18. 7 Feasts

7 Feasts: Finding Christ in the Sacred Celebrations of the Old Testament. Erin Davis. 2020. 304 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: I learned from my grandma to love puzzles.

7 Feasts is a Bible Study drawn from a study of Leviticus 23. Intimidated by Leviticus? Don't be. For while the study theoretically should be largely drawn from Leviticus--this particular chapter--Davis pulls in texts from the Old Testament and New Testament that shed some light on what is being studied. There is an introductory chapter about the importance of remembering and observing; included in this first week's study is the importance of handling Scripture rightly. Readers are taught six rules. (I'll quote them below). Then the subsequent seven chapters are about the seven feasts: The Passover, The Feast of Unleavened Bread, The Feast of Firstfruits, The Feast of Weeks, The Feast of Trumpets, The Day of Atonement, The Feast of Booths. Each week has five devotions or studies.

The six rules of handling Scripture rightly:

Rule #1: We let Scripture interpret Scripture. It is essential for us to interpret a passage in light of what the rest of Scripture says on the topic.

Rule #2: We pay close attention to context. Every word in the Bible is part of a verse. Every verse is part of a paragraph. Every paragraph is part of a book. Every book is part of the whole of Scripture. No verse of Scripture should be divorced from the verses around it. 

Rule #3: Pause to consider what type of book or passage you’re reading. Here are some broad categories that can be used to help us understand the context of most Scripture passages: 1) Epistles or Letters 2) Gospels 3) Parables 4) Eschatology 5) Apocalyptic 6) Law 7) Historical Narrative 8) Hebrew Poetry 9) Prophecy 10) Wisdom

Rule #4: Try to discern the writer’s intentions when he wrote the text. A passage cannot mean something to us today that it was never intended to mean to the original audience. The Bible is unique in its timelessness.

Rule #5: Keep it simple. The Bible is not a book of riddles to be solved. God is not a God of confusion, but of clarity (1 Cor. 14:33). He has not spoken in order to conceal, but to be understood and known (Isa. 48:6, Jer. 33:3). When we open God’s Word, it is the plain meaning of the text we are seeking to understand. 

Rule #6: Always take a God-centered approach. Avoid looking at Scripture primarily to better understand yourself or correct your actions. Ask yourself “What does this show me about God?” before you ask, “What does this tell me about me?” or “What should I do?” Right application of Scripture is only ever an outflow of right understanding of who God is.

These are rules that readers can take with them and use every time they read and study Scripture. These are also helpful rules when it comes to DISCERNING another person's preaching or teaching. If someone is telling you something is true that clearly violates one or more of these rules of how to interpret and understand Scripture--you can spot it.

The rules are definitely one of the most practical takeaways from reading the book.

The weekly studies. For better or worse. The studies keep thing very simple, very basic. The activities are definitely more about understanding the original context of the seven feasts and less on the actual details of the feasts and how specifically Christ is to be found. So if you come to this one specifically looking for Christ-types, Christ-symbols, talk of imagery, meaning, significance, etc., you might be disappointed. Or if you come seeking a geeky-guide to the actual feasts and how they were and how they are celebrated by Jews...you might be slightly disappointed.

That being said, what is here is of value and worth. The activities are more LOOK UP THESE SCRIPTURES, WRITE OUT THESE SCRIPTURES, WHAT IS BEING SAID, WHAT DOES THIS SAY ABOUT GOD, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN, etc. And the activities are not ridiculous me-centered activities. We don't get any of the absurd: WHAT DOES THIS VERSE MEAN TO YOU, WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS PASSAGE MIGHT MEAN, HOW DOES THIS MAKE YOU FEEL. The questions are solid enough that there's no wish-washiness.

The book definitely teaches about the doctrines of sin correctly. And the book is grounded in the gospel of truth and grace as laid out clearly in the Word of God.

There are definite application moments throughout the book.



© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

16. The Bible in 52 Weeks

The Bible in 52 Weeks: A Yearlong Bible Study for Women. Dr. Kimberly D. Moore. 2020. [February] 208 pages. [Source: Review copy] [Bible Study; Devotional; Christian nonfiction; junk]

First sentence: I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN MINISTRY for as long as I can remember. I was born and raised in the church.

The Bible in 52 Weeks is a bible study for women intended for individual use, small groups, and large groups.

Essentially this is a year-long reading plan--there are many of these that are free and available for download--with a built-in devotional study.

The study will choose a reading from one of the days that week to "focus" on. Each week concludes with points to ponder--questions to be answered, an activity or prayer. (Sometimes in place of an activity or prayer there is a key verse shared.)

The reading plan does not go from Genesis to Revelation straight through. It switches back and forth between Old Testament readings and New Testament readings.

The text accompanying the reading plan is...at its best fluff with about as much nutritional value as cool whip. There were a handful of weeks that weren't all bad. The questions were worth asking and the activities seemed genuinely connected to applying the text. If only all 52 weeks met such a standard.

At its worst the text is just bad theology: bad theology, really bad theology, super-bad theology. Of course those descriptions are subjective. To those that lean towards prosperity, health-and-wealth, name-it-and-claim-it, word-of-faith, TBN-esque theology, live-your-best-life-now... then two thumbs up. This level of Bible "study" may just be your cup of tea. To those that actually want to read the Bible with spiritual eyes and handle the word of God correctly, then this is a disappointment.

One of the recurring questions throughout the Bible study is WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE. I wish she'd not had that as an actual question--leaving it up to readers to write their own ideas as answers. This isn't exactly a question with a mysterious answer in scripture.

I hope everyone who honestly and earnestly wants to read the Bible for themselves--perhaps for the first time will be encouraged to do so. But YOU DO NOT NEED THIS BOOK TO HELP YOU DO SO. There are dozens and dozens of FREE READING PLANS. Many Bibles have a reading plan or two in the back. (Though not all Bibles.) Search for bible reading plans online, and you will find plenty to choose from. There are many places to find a reading plan--all for free.

I do recommend with all my heart that EVERYONE reads the Bible for themselves. I recommend the Bible for men, for women, for children, for teens, for any AGE, any background. The Bible is the Word of God--the infallible, inerrant, inspired Word of God. God's Very Own Revelation of Himself to His People. It is ALL ABOUT HIM. But it speaks truth into our lives as well. It may not be about us, but it is for us.

My thoughts:

"As you read this book alongside the Word of the Lord, I hope you’ll be encouraged to be your best self and find some of the answers you’ve been seeking."

BECAUSE BEING YOUR BEST YOU is what bible study is all about.

"Along with the daily readings is a commentary based on one of the week’s scripture selections that will help you apply the lessons from the Bible to your everyday life. Following the commentary, you’ll find questions to inspire you to think about your own journey, as well as a prayer, a highlighted verse, or action steps for exercising your faith or overcoming an issue you’re facing."

To call the readings in this book commentary is ridiculous, a complete joke.

1. Decide in your heart to think and speak positively, replacing negative words with positive ones.
2. Make a commitment to yourself to intentionally respond to your doubts with declarations of faith. 3. At the end of the week, note how speaking positively into your life has begun to have a good impact on your outlook and ability to trust God.

At least the book revealed itself early. These points to ponder are from chapter one. I believe the "commentary" is for Genesis 16-18? 

1.What goals did you give up on that just seemed too far-fetched?
2.What visions or dreams do you have that you need to pick up and dust off?
Actions for the Week:
1. Take a few minutes three times this week to pray for direction to get your goals back on track.
2. Commit to watching a video or listening to a podcast that will help jump-start your creative juices in your particular area of interest.
3. Put a timeline in place to accomplish some of your goals, one at a time.
4. Share your goals and timeline with someone so they can help keep you accountable.

The first two questions go with the "commentary" for Genesis 37! (The subsequent four questions are actions for the week.)

Have you noticed the trend that whatever the text, let's make it all about you as quick as possible. 

"I BELIEVE GOD’S purpose for us is to be all we can be, do all we’re destined to do, and have all we’re destined to have. I believe it’s God’s desire for us to do more than merely survive. God wants us to prosper. But what does it mean to prosper? It can mean to have economic success, to thrive, or to become strong and healthy. And I believe with all my heart, mind, and soul that this is God’s will for our lives."

No Scripture proofs for any of this--I wonder why?!?! Oh, yes, that's because there are none.

POINTS TO PONDER
1. Have you positioned yourself to be blessed? Are you listening and doing? Has that been difficult to do? Why?
2. Have you ever felt like you were more cursed than blessed? How did you reverse the curse?
ACTIONS FOR THE WEEK
1. Make a list of your blessings, and make it a point to thank God for each one of them every day this week.
2. Make a list of the commands that you have failed to fulfill, whether it be helping, forgiving, or giving to someone. Begin to cross them off your list one by one this week.

I'm a bit stumped. Reversing curses that were read over the Israelites if the Israelites choose to serve idols instead of the one true God?!?! These blessings aren't ours to name and claim, nor are the curses ours to try to break or lift. Right?!

"The Word of God is the greatest tool needed in order to pass our tests of life. If it worked for Jesus, it can work for us."
1. What tests have you encountered lately?
2. Did you pass or fail your test? How did you do it?
3. What advice would you give someone going through a test? 

I wouldn't exactly describe the Bible in these terms nor the Christian life. But to each their own?

"We must pray, humble ourselves, seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways. This passage in 2 Chronicles shows us that after we do our part, He’ll heal what has been torn apart. When we do our part, we then have to trust Him to keep His Word concerning our lives. Without a doubt, it’s praying time."
1. Knowing that we play a part in our answered prayers, what part do you find most difficult?
2. We’re told to pray, humble ourselves, and turn from our wicked ways. Is there any one of these that you have knowingly failed to do?
3. Going forward, which area within these mandates will you intentionally make the effort to grow in?

I'm cringing a little. 

Don’t get caught in Satan’s trap of constantly speaking words of fear and doubt. Regardless of how impossible your circumstances may seem, keep speaking God’s Word in faith. Base what you say less on how you feel and more on what God has said. As of today, start speaking life, not death.
1. What are some negative words or phrases that we use daily?
2. What are some helpful words or phrases that we need to incorporate into our daily conversations?
3. In what area of life will you intentionally shift your words in an attempt to shift the course of the situation?

CRINGING. CRINGING. STILL CRINGING. 

ACTIONS FOR THE WEEK
1. Search your heart and determine what you have been created to do.
2. Come up with a plan and begin to implement a portion of that plan.
3. If your purpose works in conjunction with others, schedule a call or meeting this week to discuss the potential process.
4. Plan how you will begin to fulfill your purpose over the course of the next 30 days.

Search your heart and determine what you have been created to do. You mean search this heart?! "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?"

ACTION FOR THE WEEK Take a moment and really think about your love relationship with the Lord. Then take some time and write your love story. How did you meet? What were the circumstances surrounding your first encounter? When did you finally decide to come into a covenant relationship with Him? How do you intend to prove your continued love to Him?

My cringe muscles are hurting. Especially: When did you finally decide to come into a covenant relationship with Him? How do you intend to PROVE your continued love to Him?

1. What is your personal definition of mercy?
2. If you had to name three things you’re thankful for that didn’t have to do with money, what would those things be?
3. Have you ever found yourself in a space where you can admit that you were ungrateful or failed to be thankful? Explain.

This isn't the only time she asks readers to define biblical, theological terms for themselves. How do YOU define mercy. How do YOU define grace. Because it doesn't much matter what the Bible actually says...but what you feel and how you understand it.

ACTIONS FOR THE WEEK 1. Write a list of at least three goals or dreams and begin to develop a vision for them. 2. Begin to work on a strategy to bring those dreams and goals to fruition. 3. Write a list of hindrances that you will denounce daily (e.g., fear, doubt, slothfulness) until those things are no longer a significant part of your life.

These actions go with readings from Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians. I'm not sure which chapters these activities are supposed to have stemmed from. But regardless, I can't think of a place they belong. 

1. What’s your love language?
2. How difficult or easy is it for you to show love to others who don’t show love to you?
3. How have you proven your love to God lately?

Because anytime I read 1 John the first thing that comes to mind is my need to my desire to prove to myself, to others, and even God himself how much I LOVE HIM. 

1. Have you ever bemoaned a door that seemed closed to you? Could you see God in it in any way?

2. If you had a choice to obtain the keys to walk through any door you desired, which door would you want access to (e.g., healing, financial freedom, career)?

3. If you could permanently close a door, which would you choose (e.g., job, relationship, the past), and why?

These are some WEIRD questions, right?! They are "connected" to reading some chapters in Revelation. Though your guess is as good as mine as to where they came from?! 

GROUP STUDY GUIDE
1. Go around the room and allow each person to share their favorite chapter and/or verse from the week’s readings.
2. How do you interpret this particular text? What do you hear the author saying?
3. Are there any companion scriptures that you know will complement this text?
4. As you read the text, do you see more of God’s love, His mercy, or His anger? Explain.
5. How can this text be applied to your life?
6. Can you identify with any particular character within the text? Can you see yourself in this text in any way?
7. After reading the weekly commentary, what will you do differently as you go forward?
8. How have this week’s readings encouraged you to do better and be better?
9. After reading the scripture and commentary, what principles have you acquired that you might teach others? 10. After reading the text, take a moment to encourage the person sitting next to you based upon something you have read in the text.

They should include this on the back cover and the introduction so that readers can be warned. Notice the theme of Me, Me, Me, the Bible is all about ME, Me, Me. The Bible is all about Me, Me, Me. Let's sing it, let's shout it: Me, Me, Me, the Bible is all about ME. The underline portions are for emphasis. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

15. Jesus, Who Are You?

Jesus, Who Are You? Names of Jesus. Janna Arndt and Kay Arthur. Illustrated by Tessa Sentell. 2020. [May] 176 pages. [Source: Review copy] [family; bible study; parents and children; christian nonfiction]

From the introduction: Welcome to the Beginner Inductive Bible Study series—inductive Bible Studies that help young children learn how to read and study the Bible for themselves. This series also helps children develop important skills related to colors, shapes, positional concepts, reading, mathematics readiness, and dexterity as they learn God’s Word. Begin each day’s study by reading the brief opening story aloud to the child. Put your finger under each word so the child will learn that words have meaning and are read from left to right. If the child has already learned how to read, let the child read the story aloud to you.

From chapter one: “Hi! My name is Cooper, and this is my sister, Callie. This is our dog, Kate. Callie and I love Kate. “Kate can do funny things. She loves to sniff out clues and lick our faces. Watch out! Kate will lick your face too! “Kate wants to help us learn about Jesus. Do you know WHO Jesus is? “We do, and we want you to know Jesus too.

This book serves as an introduction to the inductive bible study method. Perhaps parents are already familiar with this method--the method has been around for decades now. Perhaps parents are NEW to the method/system. Either way, this book serves as a way to introduce bible study to little ones. According to the introduction, this book is both for children who are young enough NOT to be reading yet AND for children who are reading for themselves.

The book is a blend: a fiction story book, an interactive activity book/workbook, and nonfiction. Each day offers a story framework. A handful of children are learning about Jesus by reading specific Scripture texts--nearly all if not all--from the gospel of John. They are asking QUESTIONS of the text, and answering those questions with the text. Little ones are prompted to answer these questions and learn alongside these fictional children.

I have not used the inductive bible study method before. IN all honesty, I've been intimidated, timid, hesitant to mark up a bible with a system that may or may not be easy for me to use, process, understand. I think this one written with very young children in mind does a good job of clarifying it. Though I am sure it is much more complex than this if you look at the whole system. Mainly this one is focusing on who Jesus is.

What you see is what you get with this one.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: A Small Book for the Anxious Heart

A Small Book for the Anxious Heart: Meditations on Fear, Worry, and Trust. Edward T. Welch. 2019. New Growth Press. 192 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence from the introduction: Anxieties remain among my top bugaboos. My own grappling with them is different than it was even a year ago, but I see so much more that is available, so much room for growth. In this book I will raise some themes from books on fear that I have previously written, but I will also introduce new themes and, I hope, add the benefit of additional experience.

First "sentence" from day one: Could there be a more important topic? Our lives are full of uncertainties. We never know what the day will bring. Worries, fears, and stress are part of daily life. We shouldn’t be surprised, then, that Scripture says so much about it, and that what it says is both attractive and helpful. The Lord responds to our fears with words of comfort, which he is pleased to repeat again and again. His words to us cluster around two themes: your God is very near, and he gives the grace and power you need for today. The aim of this book is to help us become more skillful in how we identify our fears and anxieties, hear God’s good words, and grow. You could say that our goal is wisdom. Wisdom is another name for skill in living.

Is it a devotional? Is it a Bible study? It's a happy-happy blend of both. It's a book of daily readings--fifty days--that challenge readers to grow in their faith. The devotions are substantive--packed with information both practical and biblical.

There were some readings that I just LOVED, LOVED, LOVED, LOVED, LOVED, LOVED. I thought they were timely, relevant, and just what I needed. Other readings I "merely" loved, loved, loved. Overall, I would say I was an enthusiastic reader and definitely part of Welch's target audience.
I would say the book has the potential--with the Spirit--to offer hope and change to readers.

I loved that each daily reading ended with a question or two--or an activity. Sometimes he's asking readers to write what they're thinking and feeling. Sometimes he's asking readers to "be brave" and reach out to someone--anyone--to talk to about their feelings and experiences. He's a big advocate that there's nothing to be ashamed about. Talking about what you're feeling with someone else can be life-changing. He is also a BIG advocate of PRAYER.

I disobeyed Welch in that I did NOT read just one a day. I was wearing my BOOK REVIEWER HAT. Yes, I'm part of his target audience--someone who has wrestled with anxiety and fear--but I'm also a book blogger who wanted to finish the book so I could review it and recommend it to others. I didn't want to wait FIFTY whole days before I started spreading the word: BUY THIS BOOK. Or THIS WOULD MAKE A LOVELY CHRISTMAS GIFT.

Quotes:

God never intended us to bear the overwhelming burdens of life by ourselves. Instead, he gives himself—just the right person to bear them with us. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything. (Philippians 4:5–6) Whenever God speaks to you about your fears, you can be sure he will say something about being close. He even patiently persuades you that he is close. He piles up the evidence. Still, you can be blind to that evidence when fears are close and anxieties ring loud. The process of letting anxieties go takes practice that engages with God himself—which means you will engage with Jesus.

Our goal is to persist in listening to God’s words until we really hear them and they speak God’s comfort and healing to our souls. Often it can seem like Scripture is too hard to understand and too far removed from our daily life. But it is a treasure that yields more and more as you go further in. Anything of value comes through perseverance. So listen, and keep listening. You will find well over three hundred places in the Bible where God speaks directly to your fears, and, with practice, you will hear his words to you on every page.

Response 1. Psalm 23 makes no requests. It is a declaration of truth to your soul and a confession to the Lord. Like all psalms, it is also a prayer that you can modify to the contours of your own soul. Rewrite it for yourself. Or simply speak it to the Lord in your words. 2. “You are with me” is the center of the psalm. What else do you hear that gives you hope? 3. Are there any other songs that would be good to sing?

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: Sing a New Song

Sing a New Song: A Woman's Guide to the Psalms. Lydia Brownback. 2017. Crossway. 352 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Lydia Brownback guides readers slowly through the book of Psalms. This is not a book to be rushed through. Not only because it is a devotional book. But also because the approach--though in some ways a devotional approach--is not a quick rush. The goal isn't for readers to spend two minutes a day with a particular psalm--end of story. Brownback's book is an invitation to a relationship, an invitation to meditate on the psalm and meet the author face to face.

In the preface, Brownback suggests ways readers can best use the book. She suggests that readers can use the book to build confidence in prayer, to prepare a Bible study, to journal your emotions, to weave Psalms with hospitality. (Psalms is not a book of me, me, me--but of WE.)

There is a chapter--an entry--for each psalm, all 150. Each entry consists of the following:

• Theme. A one sentence overview of the psalm.
• Harmony. Something about the nature of the psalm and how it fits into the big picture of the Psalter.
• Singing in Tune. A verse-by-verse breakdown of the psalm.
• Musical Notes. How the psalm reveals God and his grace.
• Sing the Song. A suggestion for related Scripture reading and personal application.

Perhaps now you can understand why I said this wasn't a book to be rushed through.

I am not sure why Lydia Brownback limits her audience to women. There is nothing specifically "for women" about this book. The psalms are for everyone. And the studies and applications are for everyone.

From "Singing in Tune" Psalm 1

Turning from worldliness isn't a onetime choice; it's constant--every moment of every day. Whose counsel will guide us? What will fill our time, and with whom will we fill it? The psalmist makes it seem so simple, and it actually is that simple--it's just not easy. But by fixating on God's Word, it gets easier. That's because we're changed in the process. Over time, the pull of worldly power is weakened, and our delight in God's ways grows stronger (Psalm 1:2). So does our wisdom, for we realize that delighting in God's ways isn't something to do as a way to get more blessing--the delight is the blessing.

From "Musical Notes" Psalm 7

Every human being is accountable to God--both bullies and bullied--and in great need of the deliverance found only in Jesus Christ. Because Jesus was bullied on our behalf, the mistreated who trust in him are among those whom God promises to shield and deliver. 

From "Sing the Song" Psalm 7

David asks God to judge him according to his righteousness (Psalms 7:3-5), but this is no claim to sinlessness. His confidence in asking is that God is his shield (Psalm 7:10). Explain how Psalm 5:1-5 helps you sing Psalm 7.

"Theme" Psalm 23

God watches over his people and guides the course of their individual lives.

"Harmony" Psalm 23

David composed Psalm 23 to inspire confidence in the Lord's care.

"Sing the Song" Psalm 23

Describe what John 10:11-15; Hebrews 13:20-21; 1 Peter 2:24-25; and Revelation 7:13-17 add to your understanding of our Great Shepherd.

"Harmony" Psalm 25

David composed Psalm 25 as a lament. These prayerful songs express perplexity, anguish, and even discouragement during times of overwhelming circumstances, and they teach us that God welcomes boldness and honesty when we cry out to him. Some laments include an acknowledgement of sin, as we find here in Psalm 25. These songs remind us God has promised never to turn away from those who truly seek him. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: Adorned

Adorned: Living Out the Beauty of the Gospel Together. Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth. 2017. Moody. 352 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Adorned is a book for women--older women and younger women. It studies Titus 2 practically verse by verse and theme by theme. It's a study women of all ages can benefit from. Part one is "A Woman Under God." Part two is "A Woman Under Control." Part three is a "A Woman Under Her Roof."

Why should you read Adorned? I'm recommending it because it is NOT a fluffy, feel-good, cozy read. I'm recommending it because it is a challenging, thought-provoking, get-you-right-with-God read. From cover to cover, this one keeps the Bible central. And while there are plenty of personal stories sprinkled throughout the book, they are not a negative distraction. You will meet truth face to face if you read this one.

Favorite quotes:

Doctrine—what we believe—is foundational to how we live. And if you miss it, you’ll never get to where you want to be. It is the ground we stand on as we build our lives. Doctrine, you see, simply means teaching. It’s the content of what we believe, the understanding of reality that shapes our faith. The soil of doctrine in which we’re planted can make us beautiful and help us point others to the beauty of Christ and His gospel. But only if it’s the right doctrine. Even those of us who are long-time Christians can be misled by false or skewed beliefs we’ve picked up somewhere. If we aren’t intentional about where our hearts and minds are planted and watered, we can’t expect to end up with a healthy crop.

Sound doctrine is a means of keeping us healthy. It’s wholesome. It’s lifegiving. It helps make spiritually sick people well in every way that matters for eternity.

Sound doctrine tells us that God is sovereign over all—over time, over nature, over us, over every minute detail in the universe.That means when everything in our world seems to be giving way, spinning out of control, we can trust that “He’s got the whole world in His hands.” Sound doctrine tells us that we exist to bring glory to God and that every circumstance that comes into our lives can contribute to that end. If we could get just that one truth fixed in our hearts, we would never look at our circumstances the same way again. That belief—that doctrine—would certainly change us. Sound doctrine tells us that sin entered our world and infected it all the way down to the dust specks and the groundwater. It tells us that our natural tendency (going all the way back to Adam and Eve) is to try to remedy the situation on our own, apart from God, to hide from Him behind our hand-sewn fig leaves in hopes of avoiding notice and accountability. It also tells us that conflicts at home, at work, in our families, and in our world are evidence of what sin has done to us and to others.

I have come to believe that every failure and flaw in our lives flows out of some sort of doctrinal deficiency. Either we haven’t been taught and really don’t know the truth God has given that enables us to obey and enjoy Him. Or (worse) we know the truth, but we aren’t walking according to what we know.

Soundness of faith is not a mountaintop, a finish line. It is a journey. And we each travel imperfectly.

Wherever you’ve seen God prove Himself faithful, wherever His Word has sustained you in weakness and provided needed direction, and yes, even wherever you have experienced the consequences of failing to walk according to His Word—there’s your story to share. The soundness of your faith is based on the soundness of the One in whom you’ve placed it, not on your perfect record in walking out that faith.

The truth is, you’re always teaching, simply by the way you live. Your conversation in unguarded moments teaches. Your response to gossip teaches. Your reaction to an unexpected problem teaches.

Wherever we are at this moment is a sacred place, and whatever He has given us to do is sacred service.

We know from His Word that our fight against sin will not be completely won until we are at Home with the Lord. And what He wants us to learn through the sometimes grinding battle is that this gospel that saved us can also keep on saving us, delivering us moment by moment, even as the daily war between flesh and spirit wears on. This onslaught can keep us continually turning to Christ, His cross, His power, and His grace. And when we do, we discover that He is actively at work within us “both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13). It is actually His love for us, then, that causes God to lead us down this long, hard road, putting to death all our unwholesome substitutes one obedient choice at a time. He enlists us in the battle so we can learn to fight His way.

The woman you will be in ten or twenty or fifty years is being determined by the woman you are this week.

If you’re a believer in Christ, He has already imputed to you His righteousness. You couldn’t possibly be any more pleasing to the Lord, even if you tried—because not an iota of your personal standing with Him is based on your personal effort. His covenant love is based on His performance, not yours. And it is His love and faithfulness that motivate and enable you to walk in a way that honors Him.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: Our Only Comfort

Our Only Comfort. Neal Presa. 2015. Westminster John Knox Press. 160 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Are you familiar with the Heidelberg Catechism? Do you want to be more familiar with it? You should consider reading Neal Presa's devotional book, Our Only Comfort.

Within is the Heidelberg Catechism itself, plus devotional readings and prayers for each Lord's Day. (The Heidelberg Catechism is divided into 52 Lord's Days. Several questions are focused on each week--each Lord's Day. There are 129 questions in all.)

Theological fitness is important, and, the Heidelberg Catechism covers the basics of the faith from a historic Reformed position. The catechism covers--among other things--the Apostles Creed, the Lord's Prayer, the Ten Commandments, and the church sacraments of the Lord's Supper (communion) and baptism. It also quite properly focuses on sin, the law, and man's need for a Savior.

Here's the first question:

Question 1.
What is thy only comfort in life and death?
Answer.
That I with body and soul, both in life and death, (a)
am not my own, (b)
but belong unto my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ; (c)
who, with his precious blood, has fully satisfied for all my sins, (d)
and delivered me from all the power of the devil; (e)
and so preserves me (f)
that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; (g)
yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, (h)
and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, (i)
and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him. (j)
(a) Rom.14:7,8. (b) 1 Cor.6:19. (c) 1 Cor.3:23; Tit.2:14. (d) 1 Pet.1:18,19; 1 John 1:7; 1 John 2:2,12. (e) Heb.2:14; 1 John 3:8; John 8:34-36. (f) John 6:39; John 10:28; 2 Thess.3:3; 1 Pet.1:5. (g) Matt.10:29-31; Luke 21:18. (h) Rom.8:28. (i) 2 Cor.1:20-22; 2 Cor.5:5; Eph.1:13,14; Rom.8:16. (j) Rom.8:14; 1 John 3:3.

I would definitely recommend reading and studying the Heidelberg Catechism. I think it would prove quite beneficial. 

Our Only Comfort is a devotional book with devotions and prayers. Some people really do enjoy reading devotional books, and benefit greatly from including devotional readings in their spiritual lives. For anyone who does enjoy devotional readings, Our Only Comfort would certainly be worth considering. 

But not every Christian enjoys devotional books. For me, it's a very rare devotional book that impresses and wows. I found myself more interested in the catechism itself than in the devotions.   

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: To The Glory of God

To The Glory of God: A 40 Day Devotional on the Book of Romans. James Montgomery Boice. 2010. Baker Books. 183 pages. [Source: Bought]

James Montgomery Boice loved to preach from the book of Romans. Marion Clark selected forty excerpts from his works to be used as devotional readings. (Clark had much to choose from: 239 sermons in all.) These readings cover all sixteen chapters of Romans.

The devotional readings are arranged into four sections: Justification by Faith, Romans 1-4; The Reign of Grace, Romans 5-8; God and History, Romans 9-11; The New Humanity, Romans 12-16.

The devotional readings are concise, very reader friendly, perfect for those who have the desire to read theology, but, not the time. The devotions have some depth, but not the depth you might expect from a commentary or heavy theological work.

Favorite quotes:

From the introduction:

At times one teacher or another has been enamored with the so-called simple teachings of Jesus and has rejected the writings of Paul as too doctrinaire, too technical, or too harsh. All we really need to do is tell people God loves them, these instructors have said. Others have maintained that it is not what we believe that matters as much as what we do. According to this perspective, the social teachings of Christianity are the heart of Christianity… Again, the problem is not that we need to know God loves us, though we often doubt that he does. Our hang-up is that we do not love God, as Luther, the pious monk, discovered. We are at war with God. In effect, we hate him; at the very least, we do not want him to rule over our lives and resent any meaningful attempts he makes to do so. Romans shows how God deals with this problem. And because it tells how God deals with this basic dilemma of human life, it necessarily also unveils the true solution to nearly everything else.

From Day 3:

Where do most people begin when making a presentation of Christian truth? Many begin with what is often called “a felt need,” a lack or a longing the listener will acknowledge. The need may involve feelings of inadequacy; a recognition of problems in the individual’s personal relationships, work, or aspirations; moods; fears; or simply bad habits. Here is the way Paul speaks of a felt need in another letter: “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear” (2 Tim. 4:3). “What their itching ears want to hear” is a classic example of a felt need. In this passage the apostle warns Timothy not to cater to it. Another way we present the gospel today is by promises. Through this approach, becoming a Christian is basically presented as a means of getting something. We also commonly offer the gospel by the route of personal experience, stressing what Jesus has done for us and commending the gospel to the other person for that reason. Paul was God-centered rather than man-centered, and he was concerned with that central focus. Most of us are weak, fuzzy, or wrong at this point. Paul knew that what matters in the final analysis is not whether we feel good or have our felt needs met or receive a meaningful experience. What matters is whether we come into a right relationship with God. And to have that happen we need to begin with the truth that we are not in a right relationship with him. On the contrary, we are under God’s wrath and are in danger of everlasting condemnation at his hands. Our hope, then, is in Jesus, the Son of God. His death was for those who deserve God’s wrath. And his death was fully adequate, because Jesus did not need to die for his own sins—he was sinless—and because, being God, his act was of infinite magnitude. The place to begin for salvation is not with your own good works, since you have none, but by knowing that you are an object of God’s wrath and will perish in sin, unless you throw yourself on the mercy of the one who died for sinners, even Jesus Christ.

From Day 8:

I want to tell you that whoever you are or whatever you may or may not have done, the gospel is for you, because it is for everybody. I want you to see that if you come to God in the way he has appointed for you to come—that is, through faith in his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for you—he will receive you and will never cast you out. Who may come? The answer is: everybody. All alike are lost in sin, and yet all alike are the objects of Jesus’s saving love. The gospel is for the very great sinner as well as for the apparently moral person. It is for the pagan as well as for the one who considers himself or herself religious. Even if you are a very great sinner, you may come. Even if you are extremely self-righteous, you may come—if you shed your self-righteousness. How may I come? You may come as you are. You are invited to come to Christ in whatever mental or spiritual attire you may find yourself in. Some come running to Jesus. Others come limping along with poor, faltering, hesitating steps. Some people come kicking and screaming. But that is all right. They may come too.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: In The Steps of St. Paul

In The Steps of St. Paul. H.V. Morton. 1935. 528 pages.

With the exception of Jerome K. Jerome, I've not really read any travel books. In The Steps of St. Paul by H.V. Morton, readers get a chance to visit the Middle East as it was in the early 1930s. The book is conversational and quite pleasant. The book focuses on history, geography, archaeology, architectural design, politics, and biography.

Morton is "following" the journeys of the apostle, so some attention is given to providing summaries of Acts and Paul's epistles. Not so much focus that this book becomes commentary, but just enough to establish the purpose of the author's travels. 

It's evident that he was a traveler, that Morton greatly enjoyed traveling. And in this book, readers see his respect for the Bible and for history. He provides some cultural context for reading the Bible. 

 But the emphasis isn't solely on the past. It is a description of the modern day region--as it was when he visited in the early 1930s. The author provides historical background for the regions in which he's traveling, often covering several time periods. For example, he often discusses how the region has changed since the Great War (World War I). He also discusses several different crusades.

The book was interesting. I'm not sure it is a must-read for every believer. But it was a pleasant read, full of detail.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: Revelation 6-13

Thru the Bible Commentary Series: Revelation 6-13. J. Vernon McGee. Thomas Nelson. 192 pages.

Last Saturday, I reviewed the first volume of McGee's commentary on the book of Revelation. The second volume covers chapters six through thirteen. These are very intense chapters! The focus is on the Great Tribulation. McGee's approach is not to read our present into the interpretation of the Scripture. So you won't see McGee arguing that these Scriptures are being fulfilled in our days. He has definite ideas on what is important and what is less important. On what it is necessary to know and what is impossible to know.

What I have come to appreciate about the Thru the Bible commentaries is that even when I don't agree with every single little detail, every little point or insight made by McGee, I still find it of benefit overall. I enjoy his writing style, his accessibility, his enthusiasm.  
 
Favorite quotes:

Do you know that the Lord Jesus is the only One who is able to judge this earth? He is the One who is able to judge, not only because of who He is—He is God manifest in the flesh—but also because of what He has done. He created this earth, and that gives Him a right. He is worshiped in chapter 4 as the Creator. But then He also redeemed this earth, and in chapter 5 He is worshiped as the Redeemer. Since He is the Creator and the Redeemer, He is the only One worthy to judge this earth. He is the only One who is able to rule this earth. What a reflection upon the consummate conceit of little men down here who want to be judges!

Antichrist does not appear as a villain. After all, Satan’s angels are angels of light. He is not going to have horns or cloven feet. Rather, he is going to be the most attractive man the world has ever seen. They will elect him, and the world will acclaim him because he has come in his own name. But when he takes over, it sure is going to be bad for the world.

When Antichrist comes to power, he is going to talk peace, and the world will think that it is entering the Millennium when it is actually entering the Great Tribulation. The Great Tribulation comes in like a lamb, but it goes out like a lion. A promise of peace is the big lie the world is going to believe.

Death evidently has an all–inclusive, three–fold meaning that we do not ordinarily attach to it. We think of death as referring only to the body. (1) This is physical death, and it refers only to the body. It comes to a man because of Adam’s sin. (2) Then there is what is known as spiritual death, which is separation from, and rebellion against, God. We inherit a dead nature from Adam; that is, we have no capacity for God and no desire for Him at all. (3) Finally, there is eternal death, which is eternal separation from God. Unless a man is redeemed, this inevitably follows. This is the second death that we will find later on in Revelation 20:14.

Since this book is the last book of the Bible, the only requirement is to have a working knowledge of the sixty–five books which go before. Then you will find that this book makes a great deal of sense and is quite logical.

Then, does anybody get saved in the Great Tribulation period? My friend, I believe that there will be a greater company saved in that period than in any other seven–year period in the history of the world.

A great company is going to be saved, and this reveals that these judgments will accomplish a purpose for God. It will cause multitudes to turn to Him in this period, and it will cause another multitude to turn against Him. It is just like the effect of the sun shining down on a piece of soft clay. What will the sun do to the clay? It will harden it. What would be the effect of that same sunlight upon wax? It would melt it. The sun has the opposite effect upon clay and wax. The judgments of God are the same. In our lives as believers, when trouble comes to us—I’ve discovered this in my own life—it will either draw us to God or drive us from Him.

The gospel is not God asking you to do something; it is God telling you that He has done something for you. The gospel is not your giving something to God; the gospel is God’s giving something to you. The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus.

The Book of Revelation is the last book in the Bible because a working knowledge of the sixty–five books preceding it is the basic requirement for an understanding of its vivid language.

You do not interpret Revelation by itself; there are sixty–five books before it. 

That all of God’s men are immortal until God is through with them is a wonderful comforting thought for today. And when He is through with you, He will remove you from the earth.

In the Gospels the emphasis is on the death of Christ. In the Epistles the emphasis is upon the resurrection of Christ. In the Book of Revelation the emphasis is upon the ascension of Christ. Protestantism, and even fundamentalism, has ignored the ascension of Christ, and this is one reason we have not had a great enough emphasis upon the present ministry of Christ.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: Romans 9-16

Thru the Bible Commentary Series: Romans 9-16. J. Vernon McGee. Thomas Nelson. 144 pages.

My February reading project was to read the book of Romans thirty times. I also wanted to read a few books about the book of Romans.

McGee goes through the last eight chapters of the book of Romans. "The first eight chapters of Romans emphasize faith. Chapters 9-11 emphasize hope. Chapters 12-16 emphasize love. There is another way to view Romans: The first section deals with salvation; the second section with segregation; and the last section with service." (12) 

While many people love the first eight chapters of Romans, especially the eighth chapter of Romans. Romans 9-11 isn't exactly as popular, as beloved, as precious. McGee writes, "There is a sense in which chapters 8 and 12 can be joined together as two boxcars. But Paul was not making up a freight train when he wrote Romans. Romans is not a freight train but a flowing stream. Chapters 9-11 can no more be removed than you can take out the middle section of the Mississippi River without causing havoc. Griffith Thomas writes, "The chapters 9-10-11 are an integral part of the epistle and are essential to its true interpretation." (12-3) While these chapters do present the doctrine of election, they also discuss God's relationship with the Jewish people--past, present, future. 

Chapters twelve through sixteen focus on the Christian life--on how the Christian is to live, on the little but important details of what it means to be a Christian living and serving God in the world. 

This commentary is very reader-friendly. It's a commentary meant to be read and understood by non-scholars.

Favorite quotes:

"Joy" is the fruit of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. Unfortunately, it is often absent from the lives of believers. There should be joy in our lives. This doesn't mean you have to run around smiling like a Cheshire cat, but it does mean you are to have a joyful feeling deep in your heart. (99)

In my opinion, the greatest sin in the church of Jesus Christ in this generation is ignorance of the Word of God. Many times I have heard a church officer say, "Well I don't know much about the Bible, but..." and then he gives his opinion, which often actually contradicts the Word of God! Why doesn't he know much about the Bible? These things were written aforetime for our learning. God wants you to know His Word. (106)

Ignorance of the Bible is the greatest sin of the hour--in and out of the church. (106)

The Word of God imparts patience, comfort, and hope. (106)

Every Christian should make an effort to know Romans. (112)

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: Romans Chapters 1-8

Thru the Bible Commentary Series: Romans Chapters 1-8. J. Vernon McGee. Thomas Nelson. 170 pages.

My February reading project was to read the book of Romans thirty times. I also wanted to read a few books about the book of Romans.

McGee goes through the first eight chapters, paragraph by paragraph, discussing important themes and concepts of the gospel as revealed in the book of Romans. Readers will get a chance to learn about: sin, wrath, justice, righteousness, justification, sanctification, imputation, propitiation, etc.

This commentary is very reader-friendly. It's a commentary meant to be read and understood by non-scholars. McGee often quoted others in his work. Perhaps feeling that if another commentator had a great definition for a key term, there was no need to try to make it better! McGee's voice is strong throughout, however, and he addresses readers in a friendly, personal way.

There is a great introduction:

The world likes to hear, friend, about the glory of mankind. It likes to have mankind rather than God exalted. Now I am convinced in my own mind that any ministry today that attempts to teach the glory of man--which does not present the total depravity of the human family and does not reveal that man is totally corrupt and is a ruined creature, any teaching that does not deal with this great truth--will not lift mankind, nor will it offer a remedy. The only remedy for man's sin is the perfect remedy that we have in Christ, that which God has provided for a lost race. This is the great message of Romans. (x, xi)

and

It was Godet, the Swiss commentator, who said that the Reformation was certainly the work of the Epistle to the Romans (and that of Galatians also) and that it is probable that every great spiritual renovation in the church will always be linked both in cause and in effect to a deeper knowledge of this book. It was Martin Luther who wrote that the Epistle to the Romans is "the true masterpiece of the New Testament and the very purest Gospel, which is well-worthy and deserving that a Christian man should not only learn it by heart, word for word, but also that he should daily deal with it as the daily bread of men's souls. It can never be too much or too well read or studied; and the more it is handled, the more precious it becomes, and the better it tastes." (xi)

After outlining the entire book, McGee then devotes a chapter for each chapter of Romans one through eight.

Favorite quotes:

Each one of us is completely lost outside of Christ. Either you are absolutely saved in Christ, or you are completely lost outside of Christ. All of us need the righteousness of Christ. The righteousness of Christ comes to us through our faith in Christ. Great men of the past have given some apt definitions of this righteousness. William Cunninham wrote, "Under law God required righteousness from man. Under grace, He gives righteousness to man. The righteousness of God is that righteousness which God's righteousness requires Him to require." That is a deep definition, but it is a good one. The great Dr. Charles Hodge has given this definition: "That righteousness of which God is the author which is of avail before Him, which meets and secures His approval." Then Dr. Brooks gives this definition, "That righteousness which the Father required, the Son became, and the Holy Spirit convinces of, and faith secures." Dr. Moorehead writes, "The sum total of all that God commands, demands, approves, and Himself provides." I don't believe it can be said any better than the way these men have said it. (67)

How I wish that more men who claim to be evangelical really believed the Word of God--that it IS the Word of God, that it is God speaking. (79)

Let me say a word about this matter of sanctification. There is a difference between justification and sanctification. These are two words from the Bible, my friend, that you ought to cozy up to and get acquainted with... Now let me put it like this: justification is an act; sanctification is a work. Justification took place the moment you trusted Christ--you were declared righteous; the guilt was removed. Then God began a work in you that will continue throughout your life. I believe in instantaneous salvation, but sanctification is a lifelong process. In other words, justification is the means; sanctification is the end. Justification is for us; sanctification is in us. Justification declares the sinner righteous; sanctification makes the sinner righteous. Justification removes the guilt and penalty of sin; sanctification removes the growth and power of sin. (103)

The sinner appropriates Christ by faith for both his salvation and his sanctification. (104)

The victorious life is not our life. It is His life. (163)

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible