One Nation Under Attack Review

Tuesday April 2, 2013- Today I finished reading Grant R. Jeffrey's book "One Nation Under Attack". This book caused me to experience many emotions. Some good, others bad. But in the end, I walked away impressed and enriched that this book is on shelves. Here's my review...


I must say the first couple of chapters had me ready to write this book off as another uber right-wing fanatic bent on making our executive branch out to be a joke. But as I read on, I realized that Grant is a well researched, insightful watchman to a nation that clearly is heading in the wrong direction financially. 

There is some great research in this book. Cudo's for doing your homework. But the most impressive thing about this book is the application (part of the application anyway). I don't really follow all the rave about precious metal commodity. We've been going down that road for years, and I believe that in itself is some kind of conspiracy put in place by those who have something to gain in the industry. I did however love the stuff on protecting your finances and choosing and following up on the well-being of our banks. 

Overall I felt educated and informed by the content and I think this book would be a great help to many Americans.

 I would lay off the negativity about our president though.

Review on the God you Never Knew

January 31, 2013- Robert Morris has written many books that I found so enlightening because he never writes about things he hasn't lived. So when I found he wrote a book on the forgotten 3rd person of the Trinity I was pumped to get the chance to read it. This book makes a great stride to clear up some of the mystery and confusion that surrounds God in this person. It started off with a bang, but I found the quest of solution waning in the end.

The first half of the book gave great attention to the growing hunger for the Spirit that we are seeing in all denominations(or most) in the church today. It is scriptural and doctrinal, and does a great job of painting the reality of the Spirit to the church who desperately needs an outpouring of the Spirit's power. The great thing about Robert Morris is that he is REAL. He tells it through his eyes and how those eyes were opened. That is what I love about his writings.

But, the second part of the book doesn't hold up the expectations set out in the first. It seems to drift into a realm of scattered thoughts and directions, which don't lead a person on a journey of finding and experiencing this 3rd person of the Trinity for themselves. Only more stories about the confusing parts of the doctrines of the Spirit. So the reader finds himself just as lost in the end.

Though the thoughts seemed scattered and it seemed like so many sermons I've heard with a very catchy title of answering a much asked question (the hook), only to not answer any real questions, just something to get you thinking.  So you see, in the end, he probably accomplished what he set out to do. That is to get us thinking, and studying ourselves.

Re-Focus on Mission

March 18, 2012- This book was so refreshing. When I first saw the title, I thought, "wow, I need to read this". I thought it was a book that would show me this revelation on the mission of the church. But as I read, I found out it was so much more than that. This is incredibly simple and applicable, but so over looked in church and in the normal lives of Christians.

If you have never experienced a dry season in your life spiritually, you might not understand the genius of the first mission Steven lists, but it was such a confirmation to me. You can operate in ministry without intimacy with God, but you can't do it with any power or long term effectiveness. This part of the book was so helpful to me. Thank you Steven.

Next, he moves into a progressive discipleship strategy to accelerate that growth. Again, huge help. Then that discipleship flows into multiplication and fulfillment of the Great Commission. We are called to make disciples, not converts. This third mission is great for anyone wanting to teach or to do what Jesus called us to do. Incredible.

The last mission I think is a description of what every church in America should be focused on right now. That is to Impact the lives of non-believers. Not only in church, but in our lives, in our workplaces, in our communities, and in our families we should be doing this.

Then Steven gives a clarion call to all of us to play our part. We have a part in the continued Gospel to play. Ours is a story to be written. So what will your story say? I want mine to read like the book of Acts. This book has rekindled a fire inside to take the teaching of Jesus literally and to engage in a lost world the needs to know the savior of the world.

I'm sold. This was a great book and I highly recommend it to any church leader, and all Christians in general. Run out and grab a copy. Steven K. Scott knocked it out of the park.

Digging in

Wednesday December 21, 2011- I just finished reading *Dug Down Deep*. I have to admit I was expecting more. I am not a theology book reader, but enjoy learning more about God, His character, and nature. The book started slow for me, but as I began to think about what Joshua was trying to accomplish with this book, it began to draw me in. The truth is, people do need more theology. When he gave the example of the parable of the builders, I GOT IT. I really got it. He found a way to put the dusty, dry, terms of theology into a book that anyone with a hunger for God will pick up and read from cover to cover. The reason the story grabbed me so hard is the truth that lies within. The average Christian has the desire but not the discipline to dig deep. But that is precisely what needs to happen for our life to line up with the nature and character of God. Joshua does a great job in accomplishing what he sat out to do. Overall a great book, Joshua has an incredible testimony that inspires many church leaders. His transparency and willingness to share his struggles helped me and I am sure it will help many others. Good book.

(Click here) to watch video promo.

Grace covers our finances...

Friday November 25, 2011- I've been doing some research on the economy of our country and it is really easy to get bummed out if we forget that we are CHILDREN OF GRACE. The world economy has been in real turmoil lately. The stock markets are swinging up and down. Housing markets are a mess. Currencies are crumbling. Unemployment is rampant. And none of this likely to stabilize any time soon. While this can be a bit harrowing to watch, it is key for every Christian to remember that we have a source much more stable, reliable and abundant than the world economy. We are plugged into the Kingdom Economy! The economy of heaven is an economy of plenty, of exceeding abundance. It never knows lack. It never experiences recessions or depressions. It is an economy based on God’s promise that He will meet all of our needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). All the silver and all the gold are the Lord’s. The cattle on a thousand hills belong to our Father (Psalm 50:10). And He promises that all that He has is ours as His children (Luke 15:31).

While the world economy is being shaken, Christians have nothing to fear — if they know how to plug into the economy of heaven. In Jeremiah 29:11 God announces that His desire is to prosper us. In Deuteronomy 8:18 He declares that He has given us the ability to make wealth. The way He does this is to teach us key kingdom principles that will allow us to plug into His economy of abundance no matter what is going on in the world. We see Him do this for His people all through the Bible. Isaac prospered in a time of lack. Abraham knew abundance in every land (and economy) he went into. Joseph received strategies from God on how to see a whole nation thrive in the midst of a time of terrible famine. The Lord is no respecter of persons, what He makes available for one He makes available for all! We just need to know His principles and promises so that we can plug into the economy of His Kingdom.
Our God is a God without limit. In Him there is an abundance of provision and blessing that we have not even begun to tap into. So I encourage you not to look at the situation going on in our countries economy, and dig in to God's kingdom principles.

I AM with you

Wednesday Nov. 2, 2011- Read a great post today and wanted to share it with you (Courtesy of Catablog). Here it is...
There are very few words that transcend circumstances. There are very few words that go beyond social, economic and marital status. There are very few words that hit all of us in the same way, at the same time and with the same potential for impact and change. But these 4 words do:

“I am with you.”

God is with us. Not distant. Not removed, but close. Not uncaring, but empathetic. Not far off, but living inside us. He is with us.



To the single mom working 2 jobs and still coming up short every month: I AM with you.

To the one filled with anxiety and worry in this moment right now: I AM with you.

To the unemployed: I AM with you.

To the one that hates the way their body looks and how they feel when they look in the mirror: I AM with you.

To the person that has no idea what their purpose or passion in life is: I AM with you.

To failure and the mess up that can’t see how they could ever recover from their mistake: I AM with you.

To the person that finds their value and identity in their career success: I AM with you.

To the insecure and unsure walking through life desperate for acceptance: I AM with you.

To the fake and the phony that has everyone believing that their life is more together than it really is: I AM with you.

To the depressed and the downhearted; the person that feels their is no light at the end of the tunnel: I AM with you.

To the single person that has a huge desire to get married and often feels loneliness and pain: I AM with you.

To the married person that wonders how their marriage drifted to such a lonely and painful place: I AM with you.

To the angry and resentful that have been rocked by hardship and hurt: I AM with you.

To the abused and the broken that have wondered why no one stepped in to stop the abuse: I AM with you.

To the isolated and lonely; the ones that feel left out and on the fringe: I AM with you.

To the ones that appear that they have everything, yet feel like all they have means nothing: I AM with you.



I AM with you. It is a game changer for all of us today.
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Catalyst Take- Aways

GOD’S GREATEST SERMON: Judah Smith at Catalyst 2011

Exodus 33
Consider the glory of God. its implications in your life.

12 Moses said to the LORD, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”
14 The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
15 Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”
17 And the LORD said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”
18 Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”

Possibly the most intimate question in the OT?!

19 And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”
21 Then the LORD said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. 22 When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”

Then compare that with this (John 1)

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

Jesus is the glory of God.
If that’s true, you can have a SURPLUS. You have everything you will need for living, leading and loving.

—-

Did you know women have RULES. Verbally declared or not. And you are to somehow read their mind. figure out their rules – and obey them, then hey’ll feel love. And they are under no obligation to let you know the rules or that they’ve changed at any time.

On date night, there’s always a score.
And if you score high enough, you score at the end of it!

His idea of the best date night ever? Go and see a great action movie, then make love. That’s whe he feels most loved!

But she says, ‘It’s when you ask questions.’ men don’t like that, because it feels like an interrogation!

But what she’s trying to communicate is, ‘I want to KNOW you. I don’t just want to do stuff with you or for you.” And she’s right. Because marriage should be about KNOWING each other.

And Moses has known God. he’s seen him do stuff. But he’s on a roll… he asks for more.
I don’t just want your power
or your promises
or your presence with me
I want to see your GLORY. I want to know you.

And God says, ‘Well it’s a bit early in the game. I need to work something out. Don’t peek till I tell you. Then you get a glimpse – of my back!’ And he hides him. Covers him. ‘Now you ca look.

God is so radiant in glory and righteousness, and all that God is, was revealed. And that glimpse made Moses face glow in the dark for days.

Moses only got a glimpse in passing.
It was not until JESUS that God could fully answer Moses question.

That’s when Jesus showed us God’s glory.

I want to look FULLY in the face of Jesus. I don’t need what Moses saw, I’ve got JESUS. Moses wished in his day he could see what is ours.

Hebrews says Jesus is God’s greatest sermon.

1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

When Moses asked to see God’s glory, he’s asking to see his ESSENCE. What makes you GOD? And Jesus comes and he displays FULLY for us the divine radiance. You don’t have to beg for it. You don’t have to wait for goosebumps. You have all you’ll ever need, in Jesus.

All the sermons you’ll ever have to write.

Have you ever taken inventory – of yourself? And felt pretty empty and out of stuff?

Well, do I actually know what I have in Jesus.
Why do I go looking for some potion or magic potion? NOTHING can supplement what is available to us – JESUS! He’s available to you.

Jesus meets a scandalous woman at a well. A bad woman. He wants to talk to her.
Do you know who I am? I’m a Samaritan woman!
Then they have a conversation…it gets deep.
Then he says, ‘Woman – i am HE – you don’t have to wait any longer, or look any further.’
(Message version).
We don’t have to wait or look any longer.
It’s Jesus.
He IS what we need. Counsellor, Pastor, Friend, everything you’ll ever need.

God loves your city more than you do.
His name is on the line.
It’s just about Jesus
And if I come to him, he’ll do what I can’t ever do.

SINCE WHEN IS JESUS NOT ENOUGH?
Has the information age brought us to this heretical place where we have to ad, to his all sufficiency. To look further than Jesus for what we need.

Jesus has been trying to catch your eye, saying, ‘My grace is sufficient.’
You lack NOTHING.
Jesus says, ‘Come to me! Pastor, Mum, CEO, if you feel empty, like you don’t measure up. I’ll give you REST. Take his burden.’ Simple message. Come again. In honesty and humility.
YES!
All I ever needed – was you.