Book Review: A Patch on the Peak of Ararat by Gary Bower

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A Faith that God Built book, A Patch on the Peak of Ararat, Barbara Chotiner, Book Review, Children's Book, Christian, Flood, Gary Bower, Genesis, Noah, Tyndale Kids

Title: A Patch on the Peak of Ararat

Series: A Faith that God Built book

Author: Gary Bower

Illustrated by: Barbara Chotiner

Published by: Tyndale Kids (February 2, 2017)

Pages: 32 (Hardcover)

Blurb: The Faith that God Built series by Gary Bower uses the same whimsical style of storytelling as The House that Jack Built, using rhyme to introduce preschoolers through second graders to favorite Bible stories. Gary has a well-developed talent for creating engaging narratives that also teach biblical truth through rhyme.

In Patch on the Peak of Ararat, Noah follows God’s plan, resulting in his rescue from destruction.

My Take: This book promises whimsical storytelling, and in that I suppose it delivers. Many of the pages are packed full of words, with each new element in the story being added in to the repetitive cycle of the story. This is definitely a pattern that children in the targeted age range, preschool through second grade, might enjoy. It also helps to prompt memorization after enough reads, because the pattern of adding to that repeating chorus of phrases.

The illustrations are pleasant to see, displaying Noah and his sons and the ark and pairs of animals. There is some good color, and so it will hold some visual appeal to children. One thing that confused me, though, was the choice of animal inclusions. For instance, page 19 mentions hamster and hippo, hyena and hare. The images on the two shown pages have hippos and hares, but also peacocks and bears (instead of hamsters and hyenas). I would have expected the images to match the words, especially in the instances where those animals are mentioned so you, or your child, can point to each of them as they are mentioned.

I like how the final page not only has a nice, colorful image, but it also has a memory verse and directs the reader on where to find the full story in the Bible (Genesis 6-9, in case you are curious). This is a nice inclusion, and could be a great lead-in as the children get older. Overall this is a nice children’s book for any collection. Kids will enjoy the repetitive style of storytelling, and it succeeds at helping to learn the story of Noah and the flood.

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Medieval Book Club: Revelations of Divine Love

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Book Review, Julian of Norwich, Medieval Book Club, Medieval Literature, Revelations of Divine Love

Welcome to the fifth Medieval Book Club post on this blog. Here I will share some of my thoughts on the book, some observations on the material itself, and open a few questions toward you, the reader.

In case you missed it, for June we’re going to be reading three Anglo-Saxon Poems: Judith, the Dream of the Rood, and Juliana. Those poems are ones you can read free online, just follow the link to my preview post and you will find the link there to the poems. I hope you can join me for next month’s discussion as well, and I’ll be keeping this going all year long with posts on every third Thursday of each month in 2017.

My Thoughts: Let’s start off by being honest…this book left me disappointed. Last year I read a very brief biography of Julian of Norwich and that had me excited to dive into this book. And maybe that was the problem: I was expecting great things. And this book, while worthwhile to read and perhaps study, simply didn’t blow me away. I’m starting to think it is a “its not you, its me” thing, because I felt the same way about Augustine’s Confessions when I finally read that one. Which is a shortcoming on my side of things, because I know these are both worthwhile reads that holds merit in spite of the age of the writing. And I certainly found great things to mine from both of those texts. Revelations of Divine Love is full of thoughts and ideas that were, at the time, quite revolutionary in their scope and understanding. But it ends up being a book that I will probably never feel the urge to revisit again.

In spite of all of this, it certainly is a quotable book. So rather than focus on my own inability to enjoy a Medieval Christian text, I’ll focus more on sharing a few of the quotes that stood out to me. I did find that the reading of both the Short Text and the Long Text were a bit redundant. Perhaps it would be better if they weren’t read back-to-back. But overall there wasn’t too much in the Long Text, in terms of new thoughts, so it felt very repetitive when I was going through it. This is certainly a book where, if I revisited it again, I would probably choose one or the other to read through rather than both.

