Saints & Scoundrels in the Story of Jesus by Nancy Guthrie is a fascinating book that focuses on various characters in the Bible and helps readers understand how sovereign grace transforms even the most wretched and defiled.
At the heart of the book is a plea to receive mercy and grace from God. An example of Guthrie’s writing prowess is captured in this moving sentence:
“And if you are someone who doesn’t really believe that you will receive mercy, I pray that God will open your eyes to see the kindness and generosity of your Great High Priest who loves to lavish mercy on people who don’t deserve it.”
Saints & Scoundrels in the Story of Jesus is a book that is characterized by grit, the gospel, and the glory of God. The author is to be commended for her careful historical work, exegetical precision, and practical application.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
Once there was a day when the nib of a pen would intersect with a piece of paper, revealing the contemplations of a thoughtful person. The end result would yield a letter that would inspire a willing recipient and breathe fresh courage into a human soul.
Less than 200 years ago, letter-writing flourished in the American colonies. Yet, the convenience of technology has all but extinguished the power of the pen. The convenience of text messages and emails have replaced the personal touch of the letter. Indeed, the art of letter writing is nearly dead. For this reason, it is time to revive the lost art of letter writing.
A Rekindled Friendship
The strained friendship between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson is well known and documented. Thankfully, Dr. Benjamin Rush intervened and convinced Adams to renew his friendship with Jefferson. The second president of the United States responded with a letter to Jefferson. Subsequently, the two men exchanged letters back and forth until their respective deaths, which occurred on the same day – July 4, 1826. The power of pen and ink combined with some thoughtful words supercharged a friendship on the brink of collapse.
A Rekindled Art
A handful of letters have arrived in my mailbox over the past several years that left a meaningful mark and provided much-needed fuel to propel me in a Godward direction:
An affirming letter from my father
A letter of personal counsel from Dr. John Piper
A letter of encouragement from my grandfather, Samuel Barger
A letter from Pastor Wayne Pickens, who mentored me in the defining years of pastoral ministry
One letter from my 89-year-old friend, Bruce who recently went to be with the Lord sits permanently in my study:
“Knowing you is to learn, as our Lord measures it, more than just the message of Scripture. You sow also of yourself in His name. More than His word you teach by example, tireless sacrificial giving for His glory and in furtherance of His love …”
Each of the letters above are safely preserved and serve as a permanent reminder of a special time in my life.
Opening a timely and encouraging letter is like receiving oxygen at the summit of Mt. Everest after a grueling climb. It is like salve on a wound in need of healing. A letter is a welcome guest that is never turned away.
It is not too late to revive letter writing in our generation. I suggest we revive the art of letter writing for at least five reasons.
1. Personal Touch
First, a letter is personal. Taking time to compose words on a page, sealing the letter in an envelope, and dropping it in the mail involve a series of additional steps and effort but the payoff is worth it. The personal touch of a letter deeply impacts the one who receives it.
2. Powerful Memories
Second, a letter helps enshrine memories that preserve friendships, provide a permanent record of significant thoughts, and instill hope for the future. When I read a memorable letter, it helps recall significant thoughts and feelings that may have otherwise been forgotten.
3. Permanent Keepsake
Third, a letter becomes a personal and powerful memento. An email can be cataloged in Evernote or saved in some other digital format. An email can even be printed and tucked away for future reference. But an email can never replace the special quality of the written letter.
4. Portrays Selflessness
Next, a letter is an act of selflessness. It takes a certain amount of discipline, time, and creativity to craft a meaningful letter. Such a pursuit, then, involves an intentional act of kindness or selflessness as the one composing the letter must think of others before herself. One might say that letter writing is a way of fulfilling the Golden Rule: “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12, NLT).
5. Proclaims a Blessing
Finally, a letter is a way of proclaiming a blessing. At the heart of a blessing is the need for acceptance. “Genuine acceptance,” writes John Trent, “radiates from the concept of the blessing.”1 A letter has a way of unleashing a person to become all that God intends them to be. It is a way of communicating the kind of support that is empowering and life-changing. A letter has a way of inscribing an indelible seal of blessing on the soul of one of God’s image-bearers.
A simple letter has the power to inspire hope, instill confidence, and initiate action. A letter communicates devoted love and lifts the human spirit. A letter unshackles the hands and feet, inspires hearts and minds, and communicates love and support to the people we care about.
