BOOK REVIEW - HOW TO KEEP YOUR HEAD ON STRAIGHT IN A WORLD GONE CRAZY; DEVELOPING DISCERNMENT FOR THESE LAST DAYS BY RICK RENNER

 

Do you think this world has gone berserk, especially watching the entertainment media or listening to politicians? Is there a way to escape that lunacy?

I agree with the answer Rick Renner gives in "How To Keep Your Head On Straight In A World Gone Crazy:" We need to return to Scripture and practice spiritual discernment.

This isn't the first book I've read on the subject, but it is unique in perspective. Renner puts himself in the Pentecostal/Charismatic camp, and most discernment ministries I'm familiar with are very wary of that segment of the church. Renner states he believes speaking in tongues is evidence of the Holy Spirit, which I strongly disagree with. In fact, some of the authors recommending this book are part of movements that most Discernment ministries identify as proof we need discernment: namely the Laughing Revival and the Word of Faith movement.

Even with the disagreements, I believe he's on the money on the need to get back to Biblical thinking.

BOOK REVIEW - WHEN GOD CALLS A WRITER: MOVING PAST INSECURITY TO WRITE WITH CONFIDENCE BY DEANNE WELSH

 Are you questioning whether God might be calling you to write? Are you needing some encouragement and guidance? If so, check out this book.

This is a nice short book. It is less than a hundred pages, consisting of four chapters divided into segments of 2-3 pages. If that's not enough, it's written where there's no first line indent, with a double space between paragraphs, and said paragraphs have the max of three sentences (often being one sentence and one line).

The above format makes the thoughts seem a little choppy, which is a good thing. The result is you have a short thought easy to focus on.

You'll want a pen - Welsh gives you questions. You might want to have a separate notebook to write those answers.

If you're a Christian considering writing (either fiction or non-fiction), you'll want this book.

Final comment - I've about given up on writing. After reading this, am I still there? Good question. I'm still trying to discern if writing is a good ministry keeping me from a better ministry or if I'm abandoning something I'm called to.

SUNDAY HYMNS, PART 8 OF 22: MORE ABOUT JESUS

Sacred Heart Model School, Louisville, KY

 More about Jesus would I know,

More of His grace to others show,

More of His saving fullness see,

More of His love who died for me.

More about Jesus let me learn, 

More of His holy will discern:

Spirit of God, my teacher be,

Showing the things of Christ to me.

More about Jesus in His Word,

Holding communion with my Lord,

Hearing His voice in every line,

Making each faithful saying mine.

More about Jesus on His throne,

Riches in heaven, all His own;

More of His kingdom's sure increase,

More of His coming, Prince of Peace.

More, more about Jesus,

More, more about Jesus.

More of His saving fullness see,

More of His love who died for me.

NOTES ON HYMN

• The verses to this song are Long Meter, or 8,8,8,8. Other songs with the Long Meter include "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross," "All Creatures of our God and King," "He Leadeth Me," "Higher Ground", and the Doxology.
• Only other comment -why don't we sing this song more often?
  

SUNDAY HYMNS, PART 7 OF 22: JESUS CALLS US

"Shining Light, Meghan Williams (Dyed4YouArt)

Jesus calls us; o'er the tumult 

Of our life's wild, restless sea,

Day by day His sweet voice soundeth, 

Saying, "Christian, follow Me."

Jesus calls us from the worship 

Of the vain world's golden store,

From each idol that would keep us, 

Saying, "Christian, love Me more."

In our joys and in our sorrows, 

Days of toil and hours of Ease, 

Still He calls, in cares and pleasures, 

"Christian, love Me more than these."

Jesus calls us; by Thy mercies, 

Saviour, may we hear Thy call,

Give our hearts to Thine obedience, 

    Serve and love Thee best of all.

NOTES ON THIS HYMN:

 

• I remember singing this some, but I always thought of it as an evangelistic invitation, like "Just As I Am." It wasn't until relatively recently I realized it was not a song to the unsaved to call them to salvation but to the saved to call them to discipleship. And thus, it has become one of my favorite songs.
• This song has a meter of 8, 7, 8, 7. I saw another hymnal when they set it to a different tune, and had two verses with the meter of 8, 7, 8, 7 double. I also heard a recording that set the lyrics to the tune Holy Manna (used on "Brethren We Have Met To Worship), which also doubles the 8,7,8,7 meter. Sometimes, Becky and I sing it to the tunes of Hyfrydol (used for many songs including "Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus") or Nettleton ("Come, Thou Fount Of Every Blessing.") Or, if you like Beethoven, you can sing it to "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee."
  

BOOK REVIEW - THE WONDERLAND TRIALS BY SARA ELLA

Why does everybody around Alice seem so abnormal? Except for her sister. But why is her normal sister arrested for being abnormal? Or is she her sister? And why does this quirky guy keep smiling like ... wait. Isn't his name Chess Shire?

First, let me establish the facts. I grew up a couple of miles from Disneyland, and my favorite ride was Alice In Wonderland, original version (I rode the new version once, and liked the original better). Forget the Disney Princesses: my childhood crushes were Alice and the Sunmaid Raisin Girl. When I was 9 or 10, I read a two-story volume featuring Alice In Wonderland and Peter Pan. I didn't see the animated version till I was an adult; I have yet to see Tim Burton's live version. So yes, the Wonderland angle interested me. Plus, one of my favorite Publishing Companies, Enclave Publishing, released it.

On the other hand, I have not read the Hunger Games. I saw segments of the first two movies while working out at the YMCA. I am not a Dystopian fan. But with the little I know of that series, I think I could call this story "The Hunger Games In Wonderland."

How good a book is this? I'll put it this way - 1) my favorite characters are minor ones, and don't really like any of the key characters; 2) it is fantastic and unbelief suspending to a point it's past my comfort zone; 3) it's also too dystopian for my comfort zone; and 4)...

I. COULD. NOT. PUT. THIS. BOOK. DOWN! (Upside up, or upside town, with or without tea.)

If you are an Alice fan, a dystopian fan, or a fantasy fan, you'll enjoy this book. If not... you still might enjoy this, like I did.

BOOK REVIEW - THE GRAND CANYON: A DIFFERENT VIEW BY TOM VAIL

Are there facts that don't quite fit the typical view that the Colorado River has been carving out the grand canyon for millions of years? Is there an alternative view that should at least be considered and not  dismissed because it doesn't agree with naturalism?

The Grand Canyon: A Different View is narrated by Tom Vail, who is a boat guide at the Canyon, and also includes comments by various creationists. The book starts with an overview and then looks at various issues such as the rocks, the water, fossils, and the plants and animals. The book is also filled with photographs.

The book is 100 pages, and, as stated above, plenty of pictures. If I taught a class, I might include this as one textbook, but not the sole one. For me, this is perfect to put on the coffee table to spark conversations.

I would be interested in seeing what my progressive (old earth) creationist biology teacher would have thought of this book. That teacher was a geologist, and was not convinced of the flood being the cause for much of this earth's geology. This book does bring out good points, such as how the rocks are formed in the canyon.

I learned of this book seeing it on the book shelf of a friend, pulled out and easy to see. I'm glad I saw it, and highly recommend it.

SUNDAY HYMNS, PART 6 OF 22: I WANT A PRINCIPLE WITHIN

Living Word Bible Church, Indianapolis; on sign: "Understanding the Bible. Independent, Non-Denominational, Dispensational."

I want a principle within Of watchful, godly fear,

A sensibility of sin, A pain to feel it near.

Help me the first approach to feel Of pride or wrong desire;

To catch the wandering of my will, And quench the kindling fire.

From Thee that I no more may stray, No more Thy goodness grieve,

Grant me the filial awe, I pray, The tender conscience give.

Quick as the apple of an eye, O God, my conscience make!

Awake my soul when sin is nigh, And keep it still awake.

Almighty God of truth and love, To me Thy power impart;

The burden from my soul remove, The hardness from my heart.

O may the least omission pain My reawakened soul,

And drive me to that grace again, Which makes the wounded whole.

NOTES ON THIS HYMN:

• The words were written by my favorite hymn lyrist, Charles Wesley (brother and co-founder of the Methodist Church of John Wesley).
• The meter of this hymn is Common Meter Double (8,6,8,6,8,6,8,6). Becky and I are not familiar with the tune associated with it, so we sing it to the tune of other songs, such as "Faith Is The Victory," "My Faith Has Found A Resting Place (No Other Plea)," "I Sing The Mighty Power Of God," and "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear."
• I knew some of Wesley's hymns have more verses than are normally printed - for example, "O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing," has 5 verses in the hymnal I'm most familiar with, 9 on Cyber Hymnal's page, and originally over twenty (with what we consider the first verse being actually the sixth or seventh verse) - so I looked on Cyber Hymnal of a pair of Wesley songs that had three verses each: this one and "Soldiers of Christ, Arise!" The total number of verses for this song? Three! For "Soldiers of Christ?" Sixteen. 
• As I was setting the date for this hymn, I realized it's 9-11. I'm following the planned format, of putting the first 16 songs in alphabetic order by title, and I'm sticking to it. But doesn't this song reflect spiritually the vigilance September 11th motivated us to have?