“… so our customary practice of prayer was brought to mind: how through our ignorance and inexperience in the ways of love we spend so much time on petition. I saw that it is indeed more worthy of God and more truly pleasing to him that through his goodness we should pray with full confidence, and by his grace cling to him with real understanding and unshakeable love, than that we should go on making as many petitions as our souls are capable of.”

“…we need to fall, and we need to be aware of it; for if we did not fall, we should not know how weak and wretched we are of ourselves, nor should we know our Maker’s marvellous love so fully…”

“…deeds are done which appear so evil to us and people suffer such terrible evils that it does not seem as though any good will ever come of them; and we consider this, sorrowing and grieving over it so that we cannot find peace in the blessed contemplation of God as we should do; and this is why: our reasoning powers are so blind now, so humble and so simple, that we cannot know the high, marvelous wisdom, the might and the goodness of the Holy Trinity. And this is what he means where he says, ‘You shall see for yourself that all manner of things shall be well’, as if he said, ‘Pay attention to this now, faithfully and confidently, and at the end of time you will truly see it in the fullness of joy.”

“And I saw that truly nothing happens by accident or luck, but everything by God’s wise providence. If it seems to be accident or luck from our point of view, our blindness and lack of foreknowledge is the cause; for matters that have been in God’s foreseeing wisdom since before time began befall us suddenly, all unawares; and so in our blindness and ignorance we say that this is accident or luck, but to our Lord God it is not so.”

“Grace transforms our failings full of dread into abundant, endless comfort … our failings full of shame into a noble, glorious rising … our dying full of sorrow into holy, blissful life. …. Just as our contrariness here on earth brings us pain, shame and sorrow, so grace brings us surpassing comfort, glory, and bliss in heaven … And that shall be a property of blessed love, that we shall know in God, which we might never have known without first experiencing woe.”

So my overall impression was that I wanted to like the book, and there is so much good, quotable material, but I found it to be a chore to read by the time I was immersed into the Long Text. It was certainly a worthwhile read, but not one I will be revisiting anytime soon. And if I do revisit it, I will probably not read both versions but instead choose one or the other.

What quotes stood out to you? Were there any thoughts and ideas that surprised you, based on the time period in which this was written?

Book Review: Paul the Apostle: A Graphic Novel

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Beartruth Collective, Ben Avery, Book Review, BookCrash, Graphic Novel, Mark Harmon, Paul the Apostle, Sci-Fi

Title: Paul the Apostle: A Graphic Novel

Author: Ben Avery

Illustrator: Mark Harmon

Published by: Beartruth Collective, LLC; 1st edition (2016)

Page Count: 144 Pages (Hardcover)

Blurb: Looking for new ways to inspire your children to read the Bible? Experience the biblically based account of Paul the Apostle in a COMIC BOOK format kids LOVE! Paul’s life story, told to us in the Book of Acts, is filled with bravery, adventure, miracles, faith, and salvation, yet many people are not aware of Paul’s amazing life. In Paul the Apostle: A Graphic Novel, we have made the action packed Bible story of Paul more accessible for kids of all ages, using a visual language they love and understand: science fiction COMIC BOOKS! Our 144-page full color graphic novel (a fancy term for a really long comic book) uses awesome looking cartoon creatures, set in an action packed futuristic science-fiction universe. Kids LOVE it! And parents do too!

My Take: I always find myself enjoying the opportunity to read a graphic novel; sadly, they simply don’t surface on my reading radar often enough. So I jumped at the opportunity to read a Sci-Fi-themed retelling of the story of Paul the Apostle. After reading this book, I am convinced that I really, really need to read more graphic novels in the future because this one was a lot of fun to read.

First off, the visuals in the book are amazing. Mark Harmon did an excellent job in bringing a diverse futuristic universe come alive on the pages of this book. This is packed with colorful images that contain immersive scenery and a plethora of alien beings that are plentiful. This is a very appealing book to flip through even apart from the experience of reading the text. And if that was all there was to this book, that would be enough to make this a wonderful experience.

