Book Review: Max on Life by Max Lucado
Many sections of the letters St. Paul wrote to the various Churches in New Testament times were responses to questions raised by the early Christians as they attempted to work out the relationship between their new found faith and their individual or community practices. They asked the questions and Paul provided the answers.
Max Lucado applies a similar format in this new book. He has compiled 172 questions posed to him throughout his ministry, and provides answers, based not only on scriptural foundations, but also as these relate to his own experiences and observations.
You can read this book thoroughly in several sittings, but its lasting value will be for those who place it prominently on their book shelf or some other obvious place, where it can be readily available as a resource when questions need an immediate reply.
It can be utilized effectively by Church leaders, but, I suspect that those who keeps it handy as a ‘quick reference’ or a ‘do it yourself’ resource will enrich not only their own spiritual journey, but also that of others who raise questions about their Christian Faith, providing directions, tips and advice for the various situations and circumstances encountered in every day living.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Monday, April 18, 2011
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Spiritual Fitness Plan for Lent - Holy Week and Easter
SPIRITUAL FITNESS PLAN FOR LENT.
(An exercise program to enhance your spiritual life)
Holy Week – Beginning April 18, 2011
‘Without the resurrection what I believe is in vain’, words of Canada’s former Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, as quoted by Margaret Trudeau in her most recent book ‘Changing my Mind’.
He was expressing the sentiments and belief of St. Paul, who while answering the questions raised by the Christians in Corinth (1 Corinthians, chapter 15) about the authenticity of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, said, ‘if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith’. Paul goes on to conclude that Jesus DID come back to life from the dead and the Christian Faith is founded on His Resurrection.
In his 2011 Holy Week-Easter message, Archbishop Fred Hiltz – Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada – expressed it this way, when he wrote, ‘we place our hope and our trust in our Lord Jesus Christ, hanging on the cross, rising from the grave, drawing near to His disciples, making Himself known to them in the breaking of the bread and the opening of the scriptures’.
Keeping our Lenten theme intact, we can see what Jesus Christ did GIVE UP (His divinity) …. what He did TAKE UP (our humanity) … and how He does HELP us in living and coping with human situations and assures us of our place in the eternal realms of life.
Here are Holy Week daily readings from John’s Gospel.
Monday April 18–John 19:1-22
Tuesday April 19– John 19:23-42
Wednesday April 20– John 20:1-18
Thursday April 21 – John 20:19-31
Friday April 22– John 21:1-14
Saturday April 23– John 21:15-25
There are six suggested spiritual exercises for a HOLY LENT.
Here are this week’s exercises.
1. READING AND MEDITATING ON GOD’S WORDS – this week and the days after Easter Sunday, spend time reading the accounts of the Resurrection of Jesus in all 4 gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
2. ALMS GIVING – we can serve others by giving our alms (gifts) of TIME, TALENT and TREASURE. What ‘alms’ will you give this Lent?
3. FASTING – maybe you have done this already during Lent. If not, start today. Some years ago during Lent, one day a week, some friends and I ate breakfast and then only drank water or juices until the evening meal ... may not sound like much, but we found it meaningful.
4. PRAYER – Each day, spend at least 5 minutes in prayer. Pray with your paper, newscast, internet browsing, walking, riding …wherever you encounter people and their needs.
5. PENITENCE – confess your sins confident in God’s forgiveness and make amends for any wrong-doing.
6. SELF EXAMINATION – look at yourself, your relationship with God and your relationships with other people. Make improvements as required.
Thank you for your participation and feedback on our SPIRITUAL FITNESS PLAN FOR LENT 2011.
May the Joy and Alleluias of Easter ring constantly in your lives throughout the coming days, or as a friend liked to say, ‘every day is a mini Easter’.
(An exercise program to enhance your spiritual life)
Holy Week – Beginning April 18, 2011
‘Without the resurrection what I believe is in vain’, words of Canada’s former Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, as quoted by Margaret Trudeau in her most recent book ‘Changing my Mind’.
He was expressing the sentiments and belief of St. Paul, who while answering the questions raised by the Christians in Corinth (1 Corinthians, chapter 15) about the authenticity of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, said, ‘if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith’. Paul goes on to conclude that Jesus DID come back to life from the dead and the Christian Faith is founded on His Resurrection.
In his 2011 Holy Week-Easter message, Archbishop Fred Hiltz – Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada – expressed it this way, when he wrote, ‘we place our hope and our trust in our Lord Jesus Christ, hanging on the cross, rising from the grave, drawing near to His disciples, making Himself known to them in the breaking of the bread and the opening of the scriptures’.
Keeping our Lenten theme intact, we can see what Jesus Christ did GIVE UP (His divinity) …. what He did TAKE UP (our humanity) … and how He does HELP us in living and coping with human situations and assures us of our place in the eternal realms of life.
Here are Holy Week daily readings from John’s Gospel.
Monday April 18–John 19:1-22
Tuesday April 19– John 19:23-42
Wednesday April 20– John 20:1-18
Thursday April 21 – John 20:19-31
Friday April 22– John 21:1-14
Saturday April 23– John 21:15-25
There are six suggested spiritual exercises for a HOLY LENT.
Here are this week’s exercises.
1. READING AND MEDITATING ON GOD’S WORDS – this week and the days after Easter Sunday, spend time reading the accounts of the Resurrection of Jesus in all 4 gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
2. ALMS GIVING – we can serve others by giving our alms (gifts) of TIME, TALENT and TREASURE. What ‘alms’ will you give this Lent?
