5 comments about The Steps to Freedom in Christ.

1. This is excellent resource material from Neil Anderson for anyone aeeking the live a pure christian life and enter into the Abundant life promised by Jesus of the bible.
   
   Would not recommend doing this workbook alone though, have a trusted, mature christian friend, pastor or counselor help you through it, and take your time.
   
   The abundant life awaits you!



2. THIS IS A GUIDE TO HELP CHRISTIANS WHO ARE OPPRESSED , DEPRESSED ADDICTED,EVER HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH OCCULT PRACTICES IT IS VERY GOOD. YOU CAN MEET THE REAL JESUS IN THIS BOOK.



3. I teach from this & walk individuals and groups of people thru these steps. Its amazing the transformation in their lives!!! Deliverance is a necessary for santification. Jesus wants us free!



4. I have been working through this workbook with my pastor and have gotten deliverance from it. It is the best book I have put in my hands very worth it. If this is the only book you ever read do the things it says and you will be delivered from what ever oppresses you.



5. Mr. Anderson is a gift. This booklet is very helpful to learning how to walk out of the darkness into the light. Affordable and simple. Wash the darkness of your past and be free. So you can stop beating yourself up and live the life God intended you to enjoy!

5 comments about The Catholic Verses: 95 Bible Passages That Confound Protestants.

1. one reviewer wrote, "Armstrong seems full of a great deal of bitterness and negativity towards Protestants, and does a very poor job of remaining dispassionate. True, he makes a few formal *statements* about respect for those on the other side of the fence, and does quote Protestants extensively, but I find the entire tone and spirit of the book to be overwhelmingly bitter and defensive. The text is riddled with jabs, sarcasm, mockery, and derision toward Protestants that betray an obvious emotional investment in the subject and make it very difficult to focus on the theological content." I AGREE completely - thus the GREEK must say no good. He claims he would like to see union for rc and eastern orthodoxy (and have wayward protestants return) but his writings are more master/slave, with a superior, arrogant attitude to boot!



2. The author is very knowledgeable regarding the bible and very effectivly neutralizes many of the misconceptions about the Catholic Church's not following scripture in it's doctrines and practices. HE does this in a very readable form. For those Catholics who are constantly bombarded by negative comments about our faith,this book will help you dispel the nonsense from our supposed christian brothers.



3. `The Catholic Verses' is a rather splendid example of the new genre of Catholic apologetics. For too long, Protestants have claimed spiritual possession of Sacred Scripture, usurping the name `Bible-based' and misquoting a handful of sporadic verses in an attempt to convince individuals that sixty-six of the books in the Bible are somehow divinely connected to the doctrinally disconnected rabble created by Luther and his ilk. Recently, however, Catholics have decided to end this travesty and put Scripture back into its proper context and home; that is, the Catholic Church
   
   Using the accustomed Protestant apologist argument of `Scripture Alone', Dave Armstrong demonstrates that the Catholic religion can be entirely justified by `Sola Scriptura'. He provides ninety-five of such quotations (with irony at the expense of Martin Luther's anti-Catholic ninety-five thesis) and elucidates on each, establishing them firmly as bastions of Catholicism. The most common objectionable doctrines are covered, such as the Immaculate Conception, the importance of Tradition, the Papacy, Purgatory, and many others, showing that it is the Protestants who have not correctly read their Bibles.
   
   The only problem presented in Mr. Armstrong's book is that, while he seems eager to convince Protestants of the Catholicity of the Bible, the `spirit of Vatican II' pervades much of his work. His constant, cosy references to Protestants as our `separated brethren'; our `brothers and sisters in Christ'; and as `shareholders' to the Scriptures undermines much of, what should be, his ultimate goal of bringing Protestants to the true religion of Jesus Christ rather than simply seeking puppy-dog approval.



4. Here's some interesting questions I would have for Catholics about the purity of their church from a very old text, "In the year AD fifty-five, Liberius was pope. He was banished, and Phelix was ordained to the papal chair, which caused a sanguinary war in which Phelix was overthrown and the banished pope, by force of arms, regained the throne. In face of all this bloodshed, it is surprising how these two bloodthirsty popes could have been sainted..in A.D. five hundred thirty-six, Vegilus and Silverus simultaneously held the papal chair..Now to the year A.D. seven hundred fifty-seven when, at the death of Paul the First, the Duke of Nepi compelled some bishops to consecrate his brother Constantine pope. Later, Stephen the Fourth was elected, and the unseated Constantine had his eyes burned out. Next come the year eight hundred seventy-two, finding John the Eighth pope, when one Formosus conspired against him and murdered him, for which foul deed, Formosus was excommunicated. But a few years later this murderer, Formosus, was elected pope. Then Stephen the Eighth was made pope, who began by having the body of Formosus exhumed, propped in a chair, tried, and convicted, and his dead body thrown into a river...In the year nine hundred five, Sergius the Third gained the papal chair by military force, which was followed by his lewd life with the prostitute Theodora, and her daughter Morioza, both of the underworld. Theodora caused one of her paramours, John the Tenth, to be made pope. Fourteen years later he was succeeded by John the Eleventh, whose life of immorality was no better than that of his predecessor. Then came the boy pope, John the Twelfth, whose lewd, immoral life incited the German clergy to protest. He was tried and convicted of adultery, concubinage, and turning the Lateran palace into a bawdy house, putting out the eyes of one prelate, and sterilizing another. He was finally deposed....In the year A.D. ten hundred thirty-three, Benedict and Sylvester were contending popes. Benedict eventually won out, then sold the papal chair to one John for fifteen hundred pounds, equivalent. John sold the papal chair at an auction, and Gregory the Sixth bought it. Then came the schism between the popes at Rome and Constantinople, each holding equal authority. In this strife, each pope excommunicated the other. The very singular thing is that the church has no answer except silence. Next, in the year thirteen hundred seventy-eight, Urban and Clement were contending popes. Clement was supported by Scotland, France, Spain, Italy, and Sicily, while Urban's supporters were Portugal, Germany, England, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. This abyss that, according to ecclesiastical history has never been bridged over...in the year fourteen hundred thirty-one, when Surgius and Felix were contending popes..divided Europe for fourteen years, which eventually resulted in inter-excommunications." Also, don't forget the "awful deeds under Opeda, in which the French Parliament acquiesced. Then the horrible slaughter of the Albigenses- one of the blackest pages in history. Then in the year twelve hundred thirty-nine, Dominic was appointed inquisitor general, and his emissaries were known as the 'Militia of Jesus,' resulting in such tortures as the rack, cutting chains, screw-clamps, and many, many kindred tortures worse than one may be expect among the grossest barbarians. Anything to stamp out those who differed in faith from Catholics came under this torture. In the church's efforts to stamp out Lutheranism, the mandate was to exterminate them even by applying fire. The French historian puts it, 'Se servir de remedes plus violens et de servir de feu!' Think of the fate of Joan of Arc, falling under the mandate, being burned at the stake. Next, think of those horrid crusades waged in the name of 'Christ and the Cross,' each one failing. Thinking it was attributable to the impurity of the crusaders, the children's crusade was inaugurated, sallying forth unarmed. The fatal result is too pathetic for words."



5. The theme of this book is an interesting one -covering ninety-five biblical verses as a kind of symbolic response to Fr. Martin Luther's 95 Theses tacked by legend to the door of the Wittenburg cathedral in late 1517. And the manifested intention to demonstrate that there can be plausibly argued from a biblical standpoint for many of what Mr. Armstrong calls "Catholic distinctives" is amply sustained -though there is a variegated quality of his arguments in the book notwithstanding of course. This was unquestionably a very ambitious undertaking on the part of the author and for that fact alone he deserves some credit.
   
   This book has a few weaknesses which affect the overall text. For one thing, it is very choppy in spots with the manuscript needing improvement by smoothing out some of the rough structural barbs. I should in fairness note in stating this criticism that part of that is perhaps inevitable if one looks at the pattern of the book and its intentions. For example, as the book is based on specific verses, there will be inexorably a greater degree of commentary interspersed with other sources. And of course the aforementioned commentary and use of sources will also bring to it certain unspoken and unsubstantiated presuppositions of the author no matter how one tries to avoid this -and the latter cannot be done justice in a volume such as this.
   
   But that point noted, Mr. Armstrong is usually good at recognizing the principle that more formally developed concepts need not be present in later fullness in earlier periods of time: what Catholics refer to as development of doctrine. Mr. Armstrong understands the concept better than most but it is nonetheless one with its limits and not the magical "one size fits all" remedy that he at times appears to think it is. Mr. Armstrong also has a tendency to overplay his hand a bit through the use of statements of a more absolute nature where theologically there is more room than he appears to presume. But this criticism is one that is hardly applicable to him alone -I note it here nonetheless because it needs to be accounted for by the reader to receive a fuller picture of the author's work itself.
   
   Despite the manifested intention to avoid triumphalist tonalities in the book, Mr. Armstrong while generally succeeding in this area nonetheless does involve a bit of sardonic phrasing in spots -seemingly at the points where either his arguments are the weakest or the internal contradictions of some of the sources he critically interacts with happen to be. John Calvin is a particular target in this area but considering the snide way Calvin approaches a number of subjects in his Institutes of the Christian Religion, it is hard to fault Mr. Armstrong for taking a bit of schadenfraude in puncturing the balloons of bombast common to Calvin's methodology even if in other areas one could find it easier for this criticism to have a bit more weight. (And I emphasize "a bit more" because on balance this book is light on explicit triumphalism: something which is to Mr. Armstrong's credit.)
   
   On specific matters, to compile a detailed sketch would take more time than I have so I will note what is particularly well done section by section. The sections on The Church, Bible and Tradition, Papacy, Communion of Saints, and Prayers for the Dead are all despite the overall structural weaknesses noted earlier very solid in content and argumentation. (Likewise the sections on Baptism and Eucharist.) I could quibble with a few additional bits but they would not detract from my view of these sections at all so I will leave it be for now. The Communion of Saints section also possesses some nice nuances to it which someone familiar with the boilerplate elements of this subject could well appreciate -the same is the case for the section on Prayers for the Dead.
   
