Book Review: "STORM - Hearing Jesus for The Times We Live In"

As I do this review, I am reminded that I have not read any books by Jim Cymbala in over a decade - I guess I could say I forgot how good he really is as a Bible teacher.  He teaches a lot on prayer, and this book is no exception. In "Storm" you will learn a lot about prayer and a lot about revival.  He also points out how we have gotten away from the ways of the early church, and that much of what we call church today has no resemblance to the true Church. He discusses the many problems we have in the modern day churches, and how we need to get back to simple Bible believing and get away from all these "new things" that we think we need to do to have a successful church or to be a successful Christian. He also takes a break from teaching in 4 chapters spaced throughout the "Storm" to have some people share their testimony, I think they are included to show real life examples of prayer and the mighty power of God.  

I am very impressed with this short book (only 182 pages), and I am sure it will be a blessing to many.  Since reading this book, it has inspired me to listen to many of his sermons on line, especially one life-changing audio sermon, "My House Shall be Called a House of Prayer."  Also, this book has inspired my prayer life, which was definitely in need of something to spark it.  While I gave the book 4 stars (actually 4.5), as to its impact on my prayer life, it is beyond even 5 stars!  Read it, it's not deep, it's an easy read. Maybe it will be a life changer for you, or at least remind you how important prayer is in our lives, and that we serve an awesome God!

Note: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the words expressed here are my own.

Bonus video:

Please spend 50 minutes to listen to this powerful message.
If you can't access it from here go to: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U79YOKje2zU

Devotional: ”Life is a VAPOR"

Life is a lot of things, but today,  I would like to briefly share that life is a vapor.  This truth is found in the Bible: "You do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away" (James 4:14).

Sadly, I lost a cycling friend Sunday.  While we never met in person, he wrote me after every ride (3 times a week for over 2 years) with words of encouragement.  I was devastated to find out Monday that he had been hit by a car and died at the scene. This isn't the first time someone I knew online died while cycling.  Yet, I will continue to cycle my average 65-70 miles a week (thankfully I'm not on roads most of my rides as I live near the Silver Comet Trail with no cars), knowing that this activity, or any for that matter, could be my last.

Over the years I have known many who like a vapor appeared for a little time. Yet, not one of them knew that that day would be their last and their life would vanish away.  Even a "long life" is little time in light of eternity.

I cried and have had much grief over my cycling friend's death this past Sunday. One because I never thought this would not happen to him as he was a very experienced cyclist (I felt like I knew him personally), but mostly my grief is that I am not sure of his spiritual state and it just hurts so much.  I have all kinds of questions running through my head.  Did I show him Jesus? And even more, did I not seize opportunities to share Jesus with him?  This isn't the first time I have battled these questions as people around me or cyber friends pass away suddenly.  While we don't want to live in guilt (that doesn't accomplish anything),  I do think a good question to ask ourselves is, "Am I sharing Jesus as often and unashamedly as He would have me do? Or do I keep my mouth shut because I don't want to offend anyone even when God has placed an opportunity to share Jesus with someone?

Now, onto my next thought, are YOU absolutely sure that you are ready to meet Jesus?  Through a myriad of circumstances (and the fact our days are numbered) your life could end soon, maybe even today!   ARE YOU READY?  You just never know and you don't get a second chance after death to make things right - what a sobering thought!  As Hebrews 9:27 states: "And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment."

Closing words from Psalm 39:4-7 "Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my day are numbered, and that my life is fleeing away. 5 My life is no longer the width of my hand. An entire lifetime is just a moment to you human existence i but a breath. 6 We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth for someone else to spend. 7 And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.  

I have no desire to scare you into becoming a Christian.  The Lord has to touch your heart, and you then need to repent of your sin and guilt before an almighty God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

As a believer in Christ, you no longer fear death, but you live for Him knowing your days are numbered and you have a God given purpose on this earth in your allotted days on earth. My prayer for you and me is that we will "finish this race" (II Tim 4:7) and hear the words of our Lord say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant" (Matt. 25:21)

Is there some one you have delayed talking to about Jesus? Please don't delay any longer! 

Maybe you don't personally know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and the Lord is speaking to you today, don't resist His love drawing you to Himself (Almighty God and Savior Jesus Christ).

Please feel free to forward this to others.  Actually, please do forward it. 

Thank you.

Jim Mazzulla

(biblefood@gmail.com)

www.biblefood.org

My review: David Wilkerson...The Man Who Believed!

As I write this review, I would like to give a little background of my connection to David Wilkerson's materials.  I became a follower of Jesus (i.e. Saved, Born-again) in June 1975.  Sadly, the group of people around me did not guide me in the truths of the Bible, but some time within the first year as a Christian I ended up reading "The Cross and the Switchblade."  It was the reading of that book that made a huge and lasting impact on my life.  It was also from reading that book that I believe the Lord spoke to my heart, "that is what you are called to do" (minister to people). It was then that I knew I had a call to ministry. So, amazingly that book set the course of my life in serving Jesus.  Then, in the early 1980's I came across his newsletter from "World Challenge," which I still receive today. I have a box full of these short teachings by David Wilkerson. 

I also have many of his books, some out of print, which I treasure knowing they are hard to find today (if not impossible). As the years went by, I found myself going through some real hard times spiritually (late 1980's) and found another book, "Have You Felt Like Giving Up Lately" (still in print) by David Wilkerson. Again, I don't recall how this book ended up in my hands, but it was most helpful during that trying time in my life (I have given and recommended this book to many over the years).

Also, in 1987 I was able to visit his new church, "Times Square Church" in Manhattan, New York.  There, again, the Lord touched me in a mighty way through this then new church.  So, while I have never personally carried on a conversation with David Wilkerson, there are over 35 years of my life being touched by this ministry and the man of God, David Wilkerson.  I believe my review is qualified and not just a review with no background into David Wilkerson and his ministry.

As I excitedly received a pre-release (from Zondervan) of this book, "David Wilkerson" authored by his son Gary Wilkerson, I couldn't wait to jump into these pages.  I always feel it is good to know the man behind the scene (so to speak), and over my 35 years of being touched by David Wilkerson, I really didn't know the man behind this great ministry. As I picked up this book and stated reading through its pages, I was so excited to learn more about the man David Wilkerson.  It covers his entire life from his birth to his going home to Jesus.  The childhood section was a little dry to me and it didn't interest me much, but it did give me a good background on his family and his childhood.  The story covers much of his younger years and middle-aged years in ministry, and also covers his latter years, but not in as much detail, and then briefly mentions his death (by car accident).  I learned much about this private "man of God" (a term I don't use loosely) and his triumphs and his failures.  It was good to see what was going on behind the scenes.  I think we often can idolize people (even ministers), and in reality they are people just like you and me.  Gary and other family members, as well as friends and fellow ministers who knew him personally, share in this book and it's not all flattering. They show he was human just like you and me. He had his own set of fears, failures, and fame.  Usually all we know about is a man's fame.  This book will show all sides with due respect to this man of God. I feel through this book I have a clearer understanding of David Wilkerson and saw how one can be used of God, and what it takes to be a "man of God."  One will see many things in this book, but one that sticks out to me was that he was a man of "prayer." His son Gary did a great job gathering information from family (especially Don, David's brother) and from many others who have been involved in his life and ministry over the years. 

I give this book a well deserved 5 stars.

Note: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the words expressed here are my own.

My Review: Answering Your Kids' Toughest Questions - Helping Them Understand - Loss, Sin, Tragedies, and other topics

In this day and age where we, even in the church, are pressured to say what people want to hear, rather than just proclaim the truths like they are revealed in the Bible, it is great to see this mother and grown daughter teamed up to put this Bible-based book together, though the majority of the speaking in this book is from Jessica (the daughter).  I also like how the book is written.  The answers are right on and pointing you to the Bible for their answers.

Some of these subjects are hard to answer especially to kids, but Jessica (and Elyse) do a real good job at providing age-appropriate answers without compromising Biblically in their answers. Sadly, too many others writing to and regarding kids often are "nice," but include little to any truth.

Some of the subjects dealt with include sin, why people die, why people divorce, what is hell, natural disasters, sexual sin, homosexuality, et cetera. Their answers are age appropriate, Biblical and not "sugar coated." Each subject has examples of answers that are appropriate to different age groups.

I like that the book is written by a mother and daughter team, and especially how they both contribute their own personal experiences and insights.

Some of their explanations for kids are equally beneficial for some adults who still have questions about these same subjects, though it is written for parents to help answer kids' tough questions.

While this is a short book (under 200 pages) and only 10 short chapters, it is very practical and real. While the authors make it clear they don't understand everything, they offer some good insight into these tough questions from their Biblical insight and experience.  I believe this book is worthy of your time and may help you and your kids have a better understanding of these tough questions.  If you are a grandparent, parent, youth pastor, pastor, or counselor get this book as I believe it will be a help to you.  It is also suitable for older kids to read themselves, too.

