You Can Heal Your Life (Gift Edition)

Amazon.com

If you haven't seen Hay House's Lifestyles series of gorgeous gift books, there is no better way to acquaint yourself than with publisher/author Louise Hay's You Can Heal Your Life. A bestseller for many years, You Can Heal Your Life has been republished with bright, beautiful illustrations in full, living color and exquisite typography--each and every page is a work of art by artist Joan Perrin Falquet. The timeless message of the book is that we are each responsible for our own reality and "dis-ease." Hay believes we make ourselves ill by having thoughts of self-hatred. She includes a directory of ailments and emotional causes for each with a corresponding affirmation to help overcome the illness. For example, the probable cause of multiple sclerosis is "mental hardness, hard-heartedness, iron will, and inflexibility." The healing "thought pattern" would be: "By choosing loving, joyous thoughts, I created a loving joyous world. I am safe and free." --P. Randall Cohan

Book Description

This gift edition is a beautiful book complete with four-color illustrations throughout. "An excellent book for restructuring one's life and finding self- esteem and self-love."

Customer Reviews:

Louise Hay author .......2007-09-28

Wonderful information that can apply to anyone's life...how to change your life and get rid of all your excess mental baggage. A definite help book.

Amazing.......2007-09-21

I couldn't put this book down. It was an easy read and I have shared its contents with everyone I come in contact with. I carry it with me and re-read various sections daily to keep the information fresh in my mind. As I apply the principles I see a change in my life. Thank You Louise Hay. I wish I had found this book a long time ago!

A Must-Have for Those Working with Individuals in Distress.......2007-09-18

As a coach and a psychotherapist, I refer to this book in work with my clients very frequently (several times per week), and find it invaluable in helping individuals open to and receive the idea that their illness or physical situation has an underlying meaning that is critical to understand. Ms. Hay articulates the potential underlying problem so clearly and concisely, that my clients are often dumbfounded at the relevance of the message to their emotional challenges at the time. This material educates in a way that's also compassionate and empathic, which is essential in helping people move forward. I'm thrilled to have this book in my library and can't recommend it highly enough!

Fantastic.......2007-09-13

Fantastic book. I am glad I read it. It was worth my time and is a quick read.

A must have if you are seeking answers.......2007-09-07

I am glad that I got this book. I have only had it a couple of weeks, but I read something from it everyday. I love the illustrations and I am open the the suggestions. I am opening myself up to change every time I read her words. The book was worth the wait and I enjoy it everyday.

Average customer rating:

The gift of faith
Just what I needed
Yes, I recommend it.
One of the Best Books on the Spiritual Life
Powerful

The Gift of Faith
Tadeusz Dajczer
Manufacturer: In the Arms of Mary
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Mental & Spiritual Healing | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0972143203

Book Description

This is a world renowned book on the internal life.

Customer Reviews:

The gift of faith.......2007-08-12

The book did help, as I just lost my wife of thirity one years and although I beleive in God I had a few questions about why. I agree with a lot of what the book says, but there are some parts that open the door to more questions.In the end I don't care what your religion is its all about FAITH!

Just what I needed.......2007-02-18

I have been transformed by reading this book. It has helped me to see that grace comes in everything in life...that all things are from God, even the difficulties. It has helped me to rely only on God, and to see His grace through my daily struggles, failings and weaknesses.

Yes, I recommend it........2007-02-15

Someone told me about this book when I was going through a hard time with believing. I'm not the kind to read cover-to-cover. Usually, I flip through the book, and see what catches my eye.
This book answered so many questions for me that I did not even know how to ask.

One of the Best Books on the Spiritual Life.......2007-01-27

I have a M.A. in Christian Spirituality and have read a wide variety of books on the spiritual life over the past twenty-eight years, none comes close to this work which is masterful both in its simplicity but also in its integration of Scripture,the tradition of the Church and the Sacraments. This is a fascinating book that can motivate you to change the way you live your life!

I am the author of The How-To Book of the Mass: Everything You Need to Know but No One Ever Taught You

Powerful.......2006-10-30

Few books have made such an impact on my life as this one. It is a good book to read slowly and meditate upon, letting God speak to your life. I found it particularly helpful that Fr. Dajczer uses examples from Sacred Scripture and from saint's lives to illustrate his points. It is wonderful.

God's Creative Power Gift Collection: God's Creative Power Will Work for You, God's Creative Power for Healing, God's Creative Power for Finances

Average customer rating:

Practical, spiritual advice
Excellent Gift
YOU HAVE GOT TO READ THIS BOOK!!!
Must have book
Wow!

God's Creative Power Gift Collection: God's Creative Power Will Work for You, God's Creative Power for Healing, God's Creative Power for Finances
Charles Capps
Manufacturer: Harrison House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Inspirational | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1577946774

Product Description

Gods Creative Power Will Work for You has been a much loved scriptural resource for many years. With more than 3 million sold, Gods Creative Power for Healing and Gods Creative Power for Finances were released. This amazing series has now sold more than 5 millions copies! The Gods Creative Power Gift Collection combines all three of these powerful teaching books into one volume. Providing concise teaching and applicable Scripture-based confessions, readers will learn how to put Gods creative power at work in all areas of their life. They will discover and develop an understanding of how their words combined with Gods Word will positively affect their future.

Customer Reviews:

Practical, spiritual advice.......2007-10-09

Recently purchased this little leather bound 3 books in 1 gift set and couldn't put it down. Easy to read and understand for anyone that may be new to scriptures and/or Christianity.

I really enjoyed the scriptual positive confessions he lists in the book for different areas of life that we may need help in. His main point is that there is so much power in our words that we need to watch what we say for truly life and death are in the power of the tongue.

Too many people throw around phrases like "my back is killing me" without realizing the power in those words. Mr. Capps emphasizes that words are the most powerful thing in the universe.

What I also liked is that not only does Mr. Capps emphasize the power of God in dealing with our health and finances, plus he also states that we use common sense and not be a "stubborn christian."

Meaning that we don't just stop taking our medication or seeing doctors because of Christian pride unless we are directed to do so by the Holy Spirit. Although our goal is for divine healing and it's already been paid for through the blood of Jesus, we need to stop and listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

It's an easy to read book that can be taken with you wherever you go and I highly recommend its purchase. This is one that I will read over and over again and always have handy when I need a spiritual pick me up.

Excellent Gift.......2007-08-30

This book would make an excellent gift.
It is a soft leather and can fit in a purse.
The prayers inside are well written and effective.
Something we all need - prayers that get results

YOU HAVE GOT TO READ THIS BOOK!!!.......2007-08-22

WOW. I knew our words hold power but what I didn't realize is just how powerful our words are in the Spirit realm and here on Earth. Remember Jesus told His Disciples in Matt 18:18 that they had power to bind and loose (release). I believe this is still true today because Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. It makes sense that if we are called to do "even greater things" and since "every careless word spoken" will be judged then we ought to be very careful when and how we communicate. This book will Rock your world! Read it and give it away to friends.

Must have book.......2007-05-14

I just love this book. Its full of insite and wisdom from the bible. Everyone should get this

Wow!.......2007-03-19

This is a compilation of three of the authors booklets. Each a different area in which God's Creative Power will work in. Apply these prinicples and watch your life change. Great gift idea.

Faith in the Valley: Lessons for Women on the Journey to Peace

Average customer rating:

helps you get through what you're going through
GET THIS and GIVE THIS to your favorite women:)
A great book for daily reflection
Touches a Point
Inspirational

Faith in the Valley: Lessons for Women on the Journey to Peace
Iyanla Vanzant
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Meditation | Alternative Medicine | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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Accessories:

ASIN: 0684850486

Book Description

Beloved friend,

When this little book was first published many years ago, it became a beacon of light for many people who found themselves time and time again in one valley or another. Valleys are nothing new for any of us. Some of you may be in a valley right now, or, since you never know what's around the corner, you may be on the brink of tottering into yet another valley. Or maybe you've just survived a valley that you swear you'll never revisit -- but guess what? That's precisely the valley you'll probably see again. And again.

Being in a valley can be a lonely and bewildering experience. This book was written to help you feel less lonely by reminding you that you really aren't ever alone since God is always by your side, but more important, you are always by your own side. No matter how dire the situation may seem, no matter how dark and bleak the valley may be, you have all you need within you to survive the valley -- any valley. Even though you may not know how you got into the valley in the first place, you do know, deep inside yourself, how to get through and out and free. You just need a little faith in yourself and a little guidance to find that faith within yourself.

When you are at your wit's end, take this little book and let it guide you toward the ever-present but often elusive light at the end of the tunnel. Faith in the Valley is designed to help you find the light when you need it most -- when you're in that damn tunnel. When you're most confused and in the dark and clueless as to how you got there (again!) and when you're trying to figure out not just how to get out, but stay out. For good.

Faith in the Valley has helped so many through so much that we felt it only fitting to issue this lovely gift edition to acknowledge the special place it holds in many hearts. Please share it with a friend who has served as your beacon in the past, or offer it to yourself as a reminder of the strength and wisdom you possess and can offer to others.

Iyanla

Download Description

Beloved friend, When this little book was first published many years ago, it became a beacon of light for many people who found themselves time and time again in one valley or another. Valleys are nothing new for any of us. Some of you may be in a valley right now, or, since you never know what's around the corner, you may be on the brink of tottering into yet another valley. Or maybe you've just survived a valley that you swear you'll never revisit -- but guess what? That's precisely the valley you'll probably see again. And again. Being in a valley can be a lonely and bewildering experience. This book was written to help you feel less lonely by reminding you that you really aren't ever alone since God is always by your side, but more important, you are always by your own side. No matter how dire the situation may seem, no matter how dark and bleak the valley may be, you have all you need within you to survive the valley -- any valley. Even though you may not know how you got into the valley in the first place, you do know, deep inside yourself, how to get through and out and free. You just need a little faith in yourself and a little guidance to find that faith within yourself. When you are at your wit's end, take this little book and let it guide you toward the ever-present but often elusive light at the end of the tunnel. Faith in the Valley is designed to help you find the light when you need it most -- when you're in that damn tunnel. When you're most confused and in the dark and clueless as to how you got there (again!) and when you're trying to figure out not just how to get out, but stay out. For good. Faith in the Valley has helped so many through so much that we felt it only fitting to issue this lovely gift edition to acknowledge the special place it holds in many hearts.

Customer Reviews:

helps you get through what you're going through.......2007-06-08

this book has been so helpful at valuable to me so many tough times like i'm going through now. the messages are short but powerful. this book will certainly help you restore your peace. like another poster said mine is getting worn out.

GET THIS and GIVE THIS to your favorite women:).......2004-07-06

This is my FAVORITE book by Iyanla Vanzant because of: It's size(small enough for your tiny purse), its lack of preach-i-ness and how the index is organized by subject. I feel its a synopsis of all the subjects covered in her other books. I also feel the book is applicable to women of ALL cultures. You can use it as a daily guide or you can use the index to find a subject for which you could use guidance.

A great book for daily reflection.......2002-10-22

I can not express how insightful and helpful this book is! It really makes you look deep into the reason(s) why you thought you needed a book of affirmations in the first place. This book is perfect for those "why me" and "I really can't take any more" moments when you feel like life, and everything in it, needs to give you a break. If you're a woman experiencing a lot of change in your life and it seems like you just can't handle another crisis (or is it a crisis afterall?), this is the book for you. I carry it in my purse!