   Other sections which are also good (albeit not to the extent the ones already noted are) include the ones on Penance and Relics/Sacramentals. The problem with these sections that I discerned most is brevity primarily: they require a lot more exposition due to being more implied in the scripture than the others noted thus far. It is also questionable in my mind if including these subjects in the book was a good idea for those reasons but what is there is good so I will leave it at that.
   
   The section on Divisions/Denominationalism is on balance good but it has more weaknesses to it than the other sections noted thus far. For one thing, it needs to emphasize that the only divisions Mr. Armstrong intends to be critical of are ones that pertain to faith. In failing to do this, it leaves Mr. Armstrong open to those who point out areas of diversity in Catholic philosophy, theology, application of moral/ethical principles, geopolitical matters, etc. as a presumed "refutation" of his position in this section. If he were to in a subsequent edition make this delineation clearer, it would vindicate this section from the sort of criticism I noted above.
   
   The last quarter of the book is of markedly less quality than the parts covered thus far -in part because the subjects move to more peripheral or controverted nature. For the sake of presenting a stronger product it would have been better to have either covered them in greater detail or passed these matters over completely. The section on Celibacy is written from a western perspective which gives the impression that there is one traditional approach to this matter instead of two. It would do Mr. Armstrong well in subsequent editions of this work to add a bit in there about the eastern tradition which allows for married clergy much as certain extraordinary provisions in the western church in recent decades do. In both traditions there is (albeit in differing ways) a recognition of the biblical principle of clerical celibacy so this revision would only strengthen the latter section of this book.
   
   The section on Divorce suffers from a lack of completion akin to the one on Celibacy though not to the same extent. The main weakness here is the lack of distinguishing between the concepts of divorce and annulment. The latter is often called "Catholic divorce" but that expression is not accurate at all and failing to note the distinction in this section after the passages pertaining to divorce weakens the presentation here.
   
   The section on Contraception is the weakest one in the book for a variety of reasons. The first reason is that it is a derivative concept which as I noted earlier is harder to cover than a primary subject. The second is that it is based on so little Scriptural reference and implied ones at that: making it by nature involving a lot more commentary. The third is that there are other objections raised against the OT passage he cited being interpreted as Mr. Armstrong does that he gives no credence whatsoever to. There are other factors too on this one but my guess is that this being an issue that was of particular resonance to Mr. Armstrong in his conversion is what prompted him to include a section in this book on the topic in question. But to cover the latter subject with the detail required and accounting for all parameters (including certain presuppositions Mr. Armstrong unconsciously and uncritically accepts) would to make the book a lot longer which is why it would have been better to have passed over it completely in this treatment.
   
   To summarize this review, Mr. Armstrong attempts to cover an entire spectrum of ideas with this book. In doing this there will be a variegation of success and on the lions share of the topics covered as well as overall presentation, this book is a worthwhile read. But there are also some topics of which it would have been better to have a bit more material on to insure a more correct presentation. And there is exactly one subject which would have by the nature of the subject in question have benefited from being passed over with the idea of focusing on the ones where the greater strength of demonstration and argument can be made.
   
   In closing, I with minimal reservation recommend this work for those who have questions as to the presumed "unbiblical" nature of certain Catholic beliefs and practices. It would serve well to help them realize that (whether they agree with them or not) there are arguments that can be made from Scripture for many "Catholic distinctives" which non-Catholics may have been led to believe did not exist.

5 comments about Enjoying Where You Are On the Way to Where You Are Going: Learning How to Live a Joyful, Spirit-Led Life.

1. I read the reviews here and decided to get the book from the library. Well I have finished this book and I must say that the author has met me at the very place I am in my life right now. Chapter ll Joy in God's Waiting Room continues to speak to my spirit. Joyce Meyer speaks on so many areas and each one has touched me and showed me things that I did not realize. I thought that Joy was something that came over you or as a result of circumstances but it is not. Joy is a choice and something that God has instilled in each one of us. J.Meyer gives examples of this and she backs up what she says in scripture. If you find that your patience is being challenged (God does this from time to time when He is preparing us for the next level (James 1:2-8) If your attitude is not Godly in your waiting and you feel that your joy is just not there...then you need to do as I did...YOU NEED TO OWN THIS BOOK! Just as God has blessed me to become a licensed RN I know and needed to be reminded that as I am waiting and believing God to open doors for me I have the victory because I am a child of God. I am going to re-read this book and now I can highlight and refer back to this book for continual growth in the area of patience and truly trusting God and knowing that He has everything under control. God Bless You!!!



2. Good advice, given like a friend talking frankly with you. Joyce states it like it is, no pie in the sky perfectionism, no Christianeeze cliches.
   She is right on the mark with the advice, references and interpretations. Uses personal experiences to illustrate situations. Helpful book.