**I received this book for free from Bethany House in exchange for this review.**

My Review: Strange Glory - A life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer

I have only known bits and pieces about the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, so I really enjoyed the book from the very beginning. I also liked the way that the author, Marsh, shared about the life of Bonhoeffer making me feel like I was there with him on a personal level.

I have known about Bonhoeffer for years, but this is the first biography I have read on him. The author filled in a lot of unknowns for me about him from childhood to his death. Some of the minute details, while not necessary, did give a more complete picture of Bonhoeffer. I did find the beginning of the book a little slow because of these details, but I am still pleased that the author shared them to give a complete picture of who Bonhoeffer was.

The book also gave some historical insight into the German church in the 1930s and 1940s, as well as some insight into Hitler and the Nazis. The only thing I did not like about the book was the author's possible insinuation of Bonhoeffer's sexuality. I am not going to get into that in this review; see other reviews if you are curious or read the book for yourself. I did not think it necessary to mention in the book, especially since it is speculation.  I feel you will enjoy this read, especially to become familiar with Bonhoeffer's very unique character.

This book has peaked my interest in reading another biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.  The other biography is: "Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy."

I received this book for free from the publisher’s Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review.

The following are some famous Bonhoeffer quotes:

My Review: The Case for Christ (Student Edition)

Defending the Faith! Can you? This book will help you to do so!

You'll find this book an easy read with relatively short chapters (one objection per chapter).   This book deals with the subject of apologetics (defense of the faith). It is only 95 pages long; whereas, the original version of this book is 320 pages.

I hope this review will encourage you to read this book or give it to a student who would be helped by the book.  I am a fan of Lee Strobel's and love his life story of going from an atheistic journalist who decided to research Christ "as a journalist," which took him on a two-year investigation of whether God really exists and whether Jesus is really God's unique son. I love his material so this was a good read for me.  The difference in the "Student Edition" from the original version is that it is much briefer in general on each point, but a great start for any student (teen) with questions. 

In this book he covers common objects to Christianity.

Objection #1:  Since Evil and Suffering Exist, a Good God Cannot. 

Objection #2:  Miracles Contradict Science; Therefore, They Cannot Be Real.

Objection #3:  Evolution Explains Life, So God Isn't Needed.

Objection #4:  It's Intolerant to Claim Jesus is the Only Way to God

Objection #5:  A Loving God Would Never Send People to Hell.

Objection #6:  I Still Have Doubts, So I Can't Be a Christian.

Conclusion:  I really like the concluding thoughts.

This book is a good starting place for those questioning the common objections or to prepare one in talking to others on these subjects. It's a great read for teens, and if they read it and want more, I would encourage them to read the 300+ page edition.  Even as an adult, who has been a Christian for decades, I enjoyed reading it.

Note: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the words expressed here are my own.

My recent review of a great book, "The Greatest Words Ever Spoken"

I review quite a few books, but this one was a special treat for me. I love this book’s design and concept. I even like the thin tissue-like paper used in this book. This would be a nice book in bonded leather or leather. “The Greatest Words Ever Spoken” contains ALL the words of Jesus in Red with some surrounding verses in black to help with context. You may need/want to read more of the verses around it for a more accurate interpretation. This is a valuable book to complement your Bible reading time and is actually Bible readings of Jesus’ words. Over 200 topics (spoken by Jesus) are broken down into 9 categories in 9 chapters. The only part of this book that is not from the Bible are the introductions to each chapter, which are written by Steven K. Scott, who compiled this book. I find the introductions are very good. The table of contents is well-organized and helpful in finding the topic you are looking for. The back of the book contains a scripture index and subject index, which are also quite helpful in using this book. It’s an easy book to use and can be used as a Bible devotion or topical Bible study of Jesus’ words. It is not likely that you will read this book from cover to cover, but more likely you will jump around in it. With that being said, if you want to read all that Jesus spoke, you might enjoy reading it from cover to cover. The book is 519 pages long, it’s not a short book, and the font is pretty small (but very clear), so it’s a lot of reading. Being God’s Word, it is not a book you will want to read quickly. The NIV version is not my favorite version, but it does make it readable for all ages.

I recommend this book as a great reference book and one you will want to keep in your personal library permanently.

I received a free copy of The Greatest Words Ever Spoken from Waterbrook Multnomah in exchange for an honest review.