Touches a Point.......2002-07-30

Each time my spirt is down, or I'm going through a situation, I turn to this book. I hold the book in my right hand by its spine, fan the pages with my left hand to stop at randum. The passages I've read, I have felt its deep spirtual feeling and I understand its meaning. Then I reflect on my situation and the passage fits. It helps me to understanding whats going on. It uplifts my spirit to deal with my situation. It give me insight to view my problem from a different angle. It also assures me that what I am currently going through will end. I will get through it. In my view, its a powerfull book. I have read several other books by Iyanla, even watched her talk show (sorry that went off the air), but like the bible, I keep Faith In The Valley near by.

Inspirational.......2001-01-16

Faith In The valley by Iyanla Vanzant is truly a book to help us on our journey toward peace. Ms. Vanzant imparts words of wisdom and encouragement. She is reminding us of some of the day to day things we take for granted. We sometimes forget to be thankful for what we have; good health, a job and a place to live. You will not regret reading this book. As Ms. vanzant writes, "What a blessing! I am so thankful" that I read this book. Go get yourself a copy of "Faith in The valley".

How to Succeed in the Game of Life: 34 Interviews with the World's Greatest Coaches

Average customer rating:

A Great Read
What a great read!
Game of life
Coaching advise from athletic coaches
Overcome Adversity

How to Succeed in the Game of Life: 34 Interviews with the World's Greatest Coaches
Christian Klemash
Manufacturer: Andrews McMeel Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Success | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Coaching | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0740760653

Book Description

What would legendary Boston Celtics coach and 16-time NBA champion Red Auerbach say is the most critical quality for a person to be successful? Would his advice differ from 10-time NCAA championship coach John Wooden's? What would each say to a young person just starting out in pursuit of their dreams? What is the best advice they were ever given?

It took author Christian Klemash more than two years of research, persistence, and original interviews, but now he's ready to pass on the best advice you'll ever get. Only the rare individual has had the opportunity to pick the brain of just one legendary sports coach—let alone thirty-four of the best sports coaches of all time. Klemash gives sports fans a once-in-a-lifetime chance to learn valuable life lessons from the most famous, intelligent, and victorious coaches ever. The legends span the sports world, from gold medal-winning gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi and three-time college football championship coach Tom Osborne to four-time World Series-winning baseball manager Joe Torre and hall-of-fame boxing trainer Angelo Dundee.

These coaches know how to teach top athletes about character and winning, how to manage pressure at crunch time, and how to bring out the best in their players when it matters most. How to Succeed in the Game of Life shares their insights into sports, life, and the most vital keys to sustain success.Featuring Exclusive Interviews with:

Red Auerbach, 16-time NBA World Champion

Bobby Bowden, College Football's All-Time Winningest Coach, 2-time National Champion

Scotty Bowman, 9-time Stanley Cup Champion

Bill Cowher, Super Bowl Champion

Tony Dungy, Super Bowl Champion

Dan Gable, 15-time NCCA Champion

April Heinrichs, Gold Medal Winning Coach of the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team

Bela Karolyi, The World’s Greatest Gymnastics Coach

Bill Parcells, 2-time Super Bowl Champion

Emanuel Steward, Boxing Trainer of 30 World Champions

Joe Torre, 4-time World Series Champion

Bill Walsh, 3-time Super Bowl Champion

Lenny Wilkens, NBA’s All-Time Winningest Coach, NBA Champion

John Wooden, 10-time NCAA Champion

And More!

Customer Reviews:

A Great Read.......2007-08-26

Wow!Could not put it down.An extraordinay self help book.Gave it to my kids they loved it.Don't miss this one

What a great read!.......2007-07-25

I took it on vacation with me and I couldn't put it down. A great book for aspiring athletes and coaches as well as your average Joe who works 9-5. The coaches discuss a variety of topics from their childhood to how they motivate their players. Any easy read for all ages.

Game of life.......2007-07-24

I've read through Game of Life and I enjoyed it very much. There are so many things to take from this book, not just into sports, but also some reflections on life. I would recommend this book to everybody.

Coaching advise from athletic coaches.......2007-06-27

A fun read, especially if yoiu're a sports fan. I read it in search of things that would help my own ability as a coach in my company. Much of it is light stuff but the easy read makes it fun nonetheless and there are few golden nuggets laced throughout the book.

Overcome Adversity.......2007-04-12

Anyone looking for inspiration, either for their own life or to share with others, will find a gold mine of quotes here. This book isn't just for sports fans.

Average customer rating:

3 in one bank
Great Bank
Giving bank
Good bank, no surprises
Wonderful product to teach about money matters!

My Giving Bank: 3 Banks in 1

Manufacturer: Rainfall Gift/Educational Toys
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Misc. Supplies

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 9834502702

Product Description

Kids love to play make believe, but when they play with The Full Armor of God costume set, they're learning something they'll remember forever! As children role-play the adventure of being one of God's young warriors, they're memorizing the biblical principles of the spiritual armor described in Ephesians 6:13-18. Recommended for ages 3 and up. This multi-piece set includes: Helmet of Salvation with movable visor Breastplate of Righteousness with adjustable straps "Shin Guards" of Peace that adjust to fit Belt of Truth with adjustable Velcro closure Spirit-of-the-Word Sword--the right size for little hands Shield of Faith has easy-to-grip handle Faith Parenting Guide with suggested activities and Scriptures

Customer Reviews:

3 in one bank.......2007-08-30

This is exactly the bank I was looking for. There is a place to save for church, savings, and fun stuff. The bank is large enough to hold plenty of money and it is also easy to get the money out. We are very happy with the bank!

Great Bank.......2007-03-13

Wonderful tool to help even small children understand saving, spending and tithing. We bought one for a 3 year old and a 5 year old. They both love the bank and understand how to use it.

Giving bank.......2007-01-05

Awesome tool to teach your kids at a very young age (about age 3) how to begin dividing up their money. Works great for us!!

Good bank, no surprises.......2007-01-03

Just a basic bank, what came in the box is just like the picture and description - a bank with three slots in it. The stickers came on a sheet that you had to peel off and stick on the bank, and they were a little hard to get off, but then again, maybe I'm sticker-challenged!

Wonderful product to teach about money matters!.......2006-09-05

I have heard wonderful things about this giving bank and finally decided to implement it with my 5 year old daughter and 2 year old son. Obviously the 2 year old is a little young for the concept, but I drew up a chore chart and at the end of the week they each get $3.00 and each dollar goes into the separate banks. I explained each bank and my 5 year old cannot wait to give her money to "those who don't have any". It's a great teaching tool!

Extraordinary Faith: God's Perfect Gift for Every Woman's Heart

Average customer rating:

What a journey Sheila takes you on!

Extraordinary Faith: God's Perfect Gift for Every Woman's Heart
Sheila Walsh
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

All Deals | Blowout Books | Stores | Books

Religion & Spirituality | Blowout Books | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0785262911

Book Description

Whether or not you know or even understand it, you are living a life of faith. Perhaps not the conventional, Christian ideal of faith, but faith nonetheless. You flip the light switch and have faith that the light will come on. You turn the key and expect the engine to start. But what about the big things in life? Do you have faith that you'll remain healthy? Faith that your children will be safe from violence? We all face situations that we cannot control. All we can do is trust-and have faith-that God will see us through.

Rather than a complicated, theological enigma, Sheila Walsh explains that faith is a simple, life-giving gift God offers His children. And since it is a gift, He expects us to share it-to give it away. By sharing biblical and modern examples of women of faith, Sheila opens our eyes to the extravagant gift God has for each of us.

Customer Reviews:

What a journey Sheila takes you on!.......2005-11-02

Sheila's heart, honesty and love for God shine through the pages of this book. You feel like she's sitting down to coffee with you and sharing how God has worked in her life, how He has taken her on a journey of faith. She brings great Biblical insights, but doesn't pretend to have all of life's answers. Refreshing! I was actually sad when I finished this book. I wanted to continue the coffee chat. I'm buying several for Christmas presents!

The Land: Place As Gift, Promise, and Challenge in Biblical Faith (Overtures to Biblical Theology)

Average customer rating:

enthralling
possibly Brueggemann's best work
Discovering New Dimensions of the Biblical Text

The Land: Place As Gift, Promise, and Challenge in Biblical Faith (Overtures to Biblical Theology)
Walter Brueggemann
Manufacturer: Augsburg Fortress Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Ethics | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0800634624

Book Description

The land was one of the most vibrant symbols for the people of ancient Israel. In the land—gift, promise, and challenge—was found the physical source of Israel's fertility and life, and a place for the gathering of the hopes of the covenant people. In this careful treatment, Walter Brueggemann follows the development of his theme through the major blocks of Israel's traditions. The book provides a point of entrance both to the theology of the Old Testament and to aspects of the New Testament—even as it illuminates crucial issues of the contemporary scene. In this fully revised version, Brueggemann provides new insights, as well as updating the discussion, notes, and bibliography.

Customer Reviews:

enthralling.......2006-05-09

In The Land, Walter Brueggemann consistently pushes one point: that "The Bible ... is primarily concerned with the issue of being displaced and yearning for a place" (2). Through the stories it tells about the relationship between Israel and the land, the Bible is concerned with laying out a vision of how and how not to be in the land. This book is loaded with pathos, reminding us of how the Bible witnesses to God's intense longing for his creation to live into the vibrant, harmonious relationships for which he destined it. Brueggemann well articulates the Bible's ideal of the Land as an avenue through which grace intervenes upon the fallen state of creation.

Right relationship with the land begins with Yahweh's call to the land, for the means of acquisition is definitive for the character of the interaction with the land once occupation takes place. This shows up of course in the Abraham narrative, but is echoed throughout the text as the people of God are continually called to leave the land of their own establishment (which is slavery), embrace exile/wilderness, and receive that land which is Yahweh's gift. It is obedience and trust in this word from Yahweh that enables one to receive land as it was created to be given. Any other means of land acquisition is deemed illegitimate by Torah.

Brueggemann goes on to describe right relationship with the land once occupation has occurred. In fact, I shouldn't use the word "occupation," for it implies a sort of living that Brueggemann's reading of the text adamantly opposes - one that views the land as a thing to be used and abused if necessary. Even "use" gets it wrong, for that would imply that the land belonged to Israel, which it certainly does not. The land is Yahweh's, and it is a gift in a peculiar sense, namely that there has been no transfer in ownership. Rather, the gift is the permission he gives to live there. The gift is the fruitfulness he brings from it. The gift is a safety that wasn't earned, a city that was built by another, protected by another. The gift is an existence in which need not be defended or fought for. Remaining in the land is not a matter of defense or alliance, but of obedience to Torah. And it is this life of obedience that is true liberty. More than simply not being subject to oppressors, "Exodus is about freedom ... in the good land under the good word of promise" (27).

Yet it is in the Land that the Israelites face the greatest temptation: to believe that their lives can be blessed by the work of their own hands. Always in the wilderness,Israel was forced into dependency, trust, and hope in Yahweh as the sole provider for them. To counter this are the institutes of Torah, a memory giving definition to the community in a way that affirms their peculiar identity as a people whose very existence is a gift. It is a bulwark against a belief that better management1, denial of justice to the poor, etc., will lead to productivity. The only true fruitfulness comes by obedience to Torah.

On the one hand, Brueggemann holds out the vision of Deuteronomy as one that "clings to a better vision of Israel, believing that in the land, fithful people can resist the temptation to be too secure, and can maintain the buoyancy of the covenant" (56). On the other, he also makes clear that the text seems doubtful as to whether these people will actually do so. And of course, Israel is a miserable failure at living in obedience to Torah. They are characterized by such mistrust and insistence on working to provide for their own security that Yahweeh must boot them out of the land, back into wilderness/exile, and start his people back on a process of looking landward.

I find myself in agreement with nearly all of the larger points of Brueggemann's. Although I found myself at times flabbergasted at some of his smaller points (c.f. the unexplained/clarified/warrented import of covenantal theology on p. 45, which interestingly isn't developed in his N.T. Chapter), I found myself greatly provoked in my thinking, even in disagreement. The one exception to this was the "Blessed are the Meek" chapter. One is certainly able to discern the idea of land/exile in Christ's death/resurrection, but Brueggemann's clever, and even apt connections between certain N.T. themes with the Land left me wishing he would have more fully addressed the most conspicuous feature of the N.T. in regards to the land, namely it's lack of references to it. Does Christ now function as the land?; are Gentiles going to inherit any land?; etc? Brueggemann doesen't want to take his observation that "Yahweh transforms the question so that bread-talk has the dimansion of God-talk..." (38) to existentialist ends, so what happened to the land in the N.T.? This book leaves me full of questions, definitely a sign of its value.

possibly Brueggemann's best work.......2006-03-08

Though this may be the best of Walter Brueggemann's many books, it is not a work for the faint of heart. Brueggemann's prose sometimes seems to overtake his meaning. One wonders at times-Brueggemann himself might say-whether there is a surfeit of meaning in this text that eludes immediate penetration, or simply a surplus of words.

At least that's how I often feel upon first reading. A virtue of Brueggemann's work is that it invites one back for a second reading and even more. This, I find, is often the moment when one's efforts to capture his line of thought pay off. Because there is a notable homiletic note in much of Brueggemann's prose, he proclaims more often than he explains. The most important observation I can make for a first-time reader of Brueggemann is that one needs to count on reading him more than once.

Always, the gems that Brueggemann scatters across the terrain are well worth the labor. His assays in search of the reflection Israel has applied to her sacred texts demonstrate his commitment to the Bible as theological material. One rarely departs a chapter empty-handed, though one sometimes leaves exhausted.

An extended preface to the second edition (pp. xi - xxiii) establishes an apologia for what the author considers his methodological naiveté in the first edition. Brueggemann provides a useful sketch of the state of Old Testament theology when he first wrote on the land. Perhaps his most important observation was that the discipline had only recently begun to turn from the `mighty acts of God' pattern of thought often associated with G. Ernest Wright, Harvard's late and eminent Old Testament scholar. A recognition that this intellectual movement-characterized by a search for Israel's distinctives-sometimes played upon false antitheses (myth/history, space/time) was making it possible for scholars to recover the biblical motif of creation and, so, for Brueggemann to speak about the biblical theme of land, even if in not so sophisticated a fashion as he believes is possible some years hence.

Brueggemann finds in the land a central organizing motif for Old Testament theology, offering as it does the chance to move beyond existentialist interpretation-individual decisions are important but too, well, individual-and those interpretations abbreviated by the label `mighty acts of God' (`Land as Promise and as Problem', pp. 1-13). The latter notice a serious biblical concern, but fail to take into account the concrete longing for place and the power to hold on to it that runs through the biblical witness. We meet Israel in its wanderings in and out of land. This people certainly knows land as a promise, for it is so often without it. It also knows the problem of keeping it-by purity rather than by power, in Brueggemann's construction-during its monarchic time as a landed nation. In this first of a dozen chapters, Brueggemann makes an important distinction between space and place. Space is essentially empty and often refers to the liberties that allow one to create for oneself an identity with maximum liberties. By contrast, place is storied space. It is intensively concrete, social, and shot through with remembered events and people.

Brueggemann's second chapter (`To the Land I Will Show You', pp. 15-25) finds in Genesis two stories about land in contraposition: chs 1-11, people `fully rooted in land living towards expulsion and loss of land' and chs 12-50, Abraham and his family `not having land but being on the way toward it and living in confident expectation of it'. The hinge is the well-known word of promise at 12.1.

`You Lacked Nothing' (ch. 3, pp. 27-41) is in my judgment the book's finest chapter. Brueggemann sees that `wilderness is the historical form of chaos' His exploration of Israel's well-processes memory of the wilderness landedness must be quoted: `His glory is known, his presence discerned, and his sovereignty acknowledged in his capacity to transform this situation from emptiness to satiation, from death to life, from hunger to bread and meat. He acted decisively to make for landless Israel an environment as rich and nourishing as a landed people had ever known. Yahweh is transformer of situations. The surprise is that landlessness can become nourishing.' Those charged with teaching or preaching Israel's Scripture will linger with profit over this chapter, which achieves an almost throbbing density as it explores two Torah texts of wilderness remembrance, of scarcity and provision when there is no land to be held.

In `Reflections at the Boundary' (ch. 4, pp. 43-65), Brueggemann takes up the listening pause at the boundary (in history and symbol, the river Jordan). At that moment-the tradition communicates it to us in the book of Deuteronomy-Israel is reminded that she lives by grace and that the gift of enlandment that she is about to receive is also just that: a gift. As she was satisfied in the desert, though precariously, now Israel must undergo a radical identify shift as she becomes the possessor of a land that is capable of satisfying in sturdier, more calculable ways.

In this context, Brueggemann can affirm what a prior generation of Old Testament scholars would have considered outlandish: that Yahweh, too, is a fertility god. He is not only that, but he is that as he promises that Israel's satiety in the new land will endure the seasons and cycles of nature if she remains obedient to its giver. Israel is reminded that she will manage the land as temptation only if she employs her sole resource of memory. The land is also a responsibility, for it can be kept only by keeping Torah in it. Finally, the land is a threat because there are always Canaanites in it.

Brueggemann does not like kings. His writing becomes most acidic when speaking of kings and the things kings do, perhaps because his is acutely conscious of how badly royal misbehavior wastes Israel's promise. In `One from among Your Brethren' (ch. 5, pp. 67-85), the author explores the different kind of land management-different, that is, in contrast to `the nations'-that was to take place under the kingly successors to the rather idiosyncratic judges that `governed' Israel's premonarchical league. Speaking of Deuteronomy's reluctant (?) profile of future kings, Brueggemann is poignant and insightful: `The contrast is clear and sharp: a brother, not a foreigner. The issue is not pure blood or tribal connection but that the land must be managed by someone nurtured in the understandings and memories of Israel. If the land is not to be wrongly handled, the king must remember barrenness and birth, slavery and freedom, hunger and manna, and above all the speeches at the boundary.' Solomon, who appears not to have remembered very well, is (again!) Brueggemann's arch-villain, having removed by all available royal prerogatives the `if' of obedience from the charter of kings.

Ch. 6 (`Because Your Forgot Me', pp. 85-100) stresses the urgent complementarity of prophets and kings. The prophet accompanies kings as a component part of the insistence that Israel's kings should not rule as the monarchs of other nations do. Prophets enforce, or at least press the claims for, Torah obedience by kings who must manage land and all its trappings. Brueggemann concedes too much to his own enthusiasm for the subject when he claims that the `language of resurrection is used' to announce the rise of prophets and prophecy, but his interlocking of prophecy and monarchy seems to this reviewer to be spot on.

Torah and prophet are the king's only hope to ward off amnesia. But kings forget, and divorce comes. Here, at least, Yahwistic religion is not like the cyclical rhythm of fertility cults. With Yahweh, divorce can occur and it does.

Brueggemann's language in chapter 7 (`The Push Toward Landlessness-and Beyond', pp. 101-122) is powerful enough momentarily to evoke in the reader the terror of a king who needs to deal with the next crisis when he finds himself faced down by a prophet who has the time-or perhaps in biblical terms, the calling-to `think unthinkable thoughts and speak unspeakable words' about the `drift and destiny of the community'. Jeremiah is the most poignant of land-poets, arguing-in vain, in the short term-for an alternative model of kingship, approximated by Josiah, that requires a `Mosaic effort at Davidic power'.

After exile becomes a fact, `Jeremiah announces the central scandal of the Bible, that radical loss and discontinuity do happen and are the source of real newness.' That few people might intuit that such is the Bible's `central scandal' is in part what makes Brueggemann a compelling biblical theologian as well as an able exegete. He has a nose for subterranean tectonic plates. A little later, this: `The Bible never denies that there is landlessness or that it is deathly. But it rejects every suggestion that landlessness is finally the will of Yahweh. Exiles, like the old sojourners, live in this hope and for this plan that outdistances all reasonable hypotheses about history.'

In chapter eight (`None to Comfort', pp. 123-141), the author listens in as the likes of Jeremiah confront his self-deceived contemporaries about the radical discontinuities of Israel's `second story': the journey from life with the land to existence without it. A flood of literature pours out of this second history as Israel copes with the `no of God' (cf. Lamentations) and gropes toward life by Yahweh's promise rather than by a possessed land. Then Ezekiel's roughish language dares to speak of an exiled God (banished with his Israel) and then of a Joshua-like conquest (again, God with his Israel) of a recovered land. Alongside these thickly interpretive voices, that of the Priestly writers is also heard: `not just the action of desperate people collecting historical data. It is an artistic statement designed to give a sense of serenity, order, and coherence. It is constructed with remarkable intentionality.' Thus does Brueggemann rescue P from the appearance of mere antiquarian interests, a salvaging that profoundly needs the attention of 21st-century readers separated from such literature by a very wide chasm of tastes, preferences, and deftness with the protean language of symbol. Finally, the author surveys Second Isaiah's convergence of traditions in the interest of land-rescue.

It must require enormous discipline for Brueggemann's to domesticate his quasi-liberal (the quasi is extremely important) instincts sufficiently to discover sympathy for Ezra and Nehemiah (chapter nine 'Jealous for Jerusalem", pp. 143-156). That he does so is to his credit, for he can see the dangerously 'careful' and covenant-constructing work of these reformers and land-recoverers as something other than shallow legalism: 'It is not our intent to confine the reconstruction under Ezra to a concern for the land. However, such a consideration invites us to understand the movement in a fresh way. The work of Ezra is often seen as a legalistic cultic sectarianism, and no doubt it has that dimension. But the data can be differently understood if we consider the powerful memory of land-loss through syncretism and the passion for covenant as a way to survive in history.' With Solomon and Ahab's internationalistic syncretism as a precedent for land-loss, it is not difficult to understand why an Ezra might have risked a kind of social tyranny in order to avoid that 'other'' extreme.

In this chapter, the author adeptly helps his reader understand why Hellenism-as a distinct type of a universalism not so distant from what today we call 'globalization'-might have represented an insidious threat not so much to Judaism per se as to a kind of Ezra-shaped Judaism that saw in Hellenistic values the seeds of a particularistic Judaism's demise. As an extreme reaction, Apocalyptic would return the most particularist and radical strains of Judaism, sick beyond limits with 'world-weariness' (P. Hanson's term, quoted here by Brueggemann). Thus, whether Jerusalem was experienced as possession or hope, emerged a particular and not very persuadable jealousy for Zion.

Brueggemann ventures some daring polarities in chapter ten (`Blessed are the Meek', pp. 157-172), beginning by seeing the `movement around Jesus' as an alternative to the dominant `scribalism' of the Judaism of his time. Further, `grasping with courage' is counterpoised to `waiting in confidence for the gift', a binomial that the author uses to envisage Jesus' message as a kind of return by the dispossessed to a species of landedness. What is more, the Western Wall and Masada stand in for opposite modern Israeli stances, with some lamentation of Masada's role in what Brueggemann sees as that nation's unwarranted militarism.

Even Jesus' crucifixion is brought into the orbit of this motif, it being a landlessness par excellence. If Brueggemann outpaces his texts here, it must be conceded that he has at least cast a helpful light on the fact of land concerns in the New Testament, even as he wrestles with the complexities they inevitably present.

In chapter eleven ('Land: Fertility and Justice', pp. 173-196), Brueggemann turns to the nature of humankind as an earthly and covenant-keeping creature, playing on the well-known 'adam/'adamah relationship. He finds implications in several directions: 'The mystery of an adequate relationship with a woman (which we do not often realize) is to hold so loyally as to preclude promiscuity, but to hold so freely as to respect her rights. It is the same with the land. They mystery of faithfulness is to hold the land loyally so as not to reduce it to a commodity, but to hold so freely as to honor its rights as partner and not as possession'.

The author finds the American economic context as a large violation of this principle of covenant-keeping landholding. Some of Brueggemann's deliberations in this respect are properly thought-provoking, though few of them approach the kinds of socio-economic hardheadedness that might produce a workable alternative. Such is the paradox of this man's writing: he is at his most helpful when he is not concrete, for seminality is the stuff of his prose. Yet just here is he at his most frustrating, for it is not clear that he is competent at moving from critique to proposal. This is far from a fatal flaw, but it is a limitation that frequent returnees to Brueggemann's work-like this reviewer-must come eventually to appreciate and to embrace with the requisite sympathy. Though Brueggemann brings to social critique a profoundly theological voice, he prefers 'inversion' where 'reshaping' might have been achievable. Yahweh is, for him, a socialist in a world where socialisms have manifestly not proven to be exemplary providers of opportunity or functionally covenantal society. One must wonder whether the kinds of oppressive management that Brueggemann decries are more often features of command (by whomever) economies or of those driven by the myriad individual, family, and otherwise collective decisions that we abbreviate as 'the market'. History, it seems to me, places the burden of proof upon those who support the other, particularly on those who do so without having lived in one of them.

Economic calculation is, for Brueggemann, a chief among sins rather than a productive feature of worldly stewardship. Yet those whose preferences-or, dare we say, calculations-run in more market-oriented directions ought not to do without Brueggemann's covenantal critique of their social vision. Capitalism with no soul, it has sometimes been observed, is a dark and empty promise. Brueggemann knows this, even if he must in the end stand with the rest of us who know little.

Characteristically, Brueggemann's wrap-ups leave one hungry for more. 'Concluding Hermeneutical Reflections' (pp. 197-208) keeps the pace. It is difficult to explain the academy's lack of attention to the concept of land in the biblical literature, though the intellectual history of a culture that has for some time accelerated in the direction of the individual accumulates some mileage towards providing an answer. By any account, Walter Brueggemann has moved us closer to a remedy for that deficiency, stating-with his characteristic risk of overstatement-that the land may well be the Bible's most central concept. Even if he is wrong, the decision to read this peerless contribution to biblical theology is bound to be right.

Discovering New Dimensions of the Biblical Text.......2003-11-30

Almost always bibliographies for rural ministry include Brueggemann's "The Land." After reading the book, I don't understand why. Brueggemann's observations appear applicable to urban and suburban as well as rural ministries. (Granted, I read an earlier edition of the book. Perhaps, a later edition would clear my confusion.) Brueggemann's insight is in biblical theology, not a particular subset of Christian ministry.

Brueggemann uses "the land" as a category of interpretation from Genesis to the ends of the New Testament. Granted, the scope of the book is ambitious, but Brueggemann does a commendable job. I was particularly intrigued in seeing connections between the land as gift, Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, and Paul's teaching on grace. Brueggemann's method helps us overcome blind spots in traditional interpretation. Nonetheless, I would not suggest jettisoning more familiar ways of looking at Scripture in favor of "the land." As one who reads the Old Testament through the New, I would have appreciated more emphasis on Christology, Soteriology and their relation to the land. Still, there is plenty of food for thought.

Book Description

God, who said, âLet light shine out of darkness,â has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 4:6

This book is a cry from the heart of John Piper. He is pleading that God himself, as revealed in Christ’s death and resurrection, is the ultimate and greatest gift of the gospel.

None of Christ’s gospel deeds and none of our gospel blessings are good news except as means of seeing and savoring the glory of Christ. Forgiveness is good news because it opens the way to the enjoyment of God himself. Justification is good news because it wins access to the presence and pleasures of God himself. Eternal life is good news because it becomes the everlasting enjoyment of Christ.

All God’s gifts are loving only to the degree that they lead us to God himself. That is what God’s love is: his commitment to do everything necessary (most painfully the death of his only Son) to enthrall us with what is most deeply and durably satisfyingânamely, himself.

Saturated with Scripture, centered on the cross, and seriously joyful, this book leads us to satisfaction for the deep hungers of the soul. It touches us at the root of life where practical transformation gets its daily power. It awakens our longing for Christ and opens our eyes to his beauty.

Piper writes for the soul-thirsty who have turned away empty and in desperation from the mirage of methodology. He invites us to slow down and drink from a deeper spring. âThis is eternal life,â Jesus said, âthat they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.â This is what makes the gospelâand this bookâgood news.

Customer Reviews:

Read, and Reread this Book: God is the Gospel........2007-05-22

This is one of the best books I have ever read. I encourage every seeker of the true and living God to read this wonderful, God-honoring book. Dr. Piper is at his best. Let me whet your appetite by giving you a few quotes from which you can desire more:

Chapter 2: "What makes the gospel good news in the end is the enjoyment of the glory of God in Christ. The Holy Spirit provides the present experience of that enjoyment."

Chapter 3: "The gospel is not a way to get people to heaven; it is a way to get people to God."

Chapter 4:"The gospel is God's instrument for liberating people from exulting in self to exulting in Christ."

Chapter 5:"If we minimize the majesty of God as the greatest good in the good news, we strip from the gospel the all-important ground of saving faith."

Chapter 6:"The completion of our becoming will happen at the completion of our beholding."

Chapter 8:"The sorrow of true contrition is sorrow for not having God as our all-satisfying treasure."

Chapter 9:"Death is including in our treasure chest of gifts from God through the gospel."

Chapter 10:"God will not be a mere dispenser of gifts for those who have no delight in God himself."

And so much more is found in this God-honoring book to ultimately direct the reader to the true and living God, who is the true portion of the soul.

Again, Only a Vertical Faith?.......2007-05-06

Alas - not unlike one of the earlier reviewers who is bone-weary of those attempting to make the faith 'relevant', I too am equally exhausted, but not by the same complaint.

My concern is Piper's perpetuation of the mistaken belief that the acts of Christ are entirely for our eventual enjoyment of God for eternity, beginning now, in fellowship with him (sic).

This perpetuates the mistaken belief that ours is a vertical faith, with any deeper sense of responsibility for being servants in the world who so desperately need our 'presence', nearly missing.

While I understand Piper's aim is to conclude that the 'beatific vision' is our ultimate desinty, remember that Jesus himself says there will be no such destiny lest God's love as demonstrated in our Savior's ACTS are repeated among 'the least of these' as though it were to the Savior himself.

My remarks of course are not some legalistic call to be 'saved through works' (a convenient canard the Church has come up with to ward-off all activism (unless you're a member of the Christian Right).

Instead, it is a joyous invitation to JOIN Jesus where he most identifies himself - one of THE reasons he refers to this 'Gospel' as "good news to the poor," (and subsequently 'bad' news to rich).

I would invite good people of faith to read 3 excellent books on this topic, that you will find both a joyful experience, and equally one that will (lovingly) challenge us all to LIVE the Gospel, and not just 'feel' its warm-fuzziness in our worship services.

The first is: The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne (Zondervan).
The second is: Soul Graffiti: Making a Life in the Way of Jesus by Mark Scandrett (Zondervan)
The third is: The Holy Bible!

I'm not being silly, here, and hopefully not arrogant. But as the wife of Mr. Mega-Church himself recently said in an interview, "I've been re-reading my Bible, lately, and the call for justice and for the People of God to serve the poor is unmistakably EVERYWHERE - I just can't believe I missed it before..." (not an exact quote)

Blessings, all, Rev. Michael Hollingshead, Pastor, Island United Church of Foster City, CA.

Learning to Love God.......2007-04-01

In this volume John Piper points the believer beyond loving God for His gifts, for salvation, or for any benefit that accrues because of loving Him. Instead Piper wishes to propel the Christian to develop a deeper understanding of God as a Person and like all person-to-person relationships, to value God for who He is.

To God be the glory.......2007-02-13

We were created with the main idea to glorify God. This, says John Piper, is the gospel that, in American Christianity, seems to become almost a foreign concept. He writes this in the introduction: "When I say that God is the Gospel I mean that the highest, best, final, decisive good of the gospel, without which no other gifts would be good, is the glory of God in the face of Christ revealed for our everlasting enjoyment." The three parts to this, he says, are 1) the gift was purchased by the blood of Jesus; 2) it was free and not earned; and 3) "the gift must be God himself, above all his other gifts." This gift is Jesus Himself. I like the way Piper used the Word to bring home his point, the point that is the "old old story" of God and His love for us. Oh, pity on us if we forget that this--not self-actualization, prosperity, and other 21st century hang-ups that have made their way into the church--is the true Good News of God! Read this book slowly with a highligher to get full benefit out of the book's wisdom; your soul will be glad you did.

Mining the Depths of the Glory of God.......2006-05-10

Piper mines the depths of the glory of God. He has been doing it for decades, and it is a testimony to the riches of God's glory that John continues, year after year, to bring up ever more precious treasure for us to behold and prize. This precious treasure of God's glory shines brightly in God Is the Gospel.

The subtitle is "meditations on God's love as the gift of Himself," which is an apt description of the book. Building on many of his previous works, Piper leads us through a multitude of facets showing that all of creation and redemption, all of the good news of the gospel, all of God's gifts and graces, are focused on one shining goal: for us to delight in and display God's glory for all eternity.

Along the way, he covers the importance of proclaiming God's glory, the illumination of His glory within our soul, its purpose in sanctification, the proper view of God's gifts to us, and God's glory as our ultimate and final hope and desire in heaven. He shows how easy it is to focus on the gifts and not the Giver, but how vitally important it is for our focus to be always on God.

This short quote shows the heart and soul of the book:

All the gifts and rewards and miracles have come for one great reason: that you might behold forever the glory of God in Christ, and by beholding become the kind of person who delights in God above all things, and by delighting display his supreme beauty and worth with ever-increasing brightness and bliss forever.

God Is the Gospel is a passionate trumpet call for us to see that all the Gospel in all its beauty is meant to bring us to worship the One who died to bring it to pass.

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101 Things Jesus Has Done for You
Integrity
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Gifts | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Inspirational | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1591455669

Book Description

Combining scripture, quotes, and brief but powerful meditations, readers will discover the greatest gift that Jesus Christ offers to us is found in eternal life, but there are so many more things He has done for us - and does for us - when we enter into relationship with Him-
Jesus gives us the gift of guidance
Jesus gives us the gift of healing

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