But the text itself is great. It follows the story of Paul, recounting scenes such as his transition from being Saul the Pharisee to becoming Paul. The scenes stay true to the source material, being innovative yet faithful along the way with this retheming of a familiar figure from the Bible. And, to boot, there are frequent references at the bottom of the pages to where a person can find the corresponding scenes in their Bible. It all works well together to take a story that is exciting and well-known and transitioning it to a medium where many can really enjoy the story. This is perfect for children and for adults, and makes a good material for a father to use as bonding time with their children.

I can’t recommend this enough. While some might hesitate due to the idea of taking a Biblical story and putting it in space, the author stays very true to the material and always points the reader back to the Biblical source. It functions as a great way to build interest early, even in those who already know and are interested in the Biblical stories. I cannot wait to see what other volumes they release through the Beartruth collective, although I’m hoping for Joshua, Judges, Elijah’s story, or King David’s stories. All of those would be great in graphic form.

**The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of the book through BookCrash in exchange for an honest review. You can purchase the book at the following link:

https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Apostle-Graphic-Ben-Avery/dp/B01MSMVD1I/ref=nav_signin?ie=UTF8&qid=1493844461&sr=8-3&keywords=paul+the+apostle+graphic+novel&

Medieval Book Club Preview: Exodus & Daniel

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Anglo-Saxon, Daniel, Exodus, Medieval Book Club, Medieval Poetry, Old English

Welcome to the fourth preview for the 2017 Medieval Book Club. For April we’re going to read a pair of Medieval poems which, as you might guess, are retelling the stories found in the Books of Exodus and Daniel from the Bible. I’m curious to see how true they stay to the source material, and to see where they allow their own culture to seep in and influence the poetic works. Back in February we read Genesis A&B which, while having some diversions from the source material, as a whole stayed pretty true to the content while adding some cultural flavor. You can check out my review on Genesis A&B here, and read on for a short preview of April’s selections:

Titles: Exodus & Daniel

Authors: Unknown, rumored to be Cædmon

Dates of Composition: Unknown, part of the Junius Manuscript which is typically dated around the 10th Century

Links to read for FREE: Exodus & Daniel (https://anglosaxonpoetry.camden.rutgers.edu/exodus/ & https://anglosaxonpoetry.camden.rutgers.edu/daniel/)

Length: Exodus: 590 lines; Daniel: 764 lines

Summary: Exodus:

Exodus is not a paraphrase of the biblical book, but rather a retelling of the story of the Israelites’ Flight from Egypt and the Crossing of the Red Sea in the manner of a “heroic epic”, much like Old English poems Andreas, Judith, or even the non-religious Beowulf. It is one of the densest, most allusive and complex poems in Old English.

Exodus brings a traditional “heroic style” to its biblical subject-matter. Moses is treated as a general, and military imagery pervades the battle scenes. The destruction of the Egyptians in the Red Sea is narrated in much the same way as a formulaic battle scene from other Old English poems, including a ‘Beast of Battle’ motif very common in the poetry.

The main story is suspended at one point to tell the stories of Noah and Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac. Some scholars consider this change of subject a feature of the “epic style” comparable with the similar digressions in Beowulf.

Daniel:

The Old English Daniel is based only loosely on the Biblical Book of Daniel from which it draws its inspiration. Daniel ignores the majority of the apocalyptic and prophetic writing found towards the end of the Biblical source, and focuses instead on the first five chapters of the narrative. The poem also leaves out Daniel being thrown into the lions’ den.

The primary focus of the Old English author was that of The Three Youths, Daniel and their encounters with the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II (OE Nabuchodnossor). The three men and Daniel were about 14 when they were taken away. The three youths are named Ananias, Misael, and Azarias. Daniel is called aethele cnithas, meaning that he was to be trained a servant for the king. Daniel was put into servitude and him and the youths were also probably made eunuchs, the speculation comes because the master of the eunuchs trained the youths in divination, magic, and astrology.

The poet even changed the meaning of the story from remaining faithful while you are being persecuted to a story dealing with pride, which is a very common theme in Old English Literature. The Old English, Daniel is a warning against pride and there are three warnings in the story. The Israelites were conquered because they lost faith in God, who delivered them from Egypt, and started worshiping idols and this is the first prideful act. The second and third warnings are about internal pride, shown to Nebuchadnezzar through Daniel’s dream interpretations.

Scripture Study: Joshua 9:16-27

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Christian, Deception, Gibeonites, Joshua, Oaths, Scripture Study, Work

The First Study | Scripture Study Home | The Previous Study

¹⁶ Three days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living near them. ¹⁷ So the Israelites set out and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim. ¹⁸ But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel.

The whole assembly grumbled against the leaders, ¹⁹ but all the leaders answered, “We have given them our oath by the Lord, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them now. ²⁰ This is what we will do to them: We will let them live, so that God’s wrath will not fall on us for breaking the oath we swore to them.” ²¹ They continued, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers in the service of the whole assembly.” So the leaders’ promise to them was kept.

Verses 16-21: The oath that Joshua made was binding, not only for him but for the rest of the Israelites that followed him. They knew that God’s wrath would fall on them if any of them went back on the oath sworn, so they came up with a compromise to allow them laborious tasks for the entire community. This is an example that could be provided as to why Jesus cautions us not to swear oaths (See Matthew 5:34-37) and why James reiterates the same caution (See James 5:12). Even an oath made with the right intentions can come back to haunt us later when we must break it. Some oaths are designed to be binding, in spite of what today’s world may tell us. For example, marriage. It is not just an oath sworn, but a covenant between two people and God to remain together for their lives. This should be viewed as unbreakable, for what God has brought together shall not be parted by human means nor for human reasons. A marriage should not be entered lightly, nor lightly broken, yet today’s culture has shifted to make it an easy escape. The divorce rate is high, far too high, even among Christians in our country. Additionally, we should be cautious about any oaths made that include more than ourselves for, as we see in this passage, the oath made by a few applied to many.

²² Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by saying, ‘We live a long way from you,’ while actually you live near us? ²³ You are now under a curse: You will never be released from service as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”

²⁴ They answered Joshua, “Your servants were clearly told how the Lord your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land and to wipe out all its inhabitants from before you. So we feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this. ²⁵ We are now in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.”

Verses 22-25: Joshua told the Gibeonites that they were under a curse for their deception, yet they respond with sense: had we not done this, you would have killed us. It seemed far better, to them, to live a life of servitude than to face death. They, unlike other kingdoms in the Promised Land, have come to realize that God’s chosen people will wipe everyone out before they are finished and satisfied. We have something in common with the Gibeonites: we are living under a curse. That curse is Sin, and it holds reign over our lives in this world, from the moment of our birth until the moment of our death. We are slaves to Sin, yet there is good news! We, too, can choose to surrender. If we believe in our hearts and proclaim with our mouths that Jesus is the Son of God, and that he lived a sinless life and was crucified to atone for our sins, we can break free from that enslavement. It will no longer reign over our lives; we may still be bound to it in this world, but freedom will await us in God’s Kingdom. What better news is there than this? Jesus died for you. He died for me. I cannot live a life free from Sin, which is why I need Jesus to intercede on my behalf. And so I freely choose to submit to Him.

²⁶ So Joshua saved them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them. ²⁷ That day he made the Gibeonites woodcutters and water carriers for the assembly, to provide for the needs of the altar of the Lord at the place the Lord would choose. And that is what they are to this day.

