I have been re-re-reading "Putting Amazing Back into Grace" by Michael Horton and am stunned once again! Any book that can capture your thoughts the third time around and make you expand on those thoughts is a book that you can really enjoy over and over until the binding wears out. The way I'm reading the book this time is reminiscent of the way I read "Desiring God" by John Piper about a year a go, chapter by chapter.

It is a slow, methodical process and one would think that reading a chapter more than once before moving on would get monotonous, but not so. This is my favorite way to read anything of substance. This is how I prefer to read the Bible, despite the image of an annual plowing of the scriptures that I present. This is how I read the Psalms, for they are not to be skimmed over. Reading an obligatory chapter a day is one thing. Pouring yourself into that chapter and meditating on it is a whole other way to absorb the truths within.

When an author presents something radical and new to me, I pour over it and look at the evidence given. I consult other works that I trust and ask questions of those whose opinions I have learned to respect. I also look to these sources for objections. When I was told about the Doctrine of Grace, my first thought was, "Of course one is saved by grace as soon as he takes the necessary steps toward grace." Trusted brothers in Christ patiently presented a grace to me that was much more amazing than what I had believed before.

The radical idea that I don't have to jump through any hoops! The belief that God is active at every level of our being, including the important parts! The concept that the atonement was not even a partial failure! These are the kinds of things I wrestled with until this was presented to me. These are the reasons I repeat myself when I beg you to challenge yourselves and to challenge those whose spiritual growth is your divinely-appointed responsibility. I drifted toward horror at the thought that I had missed a step somewhere and had to go outside the realm where those answers should be taught in order to find satisfaction.

I read and learned, but had some nagging questions about it all. And then came a book review by Tim Challies. I immediately decided to purchase this title, but not right away. For some reason, I didn't have a sense of urgency in this regard. That urgency was stoked by Tim Irvin's recommendation, and ultimately by his sending me an Amazon discount for the book. I'm not sure how he pulled that off, but I'm glad he did. To disregard his effort would have been rude in my thinking and I placed my order.

After one quick reading of this book, it all began to really make sense to me. The Reformed faith is not some legalistic holier-than-thou faith, contrary to the way that some practice it. On the contrary, it is a faith that despises legalism as the very reason the Reformers broke from the church was for their concerns with rules being added to the word of God. The Doctrines of Grace are nothing if you don't recognize the fact that sin is not found among the sinners, but within yourself. In light of much of today's teaching that humans are basically good people who have a myriad of options toward redemption (assuming the need for redemption is expressed), the doctrine of a self who is tainted by sin, both original and personal, is one that humbles all. Nobody has the right to act pious, as if their outward showing could fool God!

This book is the straw that broke the camel's back and caused me to turn away from self-redemption. I came to realize that no measure of retribution to God could begin to pay my debt. I also came to understand that an outwardly pious attitude is an affront to our Lord and Savior who did not leave any debt for me to pay.

This book offers so many reasons for my recommendation that I cannot list them all here. If you have questions about any of the major doctrines of the Reformed faith, this book brings the doctrines of the Reformation down to the lower shelf where anyone can understand their logic.

I stand eager to hear what books you recommend,

Today's Reading is found in Acts 21:37-23:35.

Paul was a very courageous man of faith and definitely proved it here. He had just suffered a brutal beating, having been rescued by the Romans and was really between a rock and a hard place. The human reaction is to crawl into a shell and beg for your life. Instead, he gave his testimony to the people. He let them know that he was one of them, and had been one of the staunchest fighters of Christianity up to the point where Jesus spoke to him directly. He then dared say that God had given him the task of seeking out Gentiles to become equal to Jews in God's eyes. The outrage that was expressed was huge! If these people thought Paul was just some charlatan, why did they mind him taking his act to the Gentiles, who were being actively sought as worshippers within the Abraham Covenant in Rome?

The following day, he continued to press this matter with his accusers by driving a wedge based on his knowledge of their religious differences between them. If they can't agree on the most basic theological matters, they had no business banding together against Paul, but without their threats, God's plan for Paul wouldn't have been carried out. The number of Roman soldiers guarding their prisoner is proof of the strength of the opposition to Paul's preaching.

Today's Reading is found in Acts 24-26.

Let me start out with a quick comment on this reading. Our court system may be overtaxed and the legal system is the basis of many popular television shows and even a popular cable network, but the perceived excellence of the court is not a new matter. As we read this first chapter of the day with the trial in front of Felix, we can plainly see that "Lawyerspeak" has been around for millennia! Another matter that has been around is bribery. Felix hinted around for two years for a bribe from Paul, but it never came. I'm not convinced that a bribe would have ever helped Paul, even if he tried it, for Felix left Paul in prison all of this time as a favor to the Jews. This covetousness kept him from doing the right thing and also kept him from allowing Paul's preaching to speak to his heart. This is an example of how a seemingly victimless crime can have a surprise victim of oneself.

Fearing he would be turned over to the pack of Jews that wanted him dead, Paul appealed to Caesar as a desperate attempt to preserve his life so his ministry could continue. It's obvious that none of the charges brought against him were valid in any way, as no earthly leader would condemn him at any level. It's also obvious that each of these men were not truly in power over the people, as each kept Paul in prison due to public pressure. I'm not saying that public opinions aren't important, but as a leader, sometimes the right thing to do is... the right thing to do, and none of these men were willing to do this. Eventually Paul was on his way to Caesar. Agrippa said that it was a shame that Paul appealed to Caesar, but I believe he was relieved by this, for he was exempt from having to make an unpopular decision.

Today's Reading is found in Acts 27.

Paul was among other prisoners on their way to Rome for various reasons and the going wasn't easy! In fact, the boat ended up in a hurricane of a storm. Thank God for the angel that was sent to calm Paul with the knowledge that he and the passengers and crew would survive to see dry land! Paul knew he would make it, because his job given from God wasn't completed, but he was able to tell the others that their lives were safe as well.

There were some sailors who didn't have faith in Paul's words and tried to escape in their lifeboat, but a word from Paul to the centurion took care of that mess. God would save the day, not some man-made device! This is a powerful lesson for today. On what do you base your salvation from the storms of this life? God or human effort? By faith or by force, on this day, God saved the people on that boat and he can save you from any sinking ship that you are on in your life.

You see, you were created uniquely for a certain purpose! God, the greatest craftsman of all, created you as an individual with a plan for your life, and you were meant to walk the path that He chose for you before you were formed in your mother's womb. This purpose that He has takes precedence over nature, over traffic, over hurricane storms at sea. If he didn't have a trail for you to walk, what would you do? The trail would be over and so would your life. This makes you so much more special than a rerun of Mr. Rogers could proclaim because this is taken directly from the Word of God!

Today's Reading is found in Acts 28 and Ephesians 1-2.

Yesterday we read that Paul had been given the task of preaching in Rome and that nothing would stop him from accomplishing the task God laid before him. With a promise such as this, is it any wonder that the poisonous snakebite had no affect on him? Later today we read from Paul's letter to Ephesus where predetermination comes forward again. Paul was blessed to know what his task was before it was carried out and knew that with God's will, he could continue no matter what obstacle was placed before him. Of course, had he known this after his conversion on the way to Damascus, his later work may have been a bit more abrupt. He surely responded to the stonings by covering his head with his arms in an effort to preserve his life. Had he known before that his job was to go to Rome, he may not have done this. Also, he may have become a bit lazy in his role in the church, as he was protected long enough to reach Rome. What if he had avoided that city for all of his life and eventually died an utter failure?

Perhaps we should just ask Jonah...

The next section of this letter is meant to serve as a bridge between Jews and Gentiles. Many Jewish Christians felt that Gentiles should be forced to follow the same laws they had followed for generations. This stance was causing arguments between the two groups of believers and Paul opposed this stance very strongly. The Law was no longer the governing authority in Heaven and all hostility regarding this matter was counterproductive to the church. After all, if the Law was so important following the crucifixion, there would have been no need for Jesus' ultimate sacrifice!

Today's Reading is found in Ephesians 3:1-5:14.

Paul reminds us of an important lesson in this part of his letter. We are servants of God, not for our glory or by our jockeying for position, but by his grace. This grace allows us to approach God, through Jesus, boldly and confidently! We can do this boldly because we can be certain in our salvation through Him. Although we can step boldly before God, we are reminded to live lives that are humble and gentle, giving God the glory for everything.

We are also to rejoice in the job Christ has chosen for us within the church. If you are in a prayer group, a member of the choir and an active participant of a Bible study, but not a leader of the church in a deacon role or something similar, why should you be upset about that? Be thankful for whatever role in the Body of Christ you play and perform that function to the best of your ability!

Today's Reading is found in Ephesians 5:15-6:23 and Colossians 1:1-23.

Satan tries to attack our faith on so many levels at once it's incredible! Marital problems, unethical choices that could improve our financial situation, depression that tries to pull you into the depths, even gossip that seems so harmless, but can destroy your credibility as a Christian are all just a few examples of battle grounds that are fought daily. The thought that we would be able to repel Satan's advances by our own devices is ludicrous as he has eons of practice at his art of deception, even having tried his tricks on our Lord and Savior. This passage talks about how we can triumph over these attacks through Jesus Christ.

• The belt of truth: Truth is the opposite of a lie. Truth is living a life true to your God (that is, without hypocrisy) and ultimate truth is found in His word. In Awana, my son learned John 17:17 "Your Word is Truth". This is a three-layered belt of protection that we are to wear at all times!
• The breastplate of righteousness: This is a very humbling armor for our heart. We read earlier that righteousness comes not from our good works, but by the grace of God. If you try to puff out your chest and proclaim your own righteousness, your heart becomes a tempting target for our accuser to strike. Retain your humility and remember that righteousness comes from God.
• The gospel shoes: The walk of faith can often be a treacherous one. There are mountains to climb and thorn fields to cross. If you don't have the right protection in your walk, you can easily stumble and be in so much pain that it becomes difficult to venture out again, or even be effective the first time out! Let God prepare you for your path with His Word!
• The helmet of salvation: Salvation is more than being called to Heaven when our pre-ordained days on this world are gone. It is a salvation from the power of sin as we are transformed into His image. Our renewing keeps the day of the Lord ever in our minds and guides our thoughts and habits to be with Him.
• The shield of faith: This is our first line of defense against Satan's attacks. The other parts of the armor are used if we should ever miss an attack with this protection. The shield and the sword (coming up next) are active ways we can defend ourselves from his advances. Faith in God should always be your first line of defense.
• The sword of the spirit: The Word of God is a powerful weapon against the Devil and contains truths that can defeat any temptation that is set against you. We are reminded to meditate on His word constantly as we deal with the perils that life throws at us.

Let us not forget to hold all of these pieces of armor together with prayer.

Today's Reading is found in Colossians 1:24-4:18.

So what's the big deal with this remark about hollow and deceptive philosophy? I took a philosophy class in college and didn't hear any theology there that I could disagree with. What I did learn was a way to think about life with Doug at the center of it all. That's not what a Godly life is, you know. A Godly life has God at the epicenter as you let Him make changes in your life to better emulate Him. Philosophers are notorious for placing their thoughts of God on the outside of their lives as they try to find ways to fit Him into their perceptions. I let this shallow philosophy take over my thoughts for too many years, so I can attest that this is a pitfall that all believers need to be aware of. You know, at the time, I felt that the philosophy course I took was the most rewarding class for those semesters. In retrospect, I wasn't spiritually prepared for it. We need to set our eyes upon Him. "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God" is more than just a line from the Bible. If God is placed at the head of our lives, He will be the wellspring for everything! I can think of no other source that I would want besides Him.

Next we have a blueprint for Christian Living in the family setting. Biblically, wives are meant to submit to their husbands and allow them to be the head of the household. This does not mean that men are to be tyrants, expecting dinner to be hot and ready whenever he chooses to return home. The second mention here says that husbands are to love their wives and not to treat them harshly. In a sense, the wife is to empower her husband to serve her. Children are to obey their parents and parents are to raise them with love, lest they become embittered. This is a beautiful picture of what families are to be all about! How often do you see a family like this in the sitcoms, though? You don't. Some say that art imitates life. As a husband and father, I pray that it is not my life that is being imitated!

Finally, lest anyone think that the Bible condones slavery, I want to announce that I am a slave to the grind! Not really, but I believe most of you knew what I meant. I go to my job five days a week and work for my boss faithfully. If she is out at a meeting, does that mean that I have the green light to just goof off? Of course not! I am to work for my boss as if I was an employee of God, for in a sense I am! My co-workers know that I am a Christian, and if I were to lie and cheat and goof off whenever I had an opportunity would certainly shed an unfavorable light upon us all in their eyes.

Weekly Link Think On These Things Every so often, I am told of a resource with firm Biblical roots. Think on These Things is a bi-monthly newsletter that really challenges the reader to think about what they believe concerning different aspects. The author has chosen to let Biblical truth serve as his opinion, rather than whatever whims are presented to him. He isn't afraid to speak his mind to others about things that matter, encouraging some with his support and lovingly correcting others with a combination of scripture and logic. From the site: Think on These Things Ministries is a vital outreach ministry of Southern View Chapel. Think on These Things, which began in 1994, was originally the name of a one-page paper created for a mission agency, who wanted to keep their missionaries informed of the theological landscape in America and around the world. Today, Think on These Things has grown into a monthly publication that deals with contemporary theological issues, and is sent to subscribers in nearly every state in the U.S. and to numerous countries around the world. In addition to the monthly articles, Think on These Things Ministries hosts Bible conferences and serves as the publishing arm of Southern View Chapel, featuring the writing ministry of Pastor Gary Gilley, who has authored two books, “I Just Wanted More Land”—Jabez and This Little Church Went to Market. Think on These Things is currently funded by Southern View Chapel and the generous gifts of its readers. While each issue of Think on These Things is available through our website, many receive a monthly subscription through the mail. To subscribe to this FREE publication, you may contact us at svchapel@svchapel.org. http://www.tottministries.org

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Thanks for sharing my goal of reading the Bible in its entirety this year!