3. Joyce teaches us to laugh at ourselves; she teaches us that it's ok to make mistakes as long as we recognize them and use them to mature our spiritual walk. I love preachers that come down to our level, instead of painting a "higher-than-thou" mentality with impossible standards for us to live up to. My dad once told me that a baby chick starts out with no muscle tone in it's neck. If someone simply cut the egg shell away from the chick and didn't allow it to peck it's way out, it would die. It is in the labor of breaking out of it's shell, that it finds strength.
   
   Carrie Lynn Jones
   Author of It All Began... When Jesus Gave Me Sneakers



4. Shopping on Amazon was quick and easy. Items were in stock & shipped in time for Christmas without any extra shipping charges. Amazon is the first place I search when shopping online.
   Any material by Joyce Meyer is wonderfully uplifting!



5. JOYce Meyer is keen on spreading the news that God wants you to ENJOY your life, whether you're in the middle of great delight or great distress. Pulling from Biblical truth, she proves her point in her easy- to-read way of teaching. In recent weeks, I have read many of her books, and many times the informations overlaps but that's ok because, oftentimes, one has to hear/read the info over and over for it to sink in. I suffer from anxiety, depression and "grumbliness" (complaining) and she explains that joy (spiritual happiness in knowing we are saved even though we don't deserve it) can be had no matter the circumstances, whether we're in a state of bliss or battle. The first is easy, the second (when in a trial) we have to realize that, for the believer, the trial is for a purpose and for our good (see Romans), and that "it, too, will pass". Enjoying life is a choice, but it (joy) is also a spiritual gift from God to those that obey and trust (have confidence in and depend on Him). Choose joy! Choose life! Choose to read this book, to enlighten you and to help you choose to enjoy your life! The title says it all.

5 comments about Getting Ready for Marriage Workbook : How to Really Get to Know the Person You're Going to Marry.

1. This book is a nice start for Christian couples (not recommended for people looking for a general, nonreligious/spiritual view) in that it raises important issues and encourages you to keep the discussion open afterward. The book is organized into topics such as Finance, Family Planning etc...and your future spouse answers the questions separately from you, guessing how you might answer, as well as answering for him/herself. Then the book asks you to grade how many questions you answered wrong/right, and sign a covenent on each subject based on things discussed. As thorough as this might be, there are some issues to keep in mind while reading this: 1) The language assumes certain roles and biases, which you may or may not agree with whether or not you are a Christian. E.g. "My father usually left a good tip for the waitress/waiter in restaurants," or irrelevant questions such as questions assuming your parents are still together or their relationship was consistent throughout their marriage. Some of the questions don't seem to have been updated for several decades. 2) You have to answer true or false, though many of the statements are not that easily answered. My fiancee and I ended up disregarding the scoring process, and discussing statements we thought were partly true or partly false rather than simplifying things to a T or F. The point is not to get a certain score after all, the point is to grow and learn about each other. 3) The chapter on finances is somewhat unspecific, so my fiancee and I are going to read a guide to finance next. There are other topics that are broad as well, but this book is designed that way. It's up to you to follow through to the next steps. If you think finishing this book prepares you for marriage, you possibly are walking into marriage short-sighted. It is a good vehicle, however, for starting the conversation that you and your future spouse will continue to have for the rest of your lives. Good luck!



2. This book asks some good questions. There are important points that each couple should be talking about, however, the scoring for the test is very confusing. Also, my boyfriends parents are both deceased. Many of the questions are about your parents and family. The questions do not take into account the different circumstances in many people's lives. The questions are geared toward a young couple in an ideal situation. What about adoption or foster care families? We ended up being very frustrated after doing 2 chapters of the book. We decided to read the questions to each other and not score it. This way we use it to get to know each other.



3. For the last four years I've used the Getting Ready for Marriage Workbook for pre-engagement and pre-marriage pastoral counseling and have been totally pleased. Virtually every important area which a couple will encounter during their marriage is covered. When used faithfully, the book will bring out potential areas of conflict and help clarify expectations concerning what married life with their partner will be like. The material is presented from a Christian perspective. While this may be a turn-off, as one reviewer commented, it is important that faith issues in general be a component of every pre-marriage discussion, as faith or lack of faith truly enters into a person's worldview and the manner in which family decisions are made. E.g., should I believe you will be faithful to me in our marriage relationship because I trust you and your word as an individual or because I believe you will be faithful to me because I believe your committment to God? In my view, even non-Christians will profit greatly from the materials covered in this book and need not take offense when matters of faith are addressed. My favorite feature of the workbook is the inclusion of covenants which the couple agree to (or determine to leave unagreed upon, at their peril in my opinion). E.g., the "Conflict Resolution Covenant," wherein the couple agrees to certain expectations, responsibilities, and ways of handling differences so as to minimize misunderstandings and deal with the inevitable conflicts constructively. My experience is that the covenants are very useful reminders and tools for promoting harmonius relations well after the marriage vows are taken. In my pastoral counseling I have found that the Getting Ready for Marriage Workbook can be covered thoroughly in five or six sessions with the couple completing a two-chapter assignment prior to each session. The sessions themselves become very productive as the couple will have already addressed the material covered and will arrive with issues that need additional attention, discussion, and insight. A separate workbook for each person is recommended but it is possible for the couple to share a book.



4. We decided to get this book since we are not going through traditional pre-marriage counseling. It can be a little cheesy, but it definitely sparks great conversation and helps to really understand why you act the way you do in relationships.



5. I suppose the book would had been better for me and mine if we were still 20. Very basic not bad but more for the younger couples.

5 comments about The Greatest Salesman in the World: Part II The End of the Story.

1. If you've never read one of Og Mandino's books, you should. They are inspiring for success minded people. I find that reading these types of books often, keeps my thoughts focussed where they should be. Most of his books reiterate the same principles, with a new idea here or there. You've probably heard these principles before, but they are presented nicely here. Great value for the cost of this book.



2. What a special person! This is someone who changed peoples lives by what he wrote! He was a brilliant author and person. I believe Og Mandino will live forever in our hearts, minds and spirits! This book as well as anything he wrote would be very much worth your time to own in your library.



3. I never cease to be amazed at how simple this author makes it easy to improve a persons life.
   
   Pray it Forward: Daily Meditations



4. I didn't think it was possible to outdo Part I... but it did... Parts I & II together is probably the greatest story ever told!!!



5. Please make sure to have read Part I before or it would be like watching the Godfather part II before the Godfather.
   
   Mr. Mandino is a very easy read, and the story is simple so you breeze through it in no time. Then the hard part now begins, because your mind can't ignore the priceless lessons shared by the author. You know he has been through the road before and you will find many of the examples apply to you in the now or in the past; the question is what you will do for your future. I like to read his books two or three times and then give it to a person who has not had a chance to read any of Mandino's books. In time, I will buy another copy and do the process again, we all get different messages but so far they have all been positive and enjoyable which is why I highly recommend not just this book but all of Og Mandino's marvelous novels.

5 comments about Hiding from Love.

1. Hiding From Love provided me with the insight I needed to understand all the why's I had dealt with my entire life. At the age of 45 I was finally able to understand why I had felt so "unlovable", "insecure" and "stupid" as a child, that there were very valid reasons for my thinking that way about myself that were NOT MY FAULT. I began to see myself with confidence, and worthy of being loved, for the first time in my life! I would recommend this book wholeheartedly to anyone struggling with childhood abandonment issues.



2. I think many readers may find this book useful.

   Whether you find it useful may depend on whether you are a beginner, that is, on your past exposure to self-development or spiritual growth reading. If you already have strong habits of introspection, you may find the approach of the book too simple for you. (The book is more about "withdrawal" than about fear of or struggle with intimacy.)

   However, if you have not had much chance analyze your past, and want an approach that relies on a traditional foundation, then it book may be very useful to you.




3. One of the best things about this book is that he backs up what he is saying by scripture. So you know the book is really based on the Bible. He also tells a lot of stories about other people which makes you feel as if it is not just a bunch of information being shoveled on you. I am only on chapter 4 but I have already learned so much about myself and the things that I have hidden in my life and why I have hidden them. I cannot wait to get further into the book and to start to learn how to change it!



4. I have read almost everything I can get my hands on to help me understand myself, my ex, and why it all went wrong. I finally feel like I understand why we have the defenses we do, and why it's so hard to snap out of it. The author combines years of solid experience working with people in real clinical situations with inspirational insight into issues of the heart in light of the Biblical understanding God gives us about how He created us. This book was rare for me, because it is solid and specific about why we are afraid to reach out and grasp what we most need to truly heal. I found it especially different because it addresses the problem of well-meaning Christians who come across as judgemental when they are really trying to be loving and helpful, as well as the tendency sometimes in counseling to provide acceptance and safety without the truth and responsiblity we need to grasp the power to actually change. It is refreshing because it is solid, specific, and treats us as complex, wonderful but fallable children of God who are hurting and so to protect ourselves from further injury we hide, afraid to reach out and try again. But it is not a how-to formula book so much as a scriptural guidebook to see how God made us and how he heals us. This book is not just the same old same old. For me, this book was tremendously important for unlocking hurts and helping me understand. It's not as easily readable as some of his other books like Changes that Heal, Boundaries, or Safe People, but I think it builds on the others and goes deeper. It's about exactly what it says it is, why we hide from love and how to safely come out of our fears and become who we were created to be.



5. This book arrived in excellent condition and in a timely manner. This book certainly ministers to the soul of anyone who reads it.

5 comments about How to Save Your Marriage Alone.

1. I got some good tips out of this book. It is bible based, which I like. It is also pretty short, so I can read it many times over, quickly. It references scriptures in the bible, which is helping me to learn more about His word.



2. Buy Dr James Dobson's book, Love must be Tough and don't waste your money on this booklet. They shouldn't have paired them together, as their messages are completely opposite. I applied the advice from Love Must Be Tough and had success, doing what this book advised only brought me more heartache.



