Spirituality Books

The book reads very much like the Gospel of Thomas in that it's very esoteric. Indeed, at times it's even more cryptic than GOT. Yet, it is well worth reading again and again and again.

There is so much wisdom in this book... you can discover new things and gain more understanding with each time you read it...

The book explains why Judas wasn't a bad guy after all... very interesting now with the new discovery of the Gospel of Judas, which explains the same!

Highly recommendable!

This book is inspiring, powerful, and authentic. I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for answers. It is well-written and captivating. I couldn't put it down. It is appropriate for all levels.

This book contains the untold story of Judas Iscariot. For those who want the whole truth about who he really was, this book can lead us to the answers...

I found it really inspiring to hear the insights of one of the disciples first-hand, and in such a simple and straightforward manner.

Though it can be a bit obscure at times, this book has helped me a great deal to understand not only deeper meanings of the life and role of Jesus and his disciples; but also, how to better implement their teachings practically - in daily life.

If you have any interest whatsoever in spirituality, be it from a practical or historical point of view, you are in for a real treat with the Flight of the Feathered Serpent.

This book is so amazing!
It is more than a book and it is a book in the same time.
It's truly magical -you read it and you change inside.
It really touches you, touches your heart and it's a challenge to read it, it goes all the way from simple language to the very hard to understand, full of deep esoteric symbolism, language of mysticism. If you read it with closed heart it opens you, if it's opened, it opens it more and more. It's like a door to another world which is so more real than where we live. Like a spring where you can go time to time and drink fresh water. It tells you a story of a greatest Master which was so abused, is abused and will be abused.
I find it a very good addition to teachings of Samael Aun Weor, Rabolu, and Mark Pritchard, Master Belzebuub available at Gnosticweb.
It is also an excellent addition to teachings of George Gourgieff.
I can recomend it to read to all the people who have read many esoteric, religious and spiritual books and still could not be fully satisfied.
This is a great book.

This book will give you the love you know to be the truth of what marriage is and how we must live it......Kudo's

I was extremely pleased with this book. This book is great for any marriage, including good marriages. My husband and I have a solid, stable marriage, but it can always be better and more faith-filled. This book provides a great foundation for creating a great marriage. It discusses bringing Jesus into your marriage and how to be Christ to your partner; how to be a loving mate even when you don't feel like it; what the different "love-languages" are, and more.

This book does mention Catholicism is a few sections, but overall, it is more geared toward any practicing Christian. I highly recommend it to any newly or long-married couple.

Loved this book! Highly recommended for any Catholic couple, whether or not you are having perceived marital tensions. Even for happy couples, this book can help you find even greater meaning and intimacy in your marriage.

This book is a great tool for any married couple. If you think you have a good marriage ... this book can help you make it better. If your marriage isn't so good ... you can improve your marriage if you are willing to be extrememly honest with yourself and you are willing to work to improve your marriage.

Every marriage needs help but not every couple is ready for a marriage counselor. This book helps you understand what kind of marriage you have and how to make it better. It also helps you see that the very things you wish your spouse would do for you are often the things God is asking of you! Highly readable and helpful.

Wonderful book for understanding well-known people's relationship with God. It is also a good source for figuring out how to develop one's own relationship with a higher power.
The contributors discuss what their childhood religious background was like, how it "evolved" and how it has changed.
The book brought up the question-Does it take a tragedy to bring a person closer to God?- and others to contemplate about "human nature." Meditation,prayer and contemplation are the most often suggested methods for developing a relationship with God.
Our "retreat" will be using this as our basic text. I think that the way it is "organized" can lead to many interesting, spiritual discussions.

I really liked how this book was done. It's a collection of spiritual essays from people as diverse as The Dalai Lama, Wayne Dyer, Rabbi Harold Kushner, Father William McNamara, Thich Nhat Hanh, Mother Teresa and many more.

The purpose of the anthology is to show the common denominator of all religious teachings, which is an individual's personal relationship with God.

I was really moved by the messages from the authors. To give you a feel for the book, here are a few quotes from some of the essays:

--The Dalai Lama: "The essence of all religions is love, compassion, and tolerance. Kindness is my true religion."

--Wayne Dyer: "Gandhi was asked to describe in twenty-five words or less what his life mission was. He said, "I could do it in three: 'Renounce and enjoy." You renounce all worldly attachment to everything and enjoy what God gives you."

--Rev. Michael Beckwith: "We don't really have a personal life apart from God."

--A.H. Almaas: "To truly find God, truth needs to be found independently from the opinions of others. The truth has to be found in our hearts."

--Barbara Marx Hubbard: "The way to becoming a cocreator is, first, to meditate in silence at least once a day. Have a journal present. In the deepest silence and relaxation of your being, ask for anything to come forward - any information from God on any question you have."

...and there were many more great quotes I could have chosen from. This is a very special book. Though it's less than 200 pages, it provides great insights and inspiration from some very spiritual people. I highly recommend this book.

