Ten Hymns I'd Love Andrew Peterson To Record

1. Because He Lives
2. Lily of the Valley
3. My Hope Is Built
4. Amazing Grace
5. Rock of Ages
6. Old Rugged Cross
7. Christ the Lord is Risen Today
8. Wonderful Words of Life
9. Marching to Zion
10. He Keeps Me Singing (There's within my heart a melody Jesus whispers sweet and low,)

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Ten Artists I'd Love To Record "Because He Lives"

Here is my list of ten artists that I'd LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to see record my favorite song, "Because He Lives." (Think Gaithers not Matt Maher)

1. Michael Tait (Newsboys). I love his voice I do. I loved his voice with DC Talk, as a solo artist, as part of the rock opera Hero!, as part of the Newsboys. I think his voice would be great on this song.

2. Michael W. Smith. He has two hymn albums already. I would love to see him do a fast version of "Because He Lives." (In the style of his "Victory in Jesus" and "I'll Fly Away.")

3. Rend Collective. I think Rend Collective would probably do their own arrangement of this…and likely it would be fast and happy and joyful and FUN and unique.

4. Alan Jackson. He's released two hymn albums--both of which I love. I think it would be a good fit.

5. George Strait. While I'm thinking country, I'll just add that I think King George should release a hymn album.

6. Andrew Peterson. He's one of my favorite artists, one of my favorite singer-songwriters. I think I could handle even a slow version of Because He Lives if he was the one singing it.

7. Bart Millard (MercyMe). I enjoyed Bart Millard's two hymn albums…and I do enjoy MercyMe! Either way I think this would be a good thing!

8. Carman. The first hymn album that I really LOVED, LOVED, LOVED was Carman. Carman plus some gospel background singers could be awesome with this one!

9. Laura Story. Anyone who can make me cry with "Blessings" is sure to bring me to tears with "Because He Lives."

10. Aaron Shust. It wasn't easy filling this tenth slot. Because I had two or three artists that I could have chosen. (Casting Crowns comes to mind. Jeremy Camp as well. Even Third Day.)

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Resources for Parents

This resource guide is for any Christian parent who wants to actively, deliberately share their faith with their child. It assumes that parents want to have an active, living, growing, becoming faith, and to pass this faith on to the next generation. Emphasis on want. It isn't about thinking that you've become, that you've arrived, that you know all the answers, and are content to just slide the rest of the way home.

Books for Parents To Read Themselves

Why Christ Came: 31 Meditations on the Incarnation. Joel R. Beeke & William Boekestein. 2013. Reformation Heritage. 108 pages. [Source: Bought]

Each chapter states one reason why Christ came. That one reason may be drawn from one text of Scripture--or several verses. Each chapter directs readers back to the heart of the gospel. I think that believers should preach the gospel to themselves daily. Believers need to dine daily--find refreshment--from the gospel. The gospel may seem basic and simple at first, but, there is depth, substance, a certain RICHNESS to it that leaves one speechless.

Experiencing the Trinity: The Grace of God for the People of God. Joe Thorn. 2015. Crossway. 144 pages. [Source: Library]

The book is fifty devotionals celebrating the Trinity. The first part focuses on God the Father. The second part focuses on God the Son. The Third part focuses on God the Holy Spirit.

Family Worship. Donald S. Whitney. 2016. Crossway. 64 pages. [Source: Review copy]

The book is NOT a guilt trip. He stresses the simplicity of it. You don't have to prepare a lesson--either formal or informal. You don't have to do study and research before you begin. You don't have to have all the answers to the questions your family might ask. You just have to be present in the situation with a Bible in hand. Open up the Bible, read a chapter or two to your family aloud, talk about what you've read, share prayer requests and pray, and sing one or possibly two songs together--with or without accompaniment. The hardest part may just be establishing the routine in the first place--creating a new habit and making it a priority. But family worship itself--it isn't that hard.