Reviving the lost art of letter writing begins with you. Who will you influence or encourage today with a simple letter? Who will be the recipient of your timely wisdom or counsel? Who will be inspired to take a step into the great unknown because they received a letter from you? Who will be challenged by your courageous words? Whose life will be changed forever because you took the time to craft a well-thought-out letter? Let us, then, revive the lost art of letter writing – one letter at a time.
John Trent, The Blessing (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1986), 28. ↩
Tim Scott & Trey Gowdy, Unified (Carol Stream: Tyndale, 2018), 220 pp.
We may live in one of the most divided times in American history. The cultural climate is rising without any hope of resolution in sight. Senator Tim Scott and Congressman, Trey Goudy recognize the problems in our land. Yet, they both have a realistic outlook, which is laced with optimism. Their book, Unified invites readers to pursue racial reconciliation and restoration, which will strengthen the fabric of our fractured nation.
Unified is a very basic book that reads like a conversation between two lawmakers. These conservative thinkers, who have become the best of friends, bring their unique conservative perspectives to the table. Their mutual love and respect for one another are apparent from the outset. These two men, who are both committed Christ-followers model what friendship can and should look like.
Senator Scott and Congressman Gowdy steer clear of politics, however. Their aim is to promote an optimistic vision of hope for the future of our nation:
“We believe that our nation can be united and transformed by conversations and friendships that lead to reconciliation and understanding. As Americans, we must uphold the ideals of freedom, equality, justice, and opportunity, even as we continue to work together to make those ideals a reality for all. We must come together, find solutions, and get to a point where we can see that our strength as a nation is rooted in all that is good in our world.”
There are no quick fixes here. The authors understand and acknowledge that legislation will not cure the illness in American culture. True and lasting change must take place in the lives of people. In what may prove to be the most important insight in the book, Senator Scott writes, “We will change the nation only by changing the condition of the human heart.” This change, undergirded by the gospel of grace has the power to change individuals and families. Then and only then, will our nation see a renewal.
Unified is a worthy read by two men of integrity; men who are striving to make America a better place. This is the first of many steps but it is a step in the right direction.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
Is beauty in the eye of the beholder? Carolyn Mahaney and Nicole Whitacre tackle the sensitive topic of beauty in their book, True Beauty. The “benchmarks for beauty” are constantly changing and most of the criteria is propaganda which caters to worldliness. This book, on the other hand has a simple goal, namely – to point women to true beauty which is found in the pages of Scripture.
True Beauty challenges readers to see things from God’s perspective. Henry Scougal writes, “The worth and the excellency of a soul is to be measured the object of its love.” Herein lies the real value and beauty of a woman – as she contemplates and worships her Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: “He is the ultimate, unchanging, eternal standard of beauty. He is the Author, Creator, and Bestower of beauty. His beauty transcends time and culture. It never changes and never fades.” Therefore, true beauty is not fleeting. True beauty is not bound by cultural expectations. True beauty is rooted in the radiant beauty and majesty of the living God. He is the most beautiful Being in the universe. Therefore, all beauty must be measured according to his design.
Mahaney and Whitacre alert readers to the final standard of beauty – which is found in Jesus Christ. Women, must therefore, develop a “taste for beauty.” However, “sin has blinded us to the beauty of God, and when we lost sight of this beauty, we lost interest.” So instead of delighting in God, we delight in other things – things that are in the final analysis, tantamount to idolatry. This fascination with the mundane, with anything less than God is nothing new. Israel struggled mightily with the sin of idolatry: “Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit. Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the LORD, for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water” (Jer. 2:11-13, ESV).
One of the central arguments in the book is that the “gospel of Jesus Christ transforms our taste for beauty … True beauty is to behold and reflect the beauty of God.” And to behold the great God of the universe is to trust him implicitly. The authors add, “Apply trust in God, with good works (1 Tim. 2:9-10) and you will not fail to become genuinely beautiful.” Indeed, this is the touchstone as Mahaney and Whitacre weave this important reality through the remainder of the book and discuss the relationship of beauty to hearts, bodies, clothes, trust, and work.
Frankly, I cannot say enough about True Beauty. It avoids the pitfalls of legalism and props up the pillars of a gospel-centered worldview. It is gracious and thoughtful in tone. It is saturated through and through with Scripture. It affirms beauty and challenges women to pursue the highest standard of beauty – which again, is the Lord Jesus Christ. My hope is that True Beauty receives a wide readership and strengthens and edifies a new generation of women who grow more beautiful as they pursue their Savior.
… but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious (1 Peter 3:4, ESV).
Costi W. Hinn, God, Greed, and the (Prosperity) Gospel (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2019), 223 pp.
The so-called prosperity gospel has been a virtual “wrecking ball,” inflicting damage on the unsuspecting, infiltrating local churches with a diabolical message of health and wealth, and inviting the wrath of a holy God. The prosperity gospel is not another version of the gospel. It is “a different gospel,” one that not only devastates and deceives – this gospel damns.
The apostle Paul addressed the church in Galatia and confronted the false gospel of his day:
“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel- not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed” (Gal. 1:6-9, ESV).
False gospels must be confronted, as Paul addressed the Galatians who turned to the “gospel” of the Judaizers in the first-century. Costi W. Hinn confronts the prosperity gospel in his latest book, God, Greed, and the (Prosperity) Gospel. Hinn clearly defines the poisonous effects of this pernicious movement: “The prosperity gospel is here to stay and is spanning the globe, doing damage to the true gospel of Jesus Christ. It is an evil that poses as a blessing but is truly a curse. It appears to be a loving extension of God’s goodness but is arguably the most hateful and abusive kind of false teaching plaguing the church today.”
Hinn describes how he grew up and was groomed to serve alongside his famous uncle, Benny Hinn and how God revealed the diabolical underpinnings of the prosperity gospel, which led to his repentance, conversion, and departure from the movement.
The author describes the origins of the prosperity gospel and the core elements with all of its trappings. He demonstrates from Scripture why prosperity teaching is abominable and warns readers to flee from its deadly influence. Hinn reveals ten reasons that the prosperity gospel is antithetical to Scripture:
It distorts the biblical gospel.
It insults God’s nature.
It confuses the atonement.
It demeans Jesus Christ.
It twists Scripture.
It is motivated by love for money.
It produces false converts.
It overcomplicates faith.
It ruins Christianity’s witness.
It abuses vulnerable people.
Thoughtful and discerning readers will take these principles to heart and be careful to guard the biblical gospel.
Costi Hinn does not shy away from controversy. But he also speaks the truth in love and his arguments are grounded in grace. God, Greed, and the (Prosperity) Gospel is sure to raise eyebrows. Hinn’s work is a labor of love that will serve the church well. And it will surely draw some people out of this false system and lead them to the truth.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
John Piper is a trusted biblical scholar and pastor who has shared his wisdom in writing for decades. I first encountered Dr. Piper as a young man. I remember eagerly devouring his book, Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist when it was originally published in 1986. Since those days, John Piper has without a doubt, shaped my Christian worldview and theological framework more than any other living writer.
Standing on the Solid Rock of Christ
In his latest work, Dr. Piper provides a well-reasoned and biblical response to the current global pandemic. Coronavirus and Christ is not only saturated with Scripture; it is also a deeply personal book. Piper shares his battle with cancer and empathizes with anyone who is suffering during this season of sorrow.
The book presents the biblical vision of who God who is sovereign over everyone and everything. This God works all things according to the counsel of his will (Eph. 1:11). Piper adds, “This is not a season for sentimental views of God.” Therefore, the vision of God here is deeply helpful and satisfying.
The book concludes with a series of ways that the author sees God using the coronavirus in our world for his glory. Readers will be educated, refreshed, comforted, and challenged – in the midst of the horrible pandemic. They will, in the final analysis, be confronted with the majestic God who offers salvation through his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ for anyone who turns from their sin and trusts his completed work on the cross.
Coronavirus and Christ is a must-read book; one that will make a huge impact around the world.
Mark Dever, Why Should I Join a Church? (Wheaton: Crossway, 2020), 52 pp.
One of the most surprising hot topics that emerges among Christians concerns the matter of church membership. It is not unusual to encounter people who have strong opinions that oppose the notion of church membership. Mark Dever’s short book, Why Should I Join a Church? offers a response that is both biblical and compelling.
Dever’s book is a part of the new Crossway series, Church Questions Series that addresses topics which are on the minds of concerned Christians. The authors response is seven-fold. I offer Dever’s rationale here in order to motivate readers to pick up the book and explore his arguments further:
Join a Church to Display the Gospel
Join a Church Because the Bible Requires It
Join a Church to Love Other Christians and Edify the Church
Join a Church to Evangelize the World
Join a Church to Assure Yourself
Join a Church to Expose False Gospels
Join a Church to Glorify God.
Each answer is supported by Scripture and sound reasoning. I urge skeptics to pick up the book and engage with the author. Such an approach to lead thoughtful and obedient readers to take the necessary steps to join a local church!
Mark Dever has a reputation for passionately promoting church membership. His heart is and ecclesiastical convictions are clearly portrayed here. Take up and read. Take Dever’s advice and join a church.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
Once there was a day when the nib of a pen would intersect with a piece of paper, revealing the contemplations of a thoughtful person. The end result would yield a letter that would inspire a willing recipient and breathe fresh courage into a human soul.
Less than 200 years ago, letter-writing flourished in the American colonies. Yet, the convenience of technology has all but extinguished the power of the pen. The convenience of text messages and emails have replaced the personal touch of the letter. Indeed, the art of letter writing is nearly dead. For this reason, it is time to revive the lost art of letter writing.
A Rekindled Friendship
The strained friendship between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson is well known and documented. Thankfully, Dr. Benjamin Rush intervened and convinced Adams to renew his friendship with Jefferson. The second president of the United States responded with a letter to Jefferson. Subsequently, the two men exchanged letters back and forth until their respective deaths, which occurred on the same day – July 4, 1826. The power of pen and ink combined with some thoughtful words supercharged a friendship on the brink of collapse.
A Rekindled Art
A handful of letters have arrived in my mailbox over the past several years that left a meaningful mark and provided much-needed fuel to propel me in a Godward direction:
An affirming letter from my father
A letter of personal counsel from Dr. John Piper
A letter of encouragement from my grandfather, Samuel Barger
A letter from Pastor Wayne Pickens, who mentored me in the defining years of pastoral ministry
One letter from my 89-year-old friend, Bruce who recently went to be with the Lord sits permanently in my study:
“Knowing you is to learn, as our Lord measures it, more than just the message of Scripture. You sow also of yourself in His name. More than His word you teach by example, tireless sacrificial giving for His glory and in furtherance of His love …”
Each of the letters above are safely preserved and serve as a permanent reminder of a special time in my life.
Opening a timely and encouraging letter is like receiving oxygen at the summit of Mt. Everest after a grueling climb. It is like salve on a wound in need of healing. A letter is a welcome guest that is never turned away.
It is not too late to revive letter writing in our generation. I suggest we revive the art of letter writing for at least five reasons.
1. Personal Touch
First, a letter is personal. Taking time to compose words on a page, sealing the letter in an envelope, and dropping it in the mail involve a series of additional steps and effort but the payoff is worth it. The personal touch of a letter deeply impacts the one who receives it.
2. Powerful Memories
Second, a letter helps enshrine memories that preserve friendships, provide a permanent record of significant thoughts, and instill hope for the future. When I read a memorable letter, it helps recall significant thoughts and feelings that may have otherwise been forgotten.
3. Permanent Keepsake
Third, a letter becomes a personal and powerful memento. An email can be cataloged in Evernote or saved in some other digital format. An email can even be printed and tucked away for future reference. But an email can never replace the special quality of the written letter.
4. Portrays Selflessness
Next, a letter is an act of selflessness. It takes a certain amount of discipline, time, and creativity to craft a meaningful letter. Such a pursuit, then, involves an intentional act of kindness or selflessness as the one composing the letter must think of others before herself. One might say that letter writing is a way of fulfilling the Golden Rule: “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12, NLT).
5. Proclaims a Blessing
Finally, a letter is a way of proclaiming a blessing. At the heart of a blessing is the need for acceptance. “Genuine acceptance,” writes John Trent, “radiates from the concept of the blessing.”1 A letter has a way of unleashing a person to become all that God intends them to be. It is a way of communicating the kind of support that is empowering and life-changing. A letter has a way of inscribing an indelible seal of blessing on the soul of one of God’s image-bearers.
A simple letter has the power to inspire hope, instill confidence, and initiate action. A letter communicates devoted love and lifts the human spirit. A letter unshackles the hands and feet, inspires hearts and minds, and communicates love and support to the people we care about.
Reviving the lost art of letter writing begins with you. Who will you influence or encourage today with a simple letter? Who will be the recipient of your timely wisdom or counsel? Who will be inspired to take a step into the great unknown because they received a letter from you? Who will be challenged by your courageous words? Whose life will be changed forever because you took the time to craft a well-thought-out letter? Let us, then, revive the lost art of letter writing – one letter at a time.
John Trent, The Blessing (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1986), 28. ↩
I cannot get the image out of my mind. It keeps playing back in slow motion, like Joe Montana hurling a football into the end zone to Jerry Rice. But 70,000 fans are not screaming. Instead, millions of Americans are horrified.
Nancy Pelosi is ripping the State of the Union Address to shreds. Slowly. Deliberately. Defiantly. Like a petulant child who didn’t get her way, the Speaker of the House is desecrating the speech which bears the name of the President of the United States.
Never in recent memory has anything like this happened in Congress. At least not in my lifetime. Political opponents have always disagreed, yet maintained a semblance of respect. Tip O’Neal respected President Reagan. Newt Gingrich was able to make good progress with President Clinton. Paul Ryan showed respect to President Obama.
But political discourse took an ugly turn on February 4, 2020 when the Speaker of the House brazenly tore the President’s State of the Union Address. Commentators did what they do best. Political pundits weighed in. Members of both sides the isle chipped in: Liberals offered excuses. Conservatives offered condemnation. This morning, Americans will discuss Pelosi’s latest stunt around the water cooler.
When the smoke clears and everyone has a chance to make their partisan contributions, we’ll still be left with a speech torn to shreds. That speech will likely end up on the desk of a politician – a memorial to the defiance of the Democratic party.
But think about what the desecrated speech really represents. When the Speaker of the House shredded President Trump’s speech, she didn’t merely disrespect the highest office in the land. She disrespected America. She disrespected the hopes and dreams of people.
When Nancy Pelosi ripped the president’s speech asunder, she offered a vote of no confidence to Americans like Army veteran Tony Rankins. She offered a vote of no confidence to Janiyah Davis, a beautiful little girl who was given an opportunity scholarship to attend the school of her choice. Speaker Pelosi dishonored the memory of fallen American soldiers. And she disrespected the most recent recipient of the President Medal of Freedom, Rush Limbaugh.
Today, President Trump will be acquitted. America will move forward. Some Americans will celebrate a vibrant economy, a rock-solid military, and a country committed to the cause of freedom. Others will be left with the fragments of a torn up State of the Union Address. Senator Lindsey Graham remarked, “You can tear up the speech but you can’t tear up the accomplishments.”
Thomas Jefferson allegedly said, “Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.” Pelosi’s actions do not represent dissent, however. Her behavior was disrespectful and defiant. Her actions represent a new low in American political discourse. Her unprecedented and shameful act will be etched on the American conscience for generations.
On a day when Americans should be talking about a historic speech and hope for the future, the Speaker of the House has managed to turn the spotlight on herself. “Congratulations, Mrs. Pelosi. Your selfish and immature actions have swayed the public discourse.” Is it any wonder that so many Americans are all torn up?
Sam Emadi, What Should I Do Now That I’m a Christian? (Wheaton: Crossway, 2020), 52 p.
For years, 9Marks has been producing literature designed to edify and equip leaders in the local church. Church Questions Series is the most recent project, a set a booklets designed to answer pertinent questions in short bite-sized portions.
What Should I Do Now That I’m a Christian by Sam Emadi suggests that new followers of Christ pursue a eight-fold path as they begin their journey to the Celestial City. Each step is explained along with the biblical rationale. For the purposes of this review, the eight suggestions shall remain untold in order to prompt readers to purchase the book and benefit afresh from Emadi’s counsel.
The great benefit of this series of booklets is the brevity and commitment to biblical authority. The questions are addressed in a forthright manner in clear and unambiguous language. Readers of all ages will benefit from Emadi’s wisdom and would do well to pass this resource to friend who is new to the Christian faith.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
Tim Scott & Trey Gowdy, Unified (Carol Stream: Tyndale, 2018), 220 pp.
Costi W. Hinn, God, Greed, and the (Prosperity) Gospel (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2019), 223 pp.
Veritas et Lux 