the quality of relational and personal fruit it will inevitably bear.

Yet, the essence of this message, while easy enough to grasp proves far more difficult to hold onto for any length of time, which again, is exactly why the lessons and truths touched upon in this book are ones that we need to be reminded of repeatedly. Delme has taken up the challenge to help us remember that every moment counts and he has produced a book which I believe will prove to be an absolute treasure-trove of inspiration for many.

Delme has a strongly personal and pastoral style of writing that manages to not only convey his message but also carry it home to the heart. Delme shares that the writing of this book was inspired by the tragic passing of a very dear mutual friend (the Rev. Barry Marshall), and somehow the deep emotions evoked in him by this event are carried through in his words. This infuses the overall message with a passion and urgency that proves difficult to resist.

All this and more is why I voraciously devoured this book, and it is why I will be buying extra copies and handing them out to various loved ones, because I so want them to hear and heed its message. It is also exactly why I am encouraging you to not only carefully read this important book but also act upon it. Now!

You can order a copy of Delme's book from his website www.livingingrace.co.za

('So What' will be featuring an interview with author Delme Linscott later this week in our 'What's News' section).