Verses 26-27: In spite of their servitude to the Israelites, the Gibeonites held a place of importance because they provided the needs of the alter of the Lord. So while they might have been lower than the other Israelites, the fruit of their labors went toward God. It would appear there was no complaint from them, either, about the tasks they were assigned. They completed what they were asked and were content to live within the niche that had been carved out for them. Too many people today are quick to become discontent with their station in life. They want to be owners and executives and their own bosses, dreaming of operating a flourishing business while making their own hours and their own pay structure. But there is nothing wrong with laboring at a job that isn’t close to that dream. Whatever task you can obtain, labor for the Lord and He will be pleased by the fruit of your labor. Not everyone is called to operate their own business. Many will likely end up in careers outside of their dream job. Yet faithful service may be rewarded; remember the Parable of the Three Servants. They were each given a share of silver to tend to while the master was away. Do not let your work be like the servant who buried the silver. God may open paths to you that you would never expect, so long as you dedicate yourself to your work, regardless of what that job may be.

Book Review: Good Good Father for Little Ones by Chris Tomlin

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Board Book, Book Review, Children's, Chris Tomlin, Christian, Good Good Father for Little Ones, Pat Barrett, Thomas Nelson

Title: Good Good Father for Little Ones

Authors: Chris Tomlin and Pat Barrett

Published by: Thomas Nelson, brdbk edition (1/31/17)

24 Pages

Blurb: Inspired by the #1 hit song “Good Good Father,” as heard on Chris Tomlin’s new album

“Oh, I’ve heard a thousand stories of what they think you’re like . . . but I’ve heard the tender whisper of love in the dead of night . . . and you tell me that you’re pleased . . . and that I’m never alone. You’re a good good Father.”

Experience the truth of God’s love for His children in refreshing, heartwarming ways through the children’s board book Good Good Father for Little Ones, illustrated with stunning art by Lorna Hussey and penned by Grammy Award-winning Christian music artist Chris Tomlin and Pat Barrett.

With sweet, rhyming text, Good Good Father for Little Ones explores many of the attributes that make God such a good, good Father: like a warrior, He protects you; like a teacher, He helps you learn and grow; like a doctor, He makes you feel better; like a farmer, He provides the food you need; like a musician, He brings you joy. Most of all, a good, good Father loves you!

Based on the children’s picture book Good Good Father, this precious rhyming adaptation will leave little ones with a greater assurance that God truly is a good, good Father and they are loved by Him.

My Thoughts: This book has quickly become one of my favorites to read at night with my son. It has everything I look for in a book to read with him at night: a solid Biblical message, colorful and engaging pictures, more than a word or two on each page. The book has also, as a side effect, also led me to play the song more often at home simply because it reminds me of the book.

The overarching theme in this book covers all of the qualities of God, the Good Good Father. It never comes out and names God as that Good Good Father, which allows a teaching moment as your children get older. This version is wonderful, covering more than six different things that God is, such as a doctor and a teacher. The depiction of Him as a lion is fitting and appropriate, both for those who search the Scriptures and for those who are fans of Narnia.

Its length is definitely appropriate for my little one, who is currently 8-months. He is engaged throughout and loves to help turn the pages. There are some board books that carry on just a little too long for his attention span at night, but this is one we can always finish before he gets too impatient. Therefore I cannot recommend this book enough for little ones, and I have a feeling this one will remain a staple in our children’s book collection through all of our future little ones.

Book Review: The Sound of the Stones by Beth Hammond

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Beth Hammond, Book Review, Christian Fantasy, Indie Author, The Sound of the Stones, Young Adult

Title: The Sound of the Stones

Book One in the Shattered Time Series

Author: Beth Hammond

Published by: Beth Hammond Books (January 3, 2017)

2nd Edition

Pages: 371 (Paperback)

Blurb: Nephilim, aliens, gods – They’ve been called by many names, but when Frankie stumbles onto an ancient book, the truth about the past reveals a more startling reality. What she reads about Ashra and the powerful Krad race makes her question her place in this world. The birthmark on her arm begins to burn as she reads the book, the birthmark that looks eerily similar to the symbol on the first page.

In Ashra’s world, the oppressive Krad race use crystals to hold humans hostage. Unknown to the Krad, Ashra has the gift to manipulate crystals. Keeping her power a secret becomes more difficult by the day. The time to rise up is now, but standing up to an entire race seems impossible. Then strangers bring a message from a land she never knew existed – Ashra is the one they’ve all been looking for.

Frankie and Ashra are separated by fiction and reality, but in the end the barrier shatters. The ancient book about the past holds the future, and Frankie is the key.

My Thoughts: I do not usually begin with my biggest disappointment, but I feel compelled to do so. Frankie is hinted at, in the blurb, to be the one holding the key. She is the character you first meet for about a dozen pages, and then she completely disappears until the very last page, which simply has her stop reading a book and there is a voice on the wind. I would have greatly enjoyed seeing her more often, giving her a scene from time to time to break tension, to remind the reader she exists, and to allow her to develop more for the reader. Consider how they did something along those lines with The Princess Bride, as that is what the ideal would be. I waited and waited for things to return to her, and it never happened.

Apart from that one complaint, I have nothing but praise for the book. The characters were enjoyable, even though it took some time for their paths to finally cross. The history of Ashra’s world, and the inhabitants in there, were imaginative. I smiled at every Biblical allusion in the tale, something I hadn’t expected but certainly delighted in finding within the pages of the book. Tension has built, the main characters are heading to a new place, and the villains are undoubtedly closing upon them. This is the page-turner sort of book that will keep you up past your bed time. The sort of book that you suffer compulsion to instantly purchase the next book in order to see what comes next.

If you like everything resolved at the end of a book with a pretty little bow, you won’t like this because it demands that you pick up the next book. Because the resolution doesn’t really resolve anything, but rather makes promises about what awaits these characters in the next book.

If you enjoy Young Adult, Fantasy, or Christian Fantasy books then you won’t want to miss this one. The only burning question that remains, now, is when that second book will be available for us to purchase.

Scripture Study: Joshua 9:1-15

Tags

Gibeon, Idols, Israelites, Joshua, Scripture Study, Success

The First Study | Scripture Study Home | The Previous Study

9 As soon as all the kings who were beyond the Jordan in the hill country and in the lowland all along the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, heard of this, ² they gathered together as one to fight against Joshua and Israel.

Verses 1-2: Nothing brings enemies out in droves faster than success. Joshua and the Israelites were having great success in their campaign through the Promised Land, and word spread like wildfire. So the kings in the land came up with a great idea: to band together as one to face Joshua and Israel. We like to dream of finding success in our own campaigns, whether those are to advance up a corporate ladder, become the next big artist, or a myriad of other dreams and ambitions. Yet when we find that success, we will also become a target. The closer we draw toward our dreams, the greater the force of opposition. Metal is tested when it is thrust into the heat of the forge, and the same holds true for us. We can break under the pressure trying to stand on our own, or we can strengthen ourselves through a reliance upon the Lord to grant us strength and patience and understanding. Having those ambitions can be a good thing, so long as we turn toward God for our comfort and strength rather than things of this world.

³ But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, ⁴ they on their part acted with cunning and went and made ready provisions and took worn-out sacks for their donkeys, and wineskins, worn-out and torn and mended, ⁵ with worn-out, patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes. And all their provisions were dry and crumbly. ⁶ And they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant country, so now make a covenant with us.” ⁷ But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you live among us; then how can we make a covenant with you?” ⁸ They said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” And Joshua said to them, “Who are you? And where do you come from?” ⁹ They said to him, “From a very distant country your servants have come, because of the name of the Lord your God. For we have heard a report of him, and all that he did in Egypt, ¹⁰ and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon the king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth. ¹¹ So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey and go to meet them and say to them, “We are your servants. Come now, make a covenant with us.”’ ¹² Here is our bread. It was still warm when we took it from our houses as our food for the journey on the day we set out to come to you, but now, behold, it is dry and crumbly. ¹³ These wineskins were new when we filled them, and behold, they have burst. And these garments and sandals of ours are worn out from the very long journey.” ¹⁴ So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the Lord. ¹⁵ And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore to them.