Give Them Truth: Teaching Eternal Truths to Young Minds. Starr Meade. 2015. P&R Publishing. 208 pages. [Source: Review copy]

What is the message? Parents need to actively, deliberately teach their children the Christian faith. Fill their minds with knowledge about God and about the Bible. Give Them Truth is divided into three sections. The first section focuses on WHY our children need to know. The second section focuses on WHAT children need to know. What truths do children need to be taught? The third section focuses on HOW to help our children know. This last section is perhaps the most practical. How can parents begin to instruct their children? What practical steps or guidelines should be followed to begin the journey?

The Whole Story of the Bible in 16 Verses. Chris Bruno. 2015. Crossway. 144 pages. [Source: Library]

The book is a good choice for believers of all ages who haven't "mastered" the contents of the Bible, and, who want to know what it's all about it. That is most people, I imagine. For few, I imagine, would reckon themselves masters of the Word of God. If you've never read the Bible, or, if you've read the Bible two or three times, there's a good chance that this book will help you out either by teaching or refreshing.

Books for Parents to Read and Share With Children

The Big Picture Story Bible. David R. Helm. 2004/2010. Crossway Publishers. 456 pages.

The text is simple and direct--without much fuss and nonsense--yet it is profound too. (I liked how the narrator speaks directly to readers. Asking them to participate in the story. I thought that was a great touch.) I liked the stories Helm included. I liked how the stories were presented. How they all tied together. I also liked the balance between text and illustration.
There is a definite theme to this bible storybook collection. Dare I say it? It's evangelical! I remember Mike Abendroth of Bethlehem Bible Church preaching a sermon called The Gospel in Twelve Words.These are twelve key words--organized under four questions--that can "help" you spread the gospel.
Reading The Big Picture Story Bible, I was reminded of this sermon, of this outline. For in this book, we see a clear presentation of man and God. Of man's need for a Savior. Of God's loving care and provision. Of the BIG PICTURE of the Bible. So the stories are presented as being part of one BIG story. Everything is connected. Yet it isn't forced.

Who is God? Creator. Judge. Savior.

Who is Man? Fallen. Sinful. Foolish.

What Did Jesus Do? Redeemed. Reconciled. Resurrected.

What Did Jesus Command? Believe. Repent. Follow. 

The Jesus Storybook Bible: Deluxe Edition. Sally Lloyd-Jones. 2009. Zonderkidz. 352 pages.

I think what makes this one work--really work--is how Sally Lloyd-Jones has every story whisper His name. Her ability to connect each story with the Big Story, keeps everything in perspective, keeps everything connected and relevant. It also helps that she's a good storyteller! She has a definite way with words! She keeps the stories on a child's level, but yet, the stories are beautifully and compellingly told. 

The Child's Story Bible. Catherine F. Vos. (1938, 1949, 1958,) 1969. Eerdman's Publishing Company. 733 pages.

The Child's Story Bible is one of the most complete story collections I've read. It features 110 stories from the Old Testament; The Child's Story Bible features 92 stories from the New Testament; these stories are taken from Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and Revelation. This story collection is so thorough that it almost feels more like a paraphrase. It includes so much more detail than most other children's story book collections I've read. The Child's Story Bible could never be a substitute for the Bible, but it could be a good way to introduce the narrative content of the Bible to readers of all ages. The book summarizes and instructs. It adds details, makes conclusions, and seeks to create teachable moments. The book can be creative, descriptive, unique. In an old-fashioned, comfortable way. I love how evangelistic (gospel-oriented) it is. I would definitely recommend this one! 

 For Such A Time As This. Angie Smith. Illustrated by Breezy Brookshire. 2014. B&H. 256 pages. [Source: Review copy]

What did I love about it? I loved the balance of text and illustration. The stories felt full, or, I suppose a better word might be rich. Some story books are so concise that all stories are made to fit on a two-page spread. The stories feel complete, whole. Each one just the right length. For Such A Time As This is perfect for mothers and daughters to read together. (Though dads and daughters could read as well!!!) The book is subtitled "Stories of Women from the Bible, Retold for Girls." But honestly, I think parents could read it/share it with sons and daughters. 

The Biggest Story. Kevin DeYoung. Illustrated by Don Clark. 2015. Crossway. 132 pages. [Source: Review copy]

I think this is a book for readers of all ages. One reason is that everyone needs to know the Bible, that the Bible tells one BIG story, and the Bible really fits together well. It is not a mishmash of random stories and lists. The Biggest Story is a clear presentation of the bible's gospel message. How we were created in God's image. How humans sinned and became separated from God. Why the law was given, and, yet, how we could never keep all of the law. Why we needed a Savior who was both God and man. Just to get started by mentioning a few basics! (I do get excited when I start thinking about the gospel.) I think readers--believers and unbelievers--could use a little clarity as to what it is Christians believe.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Ten Reasons To Saturate Your April With The Gospel

In April, I'll be focusing on the gospel--preaching the gospel to myself--each and every day. I'd love for you to join me. I'm calling it the Live Like You're Loved challenge/event. (Perhaps I should call it an experiment! For that is what it is.) I would love your help spreading the word about this 'experiment' and your prayers as well! It is all about embracing and experiencing the gospel.

10) You may have gospel amnesia.

 Stephen Um writes,

How do you overcome a gospel identity crisis? How do you get over gospel amnesia? When we lapse in our identity, the answer is not to learn a new one, but to relearn who we already are. Our identity is not ours to form; it has already been formed for us and given to us as a gift. In what is our identity grounded? 

Our identity is grounded in being found IN CHRIST.

Joe Thorn writes,

To preach to yourself is to challenge yourself, push yourself, and point yourself to the truth. It is not so much uncovering new truth as much as it is reminding yourself of the truth you tend to forget. 

9) You may need to be more deliberate. After all, you are not likely to be accidentally nourished each day with gospel truths. 

C.S. Lewis writes,

Make sure that some of its [Christianity's] main doctrines shall be deliberately held before your mind for some time every day…We have to be continually reminded of what we believe. Neither this belief nor any other will automatically remain alive in the mind. It must be fed. 

J.C. Ryle writes,

How blessed are the hopes which the Bible holds out to the believer in Christ Jesus! Peace in the hour of death, rest and happiness on the other side of the grave, a glorious body in the morning of the resurrection, a full and triumphant acquittal in the day of judgment, an everlasting reward in the kingdom of Christ, a joyful meeting with the Lord's people in the day of gathering together. These, these are the future prospects of every true Christian. They are all written in the book--in the book which is all true! 

A.W. Tozer writes,

The Christian is strong or weak depending upon how closely he has cultivated the knowledge of God.

8) You may be listening to the wrong voice.

J.D. Greear writes,

Each day Jesus says to us, "You are my beloved child. I am well pleased in you. Now live that way." Satan, on the other hand, says, "Look at you. Look at the condition of your circumstances. Look at how poorly you're living. There is no way you are God's beloved child." Which voice are you going to believe? There's an eternity of difference between them. 

D.L. Moody writes,

Man lost spiritual life and communion with his Maker by listening to the voice of the tempter, instead of the voice of God. We get life again by listening to the voice of God. The Word of God gives life.

7) You may be so focused on what other people think of you--what other people expect of you--that you miss what is important.

Matt Chandler writes,

Your approval before God is woven into the life and sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, not what other men and women think about you. 

Martin Luther writes,

We who confess Christ should always walk in fear and grow in faith. We should realize that we all carry in our hearts a horrible religious fanatic, who will destroy our faith with foolish delusions of good works. The Holy Spirit provides us with a way to counter this godless delusion. We need to hold tightly to what we have received through the grace of God. God’s approval doesn’t come to us by what we do. Rather, it comes through the holiness of Christ, who suffered for us and rose again from the dead.

Charles Spurgeon writes,

Let us believe all that God has revealed, for every truth is precious and practically useful.

6) Your desires may be misplaced. Your heart may be divided.

John Piper writes,

The gospel is not a way to get people to heaven; it is a way to get people to God It's a way of overcoming every obstacle to everlasting joy in God. If we don't want God above all things, we have not been converted by the gospel. 

Matthew Jacoby writes,

The more we seek God, the more our desire for God will grow. And if we keep on seeking God, if we refuse to give up until we have found God and even then keep seeking a deeper knowledge of God, if we stubbornly persist in seeking God in the face of all doubt and discouragement, then our desire for God will gradually outgrow our other desires. By seeking God, we exercise our desire for God, and as we exercise our desire for God, it grows. And when our desire for God grows to a place of supremacy in our hearts, then God is truly the God of our hearts. Seeking, therefore, creates within us the capacity to know God as God. It is by seeking that we are able to find God because seeking enables our hearts to receive God. If we don’t desire God above all things, then we are still blind to God. God cannot be known and depreciated. To know God is to know his supreme worthiness. To know God is to desire him above all. The more we cultivate a desire for God, the more our hearts are able to know him for who he is.

J.D. Greear writes,

I want you to see the gospel not only as the means by which you get into heaven, but as the driving force behind every single moment of your life. 

5) You may be in need of transformation, or more of a transformation. 

Sam Storms writes,

Crave the word of God. Be desperate for it! Seek it. Yearn for it. Long for it. Desire it. Tolerate nothing in your life that might diminish your hunger for God's Word. And apply it with vigor and spiritual energy! The Word of God, whether it is preached and heard or read and memorized is more than simply true. It is effectual. The Word of God does more than merely announce: it accomplishes! It doesn't just impart information: it creates life!

J.D. Greear writes,

Always "begin again" with the gospel. Abide in it; swim in it; make your home in it. See more and more of your life through it. Be absolutely convinced at every moment of every day of the goodness of God in your life. That's the only way you'll ever really grow. 

J.C. Ryle writes,

Let us often ask ourselves whether we are doing good or harm in the world. We cannot live to ourselves, if we are Christians. The eyes of many will always be upon us. Men will judge by what they see, far more than by what they hear. If they see the Christian contradicting by his practice what he professes to believe, they are justly stumbled and offended. For the world's sake, as well as for our own, let us labor to be eminently holy.

4) Ask yourself if you are functional or dsyfunctional in your spiritual life…

J.D. Greear writes,

Whatever spiritual dysfunction you have in your life, the cure is the gospel. Do we want to be filled with passion for God? We should drink from the gospel. Do we want to get control of our bodies? We must be captivated by the gospel. Do we want to be content with what we have? We need to feast on the gospel.  

Tullian Tchividjian writes,

Once God rescues sinners, his plan isn't to steer them beyond the gospel but to move them more deeply into it. After all, the only antidote to sin is the gospel--and since Christians remain sinners even after they're converted, the gospel must be the medicine a Christian takes every day. Since we never leave off sinning, we can never leave the gospel. 

3) You may be living with guilt and shame, when God wants you live like you're LOVED, live like you're FORGIVEN, live like you're FREE.

J.D. Greear writes,

Right now, if you are in Christ, when God looks at you--regardless of your situation--He sees the righteousness of Christ. If we really believe that--not only with our heads but also with our hearts--it would change everything in our lives. 

Tony Merida writes,

When you open the Bible, there is grace coming to you--through personal devotion, hearing the Word read and preached, and singing it. Meditate on the gospel daily because you never outgrow your need for it.

Joe Thorn writes,

Until a person knows his guilt, he cannot know pardon. Until you feel the bondage of your guilt, you cannot find the freedom of forgiveness. In this sense, guilt is not your enemy. Yes, guilt before God is the greatest problem a human being must face. That guilt will destroy you. But the sense of that guilt is itself a gift that should lead you to the only one who can deal with it. Do you see? Your guilt can ruin you, but your sense of guilt can guide you. Your guilt before God is your own. You have no defense for your actions. There is no self-justification for your thoughts and choices. But your sense of all this should lead you not to an empty despair that ends in death, but to a hungry despair that seeks and feasts on grace! It’s good that your sins bother you. They should. They are an offense and affront to God. But your tendency to lose hope in light of them is not of faith, because faith believes and receives the pardon of God. He forgives his people. Read that again: God forgives his people. He sees your guilt, takes it from you, and gives it to his Son, who willingly received it and its punishment on your behalf. This is what it means to be saved. You have been pardoned for crimes you have committed, rescued from the justice of God to rest in the mercy of God. Despite what so many are saying these days, you do not need to forgive yourself. You need to be forgiven.

