Posts belonging to Category Books



Make Your Work Count!

I have a new book coming out this week called Lord, Make My Life Count! Drawing largely from the wisdom portions of the Bible, this book explains how to make your life count in six key areas of life: 1) your work; 2) your rest; 3) your faith; 4) your prayers; 5) your money; and 6) your time.

Each day this week I will be posting an excerpt from one of the six chapters. Today’s excerpt comes from the first chapter: “Make Your Work Count!”

Part of viewing your work as God’s calling is understanding that all work is ministry. Colossians 3 says: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Col. 3:23-24).

We tend to think of ministry as the work we do in the church rather than the work we do in the world. We divide life into the sacred and the secular, but God views it all as one. Ministry simply means serving the Lord. You can do that at church, but you can also do it at your place of work. So, you might be a minister of the gospel, but you could also be a minister of accounting, or a minister of daycare, or a minister of plumbing!

Martin Luther wrote: “The idea that service to God should have only to do with a church altar, singing, reading, sacrifice, and the like is without doubt but the worst trick of the devil. How could the devil have led us more effectively astray than by the narrow conception that the service of God takes place only in the church and by works done therein.… The whole world could abound with services to the Lord … not only in churches but also in the home, kitchen, workshop, and field.” Or as Dorothy Sayers wrote: “All work done well and for God’s glory is Christian work.”

At our church we like to say we have several pastors but many ministers. We are all ministers as we serve the Lord both here in the church and in the place where God has called us to work.

 
Note: Click here to view the book on Amazon.
 
Lord, Make My Life Count!

Advance Readers – Lord, Make My Life Count!

Lord, Make My Life Count!

Free advance review copies: The fourth book in the Understanding God’s Word series will be releasing next month, and I am looking for advance readers.

The book is called Lord, Make My Life Count! It’s a short book (six chapters), and an easy read. Drawing largely from the wisdom portions of the Bible, this book focuses on six key areas of life: 1) making your work count; 2) making your rest count; 3) making your faith count; 4) making your prayers count; 5) making your money count; and 6) making your time count.

Here is the full schedule and details:
January 20-31: Sign-ups for the reading group
February 1: Advance copies distributed by email
February 1-21: Three weeks to read
February 22: Release date on Amazon
February 22-29: Post a review on Amazon

If you would like to be part of the advance reading group for this book, and you feel you can read and review the book within the allotted timeframe, just let me know and I will send you a link where you can download your free copy. Thanks for your support! (You can email me at ray@pccflorida.org)

There are a limited number of advance copies available, so be sure to sign up early! Feel free to share this post with anyone you know who may be interested in participating.
 
Note: Here are the other books currently available in the series (click on the book images to view on Amazon):

Habakkuk: The Journey from Doubt to Faith   Fruit of the Spirit: Growing More Like Jesus   Name above All Name (Isaiah 9:6): An Advent Series
 
Note: Click here for all books in the Understanding God’s Word series.
 

New Advent Book on the Names of Jesus from Isaiah 9:6

If you are looking for some Advent reading this December, let me suggest my new book on the names of Jesus from Isaiah 9:6. You can check it out on Amazon here: Name above All Names (Isaiah 9:6)
 
This book works well as devotional reading in preparation for Christmas. It would also make a great Christmas gift for the reader on your list. I hope you enjoy it!
 

The prophet Isaiah spoke of a child who would be born a ruler and king. How would people recognize this baby when he was born? Isaiah identifies him for us by his names: “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

There is only one child in history who fulfills the meaning of all these names. We celebrate his birth each year at Christmas, and his name is Jesus. Come join the wonder of the Advent season as we study the meaning behind these four names together.

Bonus Material: Selected commentary, poems and songs on Isaiah 9:6 through the ages.

 
Note: This book is part of the Understanding God’s Word series. Each book in the series is adapted from actual sermons preached in the local church. These books are part commentary, part exposition, but mostly offer a clear explanation of the text, showing how it relates to other Scripture and to our lives today. They are ideal resources for teachers preparing lessons, for pastors preparing messages and for personal Bible study.
 
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Currently available (click on the book images to view on Amazon):

Habakkuk: The Journey from Doubt to Faith   Fruit of the Spirit: Growing More Like Jesus   Name above All Name (Isaiah 9:6): An Advent Series
 
Click here for all books in the Understanding God’s Word series.
 

Would You Like to Be an Advance Reader?

Name above All Name (Isaiah 9:6): An Advent Series
 
Free advance review copies:

The next book in the Understanding God’s Word series comes out next week. It’s a Christmas book on the names of Jesus in Isaiah 9:6 (Wonderful Counselor; Mighty God; Everlasting Father; Prince of Peace).

I am looking for a group of people who would be interested in reading the book and possibly leaving a review on Amazon when it is released. It’s a short book (only five chapters), and an easy read. I have a limited number of advance copies available.

If you are interested in being a part of this group, just let me know and I will send you a link where you can download your free copy. Thanks for your support! (You can email me at ray@pccflorida.org)

P.S. Feel free to share this post with anyone you know who may be interested in participating.

Understanding God’s Word Series

Understanding God's Word

I’m excited to announce a new series of books that will be appearing over the next months. Understanding God’s Word is a new series of books exploring various books and topics in the Bible. Each book in the series is adapted from actual sermons preached in the local church. These books are part commentary, part exposition, but mostly offer a clear explanation of the text, showing how it relates to other Scripture and to our lives today.

This style of preaching is modeled after Nehemiah 8 where the Levites under Ezra “read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read” (Neh. 8:8). These books are ideal resources for teachers preparing lessons, for pastors preparing messages and for personal Bible study.

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Currently available (click on the book images to view on Amazon):

Habakkuk: The Journey from Doubt to Faith   Fruit of the Spirit: Growing More Like Jesus   Name above All Name (Isaiah 9:6): An Advent Series   Lord, Make My Life Count!

 
Upcoming in 2024:
Biblical Foundations
Famous Mothers in the Bible (Vol. 1)
Lord, Make My Life Count
Life of Samuel
Real Answers about Heaven

 
Note: Click here for all books in the Understanding God’s Word series.
 

Free Ebook on Being a Christian in Work

Being a Christian in Work, by Muel Kaptein

        

Muel Kaptein has provided a wonderful resource for Christians at work. Kaptein is a professor of work ethics and advisory partner at KPMG Ethics & Integrity. The book is based on his experiences as a practicing Christian as well as his education in business administration and partly in theology.

The book is set up in workbook format, with short thoughts on various issues relating to work accompanied by questions for reflection or discussion. The material is practical, accessible, filled with scripture references and biblically sound. This is a great book for either individual reading or for use in Bible study or discussion groups.

You can purchase the book in paperback at Amazon here: Being a Christian in Work (Paperback) Or Kaptein has generously made the PDF of the book available for free download here: Being a Christian in Work (Free PDF)

I trust you will find this resource helpful as you seek to be faithful to Christ whatever your work situation.

How (and why) I read 150 books a year

Many people are looking for ways to read more books. I decided to share my approach in case it may be helpful for you or others you know. I made the goal to read 150 books a year back in 2017. Since then, I have reached or exceeded that goal each year. So, here is how and why I read 150 books a year.

Click here for full article: How (and why) I read 150 books a year

Book Review – Idol Lies, by Dee Brestin

This is a guest post by my wife, Rosi Fowler!
Click here to visit Rosi’s blog.


 
Idol Lies, by Dee Brestin

“My name is Dee and I am an idolater.” That’s how the author begins this eye-opening book. Quite a confession, and that is exactly what I found myself confessing too before getting to the end of the book.

Once I began reading this book, it was hard to stop. I couldn’t wait to get to the next chapter. There were so many moving testimonies of women who eventually came to the realization that they too were idolaters. Idol Lies helps us to see our idols for what they really are: lies. And those lies feed right into our souls taking up residence in our hearts. These “soul idols” are invisible; they hide well giving us false hope. But Dee Brestin helps us to recognize that these inward idols carry red flags if we know how to look for them.

The author is very personable and likeable. She has a passion for helping women live free of idols. She is a woman who experienced deep sorrow with the loss of her husband to cancer. She has struggled with her own “soul idol” and shares how we too can experience release. Dee really hits a nerve in Idol Lies.

This is a book study too. The study questions and leader’s guide are at the end of the book. She helps you dig deep into the Scriptures and includes heart probing and challenging questions. She also provides web links for free videos before each lesson.

So, if you have a deep desire to have an intimate walk with the Lord and it is just not happening, at least not lately, I recommend reading Idol Lies. You want to make sure your heart is free of idols, because they can take up residence even in mature believers.

Reading Classics Together – The Hidden Life of Prayer

The Hidden Life of Prayer, by David M. MacIntyre

Starting this Thursday over at Tim Challies’ blog, we will be reading David MacIntyre’s The Hidden Life of Prayer as part of Tim’s Reading Classics Together program. This is one of my favorite books on prayer, and I encourage you to grab a copy and read along. The chapters are short but focused and full of great teaching and reflections on prayer.

I like this book so much that back in fall of 2010 I created Kindle and ePub editions with fully-linked footnotes and table of contents. If you need a good ebook edition, you can order it through Amazon or Barnes & Noble through one of the links below:

    ● The Hidden Life of Prayer – Kindle edition at Amazon.com
    ● The Hidden Life of Prayer – Paperback edition at Amazon.com
    ● The Hidden life of Prayer – Epub edition at Barnes & Noble

And don’t forget to visit Tim’s blog on Thursday for the first round of discussion on chapter one.

Note: You don’t need a Kindle to read Kindle books. Click here for a free e-reader.

The Hidden Life of Prayer Now Available for the Kindle

The Hidden Life of Prayer, by David M. MacIntyre

The Hidden Life of Prayer, by David M. MacIntyre, is now available for the Amazon Kindle. This is fast becoming my new favorite book on prayer. The book is a treasure trove of spiritual insights and practical instructions. MacIntyre draws from Scripture, Christian literature and Christian experience to encourage and instruct the believer in the rich subject of prayer. There are also many fine quotations about prayer from across the centuries sprinkled throughout the book’s pages.

But don’t just take my word for it. Here are John Piper’s and Wayne Grudem’s recommendations:

“God brings books at their appointed times. The Hidden Life of Prayer arrived late but well-timed. This little jewel-strewn tapestry has done for me at 64 what Bounds’ Power Through Prayer did at 34. I could be ashamed that I need inspiration for the highest privilege. But I choose to be thankful.”
John Piper, Senior Pastor, Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota

“I have read The Hidden Life of Prayer again and again since Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia first gave it to me when I visited there as a prospective student forty years ago. Every time I read this book, the Lord uses it to deepen my prayer life and encourage my faith. I strongly recommend it!”
Wayne Grudem, Research Professor of Theology and Biblical Studies, Phoenix Seminary, Phoenix, Arizona, USA

You can purchase the book from Amazon or you can get it right here at my website in ePub or Kindle/Mobipocket format. It is also available at Barnes & Noble for the Nook. And remember, you don’t need a Kindle to read Kindle books. Click here for a free e-reader.

Book Burning in the Digital Age

So when ebooks take over the world, will protesters just get together and delete files?

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    • Ebook Formatting for the Ipad, Kindle and Nook
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The Bible Memory Version Poll

Please help by participating in the poll below. (If your preferred translation is not in the list, please leave a note in the comments and I will add it to the poll.)

This summer I released the first book in The Bible Memory Version series, using the King James Version of the Bible. I hope to release The Bible Memory Version in all the major translations so that anyone can use this tool to memorize Scripture in their preferred translation. I have started contacting publishers to obtain permissions for other translations, so I thought it would be helpful to run a poll and find out which translation(s) people would most like next.

Which translation of The Bible Memory Version would you like to see released next?
View Results

 
Note: If you are reading this by email or RSS, click here to participate in the poll.

The Bible Memory Version is available for purchase here at my website (in ePub or Kindle format) and also through Amazon or Barnes & Noble. If you don’t have an e-reader, you can download a free e-reader here.

Related posts:
    • Amazon Kindle’s Most Popular Bible Highlights
    • The Bible Memory Version