3. First off I'd like to briefly touch on a few basic ways to approach this book. One, that the author is taking a Biblical approach to saving a marriage. As is the case with much of the Bible's content it is open to interpretation. I doubt all readers who believe in what the Bible has to offer will agree on every conclusion Dr. Wheat has reached. Still the reader should be prepared for the Biblical content in this book and the fact that Dr. Wheat bases his approach to saving a marriage on his understanding of God's word. I find it odd that so many reviewers complain about this? In my opinion that is like complaining that a cookbook published by P.E.T.A. has no meat dishes??? Even if a reader doesn't share Dr. Wheat's beliefs and totally does not accept what the Bible has to offer I hope the reader can at least recognize that this book is based just those things and accept it as the author's prerogative.
   
   Second, this book will most likely be read by those going through a divorce or those connected to someone who is in the process of a divorce. This is a self help book and I doubt many who are not experiencing the pains of a divorce will seek it out. So, in my opinion, many who read this book will be seeking a certain outcome and are emotionally connected to the results. Unfortunately the process to obtaining a result and the result itself may not emotionally or practically agree with the reader. I would encourage all readers to try and set their opinions and emotions aside while reading it. Then compare what Dr. Wheat has to say with his/her own notions once completed and see what parts can be adapted into his/her life. I guess I'm trying to say that readers should be wary of knee jerk reactions.
   
   Like most who read this book I found myself in a broken marriage and wanted to heal it. I liked the fact that this book was short and direct. I read it multiple times. Originally I thought there might be some guarantee from God that my marriage was salvageable. Although that was, as I look at it now, a real pipe dream. In fact I fall into one of the two categories listed by Dr. Wheat as unsalvageable. In my case my wife had taken a lover and totally given herself over to him. For about three months I prayed, read scripture, read this book, and conducted other research trying to find someway to save my marriage. Over this three month period, in accordance with Dr. Wheat's writings, I began to examine my own part in my marital break up. While I still don't believe I am the cause of my pending divorce I do accept my part in many of our marital problems. For me that is the real benefit about the book, it encourages the reader to quit trying to figure their partner out and instead to focus on what they did to contribute to the marital problems and how to ask forgiveness from God and their spouse if given the opportunity.
   
   What I write next may not make sense to those who don't have a relationship with God but it will hopefully make sense to some. When I began reading this book I had hoped to restore my relationship with my wife. This book along with the Bible itself helped me realize that on my wedding day I made a commitment to not only my wife but to God. While my marriage has not been reconciled I do think my relationship with God has been. Marriages break up for many reasons but all the many reasons have a root problem and that is a failure by one or both spouses to remember his/her commitment to God and to seek him first. Dr. Wheat attempts to make this clear but I think the point gets lost in some of his examples. The problem that gets the most attention is that of a spouse becoming an apparent door mat for the cheating spouse. I'll admit that his examples are hard to get past. However, I think the point he's trying to make is that a spouse, no matter if still living in the same home or separated from his/her spouse, can learn to set aside his/her hurt, pain, needs, and wants by focusing on the Lord. Easier said than done, however if a person is able to he/she will find themselves in a better place, one with his/her goals and expectations redefined. For some a complete reconciliation with a spouse, and for others a peace about moving on. Dr. Wheat clearly thinks too many people abandon their marriages without putting in real effort towards reconciliation.
   
   Also, this book does not boast a lot of statistics and figures. It appears to be all anecdotal with no actual detailed studies or comparisons. I was some what put off by this and skeptical. Over time I came to the conclusion that the author was not trying to give us hope by providing a success ratio or percentage guidelines. He is trying to tell the reader that direction, hope and peace can come from God. You can't attach statistics to those types of results.
   
   This review may seem to be a little too much about me and not enough about the book. I agree but after all it is a self help book. How are we to truly critique a self help book other than to tell how it did or did not help us? Like I mentioned earlier, this is a book aimed not only at saving marriages but at improving relationships with God. Please be aware of that before reading.



4. This is the best short book I've found to help get marriages back on track. It's inexpensive enough that I have my church buy them in case quantities and then give them to members to use or to give to people they know who are struggling in their marriage. If you find something similar that works for you, email me.



5. I just wanted to say that this book is written by a Godly man who God has given this wisdom to. Hes much older now but makes the statement somewhere in the book that the only marriages that werent restored...were the ones that the STANDING PARTNER gave up believing. Somestimes you have to take a stand for years. If God can change the water into wine....why isnt he strong enough to restore a marriage! He is! This is the first book God brought to me when my ministry started. The Lord has given me a marriage restoration ministry just like Ed wheats! Gods grace is sufficient and you can love unconditionally and forgive like Jesus did! I have seen many a spouse return because of the forgivness they have seen in their spouse as he/she were standing and believing! They are amazed how they can forgive when they are in adultery! Well they cant..but Jesus is living in them and he is totally enabling them. To God be the Glory!Just know...Its Gods will to restore every marriage!Its all in Gods timing! Are you willing to wait?

5 comments about The Holiness of God.

1. I read this book and it changed the way I perceive God. So often today in our culture and in our churches, we tend to view God as our friend, I know I did. In some ways that is true, but when we get back to the biblical description of God, we see His Holiness and then we're humbled. This book describes that idea and gives point after point that you just can't argue with. If churches today focused more on the Holiness of God, we wouldn't need "self-help" christianity and we'd have a bigger impact on our culture.



2. It was in this book that I first encountered unabashed reverence for the Lord and His holiness. It was here, too, that I got my first inkling of things that are so seldom discussed today in polite company - including His wrath and what the burden of our sins did to Jesus, the Lamb of God. It changed everything for me.



3. I am a frequent reader of Christian literature. There are few books I consider "must reads" for every Christian, but this is one of them. Sproul's book drives you to your knees as it expounds upon the holiness of God and man's contrasting sin. But it also lifts you to new heights of praise and thankfulness for God's most precious gift of grace: His Son Jesus. Sproul's book has helped me to better understand God's holiness, God's judgments, and my sin. And in doing so, he has helped me to better understand, and respond to, God's glorious grace. Well done Mr. Sproul, well done indeed.



4. I told someone recently that I was reading The Holiness of God by Sproul and they looked at me like I was an alien. They responded with surprise that I had not read it and went on to rave about the book. Sometimes books get a bit too much pub and then don't live up to the hype; however, this book is not one of them. The Holiness of God is classic Sproul and it is a much needed message for the church of any age, but in particular, the message of a transcendently glorious God is desperately needed today.
   
   Sproul starts off the book in a chapter entitled The Holy Grail. It is in this chapter where he recounts a story of how God forever changed his life by revealing the majestic holiness of the God to him. From this point on, Sproul says he was captivated by the holiness of God.
   
   The chapter on Isaiah 6 entitled Holy, Holy, Holy is just plain awesome. Sproul combines transcendent theology with passion and delivers it in a clear, lucid manner that is engaging to the soul.
   
   For example,
   
   "To be undone means to come apart at the seams, to be unraveled.... [It is] personal disintegration.... [Isaiah] was considered by his contemporaries as the most righteous man in the nation. He was respected as a paragon of virtue. Then he caught one sudden glimpse of the holy God. In that single moment, all of his self-esteem was shattered. In a brief second he was exposed, made naked beneath a gaze of the absolute standard of holiness. As long as Isaiah could compare himself to other mortals, he was able to maintain a lofty opinion of his own character. The instant he measured himself by the ultimate standard, he was destroyed--morally and spiritually annihilated. He was undone. He came apart. His sense of integrity collapsed."
   
   "There is a special kind of phobia from which we all suffer. It is called xenophobia. Xenophobia is a fear (and sometimes hatred) of strangers or foreigners or of anything that is strange or foreign. God is the ultimate object of our xenophobia. He is the ultimate stranger. He is the ultimate foreigner. He is holy, and we are not."
   
   This is just great stuff. And it serves as a timely tonic for our current age that seems to have chiseled a God who looks and acts more like our little buddy than the transcendently enthroned King of kings.
   
   Sproul also writes about Christ's holiness. In the chapter, The Trauma of Holiness, Sproul shows how Christ demonstrates his utter differentness and superiority over everything by calming the ferocious storms. Peter's response should be the model, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man." (Luke 5.8).
   
   My only criticism is Sproul's insertion of a chapter on Martin Luther. I was jamming along, just drinking up the radiant holiness that this book was warming me with and then...bam....a chapter on Luther. Now, I have nothing against Luther, but, it just seemed a bit unnecessary and out of place. Perhaps others disagree.
   
   Overall, I think the book is a must read. I am catapulting it to the `top-ten' status.



5. At first I was a little disappointed in the audio-book since it was another speaker other than R.C. Sproul. However, after the first ten minutes I could hear the speaker, as if it were Sproul himself (since, of course, he is the author).
   
   The book is EXCELLENT! It has a way of bringing you to a place of "awe" concerning God's holiness. It helped me to understand holiness and to desire God to bring forth holiness into my own life.
   
   R.C. Sproul is one of my favorite Theology teachers, and this audio-book shows how God has gifted him to teach the truths of God's word clearly and effectively. ENJOY :)

5 comments about The Cross and the Switchblade.

1. This book was very interesting reading. I was familiar with Teen Challenge, but not familiar with how it started, only with the way I've seen it change people's lives. Also, I was born in 77' so to read about gangs and drugs in society during a previous generation and Wilerson's attempt to reach out was a world I hadn't been exposed too. My picuture of the 60s is of Mayberry, not the streets of New York, so it shattered some of my misconceptions.
   
   Motivating story and an easy read worth your time.



2. The story of what God can do with a chosen vessel, and a heart of obedience.



3. This Book changed my life when I read it in jail in summer of 1970,after the hippie years of many many drugs and all that went along with it.I would surely be dead now if not for this book and the Lord Jesus who caused David Wilkerson to write it.Jail was the only place I would have stopped to read it at the time.So I am sure the Lord wanted me there then.I have been reformed since that day.I am presently giving it to my son who also has the bad addiction gene which seems to run in my family .He is currently serving 6 Months in mandatory County Rehab.So he too will have time to read it . I just pray that anyone who has a friend or family member who has an addiction of any kind will send this book to them to read it. They won't read the Bible but they will read this book- The Story of Rev. David Wilkerson,His life saving Teen Challenge Outreach and Nicky Cruz,whose life was also forever changed in this book.Praise God for this Book!!!



4. Just saw that there is an old movie, with Pat Boone, made from this book.
   Don't know how the movie will be yet. However, I like to give good reviews for books that deserve them and many years after having read this one - which I had virtually forgotten til today - I still see it as one of the most profound witnesses to what a life in Messiah should reflect. Amazing story. It will bless you and humble you.



5. This book is based on a true story. A true testimony to the power of God. The kind of transforming power still available today. The impact of this true story has continued to touch and change lives forever. The movie is also very powerful if you get the chance to view it. Thank God for men and women who continue to listen to God's voice in a time that many naysayers say the sitution is hopeless.

5 comments about Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cure.

1. This book is very very good. Very! The problem I had with it had more to do with a paradox Reverend Lloyd-Jones might not even have been aware of: when Christians fall into depression of the severity he addresses so well, *any* book will appear too intellectual.
   
   Having said that, "Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cures" is a kind of spiritual boot camp. There will be days you'll look at it on your shelf and go Ugh! I don't want to go near those spartan biblical principles. (And God will still love you if you say this.) There will be days when you'll grab it as soon as you wake up in the morning. I purchased the book to help with unresolved bereavement, when some days you're able to forget the departed one and some days grief paralyzes you. Reverend Lloyd-Jones' book was "always there," whether I picked it up or not, and in this respect, it was like having a pastor in my house.



2. This book is written by one who understands what the Scriptures teach regarding depression. Before you seek a drug prescription, read what Jones has to say. You will be "glad" you did.



3. Though a beautifull collection of Sermons by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones of the Westminster Chapel preaching on the relatioships between the physical, the psychic and the spiritual it is completely founded in Christianity. I found it a little too dogmatic about "Unhappy Christians" being a poor recommendation for Christian Faith from clear common causes to ending with on how to be content, exclusively rooted in biblical scripture. For me it was too religious, but a fair but a fair read for us commom folks. The sermons were from the pulpit in 1964, taken down by shorthand, and eventually published in 1966. I expected the book to more contemporary and not so old, however, if ypu lean towards a strict fundamentalist understanding and approach to Christianity, you will find this book still applicable to to your faith today in the arena of "God's Gymnasium". It is seen through a prism beginning with a strong foundation, sin and vain regrets, fear of the future, spiritual bondage, discipline, trials, and the peace of God. I was still left wanting, however, I experience a life long history of genectic and physiologic clinical depression, and I am not a literalist when it comes to theology.



4. Sometimes expository preachers need to take a break out of their expository preaching series when a specific need arises. This is what Pastor Jones does here, the first of his topical sermon series I have read. Here the readers would learn there is a clear distinction between biblical and secular psychology, specifically in dealing with spiritual depression; the former being Christocentric and the latter anthropocentric. The first few sermons deal with the true nature of the Christian faith and life, as well as the radical transforming "dynamite" power of the gospel in one's mind, affection, will and the whole entire being; the lack of understanding or conviction of which is one reason behind the occurrence of spiritual depression among Christians. Simultaneously, there is also an exposure to the danger of false teachings or defective biblical views, among whom are for example, prosperity gospel with its toxic promise that God is your lackey and he is committed to see to it, in your own created reality, in your own strength and will-power to accomplish "your best life now", full of worldly material blessings happily ever after, or Antinomian, Arminian, Hyper-calvinist, perfectionist or legalistic gospels, that cause Christians, not having been brought up properly in solid doctrines and discipleship to experience spiritual depression as well. Pastor Jones did an excellent treatment on the subject of spiritual discipline against laziness and procrastination, taken from the second epistle of Peter, and divine chastisement, from Hebrews 12, which unless understood correctly; the cause, the method and the purpose of it, might also lead to spiritual depression that shows itself in three possible ugly faces; hardness of heart or a cavalier attitude toward it, despair, and bitterness. On the subject of contentment, however, taken from the familiar text in Phil 4:11, which Pastor Jones argues as a critical attitude to posses in order to combat and cure spiritual depression, the study is nowhere close to the intensity, weight and practicality of either Jeremiah Burrough's "The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment" or Thomas Watson's "The Art of Divine Contentment" The subject of contentment is so important and powerful that I believe perhaps Pastor Jones should have mentioned these two Puritan texts for the readers to explore further.
   
   Nevertheless, over all, those who are into Christian counseling would appreciate and do well to learn from Pastor Jones' insights to help brothers and sisters who are struggling with depression. Psalm 42:5, 11; the subject of the first sermon, summarizes exquisitely the right cry and the proper response for the spiritually depressed, "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God." Amen.



5. This is one of the best books ever. Pastor Lloyd-Jones understands that Scripture is sufficient. Too many times, Christians first turn to the medical or psychiatry instead of first turning to the Word of God. I have given this book to several friends and members of my family who agree with its value.