2) Your faith might be weak, prone to doubting; you may be struggling with if you're really saved, with if God loves you. 

Timothy Keller writes,

You are not saved because of the quality of your faith. You are saved because of the object of your faith: the Redeemer, the God who is fighting for you.

Horatius Bonar writes,

The quality or quantity of faith is not the main question for the sinner. That which he needs to know is that Jesus died and was buried, and rose again, according to the Scriptures. This knowledge is life everlasting.

Martin Luther writes,

When I feel anxious about sin and hell, I remind myself that when I have Christ, I have all that is necessary. Neither death, sin, nor the devil can hurt me. If I believe in Christ, I have fulfilled the law; it cannot accuse me. I have conquered hell; it cannot hold me. Everything that Christ has is mine. Through him, we obtain all his possessions and eternal life. Even if I am weak in faith, I still have the same treasure and the same Christ that others have. There’s no difference: we are all made perfect through faith in him, not by what we do.

1) You might be be thinking too much of yourself and too little of Jesus.

Tullian Tchividjian writes,

The hard work of Christian growth, therefore, is to think less of ourselves and our performance and more of Jesus and his performance for us. Ironically, when we focus mostly on our need to get better, we actually get worse. We become neurotic and self-absorbed. Preoccupation with our effort instead of with God's effort for us makes us increasingly self-centered and morbidly introspective.

and

Our natural tendency is to focus on ourselves--on our obedience (or lack thereof), on our performance (good or bad), on our holiness--instead of on Christ and his obedience, his performance, and his holiness for us. We all possess a natural proclivity to turn God's good news announcement that we've been set free into a narcissistic program of self-improvement. When we do this, we fail to see the needs of our neighbors and serve them. After all, as Martin Luther said, "God doesn't need our good works, but our neighbor does." My greatest need and yours is to look at Christ more than we look at ourselves.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

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

Top Ten Books I'd Recommend Reading for Lent

I thought I would share a top ten list with you today. (I do love making lists!) And since Ash Wednesday is this week, I thought it would be timely to connect it with Lent. I know not everyone observes Lent, or observes Lent traditionally. (I like to do my own little thing--super-intense Bible reading.) But reading good Christian nonfiction, reading books that celebrate Jesus, well, surely the upcoming months are as good as any other! (The books are NOT presented in any order.)

1. Loving the Way Jesus Loves. Phil Ryken. 2012. Crossway. 224 pages. [My review]

First sentence: There is nothing I need more in my life than more of the love of Jesus.

About the book*: One of the best ways to learn more of the love of Jesus is to study 1 Corinthians 13 in conjunction with the Gospels. In Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John we discover that everything the apostle Paul told the Corinthians about love is perfectly illustrated in the perfect life, atoning death, and glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus never does anything without love. Indeed, his love is everything the Love Chapter says that love should be. It is patient with sinners and kind to strangers. It does not envy or boast but offers itself in humble service. It does not insist on its own way but submits to the Father. It is able to forgive, trust, hope, and persevere. In other words, the love of Jesus is everything that we are not.

2. Jesus + Nothing = Everything. Tullian Tchividjian. 2011. Crossway Books. 220 pages. [My review.]

First sentence: Never had I experienced anything so tough. I could hardly eat, had trouble sleeping, and was continually battling nausea. I felt at the absolute end of myself.

My quick summary: This book is all about God's grace, God's mercy. It is about how the Christian life SHOULD be led. It is all about learning simple truths that can free you from yourself, free you from guilt and shame, free you from lies. It is all about accepting God's word as truth and living day by day in his grace, in his love.

