Coram Deo ~

Looking at contemporary culture from a Christian worldview


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BOOK REVIEWS and NEWS

Hard Sayings: Understanding Difficult Passages of Scripture by R.C. Sproul. Ligonier Ministries. 152 pages. 2023
****

Ligonier Ministries, with the assistance of Vesta Sproul, edited and adapted R.C. Sproul’s original teaching material to create this book. I remember listening to the various “Hard Sayings” teaching series when they were available on cassette tape.
Sproul begins by asking what makes a saying hard? He tells us that in the first place, a saying of Scripture may be a hard saying if it appears to us to be somewhat harsh in its orientation. The second category of hard sayings is one that’s hard to understand. The third category, similar to the second, is a hard saying that has become controversial in the history of biblical interpretation, usually because of one of the first two reasons.
In this book, Sproul explores twenty-seven of the more prominent hard sayings of Scripture. Among the hard sayings addressed in the book are whether the earth was created in six twenty-four-hour days, the hardening of Pharoah’s heart, Rahab’s lie, the unpardonable sin, the rapture of the church, head coverings for women, whether Jesus descended into hell, and many more.

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BOOK REVIEWS ~ More of this review…
BOOK NEWS ~ Links to Interesting Articles
BOOK CLUB ~ Truths We Confess by  R.C. Sproul
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BOOK REVIEWS and NEWS

Right with God by Michael Reeves. Union Publishing. 35 pages. 2023      ****

Seminary president and professor Michael Reeves writes that this is a little book about being right with God. It is a book about the wonderful doctrine of justification.
The author tells us that to be justified is to be a sinner on whom God has graciously pronounced the verdict “righteous.” It is to be declared righteous, not slowly transformed to become righteous. We are justified when God announces the verdict that we have a righteous status before him. To be justified means to come before God the Father not righteous in myself but clothed with the righteousness of my perfectly righteous first-born brother.
The author utilizes a good deal of scripture in this book, as well as writings from Luther, Calvin, Bunyan, Sibbes and others. He states that Paul’s letter to the Romans gets to the heart of the apostle’s understanding of how to get right with God. He also looks at the objections to justification, beginning with the letter of James.

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BOOK REVIEWS ~ More of this review…
BOOK NEWS ~ Links to Interesting Articles
BOOK CLUB ~ Truths We Confess by  R.C. Sproul
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BOOK REVIEWS and NEWS

BOOK REVIEW:
How to Reach the West Again: Six Essential Elements of a Missionary Encounter by Timothy Keller. Redeemer City to City. 51 pages. 2020
***

In this short book, Tim Keller writes that the overall decline of Christian influence in the West is inarguable. Each generation is becoming less religious and less Christian. He tells us that this decline should prompt us to examine ourselves, pray, and work toward a new missionary engagement with Western culture. He states that we have to model and proclaim the Christian faith in our generation in a way that is both intelligible and compelling to our neighbors. Our challenge is how to evangelize people who “lack any sense of sin or transcendence, or who lack the traditional basic religious infrastructure such as belief in a Supreme Being or the afterlife?”

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BOOK REVIEWS ~ More of this review…
BOOK NEWS ~ Links to Interesting Articles
BOOK CLUB ~ Truths We Confess by R.C. Sproul
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25 More of My Favorite Quotes from Truth for Life: 365 Daily Devotions Volume Two by Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg has written two volumes of Truth for Life: 365 Daily Devotions. I have used these volumes the past two years as a part of my devotional reading. You can read my review of the book here (please link to the review in blog post 272). Here are 25 more of my favorite quotes from the book:

  • Do not neglect your Bible. Ask God to work in you as you open it up to revive your soul, to make you wise, to bring you joy, and to light your path.
  • God’s purpose for His people in every age is that we will depend upon Him entirely.
  • Christ is the object of all our worship. He is the source of all our joy. He is the one who deserves all our obedience. He is the focus of all our praise. And we are accepted in Him.
  • For it is when you realize you have nothing that you are in just the right position for Christ to be your everything:
  • Prayer is simply too great a privilege for any Christian to ignore and too great a necessity for any of us to neglect.
  • He answers all your prayers exactly when He knows it is right to and in precisely the manner that is always best for you.
  • In whatever remains of today, allow yourself to enjoy all that God in His sovereignty brings into your life, seek to obey Him in those things, and rest easy in Him who orders every season for your good and His glory.
  • Affliction is a significant means by which God forms our character, but it is also a means by which He reveals our character.

