Sunday, January 31, 2016

January Reflections

January Accomplishments:

  • Came home from the hospital after a rather extended completely unexpected 12 day stay
  • Focused on rest and recuperation after major surgery; discovered the sacred-ness of napping.

  • Celebrated being alive
  • Began reading books and reviewing them--at my own pace
  • Wrote a few 'best of 2015' or 'year in review' posts.  
  • Reviewed Glory to the Holy One, a hymn CD
  • My favorite 'discovery' this month is a post called: You Are Not a Number
  • January's Scripture Chain. What is a Scripture chain? Well, they are verses that link together in some way. It may be a common word, common phrase, a common theme or idea. Or the verses might when linked together show a progression of ideas or thoughts. 
  • Began journaling, a brand new "spiritual discipline" for me. 

  • What I've Read in the Bible this month:

    KJV

    • Genesis
    • Exodus
    • Leviticus
    • Numbers
    • Deuteronomy
    • Joshua
    • Judges
    • Ruth
    • Psalms
    • Proverbs
    • Matthew
    • Mark
    • Luke
    • John
    • Acts
    • Romans
    • 1 Corinthians
    • 2 Corinthians
    • Galatians
    • Ephesians
    • 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

    NASB

    • Genesis
    • Exodus
    • Psalm 1-12
    Favorite verse: 
    Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. John 17:17

    Books I've Reviewed This Month:

    1. Grace Untamed: A 60 Day Devotional. Edited by Elyse Fitzpatrick. 2016. [March] David C. Cook. 224 pages. [Source: Review copy] CHRISTIAN LIVING, DEVOTIONAL
    2. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. Donald S. Whitney. 1991/2014. NavPress. 341 pages. [Source: Bought] CHRISTIAN LIVING
    3. 1599 Geneva Bible. Tolle Lege Press. 1366 pages. [Source: Bought] NEW TESTAMENT REVIEW
    4. True Worshipers: Seeking What Matters To God. Bob Kauflin. 2015. Crossway. 176 pages. [Source: Review copy] CHRISTIAN LIVING
    5. Today is Day One: A Devotional. Matthew West. 2015. Harvest House. 224 pages. [Source: Review copy] DEVOTIONAL
    6. Prayer. A.W. Tozer. Compiled by W.L. Seaver. 2016. Moody. 272 pages. [Source: Review copy] CHRISTIAN LIVING
    Favorite quote(s):
    If God didn’t reveal himself to us, we wouldn’t know who to trust, who to obey, who to thank, or who to serve. We wouldn’t know what God is like, what he has commanded, or what he has promised. Most importantly, we wouldn’t know how he brought us near to himself and into his family through the substitutionary sacrifice of his Son on the cross. And all those truths are necessary to know if we want to worship God for who he is. True worship is always a response to God’s Word. ~ Bob Kauflin, True Worshipers
    Whatever keeps me from the Bible is my enemy, however harmless it may appear to be. Whatever engages my attention when I should be meditating on God and things eternal does injury to my soul. Let the cares of life crowd out the Scriptures from my mind and I have suffered loss where I can least afford it. Let me accept anything else instead of the Scriptures and I have been cheated and robbed to my eternal confusion. ~ A.W. Tozer, from That Incredible Christian.
    © Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

    January's Scripture Chain

    • Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. Revelation 4:11
    • Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. Psalm 90:2
    • O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth. Isaiah 36:16
    • O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. Isaiah 25:1
    • For thou art my lamp, O Lord: and the Lord will lighten my darkness. 2 Samuel 22:29
    • Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. Psalm 104:1
    • Thou art my portion, O Lord: I have said that I would keep thy words. Psalm 119:57
    • Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day. Psalm 25:5
    • Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. Psalm 143:10
    • For thou art my hope, O Lord God: thou art my trust from my youth. Psalm 71:5
    • Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee. Nehemiah 9:6
    • But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. Psalm 3:3
    • Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Psalm 23:4
    • I cried unto thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living. Psalm 142:5
    • But thou, Lord, art most high for evermore. Psalm 92:8
    • Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O Lord; thou art great, and thy name is great in might. Jeremiah 10:6
    • Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. Revelation 15:4
    • Thou art near, O Lord; and all thy commandments are truth. Psalm 119:151
    • For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me. Psalm 31:3
    • Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Psalm 32:7
    • Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word. Psalm 119:114
    • For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone. Psalm 86:10
    • But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God. Psalm 40:17
    • Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise. Jeremiah 17:14
    • Righteous art thou, O Lord, and upright are thy judgments. Psalm 119:137
    • O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; Psalm 63:1
    • Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress. Psalm 71:3
    • But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end. Psalm 102:27
    • For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. Psalm 86:5
    • But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. Psalm 86:15
    • Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting. Psalm 93:2
    • Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee. Psalm 118:28
    • Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes. Psalm 119:68
    • But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. Isaiah 64:8
    • Thine, O Lord is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. 1 Chronicles 29:11
    • We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. Revelation 11:17
    Inspiration: "How Great Thou Art"
    Translation Used: KJV

    © Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

    Week in Review: January 24-30

    Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Proverbs 30:5
    KJV

    • Proverbs 
    • Luke 18-24
    • John
    • Acts
    • 1 John 
    • 2 John
    • 3 John
    • Jude
    • Revelation

    NASB

    • Exodus 21-40
    • Psalms 9-12

    © Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

    Friday, January 29, 2016

    Book Review: Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life

    Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. Donald S. Whitney. 1991/2014. NavPress. 341 pages. [Source: Bought]

    Since reading Donald Whitney's book on prayer last fall, I've been wanting to read his earlier book on spiritual disciplines. What I most loved about his book on prayer was that it was passionately practical, extremely straightforward, and ENCOURAGING. It approached the subject of prayer honestly, the fact that most Christians struggle--have struggled, will struggle--with prayer, with the act of daily prayer. It was a book that built-you-up and supported you. It was just a life-changing book. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, however, takes a different approach. For the record, it was written at least two decades before his newest book on prayer. I wouldn't say I felt encouraged or supported after reading the book. Instead, I'd say I felt discouraged, overwhelmed, and not knowing HOW anyone would ever truly apply the "practical" aspects found in each and every chapter. I wouldn't go so far as to say that Whitney makes the disciplines an aspect of earning one's salvation, or earning God's attention or approval. Far from it. I get the idea that Whitney understands--grasps--the concept of grace. But surely there is a more reader-friendly approach to spiritual disciplines to help believers learn and grow.

    You might get the impression, I didn't like or enjoy the book. That isn't true. I did. In parts. A chapter or two at a time. I loved his two chapters on Bible reading. One focused more on hearing and reading the Bible. The other focused more on studying and meditating on the Bible. (He includes, I believe, SIXTEEN methods of meditating on Scripture.) Both were great chapters. I also enjoyed his chapter on prayer, though, it wasn't nearly as good as the book he's recently written on the subject. I liked that he recommended reading theology as a way to grow spiritually.

    So what does the book cover besides bible-reading and prayer? It has chapters on worship, evangelism, serving in the church and community, stewardship both of your time and your money, fasting (yes, fasting which he urges can't be skipped over), silence and solitude, journaling, learning (reading theology), and perseverance.

    One thing I definitely appreciated was Whitney quoting other believers--Puritans, Spurgeon, etc.

    Overall, I think the book makes some valid points, and offers a few practical tips on how to become more disciplined spiritually. But read cover-to-cover, even taking a week to do so, will more likely overwhelm you than encourage you.


    © Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

    Thursday, January 28, 2016

    Quotes from the Cloud #3

    This year, I hope share weekly posts of quotes. These quotes are from authors I'm reading and enjoying from the Clouds of Witnesses Reading Challenge

    For fellow participants, what I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to see is for people to share quotes from what they're reading. I'd love for you to share quotes occasionally with your readers and let me know about it. If you don't have a blog, you could always leave quotes in the comments here.
    Nothing exceeds thy power,
    Nothing is too great for thee to do,
    Nothing too good for thee to give.
    Infinite is thy might, boundless thy love,
    limitless thy grace, glorious thy saving name.
    Let angels sing for sinners repenting, prodigals restored,
    backsliders reclaimed, Satan's captives released,
    blind eyes opened, broken hearts bound up,
    the despondent cheered, the self-righteous stripped,
    the formalist driven from a refuge of lies,
    the ignorant enlightened,
    and saints built up in their holy faith. ~ "The Great God," Valley of Vision, p. 6
    Whatever keeps me from the Bible is my enemy, however harmless it may appear to be. Whatever engages my attention when I should be meditating on God and things eternal does injury to my soul. Let the cares of life crowd out the Scriptures from my mind and I have suffered loss where I can least afford it. Let me accept anything else instead of the Scriptures and I have been cheated and robbed to my eternal confusion. ~ A.W. Tozer, from That Incredible Christian.
    © Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

    Wednesday, January 27, 2016

    Year in Review: Top Ten Christian Fiction

    1. Mistress of Tall Acre. Laura Frantz. 2015. Revell. 400 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    2. Through Waters Deep. (Waves of Freedom #1) Sarah Sundin. Revell. 384 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    3. A Worthy Pursuit. Karen Witemeyer. 2015. Bethany House. 352 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
    4. Daughter of the Regiment. Stephanie Grace Whitson. 2015. [Late March] Bethany House. 336 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
    5. The Love Letters. Beverly Lewis. 2015. Bethany House. 352 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    6. Convenient Bride Collection. 2015. Barbour Books. 446 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    7. The Imposter. Suzanne Woods Fisher. 2015. Revell. 320 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
    8. The Innocent. Ann H. Gabhart. 2015. Revell. 400 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
    9. The Crimson Cord: Rahab's Story (Daughters of the Promised Land #1) Jill Eileen Smith. 2015. Revell. 368 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    10. Like a Flower in Bloom. Siri Mitchell. 2015. Bethany House. 384 pages. [Source: Review copy]

    Tuesday, January 26, 2016

    My Year with Spurgeon #3

    The Prodigals Return
    Charles Spurgeon
    1858
    Luke 15:20
    To get rid of old prejudices and preconceived notions is a very hard struggle indeed. It has been well said, that those few words, “I am mistaken,” are the hardest in all the English language to pronounce, and certainly it takes very much force to compel us to pronounce them: and after having done so, it is even then difficult to wipe away the slime which an old serpentine error has left upon the heart.
    If I had been let alone to form my notion of God, entirely from Holy Scripture, I feel, that with the assistance of his Holy Spirit it would have been far more easy for me to understand what he is, and how he governs the world, than to learn even the truths of his own Word, after the mind had become perverted by the opinions of others.
    Oh that we could unlearn all these fallacies, and believe God to be what he is! Oh that we could come to Scripture, and there look into that glass which reflects his sacred image, and then receive him as he is, the all Wise, the all-Just, and yet the all- Gracious, and all-Loving Jehovah!
    It is the man who knows himself lost, but desires to be saved, who is here declared to be met by God, and received with affectionate embraces.
    So let God’s grace just open a window and let the light into a man’s soul, and he will stand astonished to see at what a distance he is from God.
    Conscience tells every man that if he would be saved he must get rid of his sin. The Antinomian may possibly pretend to believe that men can be saved while they live in sin. but conscience will never allow any man to swallow so egregious a lie as that. I have not one person in this congregation who is not perfectly assured that if he is to be saved he must leave off his drunkenness and his vices.
    It is singular that other men think they shall live for ever, but men convinced of sin, who seek a Savior, are afraid they shall not live another moment.
    There was never a soul yet, that sincerely sought the Savior, who perished before he found him. No. the gates of death shall never shut on thee till the gates of grace have opened for thee; till Christ has washed thy sins away thou shalt never be baptized in Jordan’s flood. Thy life is secure, for this is God’s constant plan — he keeps his own elect alive till the day of his grace, and then he takes them to himself.
    Sinner, let this be thy comfort, that God sees thee when thou beginnest to repent. He does not see thee with his usual gaze, with which he looks on all men, but he sees thee with an eye of intense interest. He has been looking on thee in all thy sin, and in all thy sorrow, hoping that thou wouldst repent; and now he sees the first gleam of grace, and he beholds it with joy.

    © Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

    Monday, January 25, 2016

    Book Review: Grace Untamed

    Grace Untamed: A 60 Day Devotional. Edited by Elyse Fitzpatrick. 2016. [March] David C. Cook. 224 pages. [Source: Review copy]

    Grace Untamed is a 60 day devotional published by David Cook. There are quite a handful of contributors to this collection of grace-focused devotions. Contributors include: Elyse Fitzpatrick, Scotty Smith, Paul David Tripp, Steve Brown, Bryan Chappell, David Zahl, Ray Ortlund, Matt Chandler, and J.D. Greear. The devotional entries seemed to be grouped by alternating authors. Three or four days by the same author, then switch it up.

    I had never thought about grace being so varied a subject until I spent time reading this devotional. Grace is more than what God shows us in salvation. So much more. This book highlights salvation by grace alone, but, it also focuses on daily grace, every day grace, in-every-relationship grace. Because God has shown grace to us as believers, we should show grace to others--our family, our friends, our neighbors, our coworkers and bosses.

    Devotional books can be a commitment. Especially if you're mainly familiar with year-long devotional books. That is one reason I like to see lesser-commitment options: 30 days, 40 days, 60 days, 90 days, etc. I would recommend this devotional book. I found it to be theologically sound--at least so far as I can recall! The contributors were great, I thought. I was familiar with about half of them, and a few were new-to-me.

    Favorite quotes:
    Please don't insult the perfect work of Jesus by thinking that everything He did was merely some sort of example. His behavior was a great example, we could find no better role model than Jesus. But Jesus did not come to simply be our role model. He came to be our Savior. And to be our Savior, He became our righteousness. He became our merit. ~ Elyse Fitzpatrick
    Sin is self-obsessed, self-focused. Sin inserts me in the center of my world--the one place I must never be. Sin makes me full of myself. Sin makes it all about me. Sin makes me a vat of selfish thoughts and desires and wants. ~ Paul David Tripp
    Jesus welcome into His kingdom only the people who have defied Him and offended Him and sinned so badly that their own righteousness is gone for good. They've lost their innocence, and now they've come to Him with nothing but need. They don't admire themselves anymore. They mourn over themselves. But Jesus is happy with them, and He wants them to know He's happy with them. He's happy with you, to the praise of the glory of His grace. ~ Ray Ortlund
    © Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

    Sunday, January 24, 2016

    Week in Review: January 18-23

    All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. Luke 10:22
    But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9 
    KJV

    • Deuteronomy 15-34
    • Joshua
    • Judges
    • Ruth
    • Luke 1-17
    • 1 Peter
    • 2 Peter

    NASB

    • Genesis 37-50
    • Exodus 1-20
    • Psalms 4-8

    © Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

    Saturday, January 23, 2016

    Year in Review: 10 Songs That Helped Me Survive The Year

    2015 was a decidedly difficult but BLESSED year for me. God blessed me through my physical and emotional challenges. Here are ten songs that I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED singing along with throughout the year.

    10. Blessings. Laura Story. [Watch Live Performance Video]

    It's heart-felt, genuine, devotional.

    9. Thank God for Something. Hawk Nelson. [Watch Lyric Video]

    If a modern-day Pollyanna had a theme song, this might just be it. It's fast. It's positive. It's encouraging.

    8. Soon and Very Soon by Ronnie Milsap. [Watch Video]

    Oh-so-easy to sing along with. And to sing excitedly.

    7. How Great Thou Art [Watch Live Performance]

    Alan Jackson's two hymn albums are ones I've listened to almost weekly since first discovering them this past spring. I love, love, love, love, LOVE them.

    6. We Believe. Newsboys. [Watch Official Video]

    I love this one so much. There are truths we need to tell ourselves as believers each and every day. This song touches on oh-so-many of these truths.

    5. I'm Going Free. Vertical Church Band. [Watch Lyric Video]

    This one like, We Believe, contains vital truths that we need to be spiritually healthy. It is also a CLAP-HAPPY song. Love it.

    4. Sovereign. Chris Tomlin. [Watch Lyric Video]

    I loved this one when I first heard it, but, I didn't really grab onto this song until recently.

    3. Blessed Be Your Name. Matt Redman.  [Watch Lyric Video]

    I loved this one the first time I heard it--years and years ago. But again, it wasn't until this year, that it became MY very own, lived-in song. Until the darkness closes in on you--you can't really grasp how amazing it is to cling to God.

    2. How Can I Keep From Singing. Chris Tomlin. [Watch Lyric Video]

    I love this one so much. It is so true. Every line--every phrase--resonates with me.

    1. 10,000 Reasons. Matt Redman. [Watch Lyric Video]

    I've sung it loud. I've sung it in a whisper. I've cried my way through it more than once. Some happy tears. Some not-so-happy tears. But if one song and one song alone can represent the entire year. This would probably be it.

    © Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

    Friday, January 22, 2016

    Book Review: Prayer

    Prayer. A.W. Tozer. Compiled by W.L. Seaver. 2016. Moody. 272 pages. [Source: Review copy]

    I was super-excited to get a chance to review A.W. Tozer's "new" book on prayer. (Can I just say I'm so thankful that new Tozer books continue to be released. Tozer may have died fifty years ago, but he's still ever-relevant, in my opinion.) This book gathers together Tozer's thoughts on prayer. Chapters come from his sermons, articles, or books. The first section--containing twenty-two chapters--is called "Tozer's Writings," and the second section--containing six chapters--is called "Tozer's Sermons." The first section, if I recall correctly, the readings are perhaps a bit shorter, but, contain bonus material. Summaries are provided for what you've just read in that chapter, and Tozer's ideas are discussed and explored further. These chapters also include discussion questions. The second section, the readings are definitely longer. These chapters all come from sermons, not books published before or after his death.

    Chapters include:
    • The Whole Life Must Pray
    • The Sacrament of Living, part one and two
    • To Be Right, We Must Think Right
    • Prayer: No Substitute for Obedience
    • The Importance of Prayer in God's Eternal Work
    • Born after Midnight
    • Praying Without Condition
    • The Power of Silence
    • Dangers in Unanswered Prayer
    • What Profit In Prayer?
    • Three Ways To Get What We Want
    • Prayer Changes People and Things
    • On Wrestling in Prayer
    • Praying Till We Pray
    • God's Selfhood and Prayer
    • Truth has Two Wings
    • Honesty in Prayer
    • Measuring Spirituality by Public Prayers
    • The Best Things Come Hard
    • A Word to the Men about the Women
    • Does God Always Answer Prayer?
    • Prepare by Prayer, part one and two
    • Believing Prayer
    • In Everything by Prayer, part one, two, and three
    I would recommend this book for several reasons. One, I love A.W. Tozer. I do. I love him for his zeal, his passion, his stubborn clinging to the Bible as the undeniable WORD OF GOD. To read Tozer is to meet a man who loved God with mighty zeal. Tozer didn't seem to care about being popular or being well-liked. He cared about speaking the truth--as he saw it--and for Tozer, the source of truth was without a doubt, the Bible. Tozer was upset by things he saw: in the church, in society--and he spoke out about it. He clung to hope, however, that men and women could and would be transformed by the power of God, that godliness and holiness was always possible because our God is a big God, and his promises are true. Two, in addition to having a special appreciation for Tozer, I enjoy reading books on prayer. I think prayer remains a tricky subject being both simple and complex. I think believers will always need another book on prayer. And this one is worth reading. It has plenty of thought-provoking ideas in it. You may love or hate Tozer, but, you can't deny he makes you THINK.

    © Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

    Thursday, January 21, 2016

    Quotes from the Cloud #2

    This year, I hope share weekly posts of quotes. These quotes are from authors I'm reading and enjoying from the Clouds of Witnesses Reading Challenge

    For fellow participants, what I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to see is for people to share quotes from what they're reading. I'd love for you to share quotes occasionally with your readers and let me know about it. If you don't have a blog, you could always leave quotes in the comments here.
    Theology is not an end in itself, but rather points to the One who is greater than theology. When theology becomes an end in itself, it ceases to be a way into the knowledge of God. ~ A.W. Tozer, Delighting in God
    What people need today is truth--truth organized in a way that allows us to understand what God is about. The primary problem with theology is that we have organized it according to man's prejudice. Theology should be the study of God, not our human interpretation of God. That is where we encounter problems. Is God a Calvinism or is He an Arminian? According to some theology, you must be one or the other. ~ A.W. Tozer, Delighting in God
    When sin is stirred to life, the precious blood of God’s Son is the costly medicine needed to remove it. We need to stay away from sin if we can. But if we have fallen into sin, we must learn how to get up again and regain a firm faith. These very struggles show us what it means to really believe. We need to realize that sin is a horrible evil. This doesn’t seem to be true when we’re committing sin. We enjoy it while we are doing it. But after God’s laws make us aware of our sin, we realize that sin is hell itself and far more powerful than heaven or earth. After that, we can’t understand God’s grace without great effort. But a heart burdened by sin can say, “Even though I have committed many sins, ‘God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him’” (John 3:17). Without this comfort, we would have no remedy or defense against sin and its sting. ~ Martin Luther, Faith Alone, October 26

    © Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

    Wednesday, January 20, 2016

    Year in Review: Top Ten Christian Nonfiction

    1. Give Them Truth: Teaching Eternal Truths to Young Minds. Starr Meade. 2015. P&R Publishing. 208 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
    2. Praying the Bible. Donald S. Whitney. 2015. Crossway. 112 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    3. Newton on the Christian Life. Tony Reinke. 2015. Crossway. 288 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    4. Transforming Grace. Jerry Bridges. 1991. NavPress. 207 pages. [Source: Borrowed]
    5. Stronger. Clayton King. 2015. Baker Books. 208 pages. [Source: Review copy]  
    6. The Happy Christian. David Murray. 2015. Thomas Nelson. 256 pages. [Source: Borrowed] 
    7. Delighting in God. A.W. Tozer. 2015. Bethany House. 208 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
    8. Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God. Timothy Keller. 2014. Penguin. 336 pages. [Source: Library]
    9. Help My Unbelief: Why Doubt Is Not the Enemy of Faith.Barnabas Piper. Foreword by N.D. Wilson. 2015. [July 2015] David C. Cook. 176 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    10. Like Jesus: Shattering Our False Images of the Real Christ. Jamie Snyder. 2016. [February 2016] 192 pages. [Source: Review copy]

    © Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

    Tuesday, January 19, 2016

    My Year With Spurgeon #2

    The Two Talents
    Charles Spurgeon
    1858
    Matthew 25:22-23
    No man hath anything of his own, except his sins. We are but tenants at will. God hath put us into his estates, and he hath said, “Occupy till I come.”
    Oh, that we were all wise to believe and to act upon this most evident of all truths, that everything we have we have received from the Most High.
    Oh! for a spirit that bows always before the sovereignty of God.
    God hath made everything beautiful, but everything full of variety.
    God gives to some men but few talents, because he has many small spheres, and he would have these filled.
    To some he gives two talents, because two are enough, and five would be too many. Once more: God gives to men two talents, because in them very often he displays the greatness of his grace in saving souls.
    Remember, my hearer, that in the day of judgment thy account must be personal; God will not ask you what your church did — he will ask you what you did yourself.
    When God comes to look into our hearts at last, he will not only look at the great but at the little; everything will be seen into, the pence sins as well as the pound iniquities — all must be brought against us, and an exact account given.

    © Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

    Monday, January 18, 2016

    Book Review: Today is Day One

    Today is Day One: A Devotional. Matthew West. 2015. Harvest House. 224 pages. [Source: Review copy]

    Would I recommend Matthew West's Today is Day One? Yes and no. Yes, to those readers who are devotional readers, to those looking for a new devotional to read this year, to those who enjoy spending a few moments reading something light or moderately substantive. No, to those readers with little patience for devotional books, to those who find the typical devotional book to be too light, too flimsy for their spiritual needs. I do think sometimes people make the mistake of centering their "devotional" time, their "quiet" time around a particular devotional book instead of the Word of God. That is a big, big mistake in my opinion. For no devotional book--no matter how good--can replace the Bible.

    Today is Day One is a devotional book with two-hundred entries. Readers, even readers a little on the lazy side, should be able to read the book within a year. West shares insights about what he's learned about God and the Christian life within the book. The insights are almost always scriptural enough. But the book isn't just a book of insights into God's goodness, faithfulness, and abundant grace. The book also shares personal stories about being Matthew West, about being THE Matthew West, about being a famous singer/songwriter, about meeting his fans, about writing specific songs, about performing and traveling, etc. I could have done with less Matthew West if I'm being honest. The focus could have been more on God, on who He is, on what He has promised, on what He has done, on what He is doing, on what He will do. A little more glory rightly placed on Jesus Christ, and a little less on himself would have pleased me more.

    Some entries I definitely appreciated. The book does have some strengths. Is it my new favorite devotional? Probably not. But it's not a bad book all in all.

    © Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

    Week in Review: January 10-17

    Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore. ~ Psalm 105:3-4
    Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life. Psalm 42:8
    KJV

    • Leviticus
    • Numbers
    • Deuteronomy 1-14
    • Psalm 73-150
    • Mark 10-16
    • Romans
    • 1 Corinthians
    • 2 Corinthians
    • Titus
    • Philemon
    • Hebrews
    • James

    NASB

    • Genesis 14-36
    • Psalm 1-3


    © Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

    Sunday, January 17, 2016

    Music Review: Glory to the Holy One

    For the past two weeks, I've been enjoying listening to Glory to the Holy One. The album contains "new hymns" for the church. The lyrics are by R.C. Sproul, the music composed by Jeff Lippencott.

    The album contains these songs:

    1517
    Glory to the Holy One
    Come, O Lamb of God
    The Secret Place
    Variant on Benedictus
    Heavy Is Our Savior's Cross
    Highland Hymn
    Viam Dei
    No More the Grave
    Clothed in Righteousness
    These Great Things
    Come, Thou Savior, Spread Thy Table
    Worthy is the Lamb
    Amen

    The album also features an interview with R.C. Sproul and Jeff Lippencott. So what do I think? Obviously, I at least like it since I've been listening to it for the past few weeks. But I more than like it.

    It is different--in style--from what I normally listen to. It has an elegant, graceful, grand, grandiose feel to it. Definitely classical or classical choral. Think full orchestra and choir. The style is far removed from any music style I've heard in my own church. But every church is different, every denomination is different.

    The album contains a booklet with the lyrics. Chances are you'll need to read the lyrics at least the first few times you listen to the album. The lyrics are, in my opinion, hard to understand, the words hard to distinguish just by listening. Unless you've got the booklet handy, chances are you won't be joining in singing. Some albums really invite you to participate in singing along, in joining in. Others are a bit more intimidating.

    The lyrics. I have to say I really do find the lyrics to be great. These are substantive, theology-rich lyrics that celebrate the gospel, that celebrate God.

    The music. I have to say the album has a very soundtrack feel to it, in my opinion. If you enjoy listening to soundtracks, this one may suit you quite well.

    There are essentially two ways I best enjoy this album. First, as background music for when I'm on the computer, for when I'm catching up and writing reviews. The songs on the album blend together quite well, and, just complement each other perfectly. Second, as background music for when I'm napping. Let's call it sacred-napping. Rest is important, right?! Especially since I'm just a few weeks out from major surgery. There is just something very soothing about listening to this one and relaxing.

    You can listen to some of the songs yourself:

    The Secret Place (Concert Performance)
    Glory to the Holy One (Concert Performance)
    Come, O Lamb of God (Concert Performance)
    Worthy is the Lamb (Concert Performance)
    No More the Grave (Concert Performance)
    Heavy Is Our Savior's Cross (Concert Performance)
    These Great Things (Concert Performance)
    1517 (Concert Performance)

    © Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

    Friday, January 15, 2016

    Book Review: True Worshipers

    True Worshipers: Seeking What Matters To God. Bob Kauflin. 2015. Crossway. 176 pages. [Source: Review copy]

    True Worshipers: Seeking What Matters To God by Bob Kauflin is an easy book to recommend. It may be a book about worship, but, it isn't just a book for pastors and worship leaders. It is a book that every Christian could benefit from reading.

    Why? Because worship isn't about Sunday morning--or Sunday evening--worship services, church services. Yes, worship includes meeting together with other believers in the church. But worship is so much more than that. Worship is also so much more than singing: either singing hymns or singing praise and worship songs.

    Kauflin shares with readers what worship is: what true worship is. Here is the table of contents to give you a glimpse of what to expect:

    1. True Worshipers Matter: Worship and Reality
    2. True Worshipers Receive: Worship and Our Inability
    3. True Worshipers Exalt: Worship and Humility
    4. True Worshipers Gather: Worship and Community
    5. True Worshipers Edify: Worship and Maturity
    6. True Worshipers Sing: Worship and Music
    7. True Worshipers Keep Singing: Worship and Perseverance
    8. True Worshipers Encounter: Worship and the Presence of God
    9. True Worshipers Anticipate: Worship and Eternity

    I loved reading this one. I thought it was well-written, well-organized. I loved how scriptural it was. I loved how it was about so much more than music and music styles.

    Favorite quotes:
    The ability and desire to worship God is something that God himself gives us. But there’s another aspect to that gift. In the process of drawing and enabling us, God reveals himself to us. He tells us who he is. Not only are we unable to worship God apart from his grace; we don’t even know who it is we’re worshiping. God has to tell us. And he’s done that in the Bible.
    If God didn’t reveal himself to us, we wouldn’t know who to trust, who to obey, who to thank, or who to serve. We wouldn’t know what God is like, what he has commanded, or what he has promised. Most importantly, we wouldn’t know how he brought us near to himself and into his family through the substitutionary sacrifice of his Son on the cross. And all those truths are necessary to know if we want to worship God for who he is. True worship is always a response to God’s Word.
    If we want to grow as true worshipers of God, we won’t simply listen to more music— we’ll seek to encounter him in our Bibles.
    Unless we read our Bibles well, we won’t know the God we’re worshiping. When we fail to be specific about who God is and what he’s done, we’re really saying we want our own God. But true worship isn’t based on our personal opinions, ideas, experiences, best guesses, or some lowest common denominator.
    God has removed every hindrance to having a relationship with him. If we come by his grace, there is nothing that need stand in the way of our worshiping him. Nothing.
    © Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

    Thursday, January 14, 2016

    Quotes from the Cloud #1

    This year, I hope share weekly posts of quotes. These quotes are from authors I'm reading and enjoying from the Clouds of Witnesses Reading Challenge

    For fellow participants, what I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to see is for people to share quotes from what they're reading. I'd love for you to share quotes occasionally with your readers and let me know about it. If you don't have a blog, you could always leave quotes in the comments here.
    I thank thee for thy riches to me in Jesus,
    for the unclouded revelation of him in thy Word,
    where I behold his Person, character, grace, glory,
    humiliation, sufferings, death, and resurrection;
    Give me to feel a need of his continual saviourhood,
    and cry with Job, 'I am vile,'
    with Peter, 'I perish,'
    with the publican, 'Be merciful to me a sinner.' ~ "God the Source of All Good," Valley of Vision, p. 5
    Words are not the essence but the garment of prayer. Yet the use of words may prevent distraction, assist the powers of the soul, and excite devotion. There may be prevailing prayer without words and, sadly, there may be words where there is no true prayer. Let us cultivate the spirit of prayer, which is even better than the habit of prayer. We should begin to pray before we kneel down, and we should not cease to pray when we rise up. ~ Charles Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Daily Treasures in the Psalms, January 8
    © Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

    Tuesday, January 12, 2016

    My Year With Spurgeon #1

    A Call to the Unconverted
    Charles Spurgeon
    1857
    Galatians 3:10
    Art thou in Christ, or art thou not? Hast thou fled for refuge to him who is the only hope for sinners? or art thou yet a stranger to the commonwealth of Israel, ignorant of God and of his holy Gospel? Come — be honest with thine own heart, and let thy conscience say yes, or no, for one of these two things thou art to-night — thou art either under the wrath of God, or thou art delivered from it. Thou art to-night either an heir of wrath or an inheritor of the kingdom of grace.
    First, to-night we shall try the prisoner: secondly, we shall declare his sentence; and thirdly, if we find him confessing and penitent, we shall proclaim his deliverance; but not unless we find him so.
    To be damned in a crowd is no more comfortable than to be damned alone. It is true, thou hast been no worse than thy fellow-creatures but this will be of very poor service to thee.
    He will deal with thee as severely and as justly as if there were never another sinner in all the world. And pray, what hast thou to do with other men’s sins? Thou art not responsible for them. God made thee to stand or fall by thyself According to thine own deeds thou shalt be judged.
    Religion is a thing between God and thine own soul, O man; and therefore, I do beseech thee, do not look upon thy neighbour’s, but upon thine own heart.
    If you had never committed one single act of sin, yet the thought of sin, the imagination of it would be enough to sweep your soul to hell for ever. If you had been born in a cell, and had never been able to come out into the world, either to commit acts of lasciviousness, murder, or robbery, yet the thought of evil in that lone cell might be enough to cast your soul for ever from the face of God.
    Oh! there is no man here that can hope to escape We must every one of us bow our heads before God, and cry, “Guilty, Lord, guilty — every one of us guilty.
    I would rather stand in this pulpit and preach twenty sermons on the love of Jesus, than one like this. It is very seldom that I meddle with the theme, because I do not know that it is often necessary; but I feel that if these things were kept altogether in the background, and the law were not preached, the Master would not own the gospel; for he will have both preached in their measure, and each must have its proper prominence.
    I would that I might preach every hour, and every moment of the day, the unsearchable riches of Christ; for what an awful thing it is to die without a Savior. And then, I thought how many a time I had stood in the pulpit, and had not preached in earnest as I ought to have done; how I have coldly told out the tale of the Savior, when I ought to have wept very showers of tears, in overwhelming emotion.
    My heart, and my whole spirit are stirred for you. My harshest words are far more full of love than the smooth words of soft- speaking ministers, who say, “Peace, peace,” when there is no peace. Do you think it is any pleasure to me to preach like this? Oh! I had far rather be preaching of Jesus; his sweet, his glorious person, and his all-sufficient righteousness. Now come, we will have a sweet word before we have done.
    Faith believes in Christ when it sees sin to be black, and trusts in him to remove it all. Now poor sinner, with all thy sin about thee, take this promise in thy hands, go home tonight, or if thou canst, do it before thou gettest home — go home, I say, up-stairs, alone, down by the bed-side, and pour out thine heart, “O Lord, it is all true that that man said; I am condemned, and Lord I deserve it. O Lord, I have tried to be better, and I have done nothing with it all, but have only grown worse. Lord, I have slighted thy grace, I have despised thy gospel: I wonder thou hast not damned me years ago; Lord, I marvel at myself, that thou sufferest such a base wretch as I am to live at all. I have despised a mother’s teaching, I have forgotten a father’s prayers. Lord, I have forgotten thee; I have broken thy Sabbath, taken thy name in vain. I have done everything that is wrong, and if thou dost condemn me, what can I say? Lord, I am dumb before thy presence. I have nothing to plead. But Lord, I come to tell thee to-night, thou hast said in the Word of God, ‘Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out.’ Lord, I come: my only plea is that thou hast said, ‘This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.’ Lord, I am a sinner, he came to save me. I trust in it — sink or swim — Lord, this is my only hope: I cast away every other, and hate myself to think I ever should have had any other.
    If you cannot pray such a long prayer as that, I tell you what to go home, and say. Say this, “Lord Jesus, I know I am nothing at all; be thou my precious all in all.”
    © Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

    Monday, January 11, 2016

    Bible Review: 1599 Geneva Bible, New Testament

    1599 Geneva Bible. Tolle Lege Press. 1366 pages. [Source: Bought]

    In 2015, I was able to read the New Testament in three early translations: the Wycliffe New Testament, the Tyndale New Testament, and finally the 1599 Geneva Bible. The 1599 Geneva Bible contains the Old and New Testaments, but, my focus was on completing only the New Testament.

    I enjoyed reading this translation. Perhaps I don't love, love, love it like I do other translations. But I have come to appreciate it.

    Here are some verses to give you a taste of the translation:
    • Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say, rejoice. Philippians 4:4
    • I am able to do all things through the help of Christ, which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:13
    • Do all things without murmuring and reasonings, That ye may be blameless, and pure, and the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a naughty and crooked nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither have labored in vain. Philippians 2:14-16
    • For God so loveth the world, that he hath given his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
    • Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many dwelling places: if it were not so, I would have told you: I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there may ye be also. John 14:1-3

    Sunday, January 10, 2016

    Things I'm Thankful For This January

    I'm thankful to be alive.

    I'm thankful to be out of the hospital.

    I'm thankful that it was NOT cancer after all.

    I'm thankful for the time I spent on the cancer ward.

    I'm thankful for the support of my family and friends.

    I'm thankful for nurses, doctors, and surgeons. I definitely have a new appreciation for nurses and technicians. Day and night--they were THERE.

    I'm thankful for the opportunity I had to meet people.

    I'm thankful that the Holy Spirit intercedes in prayers when we're unable to put prayers into words.

    I'm thankful for God's blessings and His Providence.

    I'm thankful for pain medication.

    I'm thankful for sleep and rest.

    © Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

    Week in Review January 1-January 9

    I am able to do all things through the help of Christ, which strengtheneth me. ~ Philippians 4:13, 1599 Geneva Bible
    I can do all things through him who strengthens me. ~ Philippians 4:13, ESV
    I am ready for anything through the strength of the one who lives within me. ~ Philippians 4:13, J.B. Phillips
    KJV

    • Genesis
    • Exodus
    • Psalms 1-72
    • Matthew
    • Mark 1-9
    • Galatians
    • Ephesians
    • Philippians
    • Colossians
    • 1 Thessalonians
    • 2 Thessalonians
    • 1 Timothy
    • 2 Timothy

    NASB

    • Genesis 1-13


    © Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

    Signing Up for my Operation Deepen Faith

    Operation Deepen Faith
    Host: Operation Actually Read Bible (sign up)
    Dates: January - December

    I'm signing up for:

    I. Wonderful Words of Life.
    My goal is to read the whole Bible through at least two to four times. My plan is to read it through in the King James Version during the week, at my own pace, perhaps sometimes fast and sometimes slow. And on the weekends to read the Bible in the New American Standard Version. I imagine I'll finish in the KJV first. Once I finish the Bible through once, I'll have a better idea of where to focus next.

    1) King James Version; begun January 1, 2016
    2) New American Standard Version; begun January 8, 2016
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    II. Sweet Hour of Prayer.
    I'll be trying to get back to praying daily--praying the Psalms daily. But if I read other books on prayers with different methods or tips, I might vary it up a little. I am also journaling some. But not committing to daily journaling. This one won't really be "update-able" in progress.

    III. How Firm a Foundation. The book I'll be focusing on this year is the book of REVELATION. I hope to read it through twelve times--and hopefully four of those times will be in a study Bible.

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    IV. Deep and Wide. I'll be choosing the gospel of John, 1 John, 2 John, and 3 John.

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    1 John, 2 John, 3 John
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    V. Meditate or Memorize. I'll be keeping a spiral of "verses" I'm working on again last year. This perhaps with the exception of discovering praying the Bible was the single most life-changing thing I discovered last year.

    VI. Choose a Research Project. My first research project will be to read up on the DOCTRINES OF GRACE, aka ELECTION or PREDESTINATION. I may listen to sermons/sermon series; I may read articles or essays; I may read books. Probably a combination of all three.

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    VII Christian Nonfiction. My goal is to read 36 books

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    VIII We Believe. My goal is to read SIX creeds, catechisms, or confessions throughout the year.

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    © Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

    Saturday, January 9, 2016

    Books Read in 2016

    Pierre-Auguste Renoir: "Gabrielle lisante" and "Liseuse a la Venus"
    January
    Christian Fiction

    • none this month
    Christian Nonfiction

    1. Grace Untamed: A 60 Day Devotional. Edited by Elyse Fitzpatrick. 2016. [March] David C. Cook. 224 pages. [Source: Review copy] CHRISTIAN LIVING, DEVOTIONAL
    2. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. Donald S. Whitney. 1991/2014. NavPress. 341 pages. [Source: Bought] CHRISTIAN LIVING
    3. 1599 Geneva Bible. Tolle Lege Press. 1366 pages. [Source: Bought] NEW TESTAMENT REVIEW
    4. True Worshipers: Seeking What Matters To God. Bob Kauflin. 2015. Crossway. 176 pages. [Source: Review copy] CHRISTIAN LIVING
    5. Today is Day One: A Devotional. Matthew West. 2015. Harvest House. 224 pages. [Source: Review copy] DEVOTIONAL
    6. Prayer. A.W. Tozer. Compiled by W.L. Seaver. 2016. Moody. 272 pages. [Source: Review copy] CHRISTIAN LIVING
    February
    Christian Fiction

    1. The Prophetess. Jill Eileen Smith. 2016. Revell. 368 pages. [Source: Review copy] BIBLICAL FICTION
    Christian Nonfiction

    1. Judges and Ruth: God in Chaos. Barry G. Webb. 2015. Crossway. 304 pages. [Source: Review copy] BIBLE COMMENTARY
    2. Is God Anti-Gay? And Other Questions About Homosexuality, the Bible and Same-Sex Attraction. Sam Allberry. 2013/2015. Good Book Co. 93 pages. [Source: Gift] CURRENT ISSUES
    3. I am N: Inspiring Stories of Christians Facing Islamic Extremists. Voice of the Martyrs. 2016. David C. Cook. 304 pages. [Source: Review Copy] CURRENT ISSUES
    4. Valley of Vision: A Collection of Prayers and Devotions. Arthur Bennett. 1975. Banner of Truth. 223 pages. [Source: Gift] DEVOTIONAL, POETRY, CHRISTIAN CLASSIC
    5. Christ Among Other Gods. Erwin Lutzer. 1994/2016. Moody. 256 pages. [Source: Review copy] CURRENT ISSUES, CHRISTIAN LIVING, 
    6. Best of A.W. Tozer (#1) A.W. Tozer. Compiled by Warren Wiersbe. 1978/2007. 251 pages. [Source: Bought] DEVOTIONAL, CHRISTIAN LIVING
    7. Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon (Thru the Bible #21) J. Vernon McGee. 1977/1996. Thomas Nelson. 192 pages. [Source: Gift from Friend]  BIBLE COMMENTARY
    8. A Tale of Two Sons: The Inside Story of a Father, His Sons, and a Shocking Murder. 2008. Thomas Nelson. 221 pages. [Source: Gift] CHRISTIAN LIVING, 
    9. The Whole Christ: Legalism, Antinomianism, and Gospel Assurance--Why the Marrow Controversy Still Matters. Sinclair B. Ferguson. 2016. Crossway. 256 pages. [Source: Review copy] THEOLOGY, CHRISTIAN LIVING
    10. Pleasing God. R.C. Sproul. 1994. Tyndale. 234 pages. [Source: Bought] CHRISTIAN LIVING, THEOLOGY
    11. PROOF: Finding Freedom Through the Intoxicating Joy of Irresistable Grace. Daniel Montgomery and Timothy Paul Jones. 2014. Zondervan. 224 pages. [Source: Bought] CHRISTIAN LIVING, THEOLOGY    
    March
    Christian fiction:

    1. A Sweet Misfortune. Maggie Brendan. 2016. Revell. 336 pages. [Source: Review copy] [Historical Romance]
    2. The Screwtape Letters. C.S. Lewis. 1942. HarperCollins. 224 pages. [Source: Bought] [Adult fantasy]
    3. The Temple: Sacred Poems and Private Ejaculations. George Herbert. 1633. 192 pages. [Source: Library] [poetry]
    Christian nonfiction:  

    1. Habits for Our Holiness. Philip Nation. 2016. Moody Publishers. 224 pages. [Source: Review copy] [Christian living, spiritual disciplines, theology]
    2. Touching the Hem: A Biblical Response to Physical Suffering. Elizabeth A. Johnson. 2013. Ambassador International. 160 pages. [Source: Bought] [christian living, suffering, christian nonfiction]
    3. Lessons from a Hospital Bed. John Piper. 2016. Crossway. 80 pages. [Source: Free from Desiring God Ministries.] [Gift book, christian living, suffering]
    4. A Peculiar Glory. John Piper. Crossway. 2016. 304 pages. [Source: Review copy] [book about the Bible, christian nonfiction, theology]
    5. Parables. John MacArthur. 2015. Thomas Nelson. 288 pages. [Source: Gift from Grace to You] [book about the Bible, christian nonfiction]
    6. Walking As He Walked. Joel R. Beeke. 2002/2007. 133 pages. [Source: Bought] [Christian living, christian nonfiction]
    7. Hosea and Joel. J. Vernon McGee. 1978/1996. Thomas Nelson. 180 pages. [Source: Bought] [Bible commentary]
    8. Mere Christianity. C.S. Lewis. 1943. 256 pages. [Source: Library] [Christian classic]
    9. 1 Corinthians: The Word of the Cross. Stephen T. Um. 2015. Crossway. 368 pages. [Source: Review copy] [Bible commentary]
    10. My Name is Mahtob. Mahtob Moody. 2015. Thomas Nelson. 352 pages. [Source: Library] [Memoir]
    11. The Answer to Bad Religion is Not No Religion. Martin Thielen. 2014. Westminster John Knox. 160 pages. [Source: Library] [Not exactly recommended]
    12. Healed of Cancer. Dodie Osteen. 1986/2003. Lakewood Church. 81 pages. [Source: Borrowed] [Definitely not recommended]
    April

    Christian fiction:

    1. No Other Will Do. Karen Witemeyer. 2016. Bethany House. 368 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    2. No Graven Image. Elisabeth Elliot. 1966. 267 pages. [Source: Inter-Library-Loan]
    3. C.S. Lewis at War: The Dramatic Story Behind Mere Christianity. Focus on the Family Radio Theatre. Tyndale. 2 Discs. [Source: Library]
    Christian nonfiction: 


    1. Why Christ Came: 31 Meditations on the Incarnation. Joel R. Beeke & William Boekestein. 2013. Reformation Heritage. 108 pages. [Source: Bought]
    2. God's Word, Our Story. Learning from the Book of Nehemiah. D.A. Carson and Kathleen B. Nielson, editors. 2016. Crossway. 208 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    3. Know the Creeds and Councils. Justin S. Holcomb. 2014. Zondervan. 183 pages. [Source: Bought]
    4. 100 Bible Verses Everyone Should Know By Heart. Robert J. Morgan. 2010. B&H Publishing. 288 pages. 288 pages. [Source: Bought]
    5. Looking for Lovely. Annie F. Downs. 2016. 208 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    6. Experiencing the Trinity: The Grace of God for the People of God. Joe Thorn. 2015. Crossway. 144 pages. [Source: Library]
    7.  The Pursuit of Holiness. Jerry Bridges. 1978. NavPress. 160 pages. [Source: Bought]  
    8. Why Bother With Church? Sam Allberry. 2016. Good Book Company. [Source: Borrowed]  
    9. Jesus Without Borders. Chad Gibbs. 2015. Zondervan. 240 pages. [Source: Library] 
    May

    Christian fiction:
    1. Anchor in the Storm. Sarah Sundin. 2016. Revell. 400 pages. [Review copy]
    2. The Quieting. Suzanne Woods Fisher. 2016. Revell. 352 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
    3. The Rhyme Bible Storybook. L.J. Sattgast. Illustrated by Laurence Cleyet-Merle. 1996/2012. Zonderkidz. (Zondervan) 344 pages. [Source: Borrowed]
    Christian nonfiction:  
    1. Habits of Grace: Enjoying Jesus Through the Spiritual Disciplines. David Mathis. Foreword by John Piper. 2016. Crossway. 240 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    2. The God We Worship. Edited by Jonathan L. Master. 2016. P&R Publishing. 192 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    3. Heaven and the Afterlife. Erwin W. Lutzer. 2016. Moody Publishers. 480 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    4. For the Glory: Eric Liddell's Journey From Olympic Champion to Modern Martyr. Duncan Hamilton. 2016. 400 pages. [Source: Library]
    5. Severe Compassion: The Gospel According to Nahum. Gregory D. Cook. 2016. P&R Publishing. 288 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    6. Passionate Preaching of Martyn Lloyd Jones. Steven J. Lawson. 2016. Reformation Trust. 180 pages. [Source: Borrowed]
    7. Blood Work: How the Blood of Christ Accomplishes Our Salvation. Anthony J. Carter. 2013. Reformation Trust. 150 pages. [Source: Bought]
    8. I Wonder: Engaging a Child's Curiosity about the Bible. Elizabeth Caldwell. 2016. Abingdon. 160 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    June

    Christian fiction:
    1. The Road to Paris. Nikki Grimes. 2006. 153 pages. [Source: Bought]  
    2. First Virtues for Toddlers. Mary Manz Simon. 2016. B&H. 256 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
    3. When Daddy Prays. Nikki Grimes. 2002. 32 pages. [Source: Library]
    Christian nonfiction: 
    1. The Joy Project. Tony Reinke. 2015. Desiring God. 122 pages. [Source: Bought]
    2. Five Points: Towards a Deeper Experience of God's Grace. John Piper. 2013. 94 pages. [Source: Bought] 
    3. Breaking the Islam Code. J.D. Greear. 2010. Harvest House. 176 pages. [Source: Bought]
    4. The Five Love Languages of Children. Gary Chapman, D. Ross Campbell. 1995/2016. Moody Publishers. 224 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
    5.  Exalting Jesus in Philippians. Tony Merida and Francis Chan. 2016. B&H. 209 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    6. God Has A Wonderful Plan For Your Life. Ray Comfort. 2010. Living Waters. 128 pages. [Source: Borrowed]
    7. How To Enjoy Reading Your Bible. Keith Ferrin. 2015. Bethany House. 176 pages. [Source: Bought]
    8. Seasons of Waiting. Betsy Childs Howard. 2016. Crossway. 128 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    9. Reading The Word of God In the Presence of God. Vern S. Poythress. 2016. Crossway. 464 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    July

    Christian fiction:
    1. Twenty and Ten. Claire Huchet Bishop. Illustrated by William Pene du Bois. 1952/1978. 76 pages. [Source: Bought] 
    Christian nonfiction: 

    1. Theologians You Should Know. Michael Reeves. 2016. Crossway. 336 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    2. One of the Few. Jason B. Ladd. 2015. 297 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    3. Judge Not. Todd Friel. 2015. 320 pages. [Source: Borrowed]
    4. Blessed My Whole Life Through. Eldon Hatch. 2009. 88 pages. [Source: Gift]
    5. Big Beliefs: Small Devotionals Introducing Your Family to Big Truths. David R. Helm. 2016. P&R. 192 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    6. How Church Can Change Your Life. Josh Moody. 2015. Christian Focus Publications. 76 pages. [Source: Borrowed] 
    7. David Brainerd: May I Never Loiter On My Heavenly Journey. John Piper. 2012. Desiring God. 34 pages. [Source: Free Download]
    August

    Christian fiction:
    1. The Night Gardener. Jonathan Auxier. 2014. Abrams. 350 pages. [Source: Bought]
    2. Where Hope Prevails (Return to the Canadian West #3). Janette Oke and Laurel Oke Logan. 2016. Bethany House. 320 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    3. To Follow Her Heart. Rebecca DeMarino. 2016. Revell. 352 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    4. A Changed Agent. Tracey J. Lyons. 2016. 229 pages. [Source: Library]
    5. God Loves Me. Mary Alice Jones. Illustrated by Elizabeth Webbe. 1961. 30 pages. [Source: Bought]
    6. God Is Good. Mary Alice Jones. Illustrated by Elizabeth Webbe. 1955. 30 pages. [Source: Bought]
    7. My Little Golden Book About God. Jane Werner Watson. Illustrated by Eloise Wilkin. 1956. 24 pages. [Source: Gift]
    Christian nonfiction:
    1. Exalting Jesus in Leviticus. Allan Moseley. 2015. B&H. 288 pages. [Source: Bought]
    2. When Trouble Comes. Philip Graham Ryken. 2016. Crossway. 176 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    3. Being There. Dave Furman. 2016. Crossway. 176 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    4. The Life We Never Expected. Andrew and Rachel Wilson. 2016. Crossway. 160 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    5. Exalting Jesus in Ecclesiastes. Daniel L. Akin and Jonathan Akin. 2016. B&H. 288 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    6. "Free Grace" Theology. Wayne Grudem. 2016. Crossway. 160 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    7. Messiah: Fifty Expository Discourses Preached in the Years 1784 and 1785. John Newton. 432 pages. [Source: Bought]
    8. Stressed Out. Todd Friel. 2016. New Leaf Press. 205 pages. [Source: Borrowed]

    September

    Christian fiction:

    1. Good Good Father. Chris Tomlin and Pat Barrett. 2016. Thomas Nelson. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
    2. The Revolt. Douglas Bond. 2016. P&R. 240 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    3. Crossroads in Galilee. Elizabeth Raum. 2016. BJU Press. [Source: Review copy]
    Christian nonfiction:

    1. Unashamed: Healing Our Brokenness and Finding Freedom from Shame. Heather Davis Nelson. 2016. Crossway. 192 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    2. Miracle Man. John Hendrix. 2016. Harry N. Abrams. 40 pages. [Source: Library]
    3. Overcoming Sin and Temptation. John Owen. Edited by Justin Taylor and Kelly M. Kapic. 2006/2015. Crossway. 462 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
    4. Don't Follow Your Heart. Jon Bloom. 2015. Desiring God. 196 pages. [Source: Downloaded for Free]
    5. 52 Little Lessons from Les Miserables. Bob Welch. 2014. Thomas Nelson. 224 pages. [Source: Bought]
    6. Song of Songs. Ian M. Duguid. 2016. P&R. 216 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    7. Winning Balance. Shawn Johnson and Nancy French. 2012. Tyndale. 256 pages. [Source: Library]
    8. What Grieving People Wish You Knew About What Really Helps (And What Really Hurts). Nancy Guthrie. 2016. Crossway. 192 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    9. Voice of a Prophet. A.W. Tozer. 2014. Regal. 208 pages. [Source: Bought]
    10. Unshakable. K. Scott Oliphint and Rod Mays. 2016. P&R. 160 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    11. The Lion First Book of Bible Stories. Lois Rock. Illustrated by Barbara Vagnozzi. 2012. Lion Hudson. 96 pages. [Source: Library]
    October

    Christian fiction:
    1. The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest. Melanie Dickerson. 2015. Thomas Nelson. 306 pages. [Source: Library] 
    2. The Beautiful Pretender. Melanie Dickerson. 2016. Thomas Nelson. 320 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
    3. The Devoted. Suzanne Woods Fisher. 2016. Revell. 336 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
    4. This Road We Traveled. Jane Kirkpatrick. 2016. Revell. 340 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    5. Flirtation Walk. Siri Mitchell. 2016. Bethany House. 384 pages. [Source: Library]
    Christian nonfiction:  
    1. Why The Reformation Still Matters. Michael Reeves and Tim Chester. 2016. Crossway. 224 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
    2. Show Them Jesus: Teaching the Gospel to Kids. 2014. New Growth Press. 224 pages. [Source: Book I Bought]
    3. Questioning Evangelism. Randy Newman. 2003. Kregel. 272 pages. [Source: Bought]
    4. Full. Asheritah Ciuciu. 2017. Moody. 256 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
    5. Gleanings in Genesis. A.W. Pink. 1922. 420 pages. [Source: Bought] 
    6. Be Basic (Genesis 1-11) Warren W. Wiersbe. 2010. David C. Cook. 192 pages. [Source: Bought] 
    7. None Like Him. Jen Wilkin. 2016. Crossway. 163 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
    8. Remember and Return. John MacArthur. 2016. Baker Books. 208 pages. [Source: Free]
    9. Blessed: God's Gift of Love. Mary J. Moerbe and Christopher Mitchell. 2016. Concordia. 144 pages. [Source: Review copy]

    November
    Christian fiction:
    1.  The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill. Julie Klassen. 2016. Bethany House. 448 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    Christian nonfiction:
    1. Hungry: Learning to Feed Your Soul with Christ. Rondi Lauterbach. 2016. P&R. 224 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    2. Rescuing the Gospel: The Story and Significance of the Reformation. Erwin W. Lutzer. 2016. Baker Books. 224 pages. [Source: Bought]
    3. John Bunyan and the Grace of Fearing God. Joel R. Beeke and Paul M. Smalley. 2016. 160 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    4. Jesus. A.W. Tozer. 2017. Moody. 208 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
    5. Culture. A.W. Tozer. 2016. Moody. 176 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    6. Pursuing Health in an Anxious Age. Bob Cutillo, M.D. 2016. Crossway. 208 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    7. Unlimited Grace. Bryan Chapell. 2016. Crossway. 192 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    8. Prophet, Priest, and King. Richard P. Belcher Jr. 2016. P&R Publishing. 236 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    9. Thru the Bible: Genesis 1-15. J. Vernon McGee. 1975. 204 pages. [Source: Bought]
    10. Thru the Bible: Genesis 16-33. J. Vernon McGee. 1975. 188 pages. [Source: Bought]
    11. Thru the Bible: Genesis 34-50. J. Vernon McGee. 1975. 180 pages. [Source: Bought]
    12. The Book of Jesus. Calvin Miller, ed. B&H. 576 pages. [Source: Bought]
    13. Christmas is Coming! But Waiting is Hard! Karen Whiting. 2016. Abingdon Press. 112 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    14. Hidden Christmas. Timothy Keller. 2016. 160 pages. [Source: Library]
    15. The Believer's Walk With Christ. John MacArthur. 2017. Moody. 160 pages. [Source: Review copy] 

    December

    Christian fiction:
    1. Everyman. Anonymous. 1485. 98 pages. [Source: Library; play; classic]
    2. Newton and Polly. Jody Hedlund. 2016. Waterbrook. 400 pages. [Source: Library] 
    3. Mary's Christmas Story. Teresa Olive. Illustrated by Nancy Munger. 1996. Concordia. 16 pages. [Source: Bought]
    4. The Time of Christmas. Suzanne Richterkessing. 1999/2002. Concordia. 32 pages. [Source: Bought]
    5. Mortimer's Christmas Manger. Karma Wilson. Illustrated by Jane Chapman. Simon & Schuster. 40 pages. [Source: Bought]
    6. Song of the Stars. Sally Lloyd-Jones. Illustrated by Alison Jay. 2011. Zondervan. 32 pages. [Source: Bought]
    Christian nonfiction:
    1. Alive in the Spirit. A.W. Tozer. 2016. Bethany House. 192 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    2. The Barbarians Are Here. Michael Youssef. 2017. 272 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    3. Beyond the 95 Theses. Stephen J. Nichols. 2016. P&R. 288 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    4. The Dawning of Indestructible Joy. John Piper. 2013. 94 pages. [Source: Bought]
    5. From Heaven: A 28 Day Advent Devotional. A.W. Tozer. 2016. Moody. 128 pages. [Source: Bought] 
    6. God the Son Incarnate. Stephen J. Wellum. 2016. Crossway. 480 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    7. Good News of Great Joy. John Piper. 2012. 70 pages. [Source: Bought]
    8. Help Heavenward: Guidance and Strength for the Christian's Life Journey. Octavius Winslow. Foreword by Joel R. Beeke. Banner of Truth. 195 pages. [Source: Bought]
    9. Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room. Nancy Guthrie. 2010. 112 pages. [Source: Bought]
    10. Sketch of the Life and Labors of George Whitefield. 1854. J.C. Ryle. 80 pages. [Source: Bought]
    11. You Can Change. Tim Chester. 2010. Crossway. 192 pages. [Source: Review copy]
    12. Zechariah. J. Vernon McGee. 1979/1997. Thomas Nelson. 204 pages. [Source: Bought]

    © Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible