Book Description
Like the two wings of a bird, love and insight work cooperatively to bring about enlightenment, says a fundamental Buddhist teaching. According to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, we each possess the ability to achieve happiness and a meaningful life, but the key to realizing that goal is self-knowledge. In How to See Yourself As You Really Are, the world's foremost Buddhist leader and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize shows readers how to recognize and dispel misguided notions of self and embrace the world from a more realistic -- and loving -- perspective.
Step-by-step exercises help readers shatter their false assumptions and ideas and see the world as it actually exists. By directing our attention to the false veneer that so bedazzles our senses and our thoughts, His Holiness sets the stage for discovering the reality behind appearances. But getting past one's misconceptions is only a prelude to right action, and the book's final section describes how to harness the power of meditative concentration to the service of love, and vice versa, so that true altruistic enlightenment is attained.
Enlivened by personal anecdotes and intimate accounts of the Dalai Lama's own life experiences, How to See Yourself As You Really Are is an inspirational and empowering guide to achieving self-awareness that can be read and enjoyed by spiritual seekers of all faiths.
Customer Reviews:
The emperor wears no robe.......2007-06-23
I've got news for the "Buddhist" community: "His Holiness" the Dalai Lama is just another human being. I find it highly contradictory that adherents to a spiritual practice such as Buddhism, which claims to be non-theistic, regards a fellow human being as an exalted high holy incarnation of a deity to be referred to unquestionably as a fundamentalist Christian theocrat would refer to "God" or Jesus Christ in public discourse. The crass zen saying "if you meet the Buddha kill him" means that the divine does not exist outside of you...
That being said, our fellow human being "the Dalai Lama" has not really said anything original with regard to Buddhist practice. Quotes attributed to him are on the lines of "kindness is good, if you pursue kindness you'll be happy," etc. This is not to say he doesn't have anything good to say (though I highly suspect much of what he has "authored" is ghost-written), it's just that in terms of talking about meditation and mindfulness, etc. to Westerners he's no where near someone like Charlotte Joko Beck or Alan Watts.
The path to enlightenment.......2007-04-08
I believe the Dalai Lama is the closest thing we have to a Buddha on earth. His writing is full of grace and enlightenment. In this book he takes on the difficult task of explaining the true condition of a human being-impermanent conditional consciousness. This topic is very difficult to explain by putting it into words. The Dalai Lama does a great job and then follows up with many exercises. Here is how I would summarize this books teachings:
We are not our body, nor even our mind. if we were we could not say my mind or my body. Then what are we? We are "like" and illusion existing through our 5 aggregates, body, thoughts, feelings, perceptions, and consciousness. No "I" can be located. The closest we can come is understanding that we are consciousness observing the present moment, all else is thought and mental formation. Who we think we really are is just a mental formation we hold in our mind of our beliefs about ourselves our religion, height, weight, name, etc. Enlightenment is simply understanding this and the nature of reality.
I hope I did some justice to this books topic, but I highly recommend reading this book to move farther down the road to enlightenment.
Detachment as a way to authenticity.......2007-03-17
Emotions distort reality of self and others. Buddhism is a practice and a religion that offers a way out of illusion (Mara). The Dalai Lama brings forth his own wisdom as a world soul teacher immersed in Tibetan Buddhism. A wonderful guide on getting out of your own way.
Number One Pick.......2007-03-03
I have over 100 books on buddhism and meditation and if I had to pick my favorite this is it. To me it contains everything an aspiring buddha needs to know and practice.Especially good if you don't have access to a teacher or a spiritual center.
Stunning!.......2007-03-01
Only someone with such a profound insight and deep understanding over a subject as complex as emptiness is, can expound it as clear, easy going, way as His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama... This is a wonderful book guiding the reader step by step into a precise methodology to discriminate between the way things appear to our senses and the way they actually exist... Inspiring, clarifying, amazing!!!
A book that can be enojoyed at so many levels!!!
Book Description
This book, HOLINESS, TRUTH AND THE PRESENCE OF GOD, is not a book for everyone. It is for those who are unsatisfied with their progress and willing to do something about it. It is for every saint who feels he cannot exist unless he finds the fullness of God.
Customer Reviews:
Teaches that the "inner work" produces good works.......2007-08-23
Draw closer to God and He will incline Himself to you. It is the Holy Spirit that produces the fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness and self-control. From these internal fruit comes the outward evidence of His inner work. Works are the result of this closer walk - Holiness is an outward manifestation of the inner work. Francis Frangipane again has been led to write an illuminating work about how God's light chases away the inner darkness. Come and learn how to travel the "Highway of Holiness" from the beginning until you arrive home. Bring your heart before God so that He can show you the way.
Pursuing Christ-likeness.......2006-08-09
It appears the human heart is like a many-roomed mansion, and little do we know how dark some of those interior rooms are--if we are even aware of their existence! Francis Frangipane does a great service to the maturing of the Body of Christ by taking us on a trip to explore many of those darkened rooms which are harboring idolatry, pride and hypocrisy, presumption and falsehood, to name but a few of the sicknesses afflicting God's people. The way to health and purity, indeed "wholeness", is by passionately pursuing "holiness" of heart. It is the pure in heart who will see God. Therefore, our goal of Christ-likeness must define our Christian walk, for holiness and sanctification must necessarily precede Kingdom power and the fruit thereof.
Excellent Book.......2006-07-01
I find this to be great reading and right on point if you are serious about improving your walk with God as a Christian. Easy to read, with short chapters that are clear and easy to understand. The author supports his thoughts with scripture. It is one that you can read over and over again and find something new to ponder.
Intimacy, not religion, is the key .......2005-10-02
This book challenged me in a major way. The gist of the book is that seeking after God is the reason for our existence and for victory in our lives. It relates how we substitute other things for what is important, an intimate relationship with Almighty God. From this intimacy with God springs holiness and victory. Power is not found in religion, doctrine, knowledge or anything other than being in the presence of God.
2nd to the Bible.......2004-09-03
I read this at least once a year, and when I open it, I am ashamed that I waited so long. The two other books I would recomend for the serious Christian Life, are: This Church is not Appearing Glorious & it doesn't seem to be Purpose Driven, by Meyers, and Why Reveval Tarries by Ravenhill. Read these books often, and you will change the world.
Book Description
Twenty-five years ago, this book opened Christians' eyes to a new way of ""running the race""--today it still inspires a real and tangible holiness. Now available with an updated new look.
Download Description
Still running strong. Twenty-five years ago, The Pursuit of Holiness posed the question: What does holiness look like? For starters, it doesn't look anything like perfection. And it doesn't necessarily look like victory. Mostly, it consists of effort, prayer, grace, and obedience. "Scripture speaks of both a holiness we have in Christ before God, and a holiness we are to strive after," writes the author. In other words, we can ignore neither Christ's role nor our own if we are to successfully pursue holiness. It is as simple as refusing to smudge the truth on a tax return or as complicated as forgiving the person who has most viciously hurt us. Jerry takes holiness out of the realm of the impossible and brings it into "the real world" of our daily lives and decisions.
Customer Reviews:
Good book.......2007-08-16
Very good book for anyone who wants to become a more mature Christian. It really helped me understand the differense and interrelation between God's provision and my responsibility for addressing sin. Direct, practical, and "to the point".
The Best.......2007-05-22
This is one of the best and most influential books (other than the Bible) I have ever read. I could not recommend it more for anyone who wants to truly understand the importance of holiness in our lives.
legalism to tha max.......2007-04-15
justifaction, santification and holiness, are all linked to one thing the finished work of christ. guys like this say we are justified by faith but were are pertty much on are own when it comes to living the life of a christian.1 the 5;23 eph 5;25 and many othe rscriptures state that we are present tense justified, santified and glotified. by any effort of our own. o foolish jerry who has bewiched you. you stated in the spirit are you made perfect by the flesh.surrendering of the will not will power is the key to the christians walk. only god is holy. how do we become holy, the same way the temple became holy Gods Spirit resided there, "whos temple you are." he says he tried the let go and let god method of holiness and failed, so it was false. he then says try his method but do not be discouraged by constant failures and setbacks. read hebrews 4 and do not try to do it but trust god and apprehend it for yourself. by faith and faith alone. brother stop laying burdends on others you yourself can not bear. '
Insightful, practical, scriptural, and vital........2007-03-04
The Word of G-d plainly teaches us, in verse and example, that "without holiness, no man shall see G-d."
Jerry Bridges' examination of this foundational doctrine is both cogent and compelling. He has drawn extensively upon some of the finest writings on the subject; e.g. D.Martyn-Lloyd Jones, and Bishop JC Ryle, among others. We are given a practical and edifying guide to empower, encourage, and exhort us to pursue holiness, for holiness is the very essence of who G-d in Christ is.
This book is not an easy, quick read despite the fact that it is under 200 pages. There is much to pray about, to meditate on, and to consider if holiness is to be the characterization of our lives, and not merely head-knowledge. This book's strong point is that the author uses so much scripture to buttress his central thesis that one does not first have to get holy in order to be saved, but that holiness is a part of salvation and we are to expect the fruits of this in our lives.
Read and weep tears of repentance. One of the mnost important, yet underrated books of our time.
Holiness simply explained.......2007-02-23
I would highly recommend people to read this book. Especially in today's fast paced world, where sin practically comes to our doorsteps on a daily basis, we all need to learn how to best combat our deformed nature. The most beneficial section of The Pursuit of Holiness is by far chapters 5 - 7; in fact these chapters are an excellent companion to Romans 6 - 8.
In chapter five, Bridges rightly comments: "In a similar manner, Christians tend to sin out of habit. It is our habit to look for ourselves instead of others, to retaliate when injured in some way, and to indulge the appetites of our bodies. It is our habit to live for ourselves and not for God. When we become Christians, we do not drop all of this overnight. In fact, we will spend the rest of our lives putting off these habits and putting on habits of holiness" (p 51). In this chapter he really focuses in on the fact that as Christians when we sin it is because we choose to.
Chapter six I must state is the best chapter out of the entire book; the chapter centers on Romans 7:21, "I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good." Three fantastic points are brought out:
1. The seat of indwelling sin is the heart (pp 54-56).
2. Indwelling sin works largely through our desires (pp 56-57).
3. It tends to deceive our understanding or reasoning (pp 57-58).
Bridges explains that our evil desires are always looking to satisfy our lusts, which when engaged in a battle against sin our evil desires lead us to amuse ourselves with said sin. Our deformed nature tends to lead us into a misplaced confidence in our own will (i.e. pride). Therefore our desires must continuously be directed toward God. Last, he correctly warns "We abuse grace when, after sinning, we dwell on the compassion and mercy of God to the exclusion of His holiness and hatred of sin" (p 58).
Then in chapter seven, the consistent intake of scripture with the refocused fact that we are filled with the Holy Spirit and therefore dead to sin closes off a true gem of a study.
The remainder of the book focuses on solidifying holiness in our lives and the responsibility a Christian has to live a proper life of holiness. In closing, I once again recommend reading The Pursuit of Holiness; for Jerry Bridges covers this wonderful aspect of God in a way that is accessible to all Christians at all stages of growth.
Amazon.com
The Holy Man is a delightful pilgrim's tale set in the modern world. Written with wit and verve, it tells the story of a gentle-natured disciple who, in the space of a week, moves from fear and doubt to joyful enlightenment. Anna's teacher is Joe, a wise and patient sage who sees in her the acolyte he has long been seeking. As their relationship grows, she begins to assume his mantle, while he sees her become ever more sure-footed. Watching this relationship unfold is wonderful, and Susan Trott shows uncanny insight into the nature of friendship as well as the interplay between pupil and teacher.
But this novel isn't solely about Anna's progression towards enlightenment, since she doesn't come alone to the holy man's door--she is accompanied by her skeptical husband, Errol, and their two children. They, too, have spiritual journeys to make, and in so doing enrich and instruct both Anna and her mentor. The Holy Man is a charming read and an uplifting one that never veers into the sentimental or trite. --Lucas LoBlack, Amazon.co.uk
Customer Reviews:
A delightful story for all ages.......2007-02-09
I was very impressed with the wisdom shown in this small book. I wish Hollywood film writers would pick up on these nuances of behavior; they could change the world!
A Must Read!.......2007-01-19
I give this book to all my friends for their birthdays. It's an easy read and a must have for anyone on a spiritual path. I only wish the sequel, The Holy Man's Journey, were still in print!
Holy Man Surprises.......2006-10-18
Each month I write a short recommendation for our church newsletter. This book is my choice for November for it is one that will appeal to everyone. The answers from the holy man when I was sure he could not possibly come up with one for that person, delighted me. The best point about this great small book is that it does not focus on any particular religion, but is useful for all of us, including those considered "spiritual" for it leads the reader to recognize no matter how wise a person becomes, we still remain flawed and need such books to help us see this. I am about to purchased another copy for a gift.
Witty & Insightful Short Stories.......2006-04-05
First, I just have to say that I love this book!!!
"The Holy Man" is filled with wonderful, important insights, all woven into a series of witty short-stories that follow the paths of the visitors who have come to see the "holy man", the hermitage monks who live with him, and the "holy man" himself.
Each short-story revolves around a particular insight, and allows the reader to see how various traits & perceptions can play out in our own lives, as well as the lives of our loved ones, and even "strangers"...
A few of the insights I received/remembered from reading "The Holy Man" include:
*Much happiness can be gained by simply treating everyone we meet as a holy person - as we all are from the Divine
*Worry, anger, greed, resentfulness, etc... only eat us up inside, and no good can come from it
*How we view our lives & the events/experiences within it are based on our perceptions, and we can always choose to perceive things in a different way
*We can only control our own perceptions, beliefs, lives - we cannot control others
Overall, I found this book to be an insightful, interesting, fun read, and I would highly recommend it.
over a thousand kiddos can't be wrong..........2005-10-28
I have given this book as a gift more than 100 times now. I often give it to graduates - both high school and college. As a teacher, I've had the opportunity to read this book to over a thousand students. Of course there have been students who didn't get it or who did get it and simply didn't like the book, but most (possibly over 80%) have enjoyed the story and learned something from it. I have also sent this book to people in some sort of trouble - jail or rehab type situations - and the gift has always been received with great enthusiasm. Personally, the book changed my life, as trite as that sounds. I keep hoping Oprah will discover and share it.
Amazon.com
As proposed by Kiyoshi Suzaki, a "mini-company" is a new kind of internal structure within a larger business, managed like an individual but interconnected corporation and designed for both personal and organizational advancement. Suzaki, a worldwide manufacturing consultant and author of several previous books, fully defines the concept in Results from the Heart and shows how it can have positive impacts on employees and ultimately contribute to their success and their company's. The purpose, as he sees it, is to "go beyond just doing our work routinely. We need a fresh and lively new paradigm to continuously find purpose in what we do." This is achieved with his model, Suzaki argues, because it allows workers on all levels to make meaningful contributions in the areas over which they have responsibility. He explains how those in any department can create and operate one of these entities, from developing its mission and orchestrating its implementation to summarizing its progress and acknowledging its contributions. The idea may not appeal to everyone, but Suzaki contends it has already proven effective and he provides enough detail here for anyone interested in giving it a try. --Howard Rothman
Book Description
Results from the Heart introduces a new and helpful approach to improving job performance, improving job satisfaction, and helping organizations better respond to the rapid changes that are an inherent part of today's business environment. Mr. Suzaki recognizes that a motivated and engaged workforce should be part of any strategy to obtain and maintain competitive advantage.
--Carl Stern, CEO,
The Boston Consulting Group
Since the publication of Frederick Taylor's The Principles of Scientific Management, managers have relied on logic to compel action. Now Kiyoshi Suzaki, one of the world's leading experts on enlarging the talents, self-esteem, and growth of the individual employee, argues that logic alone cannot move people to act. Productivity problems are inextricably linked to self-esteem, he argues, and worst of all to a prodigious waste of individual talent. But each solution is personal, Suzaki concludes, and found only within ourselves.
"To find meaning and purpose at work we must use our brain," Suzaki says, "but listen to our heart." In Zenlike fashion he proposes that each of us ask ourselves a series of questions to determine the degree to which our brain is engaged with our heart. The framework around which this selfquestioning takes place is a groundbreaking concept that Suzaki calls "the mini-company." The author demonstrates how, within the larger workplace, each job is endowed with an almost spiritual meaning when each person -- at every level -- becomes president of his or her own area of responsibility. With simple diagrams, Suzaki shows how your boss becomes your banker or venture capitalist and your peers become your immediate suppliers or customers. The results are nothing short of astonishing. In Results from the Heart, Suzaki describes thousands of mini-companies he has "founded" during his worldwide consulting assignments. In most cases in which unhappy employees had previously "followed instructions like robots," there have been spectacular increases in both morale and productivity. If it is true that work is a journey, this manifesto for a more humane definition of the way we work is the roadmap.
Customer Reviews:
Total Productive Maintenance Small Groups Taken to the Next Level.......2007-05-21
I was exposed to Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) throughout the late nineties, therefore the concept of small groups (inherent to the way TPM works) was familiar to me. In "Results from the Heart", Kiyoshi Suzaki, an author of many titles on the famous Japanese manufacturing framework, introduces the concept of Mini-Companies as an extension of the concept of Small Groups.
The tools and components he presents for the internal functioning of Mini-Companies and their interaction with other Mini-Companies across the organization give new life to the concept. This is the true value of the book.
As for the connection of the TPM concepts to finding meaning and purpose at work, the book seems a bit of a stretch, barely touching on the topic. If you really want to read about this, I recommend you try Z.B.A.: Zen of Business Administration - How Zen Practice Can Transform Your Work And Your Life.
Dalai Lama's foreword .......2004-10-24
Taken from the Dalai Lama's foreword:
"I believe we have both the ability and the means to solve our problems and improve our world. Perhaps, the most important factors that inhibit us are short-sightedness, narrow-mindedness, and selfishness. Yet, to look after yourself is not wrong. Without a strong sense of self, we cannot develop self-confidence, determination, and will power.
But we must be careful, for there is also a narrow minded selfishness that can lead to self-destruction. To counter that we have to realize that in reality our own interest is closely linked to the interests of others and the benefit, happiness, and interests of others are our own."
The idea of mini-company is as simple as that! But there may be a deep gap between spirituality and business... I wonder.
Book Description
With his trademark candor, J.C. Ryle strips away the gaudy ornamentation that many confuse for holiness, and systematically unfolds the true beauty of what it means to adorn the doctrine of God our Savior. Deep, rich, and penetrating, this timeless classic is quite simply profound. And this edition-the first unabridged edition in decades, if not since the original-includes a foreword by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones and an exhaustive index of Scripture.
Customer Reviews:
Holiness.......2007-05-18
This book is very detailed and covers the subject very well. It is not written in the easy to read style of modern books and demands concentration. Ryle backs up his thoughts with plenty of references to scripture. His thoughts would be in line with the Puritans. The book is both challenging and encouraging.
Holiness.......2007-05-13
Excellent treatise on holiness and the Christian life. I would highly recommend it.
A must read for the devoted Christian.......2007-01-06
Holiness, by J. C. Ryle is the best book on Christian living I have read to date. In an age of easy-believism that talks of a gospel free from a commitment to God, this book shows what it takes to have a satisfying and saving relationship with Christ in the way that the Scriptures teach. As the work of sancitification is largely ignored on the bookshelves of Christian libraries, this is a much needed addition. With the debate over Lordship salvation still running its course, this book gives a perspective from over 100 years ago that easily fits our situation today. Ryle expounds the Scriptures in such a way that you can not put this book down without heartily agreeing with Hebrews 12:14 "holiness, without which no one will see the Lord."
Ryle has been called a theological vertebrae, and rightly so. This work will leave you examining your walk with Christ with a desire to live for Him like never before.
Holiness.......2006-12-27
Though it is written in the style and framework of its day (the 19th century), Ryle's classic book is no less applicable to Christians entering the new millennium. It is divided into three sections. The first seven chapters set forth the doctrinal principles of holiness and what is involved in its attainment. Then Bishop Ryle turns to a number of examples of holiness as it is manifested in the Scriptures, both positive and negative. The last section of the book presents a number of chapters on the importance of holiness and includes warnings of what might result from a life without holiness as well as what blessings might be enjoyed as a result of pursuing a life of holiness. Though the chapters appear to have been originally composed as a series of unrelated sermons, they do contain the common thread of the importance of a Christianity that involves a transformed life. Nearly every chapter ends with a word of encouragement directed to the pursuer of holiness as well as a word of warning and exhortation to the one who has fallen short of such a pursuit. This format serves as an excellent example of a style of preaching that speaks to the needs of a spiritually diverse congregation.
I found my own personal interest level escalating as I came to the central chapters of the book where Bishop Ryle brings the Scriptures to life as he traces the careers of Moses, Mr. and Mrs. Lot, the penitent thief, and Christ's own works and teachings with regard to faith, hope and love. Indeed, these chapters could well present themselves as a separate volume unto themselves in their threefold call of those foundational qualities of Christianity. In the closing chapters, Bishop Ryle returns to the topic of holiness, though there is no doubt that the lessons in the central section of the book serve to illustrate this theme.
I found myself personally convicted by Ryle's exhortation to attention in the minor details of life. He reminded me that "he that despises little things shall fall little by little" (pg 93).
One principle which is often repeated throughout this work is the principle of the futility and valueless of a Christianity which stops only at profession and does not change the life of the believer. "A religion that costs nothing is worth nothing! A cheap Christianity, without a cross, will prove in the end a useless Christianity, without a crown" (Page 72).
Sharp, profound, unashamed, and candid.......2006-08-18
What can I say... Thank God for the reformers, for the preachers of old like Ryle, whose Scripture-saturated thoughts, warnings and exhortations are sharp, profound, unashamed and candid. This volume starts with some definitions, and expositions of Biblical doctrines of justification and sancitification; the similarities and differences between the two, and why and how the latter is to be pursued seriously. This is a serious matter indeed because Hebrews 12:14 solemnly warns without holiness no one will see the LORD. It is then followed by expositions on several examples and warnings, like the life of Moses, Lot and his wife. I enjoy the sermon about Moses, who when he grew up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter, chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time, and regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt because he was looking ahead to his reward. It ends with some encouraging sermons; the one I like best is entitled, "Want of the times", which seems to be a stand-alone sermon but was included in the text unlike the first few chapters that sound highly convergent. Don't miss this, a must-read christian classic.
Book Description
Revised in 1997, The Holiness of God has sold almost 200,000 copies since it was first released in the 1980s. An instant classic on the awesome nature of God, this paperback edition (of the 1997 revision) will keep ministering to people for many years to come.
Customer Reviews:
A clear and compelling discussion of "holiness".......2007-07-22
Christian theologian R.C. Sproul offers a highly readable discussion on the nature of holiness, what it means to Christians and its essence through both the Old and New Testaments.
Sproul's passion for God comes through clearly but this is not a "preachy" book at all. Nor is it so highly technical that it is accessible only to seminary students.
The end of each chapter contains a short list of discussion questions. This book would lend itself very well, as a result, to a small group study series in churches or in small worship groups.
A gem of a book and a lucid discussion of what it means to be "holy" in relationship to God!
Classic and Essential Reading.......2007-06-19
This book arose from a series of lectures Dr. Sproul gave during the early years of Ligonier Ministries. It has become the cornerstone of the ministry and is SO important for the average Christian to read. It is not a difficult read, but the conetnts are profound and compelling and will truly draw each reader closer to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Humbling.......2007-01-15
The holiness of God is truly infinite and perfect. This book can help us obtain a little more accurate understanding of holiness by increasing our comprehension of perfection and infinity. I was left thinking "I knew God was perfectly holy, but wow, He is THAT perfectly holy!" At the end of each chapter, reflection questions guide the reader to apply his or her convictions from the reading. This book escapes the curse of most theology, it manages to be both profoundly deep and yet accessibly practical.
Excellent study into what holiness really is.......2007-01-03
We used this book as a study into God's holiness, what does it mean, and how does it amplify all of God's attributes. R. C. Sproul really lays a great foundation in which subsequent studies into the nature of God can really build upon. I highly recommend this book to anyone who really wants to go deep with the Lord.
No explanation necessary.......2006-12-28
I believe that R.C. Sproul's book, "The Holiness of God", is one of the most important theological books of this generation and that history will prove that to be true. Many reasons are obvious---the easy readability, the engaging humor, the correct use of many biblical texts, the fascinating look into the personal accounts of Martin Luther's life and how that relates to one of the most critical periods in world history (the Reformation), Sproul's masterful exposition of Isaiah's encounter with the living God in Isaiah 6, and the ease at which Sproul is able to unpack and distribute to the reader a true sense of that unfathomable yet foundational characteristic of our awesome God, namely, His holiness.
The reader is left with a deeper, more profound understanding of God's holiness and His separateness from us and, at the same time, a greater conviction of his own depravity and unworthiness before our God. This results in true spiritual growth in Christlikeness (as the Scriptures demand) as one's understanding of God's character is challenged and his sinful heart is exposed in order to be confessed and cleansed.
The truths of this book truly set me free (to love and worship my Lord as never before) when my unsaved father died unexpectedly last year and I wrestled (as Jacob did with the angel of the Lord) with my Heavenly Father and His supposed "injustice" in sovereignly sending my earthly father to an eternal hell. I read it, prayed, cried, and agonized for months until the truth of God's holiness and justice pierced my aching heart with peace and acceptance. My God became bigger, more sovereign, more just, and more loving and merciful in my eyes as I more deeply realized the truth (as Romans 9 teaches), "What right does the pot have to say to the Potter, this is unfair?". No explanation necessary.
I must highly recommend this book and suggest that you give a copy to everyone you know, believer or unbeliever, if you want them to be exposed to the foundational truth of God's awe-inspiring holiness and to be transformed into His likeness.
Book Description
How important is holiness to you? How much thoughts, attention, and effort do you devote to the pursuit of holiness? Is it your priority,your mission,to be holy?Nancy Leigh DeMoss teaches that we must make it our constant, conscious ambition and aim to be holy. Just as an athlete sets his sight on winning an Olympic gold medal, so we as believers must focus on the pursuit of holiness. And the reward that awaits us brings a depth of joy that far outweighs a fading gold medal,the humble pleasure of hearing the Father say, 'Well done, good and faithful servant.'Do you long for an authentic faith? Are you eager to know your heavenly Father in a more intimate way? Read this book. Learn how to say 'no' to corruption and 'yes' to grace, and be blessed through living a life of Holiness.The Revive Our Hearts Trilogy - Now in Paperback!This bestselling series by Nancy Leigh DeMoss has sold well over 80,000 copies! All three titles now include study questions at the end of each chapter, making them ideal for personal or small group study.
Customer Reviews:
You will be moved.......2007-07-19
If you get through this book and walk away unchanged then something is wrong. Nancy puts things in such a way that the concept of holiness will finally click for the reader. She helps us realize that becoming holy isn't easy but it can be done... with the Holy Spirit, of course.
Holiness.......2007-06-25
"...I am often more bothered by others' failures than by my own shortcomings. I tend to minimize or rationalize in my life certain offenses that disturb me when I see them in others." (pg. 20)
As I read these words I realized that they easily could have come from my own journal. This is a struggle I face daily, as I clearly see the sins and shortcomings of others, but fail to see, or address them, in myself as faithfully. Nancy Leigh DeMoss, in her book Holiness: The Heart God Purifies, says:
"The message of repentance and holiness needs to be proclaimed, heard, and heeded among God's people in every generation. It must become more than a theological tenet that we politely nod agreement to; it needs to transform the way we think that the way we live." (pg. 21)
This book does just that. It clearly proclaims the message of holiness, and its importance in the life of the believer. But, it also gives the reader opportunity to make it personal - to transform sinful patterns in their own lives, and passionately pursue holiness.
In chapter one, she lists several of the misconceptions surrounding holiness:
-Somber, straitlaced people with outdated hair and clothing styles
-An austere, joyless lifestyle based on a long list of rules and regulations
-A monk-like existence - "holy" people talk in hushed tones, spend hours a day in prayer, always have their nose in the Bible or a spiritual book, fast frequently , hum hymns under their breath, and have no interest in "normal" life activities
-People with a judgmental attitude toward those who don't accept their standards
-An unattainable ideal that has more to do with the sweet by-and-by than the real world, which is right here, right now (pg. 28)
But, as this book reveals, this caricatured version is not what true holiness is about. Instead, "it is a warm, joyous, loving response to the God who loves us and created us to enjoy intimate fellowship with Him." (pg. 37) But, too often we do not see holiness for what it truly is, because we do not see sin for what it really is. "Somehow, the evangelical world has managed to redefine sin; we have come to view it as normal, acceptable behavior - something perhaps to be tamed or controlled, but not to be eradicated and put to death. We have sunk to such lows that we can not only sin thoughtlessly, but, astonishingly, we can even laugh at sin and be entertained by it." (pg. 75)
In chapter 4, "The Face of Holiness," DeMoss gives us a vivid picture of what holiness can, and should, look like in our lives, as it was lived out in the person of Christ. As DeMoss describes Christ's holiness, she reminds us that, "the call to holiness is a call to follow Christ. A pursuit of holiness that is not Christ-centered will soon be reduced to moralism, pharisaical self-righteousness, and futile self-effort." (pg. 103) In the Foreward to this book, Randy Alcorn similarly notes that
"God is the reason that we should be holy. But He's also the empowerment for our holiness. Many of us are convinced that we should be more holy, but we've gone about it wrong. To be holy in our strength, and for our glory, is to be distinctly unholy. To be holy in Christ's strength and for His glory...that's our calling, and our joy." (pg. 10)
At the end of chapters 6 and 7, DeMoss changes the tone of the book, and moves from an academic look at the various aspects of holiness, to a more reflective, personal application. She offers several pointed questions to stimulate thinking, repentance, and accountability.
I found myself convicted by the biblical truths in this book. I appreciated her honesty and boldness in exhorting believers to pursue biblical standard of holiness. I think that this book would be a useful tool for anyone who is serious about intentionally, and passionately pursuing holiness.
"As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, `You shall be holy, for I am holy.'" ~1 Peter 1:14-16 (ESV)
Book Description
"If there is anything that characterizes God's people in America today, it is the loss of the fear of God," states Henry Blackaby. When you do not fear God, he contends, you will not fear sin. The troubling result of this issue is that many Christians fail to recognize that they have sinned against God. The lack of holiness within the Church has reached epidemic levels. "True revival can only come," notes Blackaby, "when the people of God return to a healthy, holy fear of Him."
God, in His holiness, is grieved by our lack of it. In this worthy book, Blackaby urges believers to look inward, to see sin from God's perspective, and to live to the standard that He has set in Scripture. He writes, "The salvation of the nation has little to do with Washington or Hollywood-it has to do with the people of God!" As referenced in 2 Chronicles 7:14, Blackaby notes that the redemption of America lies in the repentance of the people of God. He challenges readers by adding, "If America depended on your prayer life, would there be revival?" Revival waits on the holiness of His people; this book provides the path that will lead us back.
Customer Reviews:
Must Read for All Christians!.......2007-01-04
Blackaby does not shy away from real issues distracting the western church. He leaves the reader desiring to seek the Lord with a renewed passion and humblity. Revival is necessary and building within America--this book will help fuel that fire! Despite it's deep spiritual content, the book is relatively short and a quick read.
Challenging and "painfully" accurate!.......2005-01-18
This was a really fabulous book! If you really believe in the promises of God read this book.
So you really want to be a Christian?.......2003-12-15
Holiness is a charged word. Many associate it with backwoods ministers and "holy rollers" who take legalism and ignorant religion to the extreme. However, Blackaby strives to help the reader understand holiness as it is in the Bible, from God's perspective. Blackaby presents these three points: today's Christians no longer fear God; they cannot see sin from God's perspective; and they fail to walk on God's "highway of holiness." It is the lack in these three areas, Blackaby contends, that explain the lackadaisical and uncaring attitude present in many churches and individuals today.
This book crosses all denominations and should prick the heart that truly wants to serve God and live the Christian life to the fullest. (In some areas I felt that Blackaby repeated himself a little, but perhaps that was simply to reiterate key points that some readers could miss.) Overall, I felt challenged after reading the book. Too often Christians allow sin to get in the way of their fellowship with God, and Blackaby exposes this disaster for what it really is. Every Christian who is serious with God should read this book, and the short length allows Blackaby to quickly deliver his message.
Book Description
This is a must have book for admirers of the Dalai Lama and is an ideal gift.
Customer Reviews:
Simple Path / Graduate Level Book.......2003-12-23
(3.75 Stars)
The cover of the book is so warm and inviting. His Holiness The Dalai Lama smiling at you with mouth and eyes. Every time I look at it I smile. I'm tempted to cut the cover off and frame it...
The book discusses in great detail the 4 Noble Truths.
It's difficult to write a review on books regarding Buddhism. Everyone's experience will be different and everyone's understanding will be different and I don't want to discourage anyone from exploring The Path...
For myself I found this book difficult to follow. Someone else may take to it better and find it an easier to understand (I ain't the sharpest knife in the drawer)
I felt like a freshmen walking in late to a lecture and the audience and class this was for was all graduate students. I felt like I missed the beginning of the talk and that the level of content was for more advanced students.
I do not recommend this to a newcomer to Buddhism, again I found the "level" to be more advanced, but that's your call and like I said you may take to it better than I did and hey - it's your path.
I did get things out of the book and did learn some things. I felt incredibly honored to be reading the words of HH The Dalai Lama and that's what kept me reading.
The photographs are absolutely beautiful! - and again - I love the cover!
A wonderful introduction.......2001-06-18
Although this book doesnt get into anything complex, it is a wonderful book for people new to Buddhism. Full of great pictures, and easy to read text, it introduces basics of Buddhism. It may favor with more Tibetan Buddhist information, but it does include other schools of Buddhism. Highly recommend
Simply beautiful.......2001-03-08
thorsons have done us a great service with the publication of this book. HH the dalai Lama gave a lecture on the 4 noble truths in england, and instead of merely publishing the text[good enough in and of itself},Thorsons has interspersed scores of color pictures of some of the finest photographs available,throughout the volume. Heavy bonded glossy photograhic paper is used,highlighting this amazing volume. The typeset is bold and clear,the pictures are breathtaking!Monasteries, monks praying, pilgrims outside the ptola palace,children playing...absolutely stunning photgraphs, perfectly compliment the text of His Holiness.And at this price?!?! What an exquisite book, and what a bargain. Absolutely magnificent! Highest recommendation.
A gorgeous volume with luscious photographs.......2000-10-27
I must confess, I picked up this book because it was just so lovely! It is nicely bound, on superb high quality glossy paper, with stunning photographs of Tibet. Everything about it just makes you want to cradle, or worship, it.
Then there's the text. They took a lecture that H. H. the Dalai Lama gave on the 4 Noble Truths and cut it (thank heavens) and put it in the book. The result is weird. The extremely philosophical treatise makes an odd accompaniment to scenes of Tibet. On the one hand, you're reading about how all the world is suffering and we are ignorant louts for getting so caught up in this illusion, and then we glance at the photograph (every pair of pages has one, so you're always looking at something wonderful). I thought, "Gee, if I'm not supposed to care about the world, or I'm not supposed to delight in its pleasures and glories, then what is all this color and visual drama? Illusion?" Thus, the book highlights in an unwitting way one of the paradoxes of Buddhism... we try to disentangle ourselves from the grosser life of merely sensate pleasure but we can and should still love the world. Who says Christianity has a corner on the market of paradox?!
Still, there are some real textual gems and pearls scattered in the pages, and it is quick reading because of all the pictures. Occasionally you'll have to slog through a passage on Tibetan cosmology and physics, which sounds pretty medieval, but then you come across a glorious section that makes your heart sing.
It's a fun ride!
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- Learning How to Learn: Psychology and Spirituality in the Sufi Way (Arkana)
Books Index
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