Book Reviews
The author's travel schedule with the calling God had increased in his life was to intercede for our nation's government and leaders - a calling that frequently entailed strategic trips to Washington, D.C.
Dutch Sheets is an internationally conference speaker, pastor, and author.
I would recommend this book for pastors, teachers, and speakers.
Jesus' statement in John 8:36 is powerful: we can be "free indeed."
The Greek word Jesus used for "indeed" is ontas, which means really, or actually. James Strong, Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 3689. In one of its New Testament occurrences, ontos is employed to describe the Resurrection: the disciples announced, "The Lord has risen indeed" (Luke 24:34 ESV).
Follow the example of onetime inmate Charles Dutton.
No one imagined Dutton would ever amount to anything, for he spent many years imprisoned for manslaughter. When asked how he managed to make such a remarkable transition, this now successful Broadway star replied, "Unlike the other prisoners, I never decorated my cell." Preaching & Teaching: From LEADERSHIP JOURNAL (Grand Rapids: Bakerr 1993), 280. Adapted.
God has established standards, a code - "rules," if you will - and the entire Bible is based on them. Sowing and reaping. Dying and living. Becoming the least to be the greatest. Growing poor to become rich. Losing it all to gain everything. In His infinite wisdom, God created a universe that functions accordingly.
Faith is often the mother of obedience, motivating us to do what the Father instructs.
It enables us to obey when we don't understand or can't yet see the end result.
The author's readers generally find his word studies are among the most beneficial parts of his writing. Beyond defining a word he usually gives thde Hebrew or Greek term. Many pastors, teachers, and others find them stimulating and helpful.
1. pneuma ("spirit")
2. pneumatikos ("spirit -controlled")
3. psuche ("soul")
4. psuchikos ("soul - controlled")
5. zoe ("God's life - life itself")
6. logos ("word,logic, understanding")
7. aketheia ("truth")
There is no greater teacher in the universe than God. And He was Adam's instructor in the ways of life. Through their spiritual connection, the Creator came and taught the created about creation.
In his spirit Adam had God's life (zoe) and breath (pneuma). In his soul he had God's Word (logos), which brought a knowledge of God and an ability to comprehend truth (aletheia).
When the voice "blew" in the garden Adam heard it clearly and accurately as that of his Creator.
Though Eve played a major role in the Fall, God atrributes primary responsibility to Adam.
God had created a perfect being that had His own life and breath, His own logic, and His own knowledge. The only standard God established - "From the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat" (Gen. 2:17) Adam chose to disregard and defy.
God had told Adam if he ate the forbidden fruit he would "surely die" (2:17).
As intelligent as we declare ourselves in the fields of physics, biochemistry, mathematics - you name it - we still remain completely ignorant in the Lord's classroom, where truth is found.
The spirit was made to relate to the spiritual realm, which is where God, the Author of all supreme knowledge, dwells.
Jesus came to make possible the restoration of God's life to us.
In John 14:6, Jesus declares Himself to the "the way. and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Him."
Christ was on an uncompromising mission, and no one would stop Him. Not satan, not those wanting proof He was Messiah, not His own mother, not His beloved disciples.
Paul vowed that he wouldn't let any of his personal liberties become so important that they would hinder a brother's walk with the Lord (1 Cor. 8:9 - 13
).
Paul had learned that recognizing and acknowledging the adherent weaknesses of his soul and flesh reminded and forced him to rely on God's ability in his spirit.
With our pace, it's become a necessity to take some time off every now and then.
In Matthew 11:28, Jesus says, "Come to me, all who are weary and heavy - laden, and I will give you rest.
We all know the Jewish exodus from Egypt as a powerful account of God's miraculous provision to save His chosen people (Ex. 7 - 18). Just as the Israelites sacrificed a perfectlamb and put its blood on their door posts and mantles during the first Passover, we are cleansed by the life liquid of the Ultimate Passover lamb, Jesus, at salvation.
"Americans Donate Billions to Charity, But Giving to Churches Has Declined," The Barna Group (4/25/05), Barna.org.
Jesus commanded us to "go therefore and make disciples of all nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you" (Matt. 28: 19 - 20).
Words matter. Just ask former chairman of the Federal Reserve Board Alan Greenspan.
At 7:00 on Thursday night, December 5, 1996 at a dinner in Washington sponsored by the American Enterprise Institute, Greenspan gave a speech that to the average person would be nothing more than boring, economic mumbo jumbo. But not to investors with thousands, millions, or billions of dollars in the stock and bond markets.
In what has since became a famous speech, Greenspan uttered ten sentences that in less than an hour began to shake markets around the financial world. Larson Contemporary Stories, 88, adapted.
He was serious about the potential hazards of a booming economy and offered a timely warning for markets worldwide.
Steinmetz had one of the greatest minds in the field of electricity that the world has ever known. Steinmetz built the first generators for Ford in his first plant in Dearborn, Michigan. One day those generators broke down and the plant came to a halt. They brought in ordinary mechanics and helpers who couldn't get the generators going again. They were losing money. Then Ford called Steinmetz. The genius came, seemed to just putter around for a few hours, and then filpped the switch that put the great Ford plant back into operation.
A few days later Henry Ford received a bill from Steinmetz for $10,000. Although Ford was a very rich man, he returned the bill with a note, "Charlie, isn't this bill just a little high for a few hours of tinkering around on those motors?"
Steinmetz returned the bill to Ford.
This time it read: "For tinkering around on the motors $10. For knowing where to tinker: $9,990. total: $10,000." Henry Ford paid the bill. Seamands, 23.
God's Word knows where to tinker.
Genesis 3:1
Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, You shall not eat from any tree of the garden?"
Crafty is the Hebrew term aruwm, from the root aram, which means "to be bare, to be smooth." Zodhiates, 1763. That's right - slick. The concept of a person being a "smooth operator," slick in their ability to deceive or connive, is found in this word. Satan's cunning and craftiness are his greatest weapons.
Intellectual knowledge won't save us, and its "institutions of higher learning" assert.
The author is no way is condemning education. God is concerned about truth. Eternal, everlasting truth.
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