So, You Want To Be Like Christ?:
Eight Essentials to Get You There
By
Charles Swindoll
In our day in age, many of us may feel that it is almost impossibletobecome Christlike as the bible teaches us to. So in a world that is focused on luring us away from growing deeper in love with Christ, how can we become godlier? Going to church regularly won’t cut it! It is so easy to fall into the routine of serving as a Sunday School teacher, attending bible studies, or even being a laymen who comes to church regularly. Charles Swindoll says, “It’s so easy to become religious instead of godly.” In order to become godly, one must discipline themselves. Swindoll gives us eight essential disciplines to get you there: Intimacy: Deepening Our Lives, Simplicity: Uncluttering Our Minds, Silence and Solitude: Slowing Our Pace, Surrender: Releasing Our Grip, Prayer: Calling Out, Humility: Bowing Low, Self- Control: Holding Back, and Sacrifice: Giving Over.
Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed or weighed
down by the needs that surround you? Do you sometimes lose sight of the core of
your service? I think we all feel or have felt that way at some point in our
lives. Warren Wiersbe gives real encouragement in, “the greatest work in the
world, serving the Lord Jesus Christ,” as he so greatly puts it. Serving for
Christ can be uplifting and exciting or it can be burdensome and boring. Many
of us find that we are serving out of obligation or because our conscious tells
us we have to and when we don’t have a clear vision of why we are serving it
can turn into a great burden.
unChristian:
What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity ...and Why It Matters
By
David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons
“Christianity has an image problem.” That’s how the first line
of the first paragraph of the first page starts in this revealing book, unChristian.
David Kinnaman is a researcher who headed a project that researched and
interviewed thousands of people trying to understand how “outsiders” view
Christianity. He wanted to know what would be the first thoughts that popped
into people’s minds if someone were to stand up at a local coffee shop or
supermarket and proclaim that they were a Christian. Kinnaman got his answer,
and its not one that we should be proud of.
The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus By
Lee Strobel
As someone who has grown up in the church, attended Sunday School faithfully since first grade, and surrounded myself with friends who were also believers, you could probably picture my reaction to hearing an acquaintance at school proclaim that Jesus Christ wasn’t God, or, if anything, nothing more than a prophet. I couldn’t fathom how anyone could deny something that seemed as much as a fact as the sun rising every morning. You can see that we have to be prepared for such occasions and discussions.That’s why The Case for Christ is a great starting point.
C.S.
Lewis might be better known for his more famous works like Mere Christianity, The
Chronicles of Narnia, or The
Screwtape Letters but that certainly doesn’t take away from the brilliant
originality of The Great Divorce.
Jesus in Egypt:
Discovering the Secrets of Christ's Childhood Years
By
Paul Perry
I haven’t been to Egypt for a very long time, but
after reading Jesus in Egypt I now have to cope with jet lag—yes, that’s
a bit exaggerated but, that’s how close you will feel to the motherland. Journalist
Paul Perry takes the reader with him on his journey to retrace the steps of the
Holy Family throughout Egypt.
Who Is God? Who Am I? Who Are You?: Introduction to Basic Christian Psychology By Dee Pennock
Dee Pennock’s approach to self-identity is not textbook, nor is it of the average “self-help” slant. Tastefully studded with the insight of the early church fathers, Who Is God? Who Am I? Who Are You? guides readers on the road to self-discovery. That is, Christian self-discovery. As the title of the book illustrates, in order to know oneself, he/she must first know God-Who is God? Pennock notes that people do not see God because pride distorts their views of Him, just as grease on lenses will distort the vision of those wearing the glasses. As the book progresses, readers are shown how to be rid of pride and eventually apply their knowledge of God into self-knowledge. The simplistic writing style and humorous incorporation of illustrations make Who is God? a perfect read for all teenagers and everyone well beyond those years.
In today’s age of education and college, it seems as if the
old expectationsof what college “should be” have greatly changed. Instead of
the four years of college being a time for education, maturation, and progress,
American society has turned these “best 4 years of your life” into a time of
destruction on an educational, social, and spiritual level. Many students who
leave home for college or spend much of their time on campus are pulled into
the “college life” of sin and carelessness.
What's So Great About Christianity By Dinesh D'Souza
I don’t know about you but I am getting fed up with the current barrage of belligerent rants against Christianity. It seems that Christianity has been used as a scapegoat for the world’s woes and wrongs. And with statistics showing the people of the U.S. are leaving Christianity, it seems many Americans believe these rants.Well thank God someone is more than willing to write a book to battle these atheists head on. That person is Dinesh D’Souza and the book is What’s So Great about Christianity.
On Marriage and Family Life By St. John Chrysostom
St. John’s Chrysostom book entitled On Marriage and Family Life serves as a complete guide to those who
are at any stage in marriage– whether in choosing a wife (or husband), planning
a wedding and reception, learning how to conduct oneself in a role befitting to
the church, and even in stressing children’s responsibilities to the family
(and vice versa). This book delivers its many messages through a series of 4
homilies written by St. John.
In addition to these, the book concludes with 2 sermons by St. John concerning marriage and how to
properly choose a wife. Although some may find his message to be a bit harsh,
it is incredible how applicable his words are today, even though they are over
1500 years old! This truly timeless piece is a must have for anybody who has
marriage on his or her mind and is looking how to accept the Holy Sacrament in
the proper way.
Cure for the Common Life:
Living in Your Sweet Spot
By
Max Lucado
God knows your
purpose? Do you?
“‘For I know the plans I have for your,’ declares the Lord,
‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope’”
(Jeremiah 29:11).
Cure for the Common Life by Max Lucado, a New York Times best-selling author,
is written for anyone who is seeking the purpose that God has designed for
their life.Max Lucado takes the reader
through a reflective guide to figure out their purpose, or as Lucado refers to
it; their “sweet spot” of life.
A Book to Read