(This may be the book I reread for Lent. I haven't decided yet).

3. Cries From the Cross: A Journey Into the Heart of Jesus. Erwin Lutzer. 2002. Moody. 170 pages. [My review]

First sentence: Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

About the book: Lutzer studies each of Jesus' cries from the cross. All seven of them:

• A Cry for Pardon: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34)
• A Cry of Assurance: "Today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43)
• A Cry of Compassion: "Dear woman, here is your son...Here is your mother." (John 29:26-27)
• A Cry of Anguish: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46)
• A Cry of Suffering: "I am thirsty." (John 19:28)
• A Cry of Victory: "It is finished." (John 19:30)
• A Cry of Submission: "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." (Luke 23:46)

It would be hard to truly pick a favorite quote, but I'll try anyway:


"Either Jesus bears our sin, or we do. If the Father turned His face away from His beloved Son when He was regarded as a sinner, we can be sure that the Father will turn away from every sinner who stands before the Judgment Bar on his own merits. We are either saved by His rejection, or we must bear our own rejection for all of eternity."

4. The Big Picture Story Bible. David R. Helm. 2004/2010. Crossway Publishers. 456 pages. [My review]

First sentence paragraph (or two):


The Bible is God's story, and it begins with these big words: "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." Do you know how God created everything? Simply by speaking words. Imagine, making the world with words! Strong words. Powerful words. With words God created everything! He made the stars, the sun, and the moon. He made the animals, the fish, the trees, and flowers too. Everything! And then after all these things, God created... People!


Can you see Adam and Eve? God put his people in the Garden of Eden. They were made in the image of God. They were to be the rulers of God's place.


Adam and Eve were very special to God. Did you know that you are also very special to God? You are special because you are made in his image too! Being created in the image of God must have made Adam and Eve very, very happy. God was happy too. He was pleased with his world and his people because he saw that they were very good. Nothing was wrong. Nothing was bad. Nobody disobeyed God. In the very beginning, everything and everyone knew how good God was. God gave Adam and Eve good words to obey. He told them not to eat from a special tree. You see, God was teaching Adam and Eve that he was their king, that people were to obey God's word. God also said that if Adam and Eve disobeyed his word, they would surely die. So God's people, Adam and Eve, lived in God's place, the Garden of Eden. And they ruled God's world by obeying his good word. Do you know what happened next?

About the book: This may just be my favorite, favorite, favorite children's storybook bible. (Well, I actually have about two or three that I think are the best of the best. But this one is probably at the top of my list). I think it is just the right proportion of text to illustration. I think the stories are written in a kid-friendly way making this one a great choice for parents (grandparents, aunts, uncles, Sunday School teachers, etc.) to read aloud. But it's profound enough, evangelical enough, that it may just move adult readers to think about the gospel too. I LOVE that you really, truly can get the BIG PICTURE of the whole Bible just by sitting down to read this 'simple' storybook.

5. The Everlasting Tradition: Jewish Customs, Holidays, and Historical Events That Reveal Biblical Truth. Galen Peterson. 1995. Kregel Publications. 160 pages. [My review]

From the preface: We live in an age where there are few secrets. Through science we are discovering the secrets of the atom and the stars. Through tabloids we are discovering the secrets of celebrities. We may even attend churches and synagogues to worship the Creator of atoms and "stars" alike. But do we truly understand that God has a very detailed plan for our lives? And do we realize that He has presented it in a most mysterious and creative manner? This book unwraps many of those mysteries. It draws upon the specific features of both everyday and holiday customs of the Bible. It zeroes in on those elements which have either been misunderstood or have great underlying meaning. It also brings in some intriguing but little-known historical events which have profoundly shaped our perception of of the message of the Bible. There is a Hebrew folk expression that says more or less, "The apple does not fall far from the tree." This saying conveys the idea that we tend to stay close to our comfort zone, whatever it may be. But when it comes to the Bible, how many of us truly understand the cultural practices and traditions that formed the context of what we believe? These are the roots of our tree of faith. It can be said that, in many ways, our "apples" have rolled a long way down the hill from the tree which bore our fruit. We have lost track of our biblical heritage. In the pages which follow, we will take a journey back to the place where it all began, a back-to-basics approach that will consider four primary biblical themes--tradition, blessing, redemption, and celebration. Each one will take us to a special place where we can discover what God has to say to you and to me. We will discover that it really is no secret. There is an essential message in the Bible that permeates every chapter. But we will have to look carefully in order to solve the mysteries that lie just beneath the surface. Our journey begins with a walk along the path of tradition. (8-9)

About the book: I just LOVED this one. I found it fascinating and informative. I loved learning more about Jewish culture, traditions, celebrations, etc. And I thought it was very well-written. Understanding these things does add more to your reading of the Bible.

6. Scandalous: The Cross and Resurrection of Jesus. D.A. Carson. 2010. February 2010. Crossway Publishers. 173 pages. [My review]

First paragraph: Nothing is more central to the Bible than Jesus' death and resurrection. The entire Bible pivots on one weekend in Jerusalem about two thousand years ago. Attempts to make sense of the Bible that do not give prolonged thought to integrating the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus are doomed to failure, at best exercises in irrelevance. Jesus' own followers did not expect him to be crucified; they certainly didn't expect him to rise again. Yet after these events their thinking and attitudes were so transformed that they could see the sheer inevitability that Jesus would die on a cross and leave an empty tomb behind, and absolutely everything in their lives was changed.

About the book: A series of five messages by D.A. Carson. The messages are:

• The Ironies of the Cross (which focuses on Matthew 27:27-51a)
• The Center of the Whole Bible (which focuses on Romans 3:21-26)
• The Strange Triumph of a Slaughtered Lamb (which focuses on Revelation 12)
• A Miracle Full of Surprises (which focuses on John 11:1-53)
• Doubting the Resurrection of Jesus (which focuses on John 20:24-31)

7. Raised With Christ: How The Resurrection Changes Everything by Adrian Warnock. 2010. January 2010. Crossway. 272 pages. [My review]

First few paragraphs: "What did Jesus come back to life again?" This was the surprised reaction when a young Englishwoman heard about the resurrection of Jesus. She was drinking coffee with other mothers, including my wife. It seems almost impossible to believe that she had never heard that Christians believe Jesus rose from the dead. She hadn't rejected the gospel. No one had ever told her about it!


How many other people do we know who would have a similar reaction? It is much more comfortable for us to assume that our relatives, friends, neighbors, and coworkers have already dismissed the gospel than to think they have never heard it.


Without Jesus' resurrection there is no good news at all. John Stott said, "Christianity is in its very essence a resurrection religion. The concept of resurrection lies at its heart. If you remove it, Christianity is destroyed."

About the book: Raised With Christ is about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Sounds simple, right? Chances are at some point that you've contemplated what the cross means to you, means to the church, to the faith. But have you given equal attention to what Jesus' resurrection means? How his resurrection impacts you still today?

8. The Bookends of the Christian Life. Jerry Bridges and Bob Bevington. 2009. March 2009. Crossway Publishers. 160 pages. [My review]

First sentence: Most of us have experienced the difficulty of putting books on a bookshelf without having a set of bookends to keep them in place. You know what happens.

About the book: Bridges and Bevington argue that there are two bookends of the Christian life. The first bookend is the Righteousness of Christ. The second bookend is the Power of the Holy Spirit. (In a way, you could say this book was all about justification and sanctification.) By understanding these two bookends, these two concepts, readers will get a very good picture of the gospel, a good idea of what it means to be a Christian. The book also addresses three gospel enemies: self-righteousness, persistent guilt, and self-reliance.

My favorite-favorite quote:


There's an old play on the word justified: "just-as-if-I'd never sinned." But here's another way of saying it: "just-as-if-I'd always obeyed." Both are true. The first refers to the transfer of our moral debt to Christ so we're left with a "clean" ledger, just as if we'd never sinned. The second tells us our ledger is now filled with the perfect righteousness of Christ, so it's just as if we'd always obeyed. That's why we can come confidently into the very presence of God (Hebrews 4:16; 10:19) even though we're still sinners--saved sinners to be sure, but still practicing sinners, every day in thought, word, deed, and motive.


The perfect righteousness of Christ, which is credited to us, is the first bookend of the Christian life. The news of this righteousness is the gospel. Christ's righteousness is given to us by God when we genuinely trust in Christ as our Savior. From that moment on, from God's point of view, the first bookend is permanently in place. We're justified; we're credited with his righteousness. Or to say it differently, we're clothed with his righteousness (Isaiah 61:10) so that as God looks at us in union with Christ, he always sees us to be as righteous as Christ himself. And that changes everything. (26-27)

9. Grace God's Unmerited Favor. Charles Spurgeon. 1996. Whitaker House. 175 pages. [My review]

First sentence: That God would enter into gracious covenant with men is an amazing thing. That He would create man and be gracious to man is barely conceivable. However, that God would shake hands with His creature and would subject His august majesty to an unbreakable bond with many by His own pledge is astonishing.

About the book: I love this one. I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. It is one I just recently finished reading, and already I want to read it again. It is about grace. God's grace. It is about the covenant of grace. (So if you're familiar with covenant theology, you might know what to expect...in part.) It is about the doctrines of grace--how God's grace applied to us...changes EVERYTHING! It is an amazing, amazing book!

10. Note to Self: The Discipline of Preaching to Yourself. Joe Thorn. Foreword by Sam Storms. 2011. Crossway Books. 144 pages. [My review]

First paragraph from the introduction: Christians value the preaching of Scripture and are genuinely excited when it is preached well (when God and the gospel are on full display). We like being challenged by the Word, and we need the comfort that comes from the heralding of God's promises to all who believe. We need good preaching. Yet many who value the preaching of Scripture by pastors and teachers are not benefiting from the kind of preaching that should be most consistent and personal--preaching to ourselves. 

About the book: This book is so VERY, VERY quotable. Each chapter is short, direct, and oh-so-relevant. This book is so rich, so rewarding, so NEEDED! I can't recommend it enough!!!

Just a few quotes:

To preach to yourself is to challenge yourself, push yourself, and point yourself to the truth. It is not so much uncovering new truth as much as it is reminding yourself of the truth you tend to forget. (32)

From chapter seven "Jesus is Big"

Dear Self,
Take note--your view of Jesus tends to shrink over time. It is not that your theology itself drifts, but sometimes you so focus on one aspect of Jesus that you tend to forget the rest. The result is a shrinking Jesus (in your faith). And as your shrinking Jesus becomes small Jesus, he is easily eclipsed by your idols and ego.
The bigger and more biblical your understanding of who Jesus is, the more likely he is to be such an object of love and adoration that the idols that aim at capturing your attention and swaying your allegiance will lose their power. This is why you sometimes lack earnestness for the kingdom and the glory of God while you overflow with passion concerning temporal things. Instead of making a joyful noise and singing earnestly for the victory Christ has over sin and death, you express a dispassionate approval and mouth the words to the songs sung in worship. But there is often fire in your belly and shouts of joy when your favorite college football team is victorious over the competition. This is probably why the church is shrinking in North America--because small Jesus does not inspire awe, command respect, lead to worship, or compel us to talk of him (much less suffer for him). And small Jesus is too little to arrest the attention of the world.
So please remember--Jesus is bigger than you tend to think. He is the perfect revelation of God, the radiance of his glory, the exact imprint of his nature; he is the Creator and Sustainer of all that exists. Everything belongs to him and exists for him. He is the author of your salvation, the perfecter of your faith, and the only one in whom you can find life. (47-48)

*This is what I would consider the "topic sentence" from the book. I am using the book's own words to describe it.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible