Reb Rev's Blog

“Outlive Your Life: You Were Made to Make a Difference” by Max Lucado is another soul pricking work by a great author. Outlining the opening chapters of the book of Acts, the author brings out the truth of the selflessness of the early church. He gives us the application by pointing out both examples and opportunities available to us today.

In his easy to read – slow to digest – fashion he brings each point home without finger pointing or accusation. The reader is left challenged but not guilt ridden. In fact, it is quite encouraging to learn of the “small” options for action which are available to just about everyone. The message is clear, none of us can do it all, but we all can do something.

I highly recommend this book to those who desire to outlive their life.

The book closes with a chapter by chapter discussion guide for us in small group study.

I post these reviews as a member of Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger Program. I receive a free copy of the book, but am not required to give a positive review.  Check it out at http://www.booksneeze.com

“The Butterfly Effect: How Your Life Matters” by Andy Andrews has been described as the “ultimate gift book.” I agree. The information in the book is condensed from “The Traveler’s Gift” into a colorful quick read, but with a powerful message.

The “Butterfly Effect” is a name borrowed form that of a scientific hypothesis which states if a butterfly flaps his wings in the rainforest of South America, the molecules of air which are set in motion can become a hurricane thousands of miles away in the Atlantic. Hence, a thing which may seem to be most insignificant can have a tremendous impact.

That hypothesis is carried over into the life of every person. So, the life of every person – and the actions of every person, are important and meaningful.

To drive his point home, Andy Andrews gives a couple examples from history of everyday, ordinary people whose actions have impacted the lives of every person who has lived since.

While the book is small, the message is huge. It only takes a few minutes to read, but the message can change a life forever.

I post these reviews as a member of Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger Program. I receive a free copy of the book, but am not required to give a positive review.  Check it out at http://www.booksneeze.com

Have you ever wanted to live life on the “wild side”? How about living the Christian life on the wild side? Does that sound contradictory? Well, that’s exactly what Mr. McManus proposes in “Unleashed.” He calls it the “barbarian” way.

McManus’ proposal is that the modern church has become much too civilized in order to be safe. He posits the early church, and especially Christ did not picture this type of life as normal. In this challenging work, he calls for modern Christians to get back to the culture confronting , living on the edge type of faith to which Christ has called those who will follow Him.

The author makes the pint well we have been called to walk by faith, not to be frozen by fear. As the Church, we are far less dangerous – and take far fewer risks – than God ever planned for us. There are many who will not be comfortable with this challenge, and that helps make the author’s point.

I recommend this challenging work, but be ready to feel convicted, confronted and called out by it.      

I post these reviews as a member of Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger Program. I receive a free copy of the book, but am not required to give a positive review.  Check it out at http://www.booksneeze.com

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”– John 16:33

Eileen and I were on vacation last week. I hope you missed your “Thursday Thoughts”, but we’re back now.

One of the things we did while away was to go hiking on some trails along the Blue Ridge Parkway. One of the trails was to Crabtree Falls.

The listed distance was 2 miles and it was posted as “Strenuous.” As we headed out, I realized something was really, really wrong. It was downhill! It was fairly steep downhill, how could this be “strenuous”?

Early on the trail we met a little girl, who appeared to be about 6 years old, sitting while her dad talked to another man. The little girl looked at us and said, “It’s tough, but it’s worth it!”

Well, we made it to the falls, which were beautiful, by the way, and sat as the cool mist wafted over us. Then it was time to move on – time to head back to the old parking lot. Now, the trail was uphill– steep uphill.

While it was difficult, it was no surprise. We were warned from the start, thus we were prepared for the challenge.

The verse quoted above is also a “warning.” Jesus tells us there will be difficult times, “tribulations.” In other words, life’s journey will sometimes be uphill and the way rocky and steep.

But, that’s not all He says. Don’t miss the great news included there – He says, “don’t worry about, it – I’ve already conquered the steep parts,” or “It’s tough, but it’s worth it!”

I guess this would be a “specialty market” or niche book. As the name implies, it is meant specifically for those who are in sales. However, the principals the author brings out regarding daily life in the market place or public life are applicable to us all. I am rather reluctant to recommend it for everyone though, because, no doubt, there would be those who would miss the application.

Mr. Cunningham takes (literally) the pages of a World War II infantry training manual and applies the advice to the modern sales professional. Each day there is a section of the field manual, followed by Bible readings and a “Battle Plan” (the modern application). This is supplemented with a prayer and sections for personal thoughts (journaling) and prayer requests.

Each of the twenty-two daily devotionals is fairly short and should easily fit into the busiest of schedules.

This book would make a nice gift for any sales professional.      

I post these reviews as a member of Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger Program. I receive a free copy of the book, but am not required to give a positive review.  Check it out at http://www.booksneeze.com

“Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase.”

–           Ecclesiastes 3:14

One of life’s little pleasures is getting to the fruit bin at the grocery store right after it has been restocked. On the other hand, it is not much fun to have to pick through a few wrinkled pieces after the rest of the world has handled it moving a spongy apple out of the way to get to the crisp ones.

There isn’t much joy in trying to decide which bananas to take home when the all have more black than yellow on them. Then, there are always the grapes which are so old and shriveled, you know if you wait 30 more minutes, you’ll be able to buy them as raisins.

And, again, as if the condition of the fruit itself wasn’t bad enough, you know everyone else has picked these up, handled them and then moved them to the side. YUCK!

We deserve better, right? We are paying good money for these things and we want the best, right?

Let’s us consider for a moment the verse above. A lot of folks think this verse is just about money, but what is your “increase?” Are not all of our blessings in life added to us? Our jobs, our time, even our families?

Why then do we spend ourselves with so much effort in every direction and then bring whatever is left over (if anything) to God?

How many folks are just “too tired” or “too busy” to take time to honor God on a daily basis, much less go to church? Or, even for those who do, don’t have the physical or emotional energy to engage in fellowship and worship because they are drained from all other activities?

Maybe God feels like we do at the “picked over” produce bin.

“He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.”

– I John 2:6

Those of you who have seen me recently are familiar with the “motorcycle incident.” For those of you who don’t know about it, let’s just say I found out the hard way what happens if the front brake locks up on you. The result was me on the ground and the bike on top of me. But, you motorcycle enthusiasts will be glad to know the bike was not hurt. My leg was another story.

I walked a little slower and with a bit of a limp for a few days. As Andy Griffith would say, I had a hitch in my get-a-long.

During that time I went to see the salesman at the dealership where I’m planning to buy my bike and, well, he was walking with a limp too! It seems he had his own “close encounter” with the asphalt a few weeks earlier. As we set out across the showroom floor – him leading the way – it looked for all the world like I was mocking him by limping like he was. I felt it necessary to point out that I was not, in fact, making fun of him but that I had a limp of my own.

He laughed and said he had taken enough heat from the guys he worked with, if I had been making fun of him, he was used to it.

This whole incident reminded me there is One after Whom we are supposed to pattern our walk – Christ. The verse above points out that if we claim to be His child, we should pattern our walk – our daily life – after Him.

Of course, we know that isn’t an easy task, but one well worth the effort. Remember, the closer we are to Him, the easier that walk will be.

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” – Philippians 4:8

I read a fairly obvious quote recently I felt was so simple, yet so profound. Here it is –

“Vultures seek nothing but dead and stinking carcasses. Humming birds seek the lovliest and sweetest blossoms. Each bird finds what it is looking for.”

That’s so true isn’t it? You never see a hummingbird flying off the carcass of an opossum or other road kill and you don’t see a buzzard sniffing flowers. Yet, each is content where he feeds.

Are there are things you know are vile and offensive, yet you spend time thinking about those things anyway? It’s a choice.

Are there things which encourage you, lift your spirit, lighten your burden and bless others? Think on those things. It is a choice.

“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.” – John 4:23

Do you remember all the talk about “subliminal advertising” a few years back?

It was said that, at the movie theatres, a frame with a picture of a nice cold drink, with lots of ice cubes and beads of sweat running down the side and some buttered popcorn would be placed in the movie reel. The idea was that you would see this subconsciously and it would create a desire in you to want to go to the snack bar and get one those drinks and some popcorn.

When we see those advertisements for Outback Steakhouse or a nice juicy burger, it makes us want to go get one. We don’t get a hankering for the picture. We want the “real thing”.

As I thought this as it relates to our spiritual lives, I wonder why so many people settle for a cheap imitation, an image of the “real thing” a “religion” instead of the “real thing” – a personal relationship with Christ.

In the verse quoted above, Jesus was explaining to the woman at the well that our worship of Him is to be in “spirit and truth,” not the empty form of religion with which she was familiar.

Too many people today see the “real thing” and desire instead (or at least settle for) a poor substitute.

Imagine being given the responsibility of starting a business with a specific goal and one year to build your team, gather equipment, and hire your employees. The goal is a task which has not only never been accomplished, it’s never been tried. One year is the target and you know you will be replaced if the timeline is not met. Your employees will not only number in the hundreds of thousands, they must be trained in this never been tied task, and they will be multi-national. All of this literally life or death – not in an allegorical sense, but in a physical life or death sense for your employees and in a way of life sense for a majority of the world’s population.

This is the daunting position Dwight D. Eisenhower found himself in in 1943. The procedures, challenges, obstacles, personalities, failures and the ultimate success, is chronicled in Geoff Loftus’ “Lead Like Ike.”

Loftus identifies ten strategies used by Ike to make it all happen. He related these strategies to the modern business environment.

I enjoyed the book from a historical standpoint, as well as a practical leadership guide.

For me, this book was a page turner and I enjoyed it immensely.

I post these reviews as a member of Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger Program. I receive a free copy of the book, but am not required to give a positive review.  Check it out at http://www.booksneeze.com