Verses 3-15: Here is one of the points in the book of Joshua where we see Joshua make a mistake. He was taken in by the things he saw and the words he heard, but he never took the time to inquire of God what he should do. After all, God had commanded Joshua and the Israelites to sweep through the land and eradicate everyone in there. God understood that the Israelites were human, after all they tried to worship a golden calf right after being led out of Egypt. So God understood that cohabitation with the current inhabitants of the promised land would, eventually, lead them to drift away from God and His teachings. There is a fine line to tread between being a part of the world and being apart from the world. The things of this world, whether material or otherwise, are not inherently bad. Money itself is not evil. Things are not evil. Music is not evil. Yet each of those things can be taken to excessive lengths and corrupted from their intended purpose. Each of them can become idols in our lives that lead us to break the first commandment and place them above God in our lives. So while it seems extreme and brutal that God would want all the people to be killed by the Israelites, we can on some level understand. The more entrenched we become with the ways of the world, following along with the popular trends in thoughts and science and politics, the greater risk we run in allowing something to de-throne God as the top priority in our lives. Nothing, whether family or spouse or sports or money, should hold that top spot over God. Yet time and again I know that I fall short. I go through dry patches where I waste time on idle things and put God and the Bible on the back burner. It often takes a period of rejuvenation for me to realign my priorities and shift them back to the order they belong. If you find you pray less, or rarely open your Bible, perhaps God is calling to you, asking for you to put Him first in your life.

Book Review: A Minute of Vision for Men

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A Minute of Vision for Men, Book Review, Christian, Devotional, Men's Devotional, Roger Patterson, Tyndale House Publishers

Title: A Minute of Vision for Men: 365 Motivational Moments to Kick-Start Your Day

Author: Roger Patterson

Published by: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (December 6, 2016)

Blurb: Do you have a vision for your life?

All of us need a compelling vision to live for. Scripture says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”

Today, so many of us are living on autopilot instead of engaging the battle of living up to our God-given potential. We lack a vision for life. Too often, we settle for less than what is best for us, our families, and our careers. We struggle with pinpointing our purpose in life.

A Minute of Vision for Men is an investment in a different sort of life―one with vision, purpose, and integrity. This book will help you connect with your purpose. It’s written so that you can start your day on the right foot, focused on what matters the most.

Start each day with a potent, daily dose of vision for your life.

My Thoughts: Devotionals tend to be a genre that are hit and miss, with some days being great and others falling a little flat. It is hard to write something that speaks perfectly to everyone, and my guess is the sports-heavy references that have appeared in many of the daily devotions in this book will fall flat for some men and be hits for others. Since the majority are football-related, this one can be categorized as a hit for me. Not only that, its promise in the title of being a minute is pretty close to accurate. There are only 3-4 paragraphs to read for each devotion, and each one weaves some passage of scripture into the message (and is also repeated at the bottom of the page for easy reference).

I love the variety of messages, and as we approach Valentine’s Day, how the devotions leading up to that day center around topics that are important and relevant to that holiday. For instance, there was one on February 12th that talked about the importance of “dating your daughter” early and often so that she can learn from her father how to expect to be treated by boys who want to win her attention and affection. I look forward to reading the devotion for Valentine’s Day itself, as it is certain to pertain toward my beloved wife and my relationship with her.

Overall this is exactly the sort of devotional I both needed and enjoy going through. I have moved it to a centralized location in the house for easy access, so that I have no excuses to not dedicate that minute toward expanding my vision toward the things that matter most. It has already blessed me so much in 2017 and I look forward to those blessings continuing as I journey through this book for the rest of the year. I highly recommend this book to men, so long as you don’t mind a fair number of sports references along the way that help illustrate the message.

Scripture Study: Joshua 8:24-35

Tags

Ai, Bible, Bible Study, Book of the Law, Jeremiah, Joshua, Scripture Saturday

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²⁴ When Israel had finished killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the open wilderness where they pursued them, and all of them to the very last had fallen by the edge of the sword, all Israel returned to Ai and struck it down with the edge of the sword. ²⁵ And all who fell that day, both men and women, were 12,000, all the people of Ai. ²⁶ But Joshua did not draw back his hand with which he stretched out the javelin until he had devoted all the inhabitants of Ai to destruction. ²⁷ Only the livestock and the spoil of that city Israel took as their plunder, according to the word of the Lord that he commanded Joshua.

Verses 24-27: Two words can sum up this military victory: total annihilation. According to verse 25, the only casualties would appear to be on the side of Ai. There might be some wounded among the Israelites, but the camp would be in great spirits after this lopsided victory. Joshua kept his javelin raised until every last inhabitant of Ai had been defeated, following through on what led them to their early success. It could have been tempting to lower his arm, after all things were going great. At some point things would have progressed to where it was a guaranteed victory for the Israelites. Yet he persevered, and as a result all of his men were spared on that day. We should be more like Joshua in this aspect. When we need God, we are eager to turn toward Him and throw our dependence upon Him to carry us out of disaster. Yet there comes a point, every time, where it seems that things are recalibrating to a sense of normality again. Where we are confident that we can retake the reins and navigate things on our own again, placing God back into the passenger seat. Are you letting God lead your life, through the good times as well as the bad, or is He where you turn when something isn’t going right? God has plans for you, yet how can they come into effect if you are the one steering the ship? Relinquish control and let God display the great things He can work through you.

²⁸ So Joshua burned Ai and made it forever a heap of ruins, as it is to this day. ²⁹ And he hanged the king of Ai on a tree until evening. And at sunset Joshua commanded, and they took his body down from the tree and threw it at the entrance of the gate of the city and raised over it a great heap of stones, which stands there to this day.

Verses 28-29: Just like Jericho before it, Ai became ruins in the aftermath of the battle. This was a very visual way to remember that if God is for us, then who can stand against us? Time and time again throughout history men and nations have gone to war believing God on their side, and we can see in this book exactly what happens when God is firmly on one side of the battle.

Joshua Renews the Covenant

³⁰ At that time Joshua built an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal, ³¹ just as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the people of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, “an altar of uncut stones, upon which no man has wielded an iron tool.” And they offered on it burnt offerings to the Lord and sacrificed peace offerings. ³² And there, in the presence of the people of Israel, he wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written. ³³ And all Israel, sojourner as well as native born, with their elders and officers and their judges, stood on opposite sides of the ark before the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, half of them in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded at the first, to bless the people of Israel. ³⁴ And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law. ³⁵ There was not a word of all that Moses commanded that Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, and the women, and the little ones, and the sojourners who lived among them.

Verses 30-35: What an impressive display of thanksgiving shown by the Israelites. After the battle, instead of looking ahead to the next task or celebrating with drinking and feasting, Joshua and the Israelites build an altar for god, offer Him sacrifices, and have the entire Book of the Law read. How often do we prioritize other things above the reading of Scripture? How often do we stick to the same passages or books in the Bible, choosing to stay where we’re comfortable rather than venturing into some of the more challenging books? You don’t have to be like Joshua and read all the Books of the Law aloud in one session, but could there be merit to reading the first five books of Genesis aloud to our families? Consider this a challenge: select a book of the Bible you haven’t read in a long time (or, in some cases, ever) and read through it. Take it one section or subheading at a time and march through at a slow, yet steady, pace. I will be visiting Jeremiah starting tomorrow, the major prophet book I enjoyed the least and have avoided since my first reading of the Bible. What book will you be venturing through?