Looking for a great read amidst a slew of so-so Hollywood films?
Get into - Water's Edge by Robert Whitlow and Thomas Nelson Publishers. He's been called the John Grisham of Christian novels. Personally after reading this book, I'm up for more of his writing.
I've enjoyed a number of John Grisham books turned into movies, foremost is The Firm with Tom Cruise, and also The Pelican Brief with Sandra Bullock and The Client. I've also enjoyed Tom Clancy books-turned-movies; sad that the author just recently passed away at a rather young age of 66 as he was a successful writer. If you've enjoyed their thrillers, you'd enjoy Water's Edge. It has the right combination of a fast pace that keeps you engaged, depth in the characters that you'd be able to identify in real people, heartwarming moments, a myriad of things going on that keeps you gripped, all while getting a good feel of life in a small town in the U.S. and not knowing how the ending will go.
I've watched the films made from books by John Grisham and Tom Clancy, but my free reading time has been mostly on Christian books, absorbing Christian wisdom. My Dad instilled in my siblings and I a love for reading. Then when I became born-again, I purposely spent my leisure reading times on the Bible, Christian apologetics books, books on fulfilled Bible prophecies, books related to Revelations in the Bible, Christian teaching books, and Christian novels. And I'm so glad I did that!
My Dad kept encouraging me to read biographies of successful people. Instead I read about the kings in the Bible, the prophets, about Jesus and the disciples, and missionaries who gave their life to the mission field. My Dad asked me to read history, and so I read history from the Bible - from Genesis to Deuteronomy, 1 & 2 Kings and Chronicles. I've read books on Biblical times, and even the archeological supplement in the Thompson Chain Reference Bible (Now also available as an e-book from Olive Tree). Dad asked me to read management and leadership books, so I read Hand Me Another Brick from Insight for Living that gave valuable leadership principles from the book of Nehemiah, and other Christian leadership books. I enjoyed science, paleontology and dinosaurs, geology and astronomy, so I read Christians science books and literature, many of which are available from AnswersInGenesis.org.
My Dad was a good man though he wasn't born-again at that time. It was a delight for me that he came to know The Lord personally, later on in life, and so also got into the Bible.
Here are 12 Reasons to Read the Bible and Christian Books.
1. To have eternal life. You haven't accepted Jesus as personal Savior and Lord? You've got huge problems ahead (i.e. eternal suffering in the lake of fire, the second death). Don't die (physically) until you accept Christ! But then, who knows, right? You could die tonight (surprisingly like Tom Clancy?), so... Don't Wait!
But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:31 NIV)
2. To grow in your Christian walk.
In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. (Hebrews 5:12-14 NIV)
3. To have wisdom and boldness, more than the schools of the world can teach.
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13 NIV)
4. To gain practical wisdom and insight, for wise living in the world.
The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: for gaining wisdom and instruction; for understanding words of insight; for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to those who are simple, knowledge and discretion to the young— let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance— for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. (Proverbs 1:1-6 NIV)
5. To understand God's will.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2 NIV)
6. To not become a fool.
Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:17 NASB)
7. To be ready to defend why you are a believer.
but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; (1 Peter 3:15 NASB)
8. To be encouraged.
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. (Romans 15:4 NIV)
9. To have hope.
For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth. (Psalm 71:5 NIV)
You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. (Psalm 119:114 NIV)
10. To be able to share the gospel, so your friends and people you know may go to heaven and not hell.
I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. (II Timothy 4:1, 2 NKJV)
11. To not be outwitted by the devil. Yup, he's real. And if you've believed the lie that he isn't real, you've been outwitted already. Camouflage, stealth and surprise are some of the best weapons in warfare. If you can't see the enemy mobilizing, you're already a dead target!
Another reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes. (2 Corinthians 2:9, 11 NIV)
12. Because God's Word will last forever, but everything else in the world will pass away. So any other subject or body of writing outside of God's revealed Word, will eventually fade and be irrelevant. It's therefore a good investment to get into the Bible and know what interests Him.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. (Luke 21:33 NKJV)
The above 12 points refer directly to the Bible, but to varying degrees also apply to other Christian literature.
So go ahead and read the Bible! Not yet a Christian and have no interest? Go back to point 1 and review!
Or, perhaps an enjoyable Christian novel will inspire you to have a personal encounter with God
Purchase a copy of Water's Edge from this website.
Happy Reading!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Get into - Water's Edge by Robert Whitlow and Thomas Nelson Publishers. He's been called the John Grisham of Christian novels. Personally after reading this book, I'm up for more of his writing.
I've enjoyed a number of John Grisham books turned into movies, foremost is The Firm with Tom Cruise, and also The Pelican Brief with Sandra Bullock and The Client. I've also enjoyed Tom Clancy books-turned-movies; sad that the author just recently passed away at a rather young age of 66 as he was a successful writer. If you've enjoyed their thrillers, you'd enjoy Water's Edge. It has the right combination of a fast pace that keeps you engaged, depth in the characters that you'd be able to identify in real people, heartwarming moments, a myriad of things going on that keeps you gripped, all while getting a good feel of life in a small town in the U.S. and not knowing how the ending will go.
I've watched the films made from books by John Grisham and Tom Clancy, but my free reading time has been mostly on Christian books, absorbing Christian wisdom. My Dad instilled in my siblings and I a love for reading. Then when I became born-again, I purposely spent my leisure reading times on the Bible, Christian apologetics books, books on fulfilled Bible prophecies, books related to Revelations in the Bible, Christian teaching books, and Christian novels. And I'm so glad I did that!
My Dad kept encouraging me to read biographies of successful people. Instead I read about the kings in the Bible, the prophets, about Jesus and the disciples, and missionaries who gave their life to the mission field. My Dad asked me to read history, and so I read history from the Bible - from Genesis to Deuteronomy, 1 & 2 Kings and Chronicles. I've read books on Biblical times, and even the archeological supplement in the Thompson Chain Reference Bible (Now also available as an e-book from Olive Tree). Dad asked me to read management and leadership books, so I read Hand Me Another Brick from Insight for Living that gave valuable leadership principles from the book of Nehemiah, and other Christian leadership books. I enjoyed science, paleontology and dinosaurs, geology and astronomy, so I read Christians science books and literature, many of which are available from AnswersInGenesis.org.
My Dad was a good man though he wasn't born-again at that time. It was a delight for me that he came to know The Lord personally, later on in life, and so also got into the Bible.
Here are 12 Reasons to Read the Bible and Christian Books.
1. To have eternal life. You haven't accepted Jesus as personal Savior and Lord? You've got huge problems ahead (i.e. eternal suffering in the lake of fire, the second death). Don't die (physically) until you accept Christ! But then, who knows, right? You could die tonight (surprisingly like Tom Clancy?), so... Don't Wait!
But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:31 NIV)
2. To grow in your Christian walk.
In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. (Hebrews 5:12-14 NIV)
3. To have wisdom and boldness, more than the schools of the world can teach.
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13 NIV)
4. To gain practical wisdom and insight, for wise living in the world.
The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: for gaining wisdom and instruction; for understanding words of insight; for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to those who are simple, knowledge and discretion to the young— let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance— for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. (Proverbs 1:1-6 NIV)
5. To understand God's will.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2 NIV)
6. To not become a fool.
Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:17 NASB)
7. To be ready to defend why you are a believer.
but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; (1 Peter 3:15 NASB)
8. To be encouraged.
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. (Romans 15:4 NIV)
9. To have hope.
For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth. (Psalm 71:5 NIV)
You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. (Psalm 119:114 NIV)
10. To be able to share the gospel, so your friends and people you know may go to heaven and not hell.
I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. (II Timothy 4:1, 2 NKJV)
11. To not be outwitted by the devil. Yup, he's real. And if you've believed the lie that he isn't real, you've been outwitted already. Camouflage, stealth and surprise are some of the best weapons in warfare. If you can't see the enemy mobilizing, you're already a dead target!
Another reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes. (2 Corinthians 2:9, 11 NIV)
12. Because God's Word will last forever, but everything else in the world will pass away. So any other subject or body of writing outside of God's revealed Word, will eventually fade and be irrelevant. It's therefore a good investment to get into the Bible and know what interests Him.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. (Luke 21:33 NKJV)
The above 12 points refer directly to the Bible, but to varying degrees also apply to other Christian literature.
So go ahead and read the Bible! Not yet a Christian and have no interest? Go back to point 1 and review!
Or, perhaps an enjoyable Christian novel will inspire you to have a personal encounter with God
Purchase a copy of Water's Edge from this website.
Happy Reading!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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