Damascus Countdown - Book Review

This is the third book in a series. It was very hard to put down once begun. The story is written in snippets from characters ranging from the wicked rulers to the CIA agents to the girl back home, and each section had something interesting to offer. Sometimes it was a bit annoying to change scenes in the middle of something exciting, but the each new scene would make up for it.

I read it in two days (took a break for a few days partly out of necessity--and I admit I wanted to see if I could beat my record of reading the last Rosenberg book in three days).

I don't know if I agree with everything, mostly the Holy Spirit speaking to people, almost as if audibly, but then again I have relatives who have gotten strong impressions of things from God (not voices), which I believe is in keeping with what Scriptures say. There was quite a lot of violence and darkness and that was a bit taxing and depressing at times. However, it did make me want to study the Bible more on the subject of eschatology, and to want to witness more to people.

And I appreciated that there were hopeful notes throughout the story, as well--a testament that God is always in control and that even in the darkest times there is grace and a remnant of God's people.

I received a copy for review from Tyndale, but I was not required to post a positive review.

I Exalt You, O God - Book Review

This book presents four main elements or reasons for worshiping God--for His greatness, for His holiness, for His wisdom, and for His love. Each of these parts divides into sections, or "days," going more into depth on each attribute. I really appreciate how many Bible verses there were throughout, and how they were applied. 

After the initial introduction about worship and the way we are to worship every day, each section ended in a prayer taking many thoughts and quotes from the Bible. There were also quotes from other authors such as MacArthur, Charnock, Calvin, and more.

The last part, on God's love, reminded me of the total grace of God shown through His Son, something I needed to hear, and often do. It's not enough just to think of God's love in a vague way, but to read the verses of His unmerited, unchanging grace and love is highly important. To be reminded that we are full of sin and all made from the same clay was what the Lord used in my heart when I read it. This is a good devotional book I think I may pick up again and again. Though it may not go into as much depth as the old Puritan writers, it is clear and concise and helpful.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review, but my opinions are my own.

For more info, please click here.

Les Miserables - The Radio Drama

This audio drama contains 3 hours of riveting story-telling, with realistic voice acting from seasoned British actors. Brian Blessed plays Jean Valjean, Tony Robinson plays Thenardier, Toyah Willcox plays Fantine.

My sister and I listened to it while doing dishes and other things, but sometimes I wanted to pause it or rewind it to make sure I caught everything.  It obviously must have been edited quite a bit from the lengthy classic book (which I haven't read).

The music and sound effects are perfect for the story. Though a sad story in many ways, there were enough joyful and touching moments (even a few of humor) that it is easy to listen to. It is a story of grace and forgiveness. Though Catholic in background, the story does not focus on that, though a priest is of course one of the characters. The subject matter is a bit more mature than some stories, but there is no swearing that I heard or overtly graphic things.  All in all very enjoyable.

Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this audio, and has not required that I post a positive review.

Quote about Psalm 42

Psalm 42 is one of my favorite psalms, because I'm often kind of downcast/fearful and it encourages me to hope in God. Here is a good quote about 42:7  by John Bunyan:

"Deep calleth unto deep." What's that?  Why, it is expressed in the verse before: "O God," says he, "my soul is cast down within me." "Down," that is deep into the jaws of distrust and fear.  And, Lord, my soul in this depth of sorrow, calls for help to thy depth of mercy.  For though I am sinking and am going down, yet not so low but that thy mercy is yet underneath me.  Do, of thy compassions, open those everlasting arms, and catch him that has no help or stay in himself.  For so it is with one that is falling into a well or a dungeon.'

Poll Results

 

What form of pre-marriage relationship do you believe is best?

Dating	0 (0%)
Courting	2 (22%)
Just friendship	0 (0%)
Friendship, then betrothal	3 (33%)
Courtship, then betrothal	4 (44%)
Dating, then betrothal	0 (0%)
Arranged marriage	0 (0%)
I'm really not sure.           0 (0%)

Interesting that there are so many who believe in betrothal. :)

I don't have another poll up; haven't thought of one, yet. If you have a good idea for one, let me know.

The Lazy Man's Rut - A Poem

by Melissa M.
11-12-12

Clinging to past success,
Like spider to web,
I dangle precariously,
Fear tickling my gut,
But outputting nothing--
The lazy man's rut.

Tomorrow will be enough,
My heart wants to say.
But will it be, indeed?
Or will I fall prey
To hopes dashed
And a wasted day?

Tackle the goal head on,
Even if hard the load.
Easier now, I'm sure,
Than tomorrow's hour,
When panic and shame
Defeat and devour.

Quotes from "Treasury of David"

From Psalm 40. (I forgot that I posted this earlier, but it bears repeating.)

'Verse 8.--"Thy law is within my heart."  The will of God in which Christ delighted, was (as appears by the coherence, and the quotation of Heb. x. 5) that Christ should make his soul an offering for sin, as more acceptable to God than all other burnt-offerings and sin-offerings.  This law was in his heart, in the midst of his bowels.  He did as much delight in it as we do in following those inclinations which nature has implanted in our hearts, as we do in eating and drinking.  So he expresses it (John iv. 34), "My meat is to do with will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.'  He was as willing to bleed and die for thee as thou art to eat when hungry.  He was delighted as much to be scourged, wounded, crucified, as thou delightest in meat when most delicious.' -- David Clarkson.

Amazing, no?  Not to deny Him praying "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me;" of course.


From Psalm 42.

'Verse 2.--"My soul thirsteth for God," etc.  See that your heart rest not short of Christ in any duty.  Let go your hold of no duty until you find something of Christ in it; and until you get not only an handful, but an armful (with old Simeon, Luke ii. 28); yea, a heartful of the blessed and beautiful babe of Bethlehem therein.  Indeed you should have commerce with heaven, and communion with Christ in duty, which is therefore called the presence of God, or your appearing before him. Exodus xxiii. 17, and Psalm xlii. 2. . . .' -- Christopher Ness's "Chrystal Mirrour," 1679.

'Verse 2. "Come and appear before God." . . . To little purpose we go to church, or attend on ordinances, if we seek not, if we see not God there.' -- Isaac Watts, D.D., 1674-1748.
 

A Hymn

Two lines of this were quoted in Spurgeon's Treasury of David, and I searched online to find the author. I didn't find the author, but I found the whole poem it went with.  Then, I looked in C.H. Spurgeon's Our Own Hymnbook, and found it, under the title of "Jesus, my great High Priest," and with a few other verses.  Apparently it is by Isaac Watts.  Enjoy!

~~~

Join all the glorious names
Of wisdom, love, and power,
That mortals ever knew,
That angels ever bore:
All are too mean to speak His worth,
Too mean to set my Saviour forth.

Great Prophet of my God,
My tongue would bless Thy name;
By Thee the joyful news
Of our salvation came:
The joyful news of sins forgiven,
Of hell subdued, and peace with heaven.

Jesus, my great High Priest,
Offered His blood, and died:
My guilty conscience seeks
No sacrifice beside:
His powerful blood did once atone
And now it pleads before the throne.

My dear Almighty Lord,
My Conqueror and my King!
Thy matchless power and love,
Thy saving grace, I sing:
Thine is the power   oh, may I sit
In willing bonds beneath Thy feet.

Then let my soul arise,
And tread the tempter down;
My Captain leads me forth
To conquest and a crown.
The feeblest saint shall win the day,
Though death and hell obstruct the way.

Should all the hosts of death,
And powers of hell unknown,
Put their most dreadful forms
Of rage and mischief on,
I shall be safe; for Christ displays
Superior power and guardian grace.

~

(Additional verses, which may have been first.)

To this dear Surety's hand
Will I commit my cause;
He answers and fulfills
His Father's broken laws;
Behold my soul at freedom set!
My Surety paid the dreadful debt.

My Advocate appears
For my defense on high;
The Father bows His ears,
And lays His thunder by;
Not all that hell or sin can say
Shall turn His heart, His love away.

Immense compassion reigns
In my Immanuel's heart,
He condescends to act
A Mediator's part:
He is my friend and brother too,
Divinely kind, divinely true.

Isaac Watts, 1709.

Mines & Mindsets

At home sits a girl, a laptop propped on her lap, music going in her ears.  Clicking mindlessly at the beginning of a dozen minesweeper games, she wonders when the big field will open up where there are few mines.  Just a few more games. Just a few more minutes.  What else is there to do, after all?  Draw-- play music--write--where is the meaning in that?  Oh, perhaps there is more meaning in it than games, but there is always time for that later.  A time when she's feeling more inspired.

The truth is, life is a lot like the minefield on minesweeper.  There are dangers, yes, but we want to find the easiest path with few mines, or what looks like few mines.  But the clear field is really just pushing the mines outward, not lessening the number; they gang up on you in the end, and then they are all the trickier to overcome.

A few obstacles and hardships are helpful along the way to keep us careful, learning, and dependent on God.

And sometimes the littlest things we do are used to the greatest effect by a God who is bigger than all.

If we stop and think, our talents can be used by God, can be a blessing to others, and most definitely are more important than a game of minesweeper, where the only reward is a name on the high score list.


*You do need a bit of a clear field to open up when playing Minesweeper, but if you keep clicking and waiting, you will run into mines, and the game is then over.  Or, like I said, it may be that more mines will be clustered together later and make it harder to finish--that's sort of a working theory.  And I try not to play the game too often.

The Call to Wonder - Book Review

This is an amazing book for those of us who have lost at least some of our childlike wonder and trust. I wasn't quite sure how much it would help me, because I already marvel at God's creation. But there is so much more to it than that! And I still take God's creation for granted sometimes and focus on the downsides of things. From topics on humility, joy, and drawing near to God, there are so many things to learn from this book! One of the big things for me was the reminder that God is a loving Father to His children. Obvious point, but for some reason my mind tends to stay on the judging, angry side of God, when He placed the punishment for sin on His Son. We are still called to maturity and holiness, of course, but we should love and seek those because we love God.

The story Dr. R. C. Sproul Jr. told of his daughter, "Princess Happy" just blew me out of the water, too. She and others like her are a gift, not a burden, and they are our spiritual betters in many ways! They know how to trust, to enjoy, and to please.

Even if I didn't agree with every little point of the book, it still deserves a definite 5 stars.

Here are a few quotes from the book:

“There's this thing that I like to call the RC Sproul principle of hermeneutics.
When you're reading the Bible and you come across someone doing something really stupid, don't say to yourself "I'm glad I'm not him." Ask yourself "How am I that stupid?”

"Daily I witness my spiritual betters in my own children. When the snows come, I see ice crystals falling, slick roads, and rising heat bills. They sit at the window in awe of God's creativity. When nighttime falls and the stars shine, I muse about burning balls of hydrogen. They join the dancing of the spheres in celebration of God who made them. When our family sits down to eat, I envision a cluttered kitchen and dishes needing to be washed. They see daily bread delivered by their faithful heavenly Father."

"If you should ever be blessed to be far enough from the cacophony of civilization when a heavy snow falls, you can even hear the very music of the iced dew's delicate descent. It is the repainting of a landscape in a thousand hues of white. It is the dance of the wind."

"The trees in the fields clap their hands, not as solemn applause but as giddy frolic. The seas roar, not like a lion but like the crowd at the football game."

"Because we are more adult than actually mature, we tend to take our sins and baptize them, dressing them up as spiritual maturity."

"Perhaps the most shockingly transcendent thing about the God we worship is that He is pleased to stoop down to us, to draw near, to know us, love us, walk with us, and call us all by name."

"The call to delight in our heavenly Father is not one that can be rightly obeyed with bootstrap effort. One cannot grimly determine to rejoice in the grace of God. The only way to rejoice the way David did is to be overcome with emotion. David's joyous dance was true to who he was and true to how he felt about God. It was David becoming like a child, so much so that he insisted on giving in to his willingness, even his eagerness, to become undignified."

"Instead of seeing all of this as God's extraordinary grace, we come to expect the comfort and joys that God gives us as the baseline, the measure of what we believe to be our due. When our comfort level drops below our expectations, we are shocked and angered, and even foolishly express our outrage to God Himself."

Recommended for everyone, especially grown-up Christians, who may have to grow down. :)