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BOOK REVIEWS and NEWS

Truth for Life: 365 Daily Devotions Volume 2 by Alistair Begg. The Good Book Company. 384 pages. 2022
****

This is the second of two volumes of daily devotional readings from respected pastor Alistair Begg. I have used these two volumes as a part of my devotional reading the past two years.
Each of the daily readings begins with a scripture passage. In the reading for that day, the author aims to explain the passage, to encourage the reader from them, and to reflect on how they inspire and equip us to enjoy living for Christ in every area of our lives. At the bottom of each reading, you will see three icons. These are a prompt to say to yourself: Now that I have read and considered these verses… how is God calling me to think differently? how is God reordering my heart’s affections—what I love? what is God calling me to do as I go about my day today? Also included is “Bible Through the Year” reading plan.
If you are looking for a book to use for your devotional reading, I would recommend each of these volumes. Here are 25 of my favorite quotes from volume two:

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BOOK REVIEWS ~ More of this review…
BOOK NEWS ~ Links to Interesting Articles
BOOK CLUB ~ Truths We Confess by  R.C. Sproul
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BOOK REVIEWS and NEWS


Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist by John Piper. Multnomah. 368 pages. 2011 edition

**** 

I recently re-read this modern-day classic by John Piper, this time the 2011 revised and expanded edition, and with a group of friends. Piper tells us that the book aims to persuade the reader that the chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever. The overriding concern of the book is that in all of life God be glorified the way He Himself has appointed.
This book is not light reading. I would recommend reading it slow and discussing it with others. Piper writes that it is a serious book about being happy in God.
He first introduces the concept of Christian Hedonism, one that may be new to you. He writes that the pleasure Christian Hedonism seeks is the pleasure that is in God Himself. The aim of the Christian Hedonist is to be happy in God, to delight in God, to cherish and enjoy His fellowship and favor.

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BOOK CLUB ~ Truths We Confess by  R.C. Sproul
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BOOK REVIEWS and NEWS

Being Elisabeth Elliot: The Authorized Biography: Elisabeth’s Later Years by Ellen Vaughn. B&H Books. 300 pages. 2023
****

This is part two of Ellen Vaughn’s outstanding biography of Elisabeth Elliot, following 2020’s Becoming Elisabeth Elliot. You can read my review of that book here.
The author relies on Elliot’s private journals and never-before-published letters. With that information, she had a choice. She could write a victorious, “inspirational” white-washed story, or she could tell it straight, which is what she chose to do. This allowed us to read Elliot’s very personal thoughts. Some readers may be surprised with some of those thoughts. But the author tells us that Elliot herself railed against the image-conscious habits of the Evangelical Machine, whose every story must end with glorious conversion and coherent happy endings, lest God look bad.

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BOOK REVIEWS ~ More of this review…
BOOK NEWS ~ Links to Interesting Articles
BOOK CLUB ~ Truths We Confess by  R.C. Sproul
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BOOK REVIEWS and NEWS

Book Reviews

The Christian Manifesto: Jesus’ Life-Changing Words from the Sermon on the Plain by Alistair Begg. The Good Book Company. 100 pages. 2023
****

In this book, respected pastor and author Alistair Begg looks at a manifesto for the Christian life, straight from the lips of Jesus, taught in one of his most famous sermons found in Luke’s Gospel (6:20-49), and known as the “Sermon on the Plain.” (similar to the “Sermon on the Mount” in Matthew’s Gospel).
Begg writes that at just 725 words, this manifesto is not exhaustive. It does not cover every aspect of how Christ’s people can live in a way that pleases him, but it is foundational. Here is life as it is designed to be lived and enjoyed.
Begg tells us that the Sermon on the Plain is Jesus’ invitation to you to experience life at its very best. It is his description of what life in his kingdom, a kingdom where all that is wrong is being put right, looks like as we live in this world. Here we discover what the marks of a genuine Christian are. The manifesto is a description of the life we were all made for, but it is a challenge to be different from how I naturally am and how the world around me operates. This call to enjoy the blessing of life in Jesus’ kingdom is a call to be different.

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BOOK REVIEWS ~ More of this review and a review of The Advent of Glory: 24 Devotions for Christmas by R.C. Sproul
BOOK NEWS ~ Links to Interesting Articles
BOOK CLUB ~ Truths We Confess by  R.C. Sproul
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13 New and Upcoming Books – Plus 2 New Teaching Series – You Might Be Interested In

I enjoy books in a variety of genres (theology, biography, leadership, etc.), and always have an “on deck” list of titles I’m waiting to get to. Here are 13 new and upcoming books that you might be interested in, along with two new and upcoming teaching series from Ligonier: Continue reading →


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Book Launch: Uncommon Greatness by Mark Miller

Uncommon Greatness: Five Fundamentals to Transform Your Leadership by Mark Miller. Matt Holt. 272 pages. 2024
****

I’ve read and benefitted from all of Mark Miller’s books. In his new book Uncommon Greatness, based on research that included more than four thousand leaders from six countries, he explores the five Fundamentals leaders need to study, practice, develop, and pursue. After the introduction of each Fundamental, which includes examples of those who have demonstrated that Fundamental, there is an entire chapter devoted to best practices and strategies to help you apply what you just read about.
In defining Uncommon Greatness, as opposed to common greatness, the author tells us that Uncommon Greatness is evident by the impact the leader has on others. It releases untapped human potential allowing people and organizations to flourish, creating enduring value. The author challenges, equips and inspires leaders to never settle for mere common greatness again, and tells us that the pursuit of Uncommon Greatness will always encounter opposition. Continue reading →