Book Description
Giants. We must face them. Yet, we need not face them alone.
This profound look at the life of David digs deeply into the defeats he suffered, and the victories he won, as he faced the giants in his life. When David focused on God, giants tumbled. But when David focused on giants…
he stumbled.
Goliaths still roam in our world. Debt. Disaster. Dialysis. Divorce. Deceit. Disease. Depression. These super-sized challenges swagger and strut into our lives, pilfering our sleep, embezzling our peace and robbing us of our joy. And while these giants try to dominate our lives, we know what to do! We've learned what David learned, and we do what David did. We become God focused. We pick up five stones. We make five decisions. And we take a swing.
Customer Reviews:
Overcoming circumstances.......2007-09-29
I was given this book, it was a good read, but the information wasn't anything new, nor was it very impressive. It was a smooth reader, but almost to the point of beating a dead horse. Now, I am not putting down the work of the Cross or Jesus or the Holy Spirit or even King David. It's just the same ole story with a different author. I did find some of Max's antedotes and case histories of his own family interesting and the view of the Rainbow, that was most interesting.
Would I buy the book, no. Would I recommend someone else to buy the book? Not really. There are better books for the money.
Here are some examples: They Smell Like Sheep by Dr. Lynn Anderson
True Discipleship by Kossler, The Holiest of All by Andrew Murray, Power Filled Living by R.A. Torrey. These are just a few.
I've found when we are facing the giants, if we focus on God, Center ourself on Him, in Him and then look outside the box, so-to-speak and allow the Spirit of God to lead us to someone else that is hurting more than ourselves, God will work out our problems usually by the interaction of our neighbors.
In Christ we pray. Amen.
Learning from David's Triumphs and Mistakes.......2007-09-21
Max Lucado is known for his encouraging books, and this book is no exception. Here, he studies King David, both the good and the bad, to show us how to face the giants in our lives.
The ultimate lesson is simple, when your focus is on God, giants fall. Yet he uses stories from first and second Samuel, both the good and the bad, to show us how this played out in David's life.
The book works as a biography, showing us the events in David's life as they happened. While most chapters are a self contained lesson, it does allow us to see how one event often led to another.
Obviously, we see David fighting Goliath. But we also see him hiding from Saul, his friendship with Jonathan, hiding with the enemy, keeping his promises, falling into adultery and murder with Bathsheba, and watching his own children spin out of control. From this we learn the importance of friends and family, but ultimately the importance of putting our focus on God.
Max Lucado very rarely brings anything new to the table. That's certainly the case here. There is very little I haven't heard before. But he always puts such a fresh, encouraging spin on things, I always see things in a new light. And even when admonishing us, he still does it gently.
I set this book down reluctantly when I finished. My heart was encouraged, and my focus was where it needed to be, God. If you need some help remembering where your focus needs to be, this book is for you.
Max's Best .......2007-09-17
This is absolutely the most enlightening and funny book I've ever read from a Christian author.
This wonderful book is deep enough for an elephant to swim in, yet shallow enough for a child to wade in.
That describes Facing Your Giants to a T.
Like all Lucado books, awesome.......2007-09-06
An insightful tie to old testament events around Davids life and life for us today.
Wonderful book!.......2007-08-26
Story of King David's successes and failures confronting the giants in his life, and how we can learn from them. Many challenging question in study guide at the end of book.
Book Description
Hear the words of the Bible brought to life like never before. Inspired By… The Bible Experience: New Testament Audio CD is a fully-dramatized reading of the Bible performed by an unprecedented ensemble of distinguished African-American actors, musicians, and personalities. The cast, including recognizable voices as Denzel Washington, Blair Underwood and Angela Bassett, reads the Bible using the accessible and trusted Today’s New International Version (TNIV).
Customer Reviews:
This CD package Brings the Bible to Life.......2007-09-06
This CD set delivers the New Testament in a way that spoke to me. It is more than a Bible reading but a story that comes to life with the reading of each chapter. Listening to the voice inflection, tone and tempo married with the background sound effects provides a backdrop for you to visualize the time, location and circumstances that this biblical story takes place. Enjoy the word and discover new insight through the experience of this CD set. It is well worth the money and I can not wait to hear the Old Testament too. [...]
Awesome!!!.......2007-08-30
This set is absolutely wonderful! It causes you to see the bible in a whole new light. It really takes the bible and gives it life. I highly recommend this set!
Awesome.......2007-08-16
This audio NT bible is great to listen to. The bible is brought to life through the wonderful acting everyone does. It was special because each person played their role throughout the entire NT. Worth every penny!
EXCELLENT.......2007-07-20
Who says you have to READ the Bible? This auditory rendition is so amazing- putting emphasis where it should be, pulling passages together- you feel like you are THERE! The different voices and background sounds just bring everything to life while you listen to a verbatum "acted out" reading of the NIV NT.
I downloaded it onto my ipod and listen to it while I work and I carry the cd's in the car. This is so amazing, I recommend it to EVERYONE- just as everyone should have a Bible, everyone should have this as well! I cannot say enough. I have gone through the entire NT a few times now and the Word just becomes more and more real to me and I KNOW more and more of it now... Purchase several and give them away- you will not be sorry!
Outstanding.......2007-07-09
These CDs are perfect for long drives or commuting. Easy to follow along, very imformative. The speakers have exceptional auditory skills. Reminds me of the many times my sisters and I sat quietly at my father's feet while he told us stories of the bible. Great family night event...excellent conversation piece.
Book Description
For almost 1,500 years, the New Testament manuscripts were copied by hand––and mistakes and intentional changes abound in the competing manuscript versions. Religious and biblical scholar Bart Ehrman makes the provocative case that many of our widely held beliefs concerning the divinity of Jesus, the Trinity, and the divine origins of the Bible itself are the results of both intentional and accidental alterations by scribes.
In this compelling and fascinating book, Ehrman shows where and why changes were made in our earliest surviving manuscripts, explaining for the first time how the many variations of our cherished biblical stories came to be, and why only certain versions of the stories qualify for publication in the Bibles we read today. Ehrman frames his account with personal reflections on how his study of the Greek manuscripts made him abandon his once ultra–conservative views of the Bible.
Customer Reviews:
good reading.......2007-10-04
Anything worth believing is worth questioning. This book will help you realize there is a lot more to know about the bible, than you have been told. I would recommend this to people who have never looked into how the NT came to be.
For those who take the Bible seriously.......2007-10-03
Whether you are a member of a Bible study group or a skeptic, this book should be read. The author is candid about his personal spiritual path, which allows readers some insight into his possible bias, but he is also scrupulous about his scholarship. If you believe every word of the Bible--whichever translation you read--is divinely inspired, you may have no interest in reading this book. However, if the idea that modern translations alter the meaning of the King James version on which you were raised has already occurred to you, you may have begun to wonder about other changes to the Bible over the years. This book is enlightening, and for anyone willing to study the Bible seriously, reading "Misquoting Jesus" will be important to your spiritual study. Because the author respects his readers enough to explain the painstaking nature of his field of study, the book demands a willingness to wade through some difficult passages, but the effort is worth it. I highly recommend this book.
Clear and respectful exposition of a hot topic.......2007-10-02
In spite of the provocative title, "Misquoting Jesus" is very respectful of Scriptures - so much so that it willing to tell the truth about them. Bart Ehrman does his typically great job of explaining a difficult topic -- in this case, the history, operation and findings of biblical textual criticism -- to a lay audience. Ehrman's journey as a textual critic has been a long and difficult one, and it seems to have knocked him off-balance, at least for a time. Starting as a fundamentalists of the fundamentalists (to paraphrase Paul) he decided to study scripture. His first epiphany was when he asked himself, if the Bible is God's word, then why do I have to learn Greek and Hebrew to understand it? This question led to others, culminating in a nuanced and complex understanding of the Bible and its history -- as told by the ways scribes have changed the Bible itself.
Ehrman discusses the history of the Bible's transmission through the centuries-- via scribes whose literacy was sometimes comprised only by their ability to copy the shape of letters from an old copy to a new, without understanding their meaning. This was eye-opening for me, but Ehrman supports his contentions with evidence that is sometimes funny and always persuasive. Ehrman helps us to understand the world from the scribe's point of view, as they miss and repeat words, misunderstand abbreviations and (as they listen to dictation) write down homonyms that sound the same but mean vastly different things.
Ehrman gives us a glimpse at the history of biblical textual criticism. We learn how we got the Vulgate, St. Jerome's 4th-century translation of scriptures into Latin, and about 16th-century scholar Erasmus's rush to be the first to print a Greek New Testament. Erasmus's slapdash work then became a basis for the King James Bible, a translation still considered sacrosanct and untouchable by many. Through Ehrman, we learn of the great men whose work lay the foundations for modern biblical scholarship. We also learn of the tens of thousands of variant readings of Scripture that exist. It is this variation that causes consternation for those who believe the Bible to be unblemished and inerrant, and prompts delight for scholars who use the variants to piece together the original words, and to determine the theological biases of the scribes who introduced the variants into the text.
Ehrman is not on a mission to destroy the sacredness, the authority of the Church or to downplay the teaching of Jesus. He seemed constantly poised to deliver a death blow to the basic authenticity of the Bible. But mostly, he delivered examples that show the conservatism of even the most interventionist of scribes. Most of the variants, Ehrman admits, are insignificant -- misspellings and such. Interestingly, the truly significant variants are mostly tentative add-ons to the text, where a scribe changed one unpalatable word, but left the rest of the text alone. Textual critics identify these "patches," note their mismatch with the surrounding text, and propose solutions that bring us closer to the originals. Ehrman shows how variants can tell us much about the struggle for ideas that was the history of the Church. Ehrman identifies texts that were used against heretics like Marcion, against Jews, against gnostics and against women. Difficult texts, says Ehrman -- those that contradict what we would like the Scriptures to say, may well be the most accurate. For instance, in Mark 1:40-45, Jesus encounters a leper hoping to be cleansed. Most translation say that Jesus, filled with compassion, touched and healed the man. But some variants say that Jesus grew *angry* before healing him. Which is correct, and why? Ehrman argues that the variant in which Jesus becomes angry fits better into Mark's overall presentation of Jesus, and may therefore be original.
Ehrman's greatest sin is the way he vastly overstates his case. Perhaps this is due to his extremely conservative starting point (one shared by his more vituperative critics and reviewers) which cannot tolerate even the suggestion of the hand of Man in the Bible. Perhaps Ehrman's seeming overreaction (and the consequent lack to deliver) is akin to the doctor who warns that a procedure will hurt, bringing relief to the patient when he delivers only a minor sting. More darkly, perhaps Ehrman really believes that his work brings the Bible into such disrepute that he has lost faith in its divine authorship. But one need not believe that God inspired the Scriptures by literally dictating his words to scribes. One need not believe, along with the simpleminded, that Jesus had scribblers in his entourage. There are solutions to the divine authorship of the Bible that don't require the unsupported belief in its inerrancy posited by the fundamentalists nor the utter rejection of atheists. Some sort of imperfect, mysterious divine-human cooperation is an alternative, supported by mainstream scholars, which Ehrman's work certainly supports.
"Misquoting Jesus" is a terrific primer to the obscure field of textual criticism, especially as applied to the Bible. Though it provides many examples to illustrate Ehrman's points, it is not an exhaustive study of the discipline, but ably and gently leads Bible lovers to a new level of understanding of their holy book. There is no question that Ehrman simplifies his presentation. For instance, he gives us little insight into which textual criticisms are generally accepted and which are hotly debated. Some might see this book as a way for Ehrman to rush his own opinions into print. But Erhman backs up each of his contentions with logic and plausible theories. At the very least, the reader gains enough knowledge to follow the argument.
Ehrman's book helps us to be more careful about selecting biblical translations, and helps us appreciate the work of the legion of scholars who try to parse out the real meaning in its many verses. It lets us see through the gauze of false piety to understand and appreciate the differing worldviews and intentions of the Bible's writers and scribes, letting them speak for themselves. Above all, "Misquoting Jesus" helps us to see that the Bible cannot be read apart from the personalities and world-views of those who wrote it, those who copied it, those who translated it or those who read it. As such, it is a living document.
Which when you think of it, may have been its Inspirer's idea all along.
Untangling the Texts.......2007-09-24
If I had read this prior to visiting a major temporary exhibit of ancient manuscripts at the Smithsonian early in 2007, I would have appreciated more of what I was seeing. Ehrman discusses clearly for the layman the study of the many changes made in the New Testament texts by scribes, particularly in the first three centuries after Jesus, before copying became the work of professionals. While most of these variations are trivial, some significantly altered the authors' original meanings. This is of particular relevance for English speakers, since much of our appreciation of the Bible has been through the 17th century King James version, which, unfortunately, was translated from a somewhat corrupted text. Ehrman clearly discusses some of the salient differences now understood by scholars and now either adopted or footnoted in the best modern translations. In addition to inadvertent and careless changes, changes were made during the competition for Christian orthodoxy in the first few centuries. The theological disputes over the nature of Christ (divine, human, or both; one being or two beings), disputes over the role of women, conflict between Christians and Jews, and the criticisms of educated pagans all led some scribes, involved as they were, not only to conserve scripture, but to make some changes to texts that they perceived inadequately supported the interpretations that they considered correct. Since no original texts have survived, Ehrman discusses how, insofar as possible, scholars have reconstructed texts as close as possible to the originals. The original reading of some passages will probably never be known. These inspired works are thus nevertheless also very human. Close reading moreover reveals quite clearly that not all gospel writers or other New Testament authors are saying the same thing, but have different points of view and different interpretations of Jesus' life and death.
It's a problem of Epistemology.......2007-09-24
Barts problem is not with the text.
This is a great overview on the canon of scripture. His problems are not with the text. His problem after all is with evil and epistemolgy. Wow! That's nothing new. It's interesting that a textual scholar who has left the faith has a an issue that is philosophical.
Amazon.com
The Case for Christ records Lee Strobel's attempt to "determine if there's credible evidence that Jesus of Nazareth really is the Son of God." The book consists primarily of interviews between Strobel (a former legal editor at the Chicago Tribune) and biblical scholars such as Bruce Metzger. Each interview is based on a simple question, concerning historical evidence (for example, "Can the Biographies of Jesus Be Trusted?"), scientific evidence, ("Does Archaeology Confirm or Contradict Jesus' Biographies?"), and "psychiatric evidence" ("Was Jesus Crazy When He Claimed to Be the Son of God?"). Together, these interviews compose a case brief defending Jesus' divinity, and urging readers to reach a verdict of their own.
Book Description
Using the dramatic scenario of an investigative journalist pursuing his story and leads, Lee Strobel uses his experience as a reporter for the Chicago Tribune to interview experts about the evidence for Christ from the fields of science, philosophy, and history. Winner of the Gold Medallion Book Award and twice nominated for the Christian Book of the Year Award.
Customer Reviews:
My boyfriend met Christ through this book.......2007-09-12
I think this book does a pretty good job at analyzing Jesus' existence and the validity of the bible from various angles, such as via archeology, psychology, anatomy, science, logic, etc. And amazingly, by God's grace, my boyfriend met Christ through this book! Praise God.
Compelling Arguments.......2007-09-01
I found The Case for Christ to be well written and the arguments put forward to be very compelling. Mr. Stobel uses a series of interviews with a variety of experts to build his case and each presented facts or points of view that were very hard to refute. Excellent book.A Startrek to Eternity
A good starting point for both skeptics and apologists.......2007-08-28
I've read this book numerous times and read the reviews of those who gave the books low scores. This book is a good starting point for people with lots of agnostic/atheist friends. Granted, if your friend was Hawkings or Dawkins, you might have a tough time relying on this book. Sometimes it doesn't cover topics you'd like to be covered and sometimes the reasoning takes a bit of thinking to understand, but generally, this book covers all the bases.
Of course, the writer had a Christian agenda. Everything has a systemic bias. I could write a review on The Selfish Gene saying that the book has an evolutionist bias. For others, just "the Bible says so" is a good argument. This is even more sillier, like driving a car without knowing how to brake. When your friends give you an obstacle, you can only swerve around it or crash and burn. In Matthew 22:37, Jesus said to love the Lord with all your mind and that sound doctrine should be taught. If you can't argue for sound doctrine, how can you teach and understand it?
Thought provoking.......2007-08-23
This book is very well written in an investigative style and counters some of the less challenged arguments of those who do not believe in Christ as the Son of God. Usually, agnostics and atheists present what appears to be an intellectually sound argument against Christ's position as the Savior of the world. These arguments are countered methodically and give the non-theologian a source for countering arguments against Christ. I have read Strobel's "A Case for Faith" and because of that read this book. It is nice to read intellectually sound arguments for Christ that can't be dismissed as the work of religious zealots or "kooks" as Christians are sometimes portrayed when defending their beliefs.
Just plain excellent.......2007-08-21
This is a most interesting book, excellently written, decisive and to the point. It touches on areas that any believer has pondered and many atheists base their faith on.
Any thinking person cannot argue the facts uncovered in it. It is also a good reference for the up and coming apologist.
It is so much easier to be an atheist than a believer. This book reveals the futility of the easy belief...
Book Description
In this short, powerful book, multimillionaire and bestselling author Steven K. Scott reveals King Solomon’s breakthrough strategies to achieve a life of financial success and personal fulfillment.
Steve Scott flunked out of every job he held in his first six years after college. He couldn’t succeed no matter how hard he tried. Then Dr. Gary Smalley challenged him to study the book of Proverbs, promising that in doing so he would achieve greater success and happiness than he had ever known. That promise came true, making Scott a millionaire many times over.
In The Richest Man Who Ever Lived, Scott reveals Solomon’s key for winning every race, explains how to resolve conflicts and turn enemies into allies, and discloses the five qualities essential to becoming a valued and admired person at work and in your personal life. Scott illustrates each of Solomon’s insights and strategies with anecdotes about his personal successes and failures, as well as those of such extraordinary people as Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, and Steven Spielberg.
At once inspiring and instructive, THE RICHEST MAN WHO EVER LIVED weaves the timeless truths of one of our greatest works of literature into a detailed roadmap for successful living today.
Customer Reviews:
Just read Proverbs.......2007-09-13
The book is redundant and contradictory of itself. First the author says he didn't follow Proverbs as a young man then he says because of following Proverbs as a young man things went his way. I commend the author's efforts and I believe to some degree he does live by The Good Book, but honestly I think we all know what the author wants you to do, and what the Man Upstairs wants you to do. I now read Proverbs daily. It is a wonderful thing to do and I've recommended it to many. Rather than buy this book go download Proverbs and start reading. If you are looking for a book that will take you about 3 hours to read that will ultimately tell you to read Proverbs about 100 times then read this book. Thank you for your time.
Dynamic Wisdom.......2007-08-13
This book definitely changes your perspective and causes you to reposition yourself concerning the promises and principles of God.
A challenge with a promise........2007-07-25
After praying about what career advice to give his friend, Gary Smaller offered his friend Steve Scott a challenge in which he promised that if Steve would follow the advice, he would not only be successful, but would be a millionaire in 5 years. The challenge was to read a chapter of the proverbs every day. Since there are 31 chapters in proverbs, and most months have 31 days, he was instructed to read the chapter that corresponded to the day of the month. Steve took the advice and made good on the promise his friend gave him.
The book is based on the principals/lessons/advice from the Proverbs. It explores the meanings of certain passages and shows how to derive benefit from them. Steve shares some of his own experiences throughout.
Solomon was the wisest, richest man that ever was or will be. Seems like someone worth listening to and studying doesn't it?
This is a book that can make a positive difference in your life.
Great Book.......2007-07-16
Great Book that discusses the benefit of not going alone but having other like minded individuals around you. Backs a lot of his thoughts/facts with scripture from the book of Proverbs. I actually read the book about a year ago and am currently re-reading it. Great book, great, easy, quick read.
Finances by the Wisest Man.......2007-07-10
Great Book Sucess based on biblical principles We read it on a trip as a couple--enjoyed it!
Book Description
The Bible Knowledge Commentary (Old Testament) and The Bible Knowledge Commentary (New Testament)
Help from expert scholars in understanding the Scriptures!
and #149; What does that verse mean?
and #149; How should I interpret this passage?
and #149; What is the significance of this word or phrase in Greek or Hebrew?
and #149; How do Bible-time customs help me understand the meaning of this passage?
and #149; How can this alleged contradiction be explained?
and #149; How does the information on the author, historical background, and features of a Bible book help interpret that book?
The Bible Knowledge Commentary answers these and other questions about the Scriptures, discussing all the Bible verse by verse and often phrase by phrase. In addition, maps, charts, and diagrams help you grasp the meanings of the biblical text. Unlike most others this commentary is by authors from one school and #151;Dallas Theological Seminary. The Bible Knowledge Commentary and #151;popular in style and scholarly in content and #151;will deepen your understanding of God's written Word.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary will be welcomed by a wide spectrum of Bible students, form the beginner, who will find it easy to understand and easy to use, to the advanced, who will find it consistently thorough and reliable. The readable style, combined with careful scholarship, make this a Bible study aid I and others will add to our "most-used" shelf of books.
Customer Reviews:
great reference material.......2007-02-06
These commentaries are excellent for giving explanantion to each verse in scripture. The depth and clarity makes reading and understanding God's word so much more real. I would recommend both volumes to the beginner all the way through the advanced scholar. A must have!
A Marvelous Resource.......2007-01-16
My wife and I have used this commentary for several years, and found it to always be concise and reliable. We can recommend it to both the new student of the Bible, as well as the more seasoned student of scripture. The doctrinal position presented can be generally descirbed as pre-millennial and dispensational.
It appears that fewer and fewer churches today are helping their members grow to a better and deeper understanding of the Bible. Many church members are looking for help as they undertake a deeper, personal study of the Word of God. This commentary can be an invaluable source of information as one makes one's way from Genesis to Revelation.
The ultimate responsibility for personal growth lies with each individual beliver. Where the local assembly fails to provide guidance; these volumns can serve as a faithful guide to the truths of God's Word. With all sincerety, I strongly recommend that anyone seeking to grow toward spiritual maturity, make these volumns a part of their lives.
As one observes the increasing chaos in the world today; knowing God's sure plan for this age, and resting in the sufficiency of His love, and His grace is a sure source of comfort.
Outstanding Commentary.......2006-02-13
As a Christian with slight Dispensational leanings, I found this commentary very helpful. This commentary is written by a collection of Dallas Theological Seminary professors. The writings are concise and plain, yet they cover a wealth of information. They delve into the difficult topics of today, such as authorship of the Pentateuch and literal versus allegorical prophetic interpretation. Each book's commentary begins with a study of the authorship, date, audience, theme and purpose. Then an outline of the book is given. Many charts are added to help give deeper understanding, and are not too difficult for the layperson nor too minimal for the theologian to benefit from. The format of the writing gives a summary title for a passage and then discusses it, rather than going verse-by-verse or splitting up the context. For a small-volume commentary set, this is a superb contribution. I am very glad to have added it to my library, and plan to continue using it throughout my studies.
Excellent resource for bible college educated.......2006-01-19
I purchased the electronic version of this book (saves space and money). It does not have the depth of a single bible book commentary and hence why my Life and Let of Paul II professor rejected me using this commentary as a credible source on my Romans exegetical paper.
But for any standard single volume commentary this is the best of the best that I have used at least. The LANTC commentary is very limited with its depth (because it focuses too much on application) while this commentary digs a bit deeper into the text.
Mark 9:48 is a very complex passage to understand for many, as few understand what the "worm" is symbolic for. Some believe that worms will literally eat up unbelievers for all of eternity, and others believe that the "worm" is symbolic for a humans internal soul.
This commentary gave me allot more depth to the passage (not as much as a single book commentary) but it did well for being a single volume bible commentary. The LANTC commentary offered less than a paragraph of commentary on this verse.
So overall I strongly reccommend this commentary. But sadly the sad state of the church is in decay. Many are not interested in these types of commentaries, since many would rather not study the bible in depth. Those who go to bible college or seminary do study in depth, and its sad that the in depth studying stops after graduation for many christians.
But for the educated and those with a deep hunger for Gods word, I strong encourage you to purchase this. If you lack the physical space, you can always buy the electronic version online.
Incredible comentary!.......2005-12-11
This book is incredible! Having to have used it my self, i can honistly say that the information in here is very informative. It goes through all of the major aspects of each verse and chapter, and even throws in some of the smaller points that are very usful for study.
I would highly recommend this book to any one that needs information regarding the old and new testaments. It is well worth spending the money to get it!
Book Description
In
Searching for God Knows What, Donald Miller's provocative and funny new book, he shows readers that the greatest desire of
every person is the desire for redemption. Every person is constantly seeking redemption (or at least the feeling of it) in his or her life, believing countless gospels that promise to fix the brokenness. Typically their pursuits include the desire for fulfilling relationships, successful careers, satisfying religious systems, status, and escape. Miller reveals how the inability to find redemption leads to chaotic relationships, self-hatred, the accumulation of meaningless material possessions, and a lack of inner peace. Readers will learn to identify in themselves and within others the universal desire for redemption. They will discover that the gospel of Jesus is the only way to find meaning in life and true redemption. Mature believers as well as seekers and new Christians will find themselves identifying with the narrative journey unfolded in the book, which is simply the pursuit of redemption.
Customer Reviews:
eh..........2007-10-06
This book was soooo slow starting out. It was definitely not what I was expecting from Donald Miller after having just finished Blue Like Jazz.
a must-read.......2007-08-31
You'll find yourself putting this book down frequently so that you can just think about some of the mind-blowing content that Donald Miller is pitching. Great stuff.
Donald Miller gets it right...sometimes.......2007-08-12
It took me a while to get used to the author's cozy stye of writing, but eventually I grew to enjoy it. It's messy and all over the place - just like life and very conversational. I've been reading some heavy theological stuff lately and this was refreshing. I loved the 'lifeboat theory'. His explaination of how the 'lifeboat' relates to the fall of man was probobly one of the greatest things that I've ever read. It really makes a lot of sense. I think everyone should read that chapter.
I was able to read the Bible like I used to after reading this book. And it's been months, maybe closer to a year since I was able to do that. The text was fresh to me. I saw a few things I hadn't noticed before. Since he eluded to the fall in the book, I thought I would go back to the beginning and read those chapters for the billionth time. I wasn't really expecting to see anything new. But I did. And it was real again.
I have to say I was cringing through a good part of the book. I know Donald Miller has had bad experiences with religion or the church in general, and with conservatives and republicans. I can certainly see why he holds those views. There are enough people in all of those camps whose examples could drive him away. I get the sense that the author feels that most Christians who are conservative republicans are less than intelligent and have been brain washed. That makes me sad. I can speak personally and say that I care about people living in poverty and under oppression. I care about the environment and about peace and about healthcare. These are important issues to me. And I *still* have to go with conservative views on just about everything. To me, conservative views and economic policy just make the most sense and it's not because I care less than liberals do. I can see how people who also care about these things hold to a liberal world-view. I don't think they are crazy or demented.
I agree with saying "NO" to excess govenment funding for programs to help the poor and needy and the oppressed. How does it make things right to steal money (via excessive taxation) from other people - wealthy people who have worked for their money and success - and give it to somebody else? How do handouts solve the problems in our society? I actually think it makes things worse for everyone involved, because it encourages dependancy and laziness. BUT... just like these problems will not be solved or helped with government funding, they will also not be solved by doing nothing! There are millions of broken, needy people in this country - in the world. How can we as Christians, who are called by Christ to feed and clothe and care for others, say no to plans for government funding and then not do anything else to help these people? We need to ask ourselves - "what am I *personally* doing to help them?" It is easier to say that we believe rich people should be responsible for taking care of poor people than it is to 'get out in the trenches' and do it ourselves. The Church -Christians, liberal and conservative alike, should be the ones ministering to the broken and needy. Jesus didn't give that job to Ceasar and the people of Rome. He entrusted that responsibility to his followers. The church needs to step up and live out their faith in this way. Once they start doing that, maybe the government can back off. I might start a speaking tour at local churches to get the word out. I'm very passionate about this. :)
Okay, enough of my rant....back to the book...(my previous thoughts actually do tie in to what I am going to say next - I just don't have a clear segue).
It seems to me that the problem is not with religion or today's church or conservatives or republicans or liberals or democrats, but it is with the need to understand the scriptures BOTH from a theological point of view AND from experience.
Without theology, the experience or relational aspect of Christianity is not grounded and is even dangerous. There is no expectation of an absolute truth and so all of faith is relative. Thus God becomes not who scriptures say he is but who I want him to be. It is particularly difficult to study the scriptures this way. Theology in the form of bullet points and fomulas (i.e. creeds, the articles of religion, the catechisms and things like the five points of Calvinism) is good and necessary. These things exist to give focus and steadfast understanding to our fickle feelings and experiences. In studying these things, the worshipper can stand on the shoulders of giants instead of presuming that he alone is a giant who can figure everything out himself.
Conversly, I would say that religion without relationship is dangerous in that it misses the point. Certainly God does not desire this. Scripture makes so many references to the act of offering sacrifices versus the offering of the heart. And yet He did not do away with sacrifices in the Old Testament - He required that his people sacrifice as well as call upon Him. In the new testament when Christ came to be the final propitiation for sin, He said that He did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. Clearly the law (or religion) is important but it is not fulfilled nor has meaning without Christ.
Christianity does not work in an 'either-or' mentality -either religion or relationship. It is 'BOTH-AND'. Why is it that it is so hard to find a church that embodies this 'both-and' principle? It seems that they love to throw the baby out with the bathwater. The formulas, church history, tradition, creeds, systematic theology are all important. Much more important, in fact, than Donald Miller acknowledges. But without a true, ongoing, growing relationship with Christ, theology just doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I think this was one of the author's main points and it is definately one I needed to hear. It is the responsibility of the worshipper to maintain an understanding of both at all times. This is such a difficult task. It seems to me that our finite minds just were not created to focus on all of that at once, but fortunately, God makes these things possible. I am constantly in this desperate struggle to remain focused on both. I have been concentrating almost exclusively on only one aspect of my faith. I needed to be reminded of the 'both-and' argument. That is why I loved reading this book.
Thank you Miller.......2007-07-11
If you liked Blue Like Jazz, you'll love the book. Thank you Mr. Miller for another great one, can't wait for the next.
Following Christ is a Relationship not a System.......2007-07-01
THANK YOU Donald Miller. This is one of the most important books you can read as a Christian. It inspired me to do an about face. That is look for the face of Jesus, not his rules, not his rewards, but ENJOY THE PRESENCE of our God. After reading this book, I actually laughed and played with Jesus. I petted the Lion's mane and He licked me back. We hugged after that.
Amazon.com
In a distant, timeless place, a mysterious prophet walks the sands. At the moment of his departure, he wishes to offer the people gifts but possesses nothing. The people gather round, each asks a question of the heart, and the man's wisdom is his gift. It is Gibran's gift to us, as well, for Gibran's prophet is rivaled in his wisdom only by the founders of the world's great religions. On the most basic topics--marriage, children, friendship, work, pleasure--his words have a power and lucidity that in another era would surely have provoked the description "divinely inspired." Free of dogma, free of power structures and metaphysics, consider these poetic, moving aphorisms a 20th-century supplement to all sacred traditions--as millions of other readers already have. --Brian Bruya
Book Description
A brilliant man's philosophy on love, marriage, joy and sorrow, time, friendship and much more. Originally published in 1923 - translated into more than 20 languages. With 12 full page drawings by Gibran.
Customer Reviews:
left speechless.......2007-10-05
Please excuse me for writing a review that isn't really "a review." Others may, but I find no words to even begin to describe this book - they would just manage to do it injustice. All that I can say is that it is truly a Gift; a Gift left for humanity.
I can already forsee that this is going to be the book of resource I reach for when I need a lifting.
Peace,
David
On Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet.......2007-08-28
This book was originally given to me by my husband after he heard a recording of it many years ago. I found this book to be the basis of living a good life and have through the years, referred back to it whenever I felt the need to be reinforced in my thinking on the many subjects it contained. My favorite chapters are: On Love, On Marriage, and On Children, in Gibran's words,"For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday".
I have given copies of this book to many friends and it always surprised me that some view it as too idealistic while others have loved it the way I did and were happy to read the soothing words whenever they felt they had lost their focus.
I LOVE this book!
Beautiful philosophy.......2007-08-23
I bought this book for my son who had his stolen from him and was in despair. He likes the beautiful poetic resonance and in looking through the book, I agree. This is a book for sensitive souls, beautifully written and illustrated by the author.
The Prophet.......2007-08-02
The prophet by Kahlil Gibran is a very beautiful, inspiring writing which really resonated within me, it felt as truth. I feel that with good patience and deep contemplation, this book can lead you to a profound understanding of your own life and all others around you.
I first read about Kahlil Gibran in a book called The Lost Teachings of Atlantis. That book answered all my spiritual questions about the meaning of Life, who and what we are and more in a very easily understandable manner and all of it corresponds with the writing of Kahlil Gibran. I HIGHLY recommend reading that book also.
The Prophet - .......2007-07-17
The Prophet provides relevant insights and messages that stand the test of time. It's the sort of book to have available for reading again and again as the messages apply to life many times over.
Book Description
Truth in Translation is a critical study of Biblical translation, assessing the accuracy of nine English versions of the New Testament in wide use today. By looking at passages where theological investment is at a premium, the author demonstrates that many versions deviate from accurate translation under the pressure of theological bias.
Customer Reviews:
"What Is Truth?"__Jesus Christ.......2007-09-02
Truth defined is: 'True or actual state of a matter'. David BeDuhn displayed this quality in his book. I am an Jehovah's Witness and appreciated his objectivity in producing this book. When you look on the Internet, you can find any number of 'hack jobs' against the NWT i.e. 'Bad translation', 'Poor translation', 'Produced by individuals that were lacking skills as Greek translators'. It seems that the translators of the NWT were wise in remaining anonymous, in that the translation would stand on it's own virtue, not the translators. David BeDuhn, not a Jehovah's Witness, did not have an ax to grind, he just set out on a quest to find the Truth. If you are interested in learning about Bible translation, this is MUST reading. If you have a closed mind, you might as well save your 'dime' and time and don't bother reading it.
Very interesting book.......2007-09-01
A worldly saying is: "The simplest explanation is usually the correct one". This book is no exception - very logical and well laid out material can be read very fast and with very high retention. I read this book in four days and remembered much. An excellent book to help a serious Bible student to have an basis for his OWN translation beliefs, not just the beliefs of others. The right book at the right time for me. I would like to write as well with such persuasive logic as Mr. BeDuhn.
Truth in Translation.......2007-08-21
What a remarkably clear, concise and authoritative work! There can be no doubt Prof.BeDuhn is savvy to all the nuances and peculiaritites of Koine Greek. As a Bible student for over forty years I can say he has written the defining explanation for John 1:1, and has cleared up the flood of contradicting interpretations. Anyone, with an open mind and humble heart can now see that God (ho theos)and Jesus (theos)were not considered "as one" in this particular verse, as has been taught from many pulpits.
Pro. BeDuhn's even-handedness in criticising all versions compared is refreshing. It appears he has shown no favor to one or the other. Though I took exception to one conclusion he drew; as to his approval of the re-insertion of God's name in only seventy-eight occasions of the New World translation. Since many versions (KJV in particular) have moved to expunge the name (Yahweh or Jehovah)entirely, it is my belief that over-correcting, assuming the translators of the NW translation are wrong, would be far better than denying the name existed at all. Of course, marking the insertion in the footnotes as he suggested would be acceptable. This is a minor point as far as the work goes but it is a start in restoring God's name to prominence in the Greek Scriptures as it was in the Hebrew scriptures (nearly 7,000 times).
Honest look at Bibles.......2007-07-30
This book does look at many translations without bias. I found the evidence overwhelming in most of the points brought out. Especially if you take the time to check it for yourself. Using concordances and other bible reference material. I would like to see something similiar on the Hebrew Scriptures. Conclusion an honest look at why some translations are biased and not based on original manuscripts.
Beholden to none but the truth.......2007-06-28
BeDuhn does not dance around theology, either popular or unique. Instead he drives the nails deep into the wood of Scripture, and on point after point he arrives at a beautiful bottom line: What does the Greek text really contain? How should it best be translated, and why? Where is the line between translation and interpretation?
Average customer rating:
- A very reliable companion
- A very useful book
- You will never read the New Testament the same way again!
- The Gold Standard Greek Lexicon
- over-rated and not worth the $
|
A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature
Walter Bauer
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
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Similar Items:
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The Greek New Testament: Bonded Leather
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Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics
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Basics of Biblical Greek Workbook
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Basics of Biblical Greek Grammar
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Lexical Aids for Students of New Testament Greek,
ASIN: 0226039331 |
Book Description
Described as an "invaluable reference work" (Classical Philology) and "a tool indispensable for the study of early Christian literature" (Religious Studies Review) in its previous edition, this new updated American edition of Walter Bauer's Wörterbuch zu den Schriften des Neuen Testaments builds on its predecessor's staggering deposit of extraordinary erudition relating to Greek literature from all periods. Including entries for many more words, the new edition also lists more than 25,000 additional references to classical, intertestamental, Early Christian, and modern literature.
In this edition, Frederick W. Danker's broad knowledge of Greco-Roman literature, as well as papyri and epigraphs, provides a more panoramic view of the world of Jesus and the New Testament. Danker has also introduced a more consistent mode of reference citation, and has provided a composite list of abbreviations to facilitate easy access to this wealth of information.
Perhaps the single most important lexical innovation of Danker's edition is its inclusion of extended definitions for Greek terms. For instance, a key meaning of "episkopos" was defined in the second American edition as overseer; Danker defines it as "one who has the responsibility of safeguarding or seeing to it that something is done in the correct way, guardian." Such extended definitions give a fuller sense of the word in question, which will help avoid both anachronisms and confusion among users of the lexicon who may not be native speakers of English.
Danker's edition of Bauer's Wörterbuch will be an indispensable guide for Biblical and classical scholars, ministers, seminarians, and translators.
Customer Reviews:
A very reliable companion.......2007-07-21
This is a very reliable companion to the Greek text of the New Testament &c. Lucidly written, systematic and easy to use.
A very useful book.......2007-07-21
As an older student of Greek and only recently feeling at ease with the Greek New Testament I am finding this book very useful. I do agree with those who say that the large Liddell and Scott (LSJ) is also very useful. My study so far has been in ancient Greek generally (from Homer to Koine) and I have used LSJ (and the abridged editions) extensively; it a good tool to give New Testament readers a wider view of particular meanings.
So if you can afford it I say buy Danker and LSJ, and if you don't know your Greek accents, get a good book on that too (such as the one by Probert).
You will never read the New Testament the same way again!.......2007-01-04
Walter Bauer spent five hours every day of his scholarly career working on this invaluable lexicon. This lexicon will open up the world of New Testament Greek to even the beginning scholar. With only a little help and looking through the introduction to the lexicon, this volume will unpack the meaning of all the words in the New Testament and other Early Christian texts. If you are a seminarian, pastor, or interested person, this is a must have volume for your shelves.
The Gold Standard Greek Lexicon.......2006-12-26
This is indispensable. Proper Greek study and exegesis CANNOT be done without this resource. The down side? A bit pricy. But it more than pays for itself. WARNING: Pick up the most recent edition (the third, I believe); the changes are staggering and affect meaning.
over-rated and not worth the $.......2006-08-03
For much less than the price of this lexicon, one can purchase a copy of Thayer's, AND Trenchard's vocabulary guide AND a Greek concordance. Academic snobs make a big deal about how Thayer's lexicon is out of date because he did not have access to the papyri, but for 99% of New Testament words and meanings this is not an issue. Trenchard's book is actually MORE helpful, in my opinion, than this or any lexicon because he simply lists every possible meaning of each word. One way to get to the essence of a word's meaning is to look at the cognates, and Trenchard lists them all. A Greek concordance will actually print all the NT uses of a word in Greek. Bauer's lexicon is just not that helpful and is too wordy.
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