Reb Rev's Blog

“The Solomon Seduction – What You Can Learn From the Wisest Fool in the Bible” by Mark Atteberry was a pleasant surprise of a read. I’m not really sure what I expected, but this book exceeded those expectations in both the content and the delivery.

Atteberry breaks the material down into ten “wake-up calls” for today’s modern man – and it is geared toward men, although I feel there is much content female readers could benefit from as well.

Some of those wake-up calls are when;

• Sin seems like a good idea
• Your glory is more important that God’s glory
• Sin management seems like a better choice than repentance
• Your faithful friends are troubled by your behavior

All of these are backed up by examples from the life of Solomon as he begins, and continues, his downward spiral away from God.

In each section, Atteberry provides warning signs and signals of the condition as well as ways to remedy and return to closer walk with God.

Also included in the book is a study guide for use in small groups.

“The Solomon Seduction” is a timely work and well worth the read by any man who is concerned about the temptations in the world today. It will guide you back in repentance, or keep you on track. I recommend it.

(I will be posting a few of these book reviews as a member of Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger Program J

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” – Philippians 1:6

I am told the great artist Michelangelo began work on 42 different statues during his lifetime, but completed only 14.

Somewhere in some musty basement in Italy are Michelangelo’s 28 unfinished works.

Huge chunks of marble with only a hand, or a foot, or a leg completed.

Sometimes our Christian lives are like Michelangelo’s unfinished statues.

We have God-given potential for beauty and purpose and great things for His Kingdom in our lives but it is still locked up within us in the same way that those figures are locked in the stone.

The reason for this is that many of us want a minimal level Christianity. We try to see how little we have to do to qualify to wear the name “Christian.”

We want our Christian faith to be a part of our life instead of being our whole life; however, God is looking for people who are committed to following Him completely and wholeheartedly.

The Apostle Paul was commending just those kind of people in the verse above. Let us commit to be that kind of Christian.

“Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall.” – Proverbs 16:18

Did you hear about the guy who was awarded “Most Humble Citizen” of his community?

They took it away from him as soon as he put his plaque on the wall.

It is hard to be humble at times isn’t it?

Sometimes we think we know more, can do something better, or are a better person than someone else. And, sometimes we just might be right. However, that doesn’t give us permission or the authority to be prideful about it. Somewhere, someone knows more than we do, can do the task better, or is a better person.

Christ Himself gave us the model of humility and calls us to follow in that pattern. God has a way of bringing down the mighty – and that fall can hurt more than our pride!

“For I know the plans I have for you”–this is the LORD’s declaration–“plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. ” – Jeremiah 29:11

A little boy went w/his father into town to buy some things.

In the store, the boy stood quietly as the father picked up all the things he needed.

As they left, the proprietor said to the boy, “Son, you have been so good. Why don’t you reach into the candy jar & get a handful of candy?”

The little boy said nothing but just stood there.

Finally, the proprietor reached into the jar & gave a handful of candy to the boy.

On the way home, the father asked his son, “Why didn’t you reach into the jar & get the candy yourself? I’ve never known you to be shy.”

The boy replied, “I wasn’t being shy. I just knew his hand was bigger than my hand.”

Last week we looked at the thought that God is going to take care of us, but it is more than that. You can take care of something and give it just enough to get by; however, when we are fully submitted to God, we receive from His hand more than we ever could in our own.

It is easy to get impatient and just grab for things we see without waiting for Him, but when we patiently wait for Him, watch out because the blessings are going to flow. We have His word on it. That doesn’t mean He will give us cars, money, houses (although He might), but the greater gifts or love, peace, joy, comfort and grace.

“Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” – Matthew 6:26

Monday night, with the “Blizzard of ’14” pending, I had to go to Wal-Mart to pick up some things. No, we were well stocked on milk, bread, and toilet paper. These were just your everyday routine “gotta go to Wal-Mart and get it” items.

However, there were hundreds of people who were loading up on the milk, bread, and toilet paper and some other items I took note of as I wandered around the store.

In addition to the “Big Three” there was also a run on macaroni and cheese. As I made my way down that aisle, I noticed a huge vacant spot with only a few scattered boxes of mac-n-cheese left. In the produce section it was interesting to note there had been a run on tomatoes and cucumbers, but the bananas were well stocked.

Now, I’m all for making sure we don’t run out of things at a time when we won’t be able to replace them, but the whole scenario made me think how intently we prepare for some things and often let other, even more important, matters go.

That is the message Jesus is sending in the passage above. We should not be so consumed with the “milk, bread, and toilet paper” that we forget about matters of the soul. We shouldn’t spend more time choosing our outfit for the day than we spend in prayer to prepare for the things we will face that day.

Do we spend more time eating our meal than we spend reading the Word of the One who provided it (and gave us the strength to earn the money to pay for it)?

God cares for us much more than He does the birds, yet not one of them falls from the sky and He doesn’t take note. He knows where you are, what you’re going through, He will take care of you. Trust Him.

I just finished reading “Snapshot” by Fox News personality Li Wiehl. I’m not usually a fan of fiction, but this one caught my eye, and I’m pretty sure it won’t be the last of her fictional works I’ll be reading.

FBI Agent James Waldren takes his little girl to a civil rights march in 1965. As a little white girl, she is intrigued by a little black girl about her same age and they share a seat together. In that little space, the turmoil seems to be miles away – until the shot rings out killing a civil rights leader and all of their lives change forever.

This book picks up almost fifty years later with their efforts to get a black man, who was wrongly convicted for firing that shot, off of death row. There is a tie to the Kennedy’s and FBI J. Edgar Hoover.

The book starts off as a mystery, but becomes a thriller and, although fictional, it is wrapped in historical truth which resonates with anyone who grew up in that time, and particularly in the South.

The book has a few bonuses at the end, including reader notes and a couple of essays from Wiehl’s colleagues at Fox News Bill O’Reilly and Juan Williams – and an excerpt from Wiehl’s book “A Matter of Trust.”

I enjoyed the book and would highly recommend it.

(I post these book reviews as a member of Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger Program. I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers; however, I am not required to write a positive review.)

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” – John 14:27
A man, fond of practical jokes, decided late one night to send his friend a collect telegram which read: “I am perfectly well.”
A week later, the joker received a heavy parcel…collect…on which he had to pay considerable charges. Upon opening it, he found a big block of concrete which had this message:
“This is the weight your telegram lifted from my mind.”
There are times when we all have a lot on our minds – family problems, the health of a parent, a child our own, financial problems, problems at work, at home, at school, all the above.
What if there were a way to have those troubles lifted? What if we could give them to someone who would carry them for us? What if we could them to one who would be able to take care of the problem AND take care of us at the same time?
GOOD NEWS! We can do exactly that. God tells us to cast our cares upon Him – and in turn receive His peace and comfort, knowing He cares for us. It is then we can rest, comforted and cared for in a way in which only God can do.
My prayer this week is that you will have the faith to hand those cares over to Him and rest in God’s peace.

“Nelson’s Annual Preacher’s Sourcebook – Volume 3” edited by O.S. Hawkins is a collection of sermons by such contemporary preachers such as Danny Akin and J.D. Greear and past greats such as Adrian Rogers. There are also articles by the editor and Jim Henry.

There are many great messages and solid information in the sermons and articles. The sermons are presented as collections according to the author. For instance Mark Bailey’s sermons are in a collection entitled “Great Moments in Great Places,” and have such titles as “A Bedrock of Stone at the Base of Mt. Hermon.” There is an index of topics; however, I think it would also be useful to have some reference by Scripture texts or those cited.

There are other helpful items in the book including wedding planning and preparation articles and

I like the layout of the book and there is a CD also included which has the sermons and articles in RTF, so they are editable.

The back of the book includes as features “Worship helps, including hymns, prayers, and Scripture texts.” I did not see that in the book or the CD.

“Nelson’s Annual Preacher’s Sourcebook – Volume 3” is a useful collection of sermons and helpful information for research and edification. I would recommend it to the pastor, preacher, or other Bible teacher.

(I post these book reviews as a member of Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger Program. I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers; however, I am not required to write a positive review.)

“O LORD, you have searched me and known me!” – Psalm 139:1

Recently, there has been a game of sorts on Facebook. A friend gives you a number and you are to list that many things about yourself your finds may not know about you.

Many folks list little known facts about their birthplace and places they’ve lived, some list fears dreams, others don’t list much that isn’t generally known by their closest friends.

I was thinking on this and wondered what would happen if we put the real secrets of our lives up there? What if I put my real fears up there? Would people exploit those fears? What is we put our real dreams? Would others laugh? What if we put those facts from our past we don’t tell anyone? Would our friends think less of us?

The Bible tells us God knows ALL of those things and loves us anyway. He doesn’t exploit our fears, He calms us. God knows our past and our brokenness and offers us grace to complete and restore us to hope and strength in Him. He knows our dreams and has even greater plans for us than we can ask, think, or imagine.

God knows us better than we know ourselves and He loves us. He loves YOU. My prayer for you is that you will trust Him. Receive His love and grace in its fullness

“Secrets of Dynamic Communication” by Ken Davis is an enjoyable and very informative book.

As a student and a teacher of public speaking, I enjoyed the information and the way it was presented in this book. Ken Davis presents the information in an easy to understand, easy to apply fashion.

He uses a template he has labeled SCORRE,

SC = the Subject and Central theme. This is the point where you decide what you are going to be talking about. O = Objective. This is where you determine the focus of your speech. RR = Rationale and Resources. In determining the rationale, you determine what you are going to say about your subject – for us preachers, these are your three points. The resources are your supporting and illustrative material.

E = Evaluation. We must always be “reaching for excellence” and, as Davis says, this is a never ending process.

The remainder of the book addresses technical and personal aspects of public speaking and is well worth the time it takes to read it.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is called upon to speak to groups of any size, for any occasion.  

Thomas Nelson provides a free copy of these books for review through their “Booksneeze” Program www.booksneeze.com ; however, I am not required to give a positive review of the book