54. The Coming Golden Age

54. The Coming Golden Age: 31 Ways To Be Kingdom Ready. David Jeremiah. 2024. 240 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars] [christian nonfiction]

First sentence from the introduction: I've been fascinated by biblical prophecy all my life, and nothing encourages me more than God's predictions about the future. But I don't make many predictions myself. The Bible is infallible; I'm not. 

The Coming Golden Age by its very topic may prove to be decisive. It is about the millennial reign of Jesus Christ. Now there are dozens if not hundreds of positions on how to interpret the book of Revelation. All have a different view or take on the millennial reign. Some would argue that those thousand years are anything but literal. Some see the LITERAL reign of Christ on earth as the key to make sense of all the many, many, many loose ends of the Old Testament. Read the major and minor prophets, reading with the millennial perspective does bring clarity in many ways. Some choose not to engage in the battle exactly--to not argue about the details of prophecy and just focus on the glory of the coming kingdom, to focus on all the kingdom promises. So many rich promises are to be found in the book of Revelation. 

So from the get go, the perspectives you bring with you to the text might influence whether you enjoy this devotional book. Some people will automatically reject the theology--end of story. This isn't the one for you.

I don't engage in every battle regarding the details of Revelation. I see strengths and weaknesses to many of the different overall positions. Some I agree with more than others. I have my own leanings. But I also see them as more speculative than certain-certain. End of story GREAT confidence. How we get there--the details are fuzzier. But I do strongly lean towards a LITERAL interpretation of the millennial reign. [That being said, a LOT of authors I read hold different positions. It is not a deal breaker for me.]

I love the idea of this one. Thirty-one readings with the topic of the end days and millennial reign of Christ. Each reading is accessible enough and engaging. I do wish that each reading focuses a tiny bit more on Scripture itself. I wish that the book took a more methodical approach and walked readers through all the passages, the prophecies, the relevant texts. The book does value Scripture--no doubt about that. It just values stories--past and present--little factoids here and there. For example, I read the newspaper the other day and read about [fill in the blank] and then several paragraphs later drop in some verses. It makes for a casual, conversational read. Nothing unpleasant about it. I just wanted a little bit more meat. Because I DO agree with the literal reign and was hoping to learn about all the Old Testament bits in a more organized, focused, easy-to-follow way. 

I did enjoy it. I didn't necessarily love, love, love it. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

53. In the Lord I Take Refuge

53. In the Lord I Take Refuge: 150 Daily Devotions Through the Psalms. Dane C. Ortlund. 2021. 416 pages. [Source: Borrowed]

First sentence: Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the ways of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.

The Psalter uses the English Standard Version. Each psalm is followed by a devotion by Dane C. Ortlund. 

Definitely this is a case of what you see is what you get. Love the psalms? Definitely worth it for getting the psalms on such nice paper. Love devotions? Great. The devotions go with the psalms--so no extra steps for reading more Scripture.

I divided the psalms into daily portions according to the arrangement of the Book of Common Prayer. Readers could read one per day, five per day, ten per day, whatever. Definitely this is a a book that you can take at your own pace. There is no need to feel pressured to read it in one month. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

52. The Seaside Homecoming

 52. The Seaside Homecoming (On Devonshire Shores #3) Julie Klassen. 2024. 400 pages. [Source: Review copy] [5 stars]

First sentence: Bleak. The weather, her mood, her life.

Claire Summers, the oldest sister (I believe), stars in the third book in the series. The series has been absolutely fantastic. I have LOVED all three books. They are all similar YET also each is unique. You do get a chance to reconnect (briefly) with previous characters and see how their stories are progressing. 

Claire has been shunned--cast out--by her parents for eloping with a fellow who was less than honest. The marriage did not happen, and she fled to her Scottish aunt or great-aunt. She's been her companion--for better or worse--since the failed elopement. She has no idea if her sisters will ever be a part of her life again or not. (Same with her mother). 

After her great-aunt dies, Claire is left without a place to go and only a small allowance to allow her to make a new start. (Not a genteel start, but a start). Claire sees an opportunity that just so happens to be near where her family has resettled....will her new beginning be a happy one? Can she make amends with her family? 

As I mentioned before, I really do love the series so much. I think I may love the first two a tiny bit more than this third book. HOWEVER, all the books have been SO wonderful and just a joy to read. I do hope the series continues since there are more sisters who haven't had their own books. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Sunday Salon #44

Bible reading

NASB 77

• Psalms 73-150
• Proverbs
• Ecclesiastes
• Song of Solomon

KJV

• 2 Chronicles 10-36
• Ezra
• Nehemiah
• Esther
• Job
• Joshua

NKJV

• Isaiah 40-66
• Hebrews
• Jeremiah 1-39

ESV

• Psalm 18-150

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

51. Waiting for Christmas

Waiting for Christmas. Lynn Austin. 2024. 288 pages. [Source: Library] [novella; christian fiction; historical fiction; holiday; Christmas; romance] [3 stars]

First sentence: Adelaide Forsythe held on to her hat in the wintry wind as she hurried home from the trolley stop.

Waiting for Christmas is a holiday novella starring characters from Lynn Austin's All My Secrets. Adelaide and Howard are preparing to celebrate their first Christmas together since marrying. What neither expected was to find an orphaned boy, Jack, and his younger sister, Polly, filling their home with one surprise after the other. Their mother has died; their father is at sea. Both are expecting a miracle for Christmas, it is harder for Howard and Adelaide to have faith in that miracle. 

It is unusual for christian historical romance to focus in on the first few months of marriage and chronicle the adjustment and transition. Most focus on the courtship and wedding....only offering epilogues now and then to fill out what happens after the happily ever after. (That's not to say that this does not happen, Janette Oke's Love Comes Softly comes to mind.) 

I am reading this one out of season. Perhaps reading it during the holiday season would make me feel all warm and cozy. I liked it well enough. I did. I don't know that I absolutely adored it. Then again, I'm not sure I absolutely and completely loved All My Secrets either. I think if you did love All My Secrets this one would definitely be worth reading OR if you love holiday-themed novellas.  

It is set in New York City, turn of the century, 1901. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

50. Toxic Empathy: How Progressives Exploit Christian Compassion

Toxic Empathy: How Progressives Exploit Christian Compassion. Allie Beth Stuckey. 2024. 224 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars] [christian nonfiction] 

First sentence: It was like I could feel her anxiety.

Can empathy be toxic? Stuckey argues YES. She makes an effort to distinguish between compassion, empathy, and toxic empathy. The book tackles five "lies" being promoted by society. She argues progressive society, but, I think it is more widespread than that. This is more the majority opinion, the mainstream opinion. Even within the mainstream church you can find advocates for all five lies. The church is not necessarily "safe" from these persuasive lies.

The five lies are as follows: 

• Abortion is health care
• Trans women are women
• Love is Love
• No human is illegal
• Social justice is justice

These are both political issues and moral/ethical issues. And Stuckey does not deny that these are complex, mutli-layered issues. But she also is clear that the Word of God is authoritative, that feelings are not truth, that Christians need to be clear where the Bible is clear. Kindness, true compassion, must be grounded in biblical truths. 

She writes,

"The erroneous conflation of love and empathy has convinced the masses that to be loving, we must feel the same way they do. Toxic empathy says we must not only share their feelings, but affirm their feelings and choices as valid, justified, and good."

She continues, 

Empathy can help us see their perspective and foster compassion, but that's all it can do. It can't guide us into making the right decisions or donning the wise, moral, or biblical position. Toxic empathy bullies us into believing that the unwise, immoral, and unbiblical position is actually the righteous one."

She follows up,

"To love means to want what is best for a person, as God defines "best." God's definition of what is good and loving will almost always contradict the world's definition, which will inevitably put us at odds with mainstream culture. While this is uncomfortable, the sacrifice is worth it. The truth can change lives."

And,

"This book isn't about killing empathy. It's about embracing God's vision for love, order, and goodness. My goal is to equip you with commonsense, biblical truths that dismantle toxic empathy from its foundations. Again: real love--the kind described by the God who created and is love (1 John 4:8)--always includes truth. The two are inextricably intertwined, since true love celebrates truth (1 Cor. 13:6). Christians are called to this kind of love regardless of whether we feel empathy or not." 

Finally,

"Putting yourself in someone's shoes may help you feel their pain, but their pain isn't determinative of what's true or false, right or wrong." 

I think the book is timely and relevant. I think it is well organized and laid out. The chapters--if you can call them chapters--are EXTREMELY long. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Sunday Salon #43

Bible reading

NASB 77

• Job 8-42
• Psalms 1-72

LSB

• Philippians
• Colossians
• 1 Thessalonians
• 2 Thessalonians
• 1 Timothy
• 2 Timothy
• Titus
• Philemon
• Hebrews
• James
• 1 Peter
• 2 Peter
• 1 John
• 2 John
• 3 John
• Jude
• Revelation

ESV

• Deuteronomy 12-34
• Joshua
• Judges
• Ruth
• 1 Samuel
• 2 Samuel
• Psalms 1-17

NKJV

• Nehemiah
• Esther
• Job
• Song of Songs
• Isaiah 1-39
• Matthew 13-28
• James

KJV

• Song of Solomon
• Daniel
• Hosea
• Joel
• Amos
• Obadiah
• Jonah
• Micah
• Nahum
• Habakkuk
• Zephaniah
• Haggai
• Zechariah
• Malachi
• 1 Chronicles
• 2 Chronicles 1-9

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible