book fetish

Every once in a blue moon I go over and actually update my book corner. I know horrible, huh? But I thought I would mention it here. Because, hey, if I didn't you might totally miss it. And whoever really reads this blog might actually want to know what I'm sticking my nose in. LOL

I'm finishing a bible study from Priscella Shirer. Good speaker but to be honest I like Beth Moore a little better. But she is still very good. Just personal taste. We have one more week of the study "He speaks to me: Preparing to hear the voice of God". I'm considering doing Jennifer Rothschild "Me, myself, and lies: A thought closet makeover" this summer with Beth Moore's blog. If your interested here is the first post about it from her blog. My church basically takes a break all summer with all the bible studies I'm in. : (

I finished "You were made for more: The life you have, the life God wants you to have" by Jim Cymbala (my favorite author). And of course it was great. Honestly I picked it up just because it was written by him. I didn't really care what it was about. But wow, God really worked something out. It was really what I needed to hear and get into me. Here's a section that I keep rereading, trying to engrave into my system:

The idea that hardship produces benefits is difficult for us to appreciate today, surrounded as we are by a culture that shuns any kind of pain, no matter the gain. The goal of most people is ease, comfort, and self-gratification. People find it unreasonable to think that challenges and struggles might be a regular part of God's plan for their lives.
This misunderstanding of God's way is exacerbated by too many television preachers. The airways are filled with success formulas (supposedly based on the Bible) that actually pervert God's goal for his people. god predestined us "to be conformed to the image of His Son" (Romans 8:29), not to be the richest, best-dressed, most comfortable folks on the planet. Solomon and some of the other kings of Isreal enjoyed incredible material blessings, yet God sent more than a few prophets to rebuke these men for spiritual and moral bankruptcy. This vital distinction isn't highlighted much in the message of "success"-oriented ministries.
The Bible makes it clear that most believers in the early church experienced nothing that could be described as success. The book of Acts tells how the first Christians were persecuted and chased all over the Mediterranean world. Some of them were killed because of their beliefs. When they faced difficult times, no one stood up and said, "What's wrong with you people? Don't you have enough faith? Just rebuke the devil. Nobody has to die! Stephen's death was unnecessary. He should have just 'confessed' he would live a long, comfortable life. In fact, since God's plan is for everyone to prosper, you all should be living in the biggest houses in Jerusalem. Why are the unbelievers living there? Start claiming those houses and taking them over. Those ungodly people don't deserve them, but we do."
I hope the foolishness of this way of thinking is obvious to you. Paul wrote to one church is a city where he had lasted only three weeks before getting chased out by a mob, "No one [should] be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we are destined for them. In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know" (I Thess. 3:3-4)....
....But to conclude that problems and hardship are automatically a sign of Satan's harassment in our lives is too simplistic and unbiblical an explanation. We need a knowledge of God's Word and the discernment of the Holy Spirit to know what is really going on. In fact, I am convinced that more often than not, tough times in the lives of faithful believers are indicators that God is preparing them for something special down the road....

It was something I really needed to hear at that stage of my life. And I'm hoping that I got it. Now that book is sadly over I have started another book I'm very happy about. Russell got it as a Christmas present not too long ago: "Twelve Ordinary Men: How the Master shaped His disciples for greatness, and what He wants to do with You" By John MacAuthor. So far it is really good. I saw that he has also written a book called "Twelve extraordinary women" that looks really interesting. Maybe I can read that afterwards. Hum...

Just a little book fetish