Word Of God

From Good to Grace

~ Ann Cuddy-Sullivan ~ Leave a comment

From Good to Grace: Letting Go of the Goodness GospelFrom Good to Grace: Letting Go of the Goodness Gospel by Christine Hoover

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“God is calling you to something greater than good. So many of us feel as if we do not do enough and, in fact, are not enough. We try hard to be good–a good friend, mom, wife, Christian, employee, or ministry leader–hoping for that “atta-girl” from God, some heavenly assertion that we matter. In the process, we find ourselves living by a lesser gospel: the gospel of goodness. It’s a gospel without grace, and in the end, it’s good for nothing.”

While written mainly to women, From Good to Grace: Letting Go of the Goodness Gospel by Christine Hoover is a book that will touch so many of us – men and women alike. How many of us feel that, though we have received forgiveness and new life that somehow we still must work for it… that we don’t deserve it… almost as if we “owe” for it. Continue reading →

Pilgrim’s Progress

~ Ann Cuddy-Sullivan ~ 1 Comment

The Pilgrim's ProgressThe Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“Often described as something that would help him, evil accompanies Christian on his journey to the Celestial City. As you walk with him, you’ll begin to identify today’s many religious pitfalls. As you walk with him, you’ll begin to identify today’s many religious pitfalls. These are presented by men such as Pliable, who turns back at the Slough of Despond; and Ignorance, who believes he’s a true follower of Christ when he’s really only trusting in himself. Each character represented in this allegory is intentionally and profoundly accurate in its depiction of what we see all around us, and unfortunately, what we too often see in ourselves. But while Christian is injured and nearly killed, he eventually prevails to the end. So can you.” Continue reading →

Fasting God’s Way

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Fasting God's WayFasting God’s Way by Francis Epps

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“Are you ready to throw in the towel because you feel defeated or because you just don’t know how to fight a spiritual battle?

If so, it’s time to learn how to discern the mind of God through fasting and praying.

In the process of pursing these principles, God is going to teach you how to fight your battles. God created fasting so we can walk in the Spirit. When we abide in the spirit, we begin to discern the mind of God. Fasting allows our thought process to change so we can see life from God’s perspective”

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Fasting God’s Way by Evangelist Fran Epps. It is not really about the “mechanics” of Biblical Fasting. This book is more about Evangelist Fran’s own walk of discovering the true purpose and blessing of Fasting… Fasting God’s Way. Continue reading →

Spiritually Strong

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Spiritually Strong: The Ultimate 6-Week Guide to Building Your Body and SoulSpiritually Strong: The Ultimate 6-Week Guide to Building Your Body and Soul by Kristen Feola

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“Spiritually Strong is a six-week program designed to help you get in better shape spiritually and physically. As Timothy says, “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come” (4:8). This book teaches you how to train yourself in godliness through the implementation of six disciplines—Bible study, prayer, fasting, healthy living, financial stewardship, and serving others.” Continue reading →

Word of Promise Audio Bible

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NKJV Audio Bible on 79 CD’s547965_large[1]

Overview
Featuring the voices of more than 500 popular actors, this faithful rendering of the New King James Version presents the Bible in more than 90 hours of compelling, dramatic audio-theater format. Includes an interactive Behind-the-Scenes DVD.

Publishers Description

This faithful rendering of the New King James Version(R) presents the Bible in more than 90 hours of compelling, dramatic audio theater format.

This world-class audio production immerses listeners in the dramatic reality of the Scriptures as never before with an original music score by composer Stefano Mainetti (“Abba Pater), ” feature film quality sound effects, and compelling narration by Michael York and the work of over 600 actors.

Each beloved book of the Bible comes to life with outstanding performances by Jim Caviezel as Jesus, Richard Dreyfuss as Moses, Gary Sinise as David, Jason Alexander as Joseph, Marisa Tomei as Mary Magdalene, Stacy Keach as Paul, Louis Gossett, Jr. as John, Jon Voight as Abraham, Marcia Gay Harden as Esther, Joan Allen as Deborah, Max von Sydow as Noah, and Malcolm McDowell as Solomon. Continue reading →

When Mountains Won’t Move

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When Mountains Won't Move: How to Survive a Struggling FaithWhen Mountains Won’t Move: How to Survive a Struggling Faith by Jacob Hawk

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“Standing in the midst of majesty and might, Jesus said that if we have faith as small as a mustard seed, we can look at the mountains in the distance, tell them to move, and they will (Matthew 17:20). But what happens when our faith is smaller than the smallest of all seeds? What happens when the mountains won’t move? The purpose of this book is to equip and exhort Christians to survive the most difficult days of life, so that the mountains which won’t move will move before them.”

When Mountains Won’t Move; How to Survive a Struggling Faith by Jacob Hawk is not a big book both in size and number of pages, but it certainly is big on wisdom. Death of a child, loss of a job, foreclosure of the house, your spouse is walking out, the bills can’t be paid, a serious illness is diagnosed… those are the mountains that show up in the lives of believers and non-believers alike with more regularity than we want. They are mountains that seem impossible for us to move under our own strength. Continue reading →

Experiencing God in Your Everyday

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Simply Open: A Guide to Experiencing God in the EverydaySimply Open: A Guide to Experiencing God in the Everyday by Greg Paul

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“The simplest, most transformative prayer you may ever pray—the five senses prayer. This book invites you to a simple practice of prayer and awareness that can turn each ordinary workday into a deepening spiritual journey.
No matter where you are or how busy you get, your five senses are always “on,” your mind and heart responsive to what you perceive. These channels of awareness can take you deeper into God’s great mystery if you practice the discipline of submitting them to the One who is closer than you imagine. The beauty of such a contemplative path is that you can follow it anywhere—alone or in company, in quiet meditation or amid the bustle of your craziest day.“

This book, Simply Open; A Guide to Experiencing God in the Everyday, was a pleasure to read. It certainly gave me pause for thought on more than one occasion. It is based on our everyday moments, the moments where we encounter God by asking Him to open us up. Continue reading →

Open My Ears

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We live in a society of noise. Right now, it is mid evening and I am alone in the house. Yet it is noisy here. I can hear the music playing in the living room. I can hear my upstairs neighbors walking… walking… walking (God bless older home with squeaky floors!) I can hear the whirring sound of my computer. I can hear kids running outside. I can hear cars coming and going. And to top it all off, someone overcooked their dinner and set off the fire alarms! Everybody outside till the firemen come! Chatter, Chatter, Chatter. All kinds of noises.

All that, and its evening here. What about during the day. How much noise is there that goes on in our lives every day? And not just the noise of our life, the noise that we have no choice but to hear.   Think about it and make a list the different sounds that you hear before you make it to work in the morning, or that you hear during a simple one hour lunch break… the noise is never ending, and it is deafening.

Even with all of that, there are some noises that we just know, sounds that we can hear over the din of our daily life. There is the sound of “mommy” coming from your child among all of the other children at the playground. Then there is cry in the middle of the night that can wake you from a solid slumber.

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Finding Favor with the King

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Finding Favor with the King: Preparing for Your Moment in His PresenceFinding Favor with the King: Preparing for Your Moment in His Presence by Tommy Tenney

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“Have you ever had a “that night” or a “that day”? A point in time before which things were going wrong, but after which things began to go right? What are the ingredients for “that night”? What is mixed into the recipe? Understanding what goes into creating that moment of divine favor was Esther’s ultimate secret. She learned how to find favor with the king.”

Finding Favor with the King takes the reader into the life of Esther. Specifically into the one year prior to Esther’s fateful night with the king; the night that would save a nation.
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Satan’s Deadly Trio

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Satan's Deadly Trio: Defeating the Deceptions of Jezebel, Religion and WitchcraftSatan’s Deadly Trio: Defeating the Deceptions of Jezebel, Religion and Witchcraft by Jennifer LeClaire

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“You’re on your guard for the Jezebel spirit. But did you know that it doesn’t work alone? Just as the holy Trinity works together to deliver, redeem and then guide us day by day, an unholy trinity is doing everything possible to put us in bondage, strip us of our God-given identity and derail our Kingdom purpose.

Satan’s abominable threesome–the spirits of Jezebel, religion and witchcraft–is coordinating its attack. Are you? Veteran spiritual warrior Jennifer LeClaire pulls back the curtain on the calculated and systematic strategies of the enemy while offering practical biblical tactics to combat this deadly trio. Her Spirit-anointed discernment will help you understand the hidden schemes of these spirits and, with God’s help, to resist them.
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