Book Review: This Changes Everything by Crowe

I wanted to review this book because it was geared toward teens. I am a mother of two teens and I know that there is a lack of strong biblically sound resources out there. They are really hard to find so when Crossway published this book; I had to read it.

I loved it! It touched on all things that teens need to know and be encouraged in. It is written in a friendly manner by someone who is close to their age. It is biblically sound in doctrine and life. It is a great resource to give to a teen you love or read along with them. There are great discussion points.

The book also encourages the youth to not waste their youth. They are to live for the sake of the gospel now. They don't have to wait. They can serve wherever God moves them now. As this is addressed there is sound advice regarding authority and life choices.

It addresses clearly issues of identity, the over arching story of the bible, community, sin, discipline, growth, time, and relationships.

I highly recommend this book for any teen in your life.

I received a copy of this book at no charge for the purpose of an honest review.

You can get a copy of this book at Amazon.com here.

Book Review: Crossing Cultures in Scripture by Newell

This is an incredible book that is a helpful aid for deeper Scriptural knowledge and study. One key to reading Scripture is to understand the original hearers context. Only after this can we rightly begin to apply it to our own lives. This book does an incredible job at relating the Scriptures to the original cultures for whom they were first written. I have grown greatly in my study of the word through reading this book and using it as a tool to aid in my deeper study.

The book begins in Eden, at the beginning, and spans the redemptive historical timeline of the Bible ending in Revelation. It is beneficial to read and helpful to any student of the word. It is important to understand the culture to rightly understand the word. This book also helps you understand how the Scriptures can be applied to similar cultures today. The stories are engaging and helpful.

I think this book would be helpful for any Christian. It will help you understand the word better. I received a copy of this book free of charge from publisher for the purpose of an honest review.

You can get a copy of this book from Amazon here (Aff link)
 

Why Killing Sin Should Be Violent

I have been reading straight through the Bible and find myself located in Leviticus. I am praying, each time that I read, that I do not give up or become discouraged as I read things that I do not understand in this Old Testament law book.

These people had rules and regulations from a different time. Yet, even this Scripture points us to Christ. Sometimes it takes work to find the connections but they are worth it. I pray and ask God to connect things for me to help me understand how to apply this to my own life today and to see God clearer for who He truly is. One passage that really made this connection was Leviticus 4:27-31.

Basically, it speaks about someone sinning unintentionally. This would be something that I did not intend to do yet it was still a sin. The passage says once the person is aware, he is to place his hand on a goat as a sin offering and kill it. Can you even imagine that? It would be bloody, smelly, and messy and your sin caused this innocent animals death. All for something you were not even aware that you did; at least for awhile until it was made known or you realized it yourself.

Sin is serious business. Yet, when I sin today, I do not have to kill a goat. How does this even apply to me? Why do I even care?

First, I can be thankful that Jesus died once for all (Romans 6:10). It was His sacrifice that took away all my sin. That once for all sacrifice is a BIG DEAL. It appeased the full wrath of God; forever!

However, in the here and now, we must also have a hand at killing the sin that tries to reign within us. We must get a handle on it and slaughter it, just like the goat. We can do this by trusting Jesus finished work on the cross taking our deserved wrath but also taking the door He gives us to chose not to sin when tempted (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Colossians 3:5-10 states, "Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices  and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator."

We can either trust Christ to bear the wrath or we must bear it. Once in Christ, we are a new creation. We can now confess our sin and He is faithful to forgive us, restore us, and make us right again. As we are being renewed by our Creator, we will desire sin less and less but even the unintentional sin must be put to death. I am thankful that the New Testament, gave us a better way. Sin must be dealt with and taken seriously but Christ, in His love, took the full wrath of it that we deserve. This is truly a gift of the best kind.

Have you trusted Christ to take the full wrath of your sin for you?
How are some ways that you kill sin in your life? 
Have you thought much about the sacrificial system, Jesus, and modern day confession of sin?