In a world that seems so terribly fixated on our differences, it is nice to be reminder of the truly important things that we share. Handbook for the Spirit brings together some of the most well known people in the world (The Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa, Thick Nhat Hanh, Brooke Medicine Eagle, and Wayne Dyer just to name a few) to share their view and experiences about spirituality. It doesn't seem to matter if they refer to God, Jesus, Buddha, Allah, or the universe, nature, or the I Am. The foundation is the same, that something connects us all as one.

There's something deeply touching about Handbook for the Spirit. As I read, I was reminded about the really important aspects of my life. Suddenly, all my petty cares and anxieties didn't seem so all consuming. I felt empowered. In that moment, I knew that interconnection that the author's spoke about and was renewed in my life purpose.

Joseph Campbell said it well - and says it again in this new collection: "An intense experience of mystery is what one has to regard as the ultimate religious experience."

If that's where you are in your own spiritual journey - then this book is for you.

"Handbook for the Spirit" is a Who's Who of "old friends" in the spiritual field - too many names to list here. But the co-editors Dr. Richard Carlson and Dr. Benjamin Shield are old hands at sharing insights into the healing and happiness that can surprise us in our spiritual journeys. They've collected here some new, and some old, thoughts specifically about a person's relationship to the divine - to God or to other higher realms of spiritual truth.

What I love about this particular collection is that, while it does share some speculative approaches to spirituality, the community of voices here also is rooted in traditional faiths as well.

So, for example, we've got a great piece here by Sue Bender, author of the memoir, "Plain and Simple," about life among the Amish. Writing with her characteristic clarity, she gives us an 8-page reflection on what she's learned from the Amish -- and from her experience of writing about the Amish.

Rabbi Harold Kushner appears in this collection, too. For so many readers, his voice is like an old friend returning to share a few thoughts. As in most of these inspirational pieces, there's nothing here that's stunningly new to longtime readers. But it's like coming to a family reunion in which Kushner leans back and reminds us of various things, including the importance of Martin Buber's teachings.

And, every now and then, there's a flash of awareness, for example: I enjoyed finding, toward the end of Kushner's chapter, this little gem: "When people ask me, `Where is God?' I tell them I would rather rephrase the question to, `When is God?'" Now, truth be told, I've heard this great question from a number of rabbis through the years. It's a brilliant reframing of our windows toward God. Nevertheless, as I finished Kushner's chapter, seeing the question afresh in that context - was like a little ray of light.

That's how the very best "readers" in this genre are supposed to work. A huge "Bravo!" to Shield and Carlson and the whole circle of old friends who assembled this wonderful little gift.

Handbook for the Spirit is a treasure that could be your resource for daily inspiration. It encourages us to realize the divine within and then discover the spiritual in every living encounter. In this beautiful and diverse collection, some of the world's visionaries such as Mother Theresa, Rev. Michael Beckwith, Shakti Gawain and Wayne Dyer intimately share their personal relationship with God and how it magnificently interplays with their lives. You will also enjoy the heartening Preface by Gerald Jampolsky and the inspiring Foreword by Marianne Williamson. This insightful book is a true gift of Spirit.
~ Katie Davis, Awake Joy: The Essence of Enlightenment

For my recent compilation of pilgrimage quotations ("Ultreia! Onward! Progress of the Pilgrim") I read all 40 or so contemporary English journal accounts available about the various routes. Egan's is clearly within the first grouping of 8 or so best such books (i.e. largely those written by established authors and/or academics). Coming from Harvard's Div School just a few hundred meters from where I work, Egan's book is really one of the handful of best ones that attempts to break free (somewhat successfully here) of the linear (and often dead boring) narratives that characterize many such pilgrimage accounts, as she engages in the sort of inner pilgrimage that makes such journeys worthwhile. And she can certainly pen prose; i.e. I used 11 very nice quotations of hers in the review volume Ultreia! Onward!.

Rebeccasreads highly recommends FUMBLING as an outstanding account of the pilgrimage of a 25 year old divinity student carrying a heavy load of guilt, grief & self-loathing.

Salted in the stories of her trials on the trail, Kerry Egan offers the history of the pilgrimage from the French Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, giving us visions of a fable land, as well as how the journey cracked her open so that she could heal from her raw & unrecognized emotions.

Kerry Egan, back in 1999, was one angry woman. How Alex, her boyfriend, stays with her, is her compass when she's lost, bearing the brunt of her impressive rage & hopeless longing, is just as exciting as how she stumbles across the land upon which others have trod for thousands of years.

If pilgrimages fascinate you, then FUMBLING offers both the reason & the value of taking that first step on the journey to healing.

Fumbling is the best book I have read this year. It provides a personal perspective into Ms. Egan's pilgrimage while offering insight into the history and psychology of engaging on a pilgrimage.

The book is written is short chapters that make it easy to read in moments stolen from a hectic schedule. There were times when my eyes filled with tears and others when I laughed out loud while reading this book.

I think I'll read it again.

No table of contents, no index, I just had to dive in, but by the end of the first page the imagery of the words had captured me. An excerpt from the second paragraph:

"I knelt in the back of the church, my forehead on the top lip of the smooth, varnished pew in front of me. The wood was hard against my forehead, . . . .I'd been crying for a long time . . . ."

