Every Good Endeavor

Timothy Keller

Connecting Your Work To God's Work
ISBN 978-0-525-95270-1
253 pages
Dutton 2012

Excerpt from slip cover
In a work world that is increasingly competitive and insecure, people often have nagging questions: Why am I doing this work? Why is it so hard? Is there anything I can do about it?

Keller shows readers tha biblical wisdom is immensely relevant to our questions about our work. In fact, the Christian view of work - that we work to serve others, not ourselves - can provide the foundation of a thriving professional and balanced personal life.

Quotes
A job is a vocation only if someone else calls you to do it and you do it for them rather than for yourself.

Work is the medium in which we offer ourselves to God. Work is the full expression of our faculties.

God milks the cows through the vocation of the mild maids. Martin Luther

If you do your work so well that by God's grace it helps others who can never thank you, you are serving the work, and truly loving your neighbor.

The Christian faith gives us a new and rich conception of work as partnering with GOd in His love and care for the world.

Just Do Something

Kevin DeYoung

ISBN 0-8024-5838-6
122 pages
Moody 2009

Excerpt from back of book
Too often, God's people tinker around with churches, jobs, and relationships, worrying that they haven't found God's perfect will for their lives. Or, even worse, they do absolutely nothing, stuck in a frustrated state of paralyzed indecision, waiting . . .waiting . . .waiting for clear, direct, unmistakable direction. But God doesn't need to tell us what to do at each fork in the road. He's already revealed His plan for our lives: to love Him with our whole hearts, to obey His Word, and after that, to do what we like.

Quotes
Doing the will of God means we say no to the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and our pride in possessions.

The will of God, as His will of desire, means that we do what is pleasing in His sight.

God does have a plan for our lives, but it is not one that He expects us to figure out before we make a decision.

We must renounce our sinful desire to know the future and to be in control. We are not gods. We walk by faith and not by sight. We risk because God does not risk. We walk into the future in God-glorifying confidence, not because the future is known to us but because it is known to God.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK
A MUST READ FOR SENIORS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS AND VERY USEFUL FOR ALL OF THE REST OF US

Rebels Rescued

Brian Cosby

A Student's Gide to Reformed Theology
ISBN 978-1-84550-980-4
103 pages
Christian Focus 2012

Excerpt from back cover
Have you ever had a shopping cart with a broken wheel? You push it around and all it wants to do is run into the sides of the aisle. If you were to let the cart go, it would immediately turn and smash into that case of pickles ahead!

You are the shopping cart! The bad wheel is your heart. It's always veering off, leading you away from what you were created to be. You were created for God's love and glory, but instead, your heart pulls you away from Jesus and into something much worse than a case of pickles.

Reformed theology teaches that, because we are more sinful than we could ever imagine, it can only be God who takes our sinful heart (that broken shopping cart wheel) and replaces it with one that has both the ability and the desire to seek him and follow him. By faith in Christ, you are no longer set to smash into the aisles of sinful destruction. No, he promises to carry us in the grip of his grace.

Generous Justice

Timothy Keller

ISBN 978-0-525-95190-2
189 pages
Dutton 2010

Excerpt from slip cover
It is commonly thought in secular society that the Bible is one of the greatest hindrances to doing justice. Isn't it full of regressive views? Didn't it condone slavery? Why would we look to the Bible for guidance on how to have a more just society? But Timothy Keller, pastor of New York City's Redeemer Presbyterian Church, challenges these preconceived beliefs and presents the Bible as a fundamental source for promoting justice and compassion for those in need. In Generous Justice, he explores a life of justice empowered by an experience of grace: a generous, gracious justice.

Quotes
When the Spirit enables us to understand what Christ has done for us, the result is a life poured out in deeds of justice and compassion for the poor.  Jonathan Edwards

Excerpts from Chapter 6 on "How we should do justice"

• How much should we help?
• Whom should we help?
• Under what conditions does your help proceed or end?
• In what way do we help?
• From where should we help?
• Always err on the side of being generous.
• We are not to give expecting gratitude.

The Book of the Dun Cow

Walter Wangerin, Jr.

Fiction
Harper Publishing

This book is just a good fun read.  Wangerin has an interesting writing style and quite an imagination.  If you just want to relax with some good, clean fiction, give this book a try.

The Ten Commandments

J. Douma

Manual for Christian Living
ISBN 0-87552-237-8
353 pages
P&R Publishing 1992

Excerpt from slip cover
In this commentary on the commandments, Douma tackles the difficult yet practical issues of or time with insight thoroughness  and faithfulness to God's Word. Discussions on the commandments span current issues from religious art to sorcery and witchcraft, from Sunday observance to civil disobedience, from abortion to euthanasia and suicide.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK

Giving Up Gimmicks

Brian H. Cosby

ISBN 978-1-59638-394-4
138 pages
P&R Publishing 2012

Excerpt from back cover
Far too many teenagers raised in Christian homes drift away from the church after high school. Why is this true? Could it be because youth groups, in seeking to elevate experience over ruth, have left teens dissatisfied and hungry for the truth?

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK

This is a must read for anyone involved or thinking of getting involved in youth ministy.

The Path Of True Godliness

Willem Teelinck 1579-1629

ISBN 978-1-892777-75-1
300 pages
Reformation Heritage Books 2003

Table of Contents

1. The character of true Godliness
2. The kingdom of darkness opposes the practice of Godliness
3. The Kingdom of grace promotes Godliness
4. Godly living is the goal of life
5. The means to attain the true purpose of life
6. Using God-given means to practice true Godliness
7. Motives to practice Godliness derived from God's attributes
8. Motives to practice Godliness derived from our own condition
9. Three more reasons for practicing Godliness

Instruments In The Redeemer's Hands

Paul David Tripp

ISBN 0-87552-607-1
348 pages
P&R Publishing 2002

Excerpt from back cover
We might be relieved if God placed our sanctification only in the hands of trained professionals, but that is not his plan. Instead, through the ministry of every part of the body, the whole church will mature in Christ.

Quotes
"Foolishness controls the man who is open to no one's counsel and the person who sees little need to study God's Word. This foolishness distorts our sense of identity, destroys relationships, retards growth, and derails change."

"An idol of the heart is anything that rules me other than God. If God isn't ruling my heart, then someone or something else will. It is the way we are made."

"I don't know what tomorrow will bring, but I know that I am in the family of God, eternally loved and care for by him. This is real hope."

The Reason For God

Tim Keller

ISBN 978-0-525-95049-3
240 pages
Dutton 2008

Excerpt from slip cover

• Why does God allow suffering?
• How could a loving God send someone to hell?
• Why isn't Christianity more inclusive?
• How can one religion be "right" and the others "wrong".
• Why have so many wars been fought in the name of God?

These are just a few of the questions and doubts even ardent believers wrestle with today.

Quote
"In self-centeredness we demand that others orbit around us. We will do things and give affection to others, as log as it helps us meet our personal goals and fulfills us. The inner life of the triune God, however, is utterly different. The life of the Trinity is characterized not by self-centeredness bt by mutually self-giving love. When we delight and serve someone else, we enter into dynamic orbit around him or her, we center on the interests and desires of the other."

What Is A Healthy Church Member

Thabiti M. Anyabwile

ISBN 1-4335-0212-7
117 pages
Crossway 2008

This book is part of the IX Marks series.

Table of Contents

1. A healthy church member is an expositional listener
2. A healthy church member is a Biblical theologian
3. A healthy church member is gospel saturated
4. A healthy church member is genuinely converted
5. A healthy church member is a Biblical evangelist
6. A healthy church member is a committed member
7. A healthy church member seeks discipline
8. A healthy church member is a growing disciple
9. A healthy church member is a humble follower
10. A healthy church member is a prayer warrior

The Enemy Within

Kris Lundgaard

ISBN 0-87552-201-7
140 pages
P&R Publishing 1998

Excerpt from back cover
Why do I keep on sinning?
This book takes dead im at the heart of ongoing sin. Drawig from two master works by John Owen, Kris Lundgaard offers insight, encouragement, and hope for overcoming the enemy within.

Quotes
"The writer to the Hebrews even speaks f resisting sin to the point of shedding your blood (Hebrews 12:4). The life of the disciple is not for the timid. Most would rather give in to sin than go through the painful work of picking up a cross and nailing their flesh to it."

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK
This is the most helpful book I have found on dealing with sin.  It is great for use in small groups.  This books gets in your face and challenges you.

Don't Waste Your Life

John Piper

ISBN 1-58134-610-7
189 pages
Crossway 2003

Excerpt from back cover
It's easy to slip through life without taking any risks - without making your life count. But life ought not be wasted. You don't need to know a lot of things to make a lasting difference in the world, but you do have to know the few, great, unchanging and glorious things that matter and be willing to die for them.

Quotes
"All heroes are shadows of Christ."

"He is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him."

Humility - True Greatness

C. J. Mahaney

ISBN 978-1-59052-326-1
171 pages
Multnomah Books 2005

Excerpt from back cover
This is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit.  Isaiah 66:2
God clearly states that He is drawn to the humble. He's also clear that He opposes the proud. These two, humility and pride, cannot coexist. Where one is fostered, the other is defeated.

Quotes
"Pride is when sinful human beings aspire to the status and position of God and refuse to acknowledge their dependence on Him."

"Pride takes innumerable forms but has only one end - self-glorification. That's the motive and ultimate purpose of pride - to rob God of legitimate glory and to pursue self-glorification."

"An ungrateful person is a proud person."

Pray With Your Eyes Open

Richard L. Pratt, Jr.

ISBN 0-87552-378-1
182 pages
P&R Publishing 1987

Excerpt from back cover
"My prayers never seem to go anywhere."  Sound familiar?  Richard Pratt knows the burdens many of us carry because of inadequate prayer lives. He offers clear biblical direction on how to pray more effectively. With remarkable balance he discusses key issues: from fascination with God to hones confession of our deepest needs, from concerns over form and freedom in prayer to questions about body language and fasting.

Quotes
"As we contemplate the wonder of God's character, fascination for Him will grow and grow."

"Only when we acknowledge our complete dependence on God can we begin to enter prayer with a proper focus on God."

"Prayer is an excellent way of refreshing our appreciation for God.  Simply telling God about His excellent qualities stirs our hearts to wonder."

When Helping Hurts

Steve Corbett & Brian Fikkert

ISBN 0-8024-5705-3
218 pages
Moody Publishers 2009

Excerpt from back cover
When Helping Hurts reveals the painful truth about poverty. But it does more than tell you what not to do. The book moves from foundational concepts about poverty (Who are the poor?) to principles (Should we do relief, rehabilitation, or development?), to strategies (How can we help the poor domestically? Internationally?)

Quotes
“Poverty is rooted in broken relationships, so the solution to poverty is rooted in the power of Jesus' death and resurrection to put all things in right relationship again.” 

“... work is an act of worship. When people seek to fulfill their callings by glorifying God in their work, praising Him for their gifts and abilities, and seeing both their efforts and its products as an offering to Him, then work is an act of worship to God. On the other hand, when work is done to glorify oneself or merely to achieve more wealth, it becomes worship of false gods. How we work and for whom we work really matters.”

The Search for Significance

Robert S. McGee

ISBN 0-8499-4424-4
151 pages plus workbook
W Publishing Group 2003

Excerpt from the back cover
What makes this book so uniquely powerful? The journey begins in  very private place: your thoughts. When I fail at something, I feel lousy about myself . . . When others don't approve of me, I can't seem to get over it . . . Sometimes it feels like I'll never measure up . . . These are the universal lies that trigger the cycle of self-doubt, robbing you of joyful living.

One by one Robert McGee confronts the lies, dismantles them, and points you to a higher truth that is the source of meaning. And the source of life itself.

The Autobiography of George Muller

George Muller

ISBN 0-88368-159-5
235 pages
Whitaker House original 1860

Excerpt from back cover
Join him on his journey from a life of sin and rebellion to his glorious conversion. Share his struggles and triumphs as he establishes orphan homes to care for thousands of children - depending upon God's daily miraculous responses to his prayers to supply all their needs. George Muller's unwavering, childlike dependence upon his heavenly Father will inspire you to confidently trust the God of the impossible to meet your needs in every area of your life.

Pilgrim's Progress

John Bunyan

ISBN 1-4335-0699-8

222 pages

Crossway original 1679

Excerpt from back cover

Written in the form of a highly imaginative allegory, The Pilgrim's Progress tells the unforgettable story of Christian and the extreme soul-threatening dangers he encounters on his journey to the Celestial City. ut is is also much more than an allegory; in a sense, it is both the personal story of Bunyan and the universal story of anyone who undertakes the same eternal pilgrimage.  The result is a masterpiece of literature as well as spiritual truth - a book that at one time was loved and read in nearly every home in England and North America, a book that has endured as a classic for more than three centuries.

The Valley of Vision

Edited by Arthur Bennet

A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions
ISBN 0-85151-228-3
223 pages
The Banner of Truth Trust 1975

Excerpt from the Introduction
"These prayers are drawn from the largely forgotten deposit of Puritan spiritual exercises, meditations and aspirations. They testify to the richness and colour of evangelical thought and language that animated vital piety in an important stream of English religious life. It is hoped that their publication will help to redress the neglect of this vast ocean of Puritan spirituality."

Excerpt from Self-Knowledge page 69
Give me grace to recall my needs,
  my lack of knowing thy will in Scripture,
    of wisdom to guide others,
    of daily repentance, want of which keeps thee at bay,
    of the spirit of prayer, having words without love,
    of zeal for thy glory, seeking my own ends,
    of joy in thee and thy will,
    of love to others.

The Robe

Lloyd C. Douglas

Fiction
ISBN 0-395-40799-0
508 pages
Houghton Mifflin 1942

This is the fictional story of the soldier who gambled for Christ's robe and won.  This is a good read and much better than the movie.  Over  million copies of this book have been sold.

Excerpt from the back cover
The Robe is more than a novel; it is a deeply felt and moving parable of one man's quest for faith and truth in a godless world.

More Than A Carpenter

Josh McDowell

Non-Fiction

ISBN 0-8423-4552-3

128 pages

Living Books 1977

This is the book that we read and discussed in Sunday school when I first started attending Hope Fellowship Church back in 1989.  This is a classic defense of who Jesus is.  This is a must read for any Christian or anyone doubting that Jesus is who he says he is, the Son of God.

An excerpt from the introduction

"Why is it that you can talk about God and nobody gets upset, but as soon as you mention Jesus, people often want to stop the conversation? Why have men and women down through the ages been divided over the question, "Who is Jesus?"

June Bug

Chris Fabry

Fiction
ISBN 978-1-4143-1956-8
326 pages
Tyndale 2009

Sometimes I just want a good clean read and Chris Fabry provides this in June Bug. June Bug was a finalist for the 2010 Christy Award. This is a nice, easy read that you can't put down and it ends with an interesting twist. Chris won the Christy Award in 2009 with Dogwood and in 2011 with Almost Heaven.

Chris Fabry is a native of West Virginia who hosts the daily program Chris Fabry Live! on the Moody Radio  Chris is the author of Dogwood and more than 50 novels for children and young adults.