3. FASTING – maybe you have done this already during Lent. If not, start today. Some years ago during Lent, one day a week, some friends and I ate breakfast and then only drank water or juices until the evening meal ... may not sound like much, but we found it meaningful.
4. PRAYER – Each day, spend at least 5 minutes in prayer. Pray with your paper, newscast, internet browsing, walking, riding …wherever you encounter people and their needs.
5. PENITENCE – confess your sins confident in God’s forgiveness and make amends for any wrong-doing.
6. SELF EXAMINATION – look at yourself, your relationship with God and your relationships with other people. Make improvements as required.
Thank you for your participation and feedback on our SPIRITUAL FITNESS PLAN FOR LENT 2011.
May the Joy and Alleluias of Easter ring constantly in your lives throughout the coming days, or as a friend liked to say, ‘every day is a mini Easter’.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
SPIRITUAL FITNESS PLAN FOR LENT
SPIRITUAL FITNESS PLAN FOR LENT.
(An exercise program to enhance your spiritual life)
Week Five– Beginning April 4, 2011
Week Six – Beginning April 11, 2011
‘The purpose of this world is not to have and to hold, but to serve’.
These words are attributed to Sir Wilfred Grenfell (1865-1940), doctor, missionary, legend in northern Newfoundland and Labrador.
He epitomized his words, as he established nursing stations in many communities to bring medical aid to isolated areas, started cottage industries to help people improve their standard of living, built hospitals and recruited doctors and nurses from around the globe to work pro bono, and led worship in many churches and other venues at a time when clergy supply was extremely limited.
In our Lenten practice this year, we are encouraging ourselves and others to GIVE UP, TAKE UP and HELP, or as Wilfred Grenfell worded it, SERVE, DO NOT HAVE OR HOLD.
Each of us has to decide what that means in our individual situation and circumstance.
Here are April 4-9 daily readings from John’s Gospel.
Monday April 4–John 11:1-54
Tuesday April 5 – John 11:55-12:11
Wednesday April 6– John 12:12-36
Thursday April 7 – John 12:37-50
Friday April 8 – John 13:1-20
Saturday April 9– John 13:21-38
Here are April 11-16 daily readings from John’s Gospel.
Monday April 11–John 14:1-31
Tuesday April 12 – John 15:1-27
Wednesday April 13– John 16:1-33
Thursday April 14 – John 17:1-26
Friday April 15 – John 18:1-27
Saturday April 16– John 18:28-40
There are six suggested spiritual exercises for a HOLY LENT.
Here are this week’s exercises.
1. ALMS GIVING – we can serve others by giving our alms (gifts) of TIME, TALENT and TREASURE. What ‘alms’ will you give this Lent?
2. FASTING – maybe you have done this already during Lent. If not, start today. Some years ago during Lent, one day a week, some friends and I ate breakfast and then only drank water or juices until the evening meal ... may not sound like much, but we found it meaningful.
3. PRAYER – Each day, spend at least 5 minutes in prayer. Pray with your paper, newscast, internet browsing, walking, riding …wherever you encounter people and their needs.
4. PENITENCE – confess your sins confident in God’s forgiveness and make amends for any wrong-doing.
5. SELF EXAMINATION – look at yourself, your relationship with God and your relationships with other people. Make improvements as required.
Invite a friend to read this blog. Post a comment.
(An exercise program to enhance your spiritual life)
Week Five– Beginning April 4, 2011
Week Six – Beginning April 11, 2011
‘The purpose of this world is not to have and to hold, but to serve’.
These words are attributed to Sir Wilfred Grenfell (1865-1940), doctor, missionary, legend in northern Newfoundland and Labrador.
He epitomized his words, as he established nursing stations in many communities to bring medical aid to isolated areas, started cottage industries to help people improve their standard of living, built hospitals and recruited doctors and nurses from around the globe to work pro bono, and led worship in many churches and other venues at a time when clergy supply was extremely limited.
In our Lenten practice this year, we are encouraging ourselves and others to GIVE UP, TAKE UP and HELP, or as Wilfred Grenfell worded it, SERVE, DO NOT HAVE OR HOLD.
Each of us has to decide what that means in our individual situation and circumstance.
Here are April 4-9 daily readings from John’s Gospel.
Monday April 4–John 11:1-54
Tuesday April 5 – John 11:55-12:11
Wednesday April 6– John 12:12-36
Thursday April 7 – John 12:37-50
Friday April 8 – John 13:1-20
Saturday April 9– John 13:21-38
Here are April 11-16 daily readings from John’s Gospel.
Monday April 11–John 14:1-31
Tuesday April 12 – John 15:1-27
Wednesday April 13– John 16:1-33
Thursday April 14 – John 17:1-26
Friday April 15 – John 18:1-27
Saturday April 16– John 18:28-40
There are six suggested spiritual exercises for a HOLY LENT.
Here are this week’s exercises.
1. ALMS GIVING – we can serve others by giving our alms (gifts) of TIME, TALENT and TREASURE. What ‘alms’ will you give this Lent?
2. FASTING – maybe you have done this already during Lent. If not, start today. Some years ago during Lent, one day a week, some friends and I ate breakfast and then only drank water or juices until the evening meal ... may not sound like much, but we found it meaningful.
3. PRAYER – Each day, spend at least 5 minutes in prayer. Pray with your paper, newscast, internet browsing, walking, riding …wherever you encounter people and their needs.
4. PENITENCE – confess your sins confident in God’s forgiveness and make amends for any wrong-doing.
5. SELF EXAMINATION – look at yourself, your relationship with God and your relationships with other people. Make improvements as required.
Invite a friend to read this blog. Post a comment.
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