This is a story of pilgrimage, grieving and transformation, but not a daily journal. There are thirty one numbered episodes, sometimes causing a page break, sometimes just a break in the middle of the page. At a higher level the book is organized into parts, starting with Part 1 Fumbling, Part 2 Walking . . . and so on.

The episodes are a series of vignettes of the Camino experience. They are roughly sequential, but any one of them could stand alone as an essay, for example in a newspaper column. They all will bring back memories and tug the heart of anyone who has walked the Camino de Santiago.

This is a book you can read for pleasure, but certainly one you will want to read after making the journey.

Whether you're reading this on a train or on your back porch during a snow storm, be prepared for an extraodinary journey through northern Spain in the summer. For those of you planning to travel the Camino, Egan describes with vivid detail the scenary(especially the wheat), the people, and everything you'd want to know that they don't tell you in a guide book. It is of course much more than a physical journey, and as you travel with Egan it is as though you are taking a trip through yourself, only this time with a witty, insightful, and adventurous tour guide who doesn't stick to the path.

My pastor showed me this book (no, he wouldn't let me borrow it - told me to get my own.) I purchased the book along with the workbook and set about going through it.

This book was very enlightening and challenged me to think of God in an entirely different way. God wishes to have an intimate relationship with me! Using the workbook, I was able to go through challenges that in my thinking. If you use the workbook - it's a 13 week lesson. However, slowing down and going over the challenges in my thinking took me much longer.

Subtitled "Why God Will Never Let You Go," FURIOUS PURSUIT opens with Frank Martin's admission that he's tired of chasing after God. Like so many Christians, over the years Martin had been subtly and perhaps even unintentionally fed the lie that we need to spend our lives pursuing God --- as if God is running on ahead of us and daring us to see if we can catch up. His admission, however, led him to a deeper understanding of the kind of relationship God wants to have with us, one that is not based on our pursuit of him but rather on his relentless pursuit of us.

That's good news for many who believe they must strive to find God, impress God, grab God's attention, make God love them, and so forth --- if only they can believe this good news. To bolster their premise that God is the one chasing us, Tim King and Frank Martin have organized their thoughts and the book along the lines of a classic courtship, beginning with the encouragement to stop running after God and allow yourself the pleasure of being the one pursued for a change.

The authors then describe the romance that is already in progress, God's passion for you and what you need to understand about his nature and his desire to be in relationship with the people he created. "Whether or not you like it," they write, "whether or not you ever fully grasp the concept, you are playing a part in history's greatest and grandest Love Story. And although the Story is not about you, it has everything to do with you."

If you've ever read John Eldredge's THE SACRED ROMANCE, this is probably starting to sound familiar. If you haven't, then read on, because the authors at this point lead us to a section on the courtship itself and show us how our understanding of our identity is critical to appreciating God's pursuit of us, how God wins us over to this romantic relationship with him, and how we can fully enjoy that relationship in the present. A final section describes this relationship as a "marriage to be consummated," beginning with a divine proposal that we commit ourselves to God for eternity. The authors describe our positive response to this sacred invitation in this way: "You and I give ourselves freely and willingly into the arms of God, allowing ourselves to be folded completely into the fury of his love and enraptured by the passions of his desire."

Christians who are tired of running after God --- and who have not read Eldredge and others who have written extensively on our role in the larger story of God's love --- will likely find a great deal here that will help convince them that God is indeed the one doing the pursuing and that they can stop all their striving to win God's favor. (King and Martin have also created a companion workbook, which I have not read, that is available separately.)

--- Reviewed by Marcia Ford

Tim King and Frank Martin have written a masterpiece which reminds us of God's eternal presence in every day life. Each chapter combines personal stories with Scriptural insight and truth. This well-crafted book provides great encouragement to every reader.

Here's a small taste from page 117: "It is impossible to walk with God in the past or the future; we can walk with him only in the present moment. And because God doesn't submit to a linear time line, every moment is an eternal moment."

"Our view of time has led us to think of eternity as something in the future, as some grand blessing to come at the end of this life. But what is eternity if it isn't life with the Eternal One? Eternity is living with God today, being fully alive in his presence moment by moment. Every moment is an eternal moment because every moment can be lived in the company of God."

"God longs for us to be fully engaged with him, fully focused on our relationship. He longs for us to step out of our time-limited space and into sacred eternal space. He invites us to step out of ourselves and into eternity with him, to discard the myth of linear time and live in the reality of his immediate presence."

"In God's presence you are enough. In eternity with God, you have enough. In the sacred place, time is always lived in the present moment."

This book will stir eternal thoughts which will last far longer than the reading experience. It's a book worth reading--and reading again to soak deeply in the spiritual truths.

It is very refreshing to read a work that really describes the true meaning of our relationship with God.

God is so much bigger then our small stories.

I could not put the book down once I began.

Thank you Mr. King for a marvelous work.

Reviewed by Cherie Fisher for Reader Views (07/06)

Are you tired of chasing after God with endless lists of rules and impossible tasks? There's Good News!!! "Furious Pursuit: Why God Will Never Let You Go" is a book written for those of you like me who have been searching for God, but always seem to end up feeling hopeless, alone and tired. This book carefully lays out God's larger story of love as the greatest love story ever told.

"Furious Pursuit" simplifies what I always thought was the most daunting task in my life - finding God. So many of the theological approaches today end up making us feel totally worthless, with the path to finding God an impossible task. King and Martin lay out a very simple approach to this - recognizing that God is already pursuing us and letting it happen. We are wooed by God through initial courtship, dating and finally the long-term commitment of marriage. And the best part is? The happy ending in this divine romance is about us.

This well-written and thoughtful approach to God works so well because the authors organize and describe God's relationship with us by using examples of everyday relationships; oftentimes using personal and painful experiences to make a point. So much of the time we are so busy living our lives of quiet desperation that we fail to see that we are part of a much larger picture. It is such a relief to realize that we are an important part of God's story and that his love for us is completely unconditional.

The most poignant section for me was the chapter "Living in the Eternal Moment - Knowing God in the present tense". So many of us spend the majority of our time thinking about past failures or planning how to do well in the future that we lose the wonderful things that the moment offers. After reading this chapter I spent a whole day consciously living in the present and it was tough. Every time I started thinking about past or future situations I brought myself back to the present to be fully conscious of what I was experiencing. You know what I found? I have so many wonderful moments everyday if I take the time to notice them. And if I really think about all the time I spend feeling badly about past mistakes there is nothing I can do to change them except to make better decisions in present situations. And, as for worrying about future situations? I have always been provided with the things that I have needed.

"Furious Pursuit" helped me to see God in a whole new light and to look forward to my everyday relationship with God instead of being overwhelmed and lost. King and Martin have also written a companion workbook to go along with this book and I am looking forward to getting it and following the ninety-one day program.

I won't reiterate what I wrote in my review for the first volume. The second volume has some very interesting chapters on Whitefield's impact on history and the measure of the man. Although, it may be argued that he started Methodism, the Wesleys are more associated with that denomination. Whitefield concentrated on his preaching and stepped down from leadership roles. In spite of that decision, he was crucial in starting two universities in North America (Princeton and Dartmouth). He was instrumental in the spiritual awakening on both sides of the Atlantic. He started open air preaching and shook up the Church of England from its slumbers. He preached the Gospel until literally his breath gave out. No matter what you think of his doctrine or decisions, you have to respect his dedication. His death is well written in this volume and it is a painful read for an asthmatic.

These volumes should be read by all preachers so they can learn from both the wisdom and folly of Whitefield.

"Justice has at last been done to the greatest preacher that England every produced." This was the judgment of Martyn Lloyd-Jones concerning the first volume of Arnold Dallimore's biography of George Whitefield. This is perhaps the most authoritative work to date on the life of Whitefield, surpassing the older work of Luke Tyreman in both breadth (since Dallimore had access to far more material than Tyreman) and objectivity (Tyreman was a Wesleyan who was somewhat unsympathetic with Whitefield's theology).

The two volumes together are divided into eight parts, which help give some navigation to understanding Whitefield's life. The sections are: (Volume 1): I. The Years of Preparation; II. The Youthful Ministry; III. The Period of Transition; (Volume 2): IV. The Controversy; V. The Calvinist Evangelist of Two Continents; VI. The Helper of all the Revival; VII. The Years of Failing Strength; and VIII. Death and Commemoration.

Volume 1 traces Whitefield's life from birth to conversion through the early years of the Great Awakening which came under his preaching in England, Wales, and the Colonies of North America. It is full of details about his travels, excerpts from sermons and journals, and is exceptionally well documented. Special attention is rightfully given to Whitefield's relationship with John Wesley, and several mistaken notions concerning the two men are corrected with careful research supporting the conclusions.

The second volume begins with an introduction that gives more attention to the mistaken conceptions about Whitefield's relationship with the Wesleys. Chapter one then steers the reader back into the narrative, picking up where volume 1 left off with Whitefield's return to England from America in 1739. Several chapters are then devoted to the controversy between the Whitefield and Wesley. A broad-brush coverage is given to Whitefield's work in both Great Britain and America, with occasional detours detailing events such as the Cambuslang Revival and the contributions of other prominent figures in the revival such Howell Harris and John Cennick.

Dallimore writes with an obvious admiration and appreciation for Whitefield, yet he does not whitewash his faults. Whitefield's respectable, though less than ideal marriage to the widow, Elizabeth James (who had also been courted by Howell Harris - an interesting love-triangle there!) is discussed, as well has the enormous load of debt he carried for the Orphan House founded in Georgia. While there was nothing in Whitefield's life to tarnish his integrity, his humanity is clearly evident in more than one instance.

The interest and usefulness of this excellent biography is enhanced by the thorough index (at the end of volume 2), thirteen appendices (six in volume 1, seven in volume 2), thorough documentation (with hundreds - maybe thousands - of footnotes), nine-page bibliography (volume 2) and over sixty illustrations.

But the true value of the two volumes lies in their soul-stirring account of the great work of God in and through Whitefield's life. A Christian could hardly ask for more delightful reading. To quote Lloyd-Jones again, "To read the wonderful story of his life is to be reminded again of what is possible to a truly consecrated Christian, and how even in the darkest and most sinful ages God in His sovereign power is able to revive His work and shower blessings upon His people."

The best history / biography I have ever read. George Whitefield's life is exceedingly interesting and Dallimore covers it and all the history of others surrounding it, exhaustively!

Well, I finally saved up the money and sprung for this two-volume full-length account of the life of George Whitefield. I had whetted my appetite on the abbreviated volume "George Whitefield: God's Anointed Servant in the Great Revival of the Eighteenth Century" by the same author. I can honestly say this is one of the best investments I've ever made. Reading the life of such a great saint--this Christ-loving, gospel-centered minister--has served to rekindle my passion for the gospel and rejuvenate the love of God in my soul more than once. I most highly recommend it.

This Volume: This is the SECOND volume of Dallimore's two-volume biography of George Whitefield. This is very important if you intend on buying one volume now and purchasing the other later. The information on the Banner of Truth (the publisher's) website is incorrect--the green volume is volume #1 (picture of Whitefield in a field surrounded by a crowd) and the red volume is #2 (picture of an older Whitefield in a church pulpit). I had to wait an extra few months to recieve the first volume before I could begin reading either. Each volume is about 600 pages in length and is chock full of stories, information and insightful commentary. Dallimore does not spare the details of the lives of those closest to Whitfield--including John Cennick, Howell Harris, Jonathan Edwards, and of course John and Charles Wesley. This second volume deals with the period of time from Whitefield's return to England in the wake of Wesley's controversial ministry, his reconciliation with the Wesleys and continued work in both England and America, and finally his death.

The Subject Matter: Wow. Simply wow. I mean--who knew? I'd always heard that John Wesley was the sole founder of Methodism. In fact, the only thing I knew about George Whitefield was that he was attributed with a few neat quotes (ie. "Let the name of Whitefield perish, but Christ be glorified!", "I am weary in Thy work, but not weary of it", etc.) and that he once spoke at Jonathan Edwards' Northhampton church (at which time he left Edwards in tears). I fully expect that if it were not for this work of Dallimore, the name of Whitefield truly would be lost to persons such as myself. What I expected was another (Calvinistic) Wesley. What I found was a man whose zeal, love, holiness of life and passion for Christ seemed to equal even those I hold in highest regard (among whom are Martin Luther and Charles Spurgeon). Whitefield was a tireless worker for God and his zeal for the gospel was only matched by his selfless compassion for his fellow man. He was the first of the great open-air preachers and nudged both John and Charles Wesley into evangelistic ministry. Whitefield's life is a beautiful illustration of Christian ministry and evangelistic zeal. I cannot recommend this man highly enough.

The Author: Dallimore was a Baptist pastor and semi-prolific biographer. This two-volume biography of George Whitefield is truly Dallimore's magnum opus. He has delved deeper into the mind and heart of this great evangelist than any of his previous biographers. It is both informative and inspirational. No space feels wasted despite the length of the account and the multitudinous strands of the storyline are brought together in a masterful way.

The Reader: Who should read this book? I would recommend it most highly to pastors and other evangelical Christians whose zeal for God and spiritual wells have begun to run dry. Evangelical Calvinistic Christians will get the greatest benefit from this read. But it may also prove of great interest to those of the Methodist heritage. Also, all who are called to the ministry of evangelism (teaching and preaching) could not but benefit from this work. Whitefield's zeal is contagious and his meekness humbling. The mere historian might enjoy the factual aspects of the book, but it was written from a distinctively evangelical Christian perspective.

"Weary in Thy work, but not weary of it." -G. Whitefield

Few recent books have so wide and so deep an impact as Arnold Dallimore's magisterial biography of George Whitefield. The first volume, stretching from Whitefield's birth in 1714 to his section visit to American in 1740 was published in 1970 and has since been reprinted six times. The second volume, which stretches from 1740 until Whitefield's death in 1770, was published ten years later in 1980. It has been reprinted three times. Together the volumes comprise some 1200 pages of detailed biography. Rarely have I had a biography recommended to me by so many and by men of such distinction. Rarely have I benefited more from reading about another man's life.

I have noticed a strange phenomenon with this biography. Where most books of this one's scope and impact have been widely and thoroughly reviewed, this one seems to be an exception. As I attempted to write a review I may have found out why this is: it is very difficult to adequately sum up so much content in just a few words. And, as with any biography, it is difficult to measure and summarize the impact of such a book. Instead I am left doing what others have done--writing thoughts on the book that somehow seem disconnected and inadequate. Even Gary Gilley, a reviewer who is rarely lost for words, can write no more than this: "It would be difficult to lavish too much praise on Dallimore's two volume biography of the famous eighteenth century evangelist George Whitefield. This is the definitive work of Whitefield's life and ministry, dispelling many misconceptions while showing the true character and impact of this most remarkable man. Along the way the reader also receives valuable insight into the lives of the Wesleys, Jonathan Edwards and the Moravians. This is one of the greatest biographies ever written."

The Foreword to the first volume is supplied by no one less than Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. The Doctor suggests that he waited decades to find a thorough and authoritative biography of Whitefield, a man he regarded as a historical hero. This book, he felt, which appeared on the bi-centenary of Whitefield's death, achieves the excellence Lloyd-Jones knew had long been missing. Reflecting on the life of the subject he writes "May the reading of this book produce in us the same spirit of utter submission, ready obedience, and unshakeable reliance upon the power of the Holy Spirit that characterized his life and ministry. Whitefield never drew attention to himself but always pointed people to his God and exalted his Lord and Savior. May he, though now dead for nearly 200 years, do the same for countless thousands through the reading of this book!" The intervening years, almost forty of them, have shown this to be the case.

This book's subtitle, The life and times of the great evangelist of the 18th century revival, is important in understanding the book. Whitefield found himself one of the sparks of the the Great Awakening and the revival of the 18th century. While other men played important roles, Whitefield was the pin at the center of the wheel. His tireless itinerancy took his preaching ministry to almost every corner of the United Kingdom and to almost the whole of the settled portion of the United States. But for illness he would also have extended his ministry to Canada. Perhaps one of this book's greatest contributions is in helping people separate the life and contributions of George Whitefield from those of John Wesley--a man who Whitefield always loved but who so often opposed him. This biographies shows conclusively that it was Whitefield's ministry that sparked the awakening.

I was grateful to see that Dallimore deals fairly with Whitefield's shortcomings in these volumes. This is no hagiography--worship of a saint that is free from difficult examinations of the subject's failings. Though Dallimore has to confess that he finds surprisingly little fault with the man, he deals frankly and forthrightly with those areas in which Whitefield showed immaturity, poor judgment or poor discernment. He questions Whitefield's decision to marry and the unusual circumstances surrounding his first rejected proposal of marriage. He does not shy from discussing Whitefield's role in justifying and even promoting slavery in the colonies. He does not allow the passing of the years or his deep respect for his subject to mislead him or to excuse sin. Experience shows that this quality is surprisingly rare in such biographies.

Eminently readable despite its length and depth, this biography only reinforces my belief that biographies can be among the greatest catalysts to spiritual growth. It is a classic and one that takes its place among my favorite biographies along with such great titles as Marsden's Jonathan Edwards and Dallimore's own Spurgeon. It will prove valuable to pastors or evangelists as they see the example of a man who labored tirelessly for the gospel; it will prove valuable to all Christians as they see the example of a man who labored tirelessly to grow even and ever closer to his Savior. Whitefield is a man who stands as an example to all of us. Dallimore has done us a great service in opening up to us the life of this great man of God.

Together these two volumes represent a financial investment that is not insignificant. Purchased together they are likely to cost at least sixty or seventy dollars. But I can testify, as can a long list of people of far greater wisdom and discernment than I, that they are well worth the investment.

This book was given to me by a dear friend in a time of great changes in my life; it allowed me to see the real meaning and joy in the fiber of life. It is absolute love, every page. Please do yourself and everyone you love a favor, purchase this gift, you and they will treasure it always.

I must confess that I have not yet read "The Course in Miracles" - Due to it's sheer size, I've felt a bit intimidated. I have, however, read many, many books that deal with the ideas espoused in "The Course", and I've foud these ideas to make quite a lot of sense!

This particular book, "Gifts from a Course in Miracles", is written in such a way that each major "tenet" is further broken down into smaller sub-sections - each dealing with a part of the "tenet" being discussed - and it's written quite similar to the form of a poem. I really like the format, as it makes the info. easier to digest.

If you are at all interested in finding out about the ideas espoused in "The Course", or even if you're already a student of it, I would highly recommend this book.

A wonderful interpretation of the ideas expressed in The Course In Miracles. Great for daily meditation. A lovely gift for anyone.

The Course of Miracles can be daunting especially if you decide that you are going to go at it alone. People usually buy it, read a few pages, and up on the shelf it goes. There's even a joke in Course in Miracles groups, that it has a shelf life of 8-10 years before it gets picked up again. That's okay, because Truth, like Beauty, stands and waits. Truth is Like Love, it never pushes its own way. Besides, Truth really isn't in a book whether it be the Bible or Ralph Waldo Emerson or A Couse in Miracles. Truth is in you now. In Truth, Truth is who you are...

That's okay, you can be a little startled. But I invite you to simply breathe in the statement; Truth is who I am...
and breathe it out, Truth is what I am...

Again, you don't have to force this to be True. It already is. You don't have to accept it. You can reject it. In fact, many of us have spent many lifetimes doing so. But I just want you to know, there is Something calling you to this teaching because at a very deep level, you know that you are of God...of Spirit...of Life. You know that you are not of this world. At a certain level of things, deep in our subconscious minds, we remember the Original Ectasy of being created out of Pure Love, Pure Joy, Pure Innocence. On a human level, we think that if we had the fancy home, or the shiny Mercedes, or the "right" partner, we'd be happy - and I'm not knocking these things - but what we really desire, what we really, really want is to be One with God, again.

Well, good news, we already are and we can never leave home without it...sorry, bad joke, I know.

This book is not as intimidating as the actual Course in Miracles text. The format is much easier to read than the Course. If you hadn't read the Course, there are certain parts of it written in iambic pentameter. The very same style of writing that William Shakespeare and John Donne would use. Once you get used to it, however, it flows beautifully, but if you are not used to it, you'll find yourself stumbling and tripping over the lines. At least, this was my experience.

This book is perfect for just leaving on the nightstand and reading just before going to bed or right after waking up - or both -it's a great way to begin your meditation. Usually, I'll shorten the quote even more to just a sentence and take it into meditation. Here are some examples:

Let forgiveness be the substitute for fear. This is the only rule for happy dreams...

Every choice you make establishes your own identity as you will see it and believe it is...

There is nothing outside you...

Love will immediately enter into any mind that truly wants it...

A therapist doesn't heal, he lets healing be...

The last one I have laminated and put over my desk. I have to remember as a Spiritual Counselor, I don't heal anyone. I see their Truth now. I see only Spirit...only Love...only God...and if I cannot see Spirit, then I must heal my mind about them.

I love this book. I wish the pictures were in color, but that would make for a very expensive book, but it is a wonderful addition to any Spiritual Library. And, if you are still hesitant about the actual book, I invite you to attend a Course in Miracles Study Group. I had my own for almost six years and I absolutely loved it. Now I attend one and it's a big difference going from facilitator to participator.

Buy this book as a gift to yourself. Allow the wounds of the past to be healed once and for all. Make 2008 great because you deserve to be at peace. Afterall, something within you already is.

Peace & Blessings,
john, 'the Light Coach'

This is truly a very special book. I have bought quite a few just for presents. It is great for anyone who is already a student of "A course in Miracles" or if they just want to get a glimpse at what it is really all about. The introduction alone by Marianne Williamson is worth the price of the book. It also would be a terrific book for anyone who is thinking about joining a Study Group for the Course. The book is edited by two people who have been students of the Course for many years and it is their favorite sections put together in a very special way. A must read!!!!
Dorothy Gautier

Many people who have been burnt out from a message of legalism should read this book. This book will restore the message of true holiness without the spirit of legalism. In one of his chapters he addresses a whole chapter on legalism. He defines what legalism is because there are many who have a misunderstanding what legalism is all about. He also addresses in another chapter on grace.

Dr. Michael L. Brown has written a very easy to understand and Biblically based book on a subject that is underemphasized (if not totally ignored) and misuderstood by the majority (in my opinion) in the Christian community. His logic is clear and his Biblical support is without question or argument. I doubt any capable theologian would be able to challenge Dr. Brown on this subject.

By far, chapter 4, "The Fateful End," is the most convicting and heart-searching.

I would also recommend reading Charles G. Finney's views of sanctification in his "Systematic Theology" and J.C. Ryle's, "Holiness."

I have read this book several times, mainly when I feel I need a wake-up call. Michael Brown has written a powerful book here against sin and for holiness, something that is woefully lacking in the contemporary church. I like the way he challenges our choices in entertainment also, it's strange what professing christians choose for their entertainment.

He really paints an ugly picture of sin and gives some good practical advice on how to avoid it.

He quotes extensively from the puritan writers such as John Owen, and from Charles Spurgeon the great preacher of the 1800's. I highly recommend that you get your hands on as many books on holiness as you can and search your heart as society today is headed for hell and wanting to take you with it!

Thanks Michael Brown for writing this, it spurred me on to better things and encouraged me to study this oft-neglected subject. I also recommend the writings of Jerry Bridges on this subject, and check out the puritan sermons as well.

Dr. Michael Brown is a skilled writer. He does his homework on a subject and always fills his books with Scripture. This book is no different. Dr. Brown tackles the issue of holiness. This subject once could be heard in every English speaking pulpit but today we shy away from its teaching because of our pragmatic approach to ministry.

Dr. Brown challenges the Body of Christ to hate sin, love God, and preach the truth in love. Matthew 1:21 tells us that the Son of God was to be called Jesus because He would save His people from their sins. Many people want to be "His people" without being free from their sins. Jesus came to die for our sins (Galatians 1:4) and to set us free completely from a life of sin (1 John 3:6-9). How can we continue in sin (Romans 6:1-4)? We must pursue holiness (Matthew 5:48; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 1:15-16).

What an awesome book! Straight from Browns own experiences and stories while digging deep into the Truth. I have not read a book so convicting and genuine. This is a must read for all Gods people in todays world, where compromise is the norm. It has help unveil the eyes of my heart to Gods Word, and straightens out all the decieving lies we believe as we try to be set apart in a culture that has given itself up to lust, greed, abuse, drugs, alcohol, smoking, etc. Jesus is coming soon and this book will help prepare you until He comes again.(but His Word should always be the First book we read)God Bless!

This is one of my favorite books mainly because it is revolutionary, non-traditional and status quo shattering, yet at the same time focused totally on the reason and motivation for all this revolution--to be passionately in love with Jesus. We may be revolutionary, we may be willing to die to our self centered traditions and programs, we may gladly leave all and follow Him--but NOT because we have learned a better, more New Testament way of doing it, but because our love for Him wants to kill everything that gets in the way of our relationship with Him. We live to see Him smile at us and nothing keeps us from that, for it is our love for Him that motivates us and to feel His arms around us that stirs us. This is the Church--the house that God wants. It is a house that does it His way... just to please Him, just to worship Him, just to love Him. In all this talk about leaving dead "churchianity" and worshiping as the Church in simple, home-business-coffee shop, relational style gatherings, we can still forget the reasons why we do what we do in the Church-- to build a House that God loves to visit and to inhabit. Even for God, home is where the heart is. It is all for Him! "If we build it, He will come" the subtitle says-- and that is really all we care about--that HE is there with us.

This book will stir you--not to technical, procedural changes, but in what really matters, in seeking Jesus so passionately that we naturally build the Church into a house that makes Jesus feel at home. This book will stir that desire, the only desire that really matters.

This is another awesome Tenney book. I cant hardly keep a dry eye.

Tommy Tenney's third book is his best yet. David is the ulimate worshiper, and by examining his life, Tenney gets to the heart of what worship should be about. In 2 Sam 6:22, David says he will "be even more undignified than this" with his worship to God. This is how worship should be. Let us all get a little undignified and free. God isn't looking for the routine worshiper, He is looking for someone to step out...to lose their face for Him. Tenney lays out way to worship God to bring revival to your church and to your own personal walk. A must read for all Christians

I truly enjoyed this book it was awesome. I being a Worship Minister, this book help me put my worship in perspective. Mr. Tenney, knows how to experience God through worship. I have even begun to pray to have the same kind of Kabod experience (the Weighty Presence of God) that he talks about in his book. God bless Mr. Tenney for putting this book into my hands, it truly was a wonderful spiritual walk, as I read the words on the pages, they became alive in me. The field of dreams is one of my favorite movies. Lord help me build it, so they could come.

If you've ever sat in a church service and wondered why the worship leaders didn't pick more songs you liked to sing or if you've ever snuck a yawn during the service, THEN YOU WON'T BE THE SAME AFTER YOU READ THIS BOOK. As I was reading it, I felt my heart laid open, the sin of not giving the Lord His rightful place exposed, and then found myself moved into repentance by the third chapter. Worship is the Lord's proper due, and it's not for our entertainment. God's Favorite House is at the forefront of bearing the message of the contemporary worship movement- He longs for our worship and fellowship. King David lived thousands of years ago, yet his holy abandon to worship is an example for us today. The God Chasers excited me, God's Dream Team gave me knowledge, and now God's Favorite House gives me a plan for action to draw closer to my Father.

This little book has some really inspiring stories suitable for sharing in a classroom situation or reading alone. It also makes a nice addition to graduation gifts for either highschool or college students.

This book is unique because it links every day experiences to scriptures and does it with humor and insight.

I first bought this book from a discount bin and planned on lending it or giving it to a friend. Then I thought of another friend who might like it. Then I realized there was no way I was parting with MY copy. So I just bought two more copies of this book to give to friends.

I have had a great relationship with God all of my life. But the Bible has never been easy for me to read or understand. Some verses I have to read over and over before I can figure out what the lesson is. This book, while not a "replacement" for reading the Bible, is a great compliment/companion to it. On each page, the book gives a funny "headline", accompanied by a related Bible verse and a "current real life" story explaining the meaning of the verse and making the verse and the lesson, more three dimensional. The book doesn't preach. It teaches lessons in an entertaining way. All while really making you think and bringing you closer to God.

Whether you are someone who feels that you need a 'gentle nudge' back in the direction of God or if you are someone who already has a close personal relationship with Him, there's something for everyone in this book.

What an exquisite book! The meditations are profound in their simplicity, and the illustrations are beautiful. This would be a lovely gift cherished for years to come.

Since our lives are filled with so many challenges, we sometimes just need a break in our day to nurture our souls. This book is filled with humorous stories and thoughtful messages to inspire and encourage you as you strive to become who God intends you to be.

I especially enjoyed reading the quote at the beginning of each devotional. Each message is linked to a pithy quotation and also verses from the Bible. They are very easy-to-read and the stories will make you think. You will find the stories will help you in your daily journey in life.

The issues of marriage, being content, wisdom, important decisions, character, success and various real-life issues are spoken of in such a friendly tone. You will just want to keep reading, but this is meant more for daily devotionals. You might be tempted to read more than one each day. Don't worry, I won't tell on you ;).

Here are two favorite quotes:

Our children are like mirrors-they reflect our attitudes in life. The best way to get the last word is to apologize.

If you enjoyed reading this book, I can also recommend the BreakThrough Series by Dr. Bruce H. Wilkinson. The Prayer of Jabez and Secrets of The Vine are wonderful devotionals which will bring you into a deeper understanding of prayer and your purpose here on this earth as a Christian.