A PLACE OF HEALING - BOOK REVIEW

I had in recent months posted a review of Joni's narration of her book, A PLACE OF HEALING. This review and others can be found at,
 http://www.audiofilemagazine.com/default.cfm.

I just recently submitted a different review summary of the audio book to Christian Audio. Here is the review:

A Place of Healing by Joni Earekson Tada

Read by Joni Earekson Tada

Whether you are familiar with Joni Earekson Tada or just being introduced to her, one thing will become obvious to you – she has a deep love for God and His Son Jesus. Something else is very evident – she has and continues to submit willingly, but not blindly, to His sovereign plan for her life.

This sovereign plan for her life is nothing short of amazing. Though a quadriplegic since her teen years, the result of a diving accident, Joni continues to go forth valiantly following her Lord. Joni expresses her submission to God’s sovereignty when at one point in the book she says, “My wheelchair is a place of healing”.

This book is a wonderful blending of Joni’s life as it was, is, and continues to be. She lets us into her innermost thoughts. In that sense it is autobiographical. She uses this autobiographical information as a springboard for a wonderful teaching on God’s Sovereignty and His will concerning healing.

You will be blessed as Joni narrates her own story. You will be amazed at God’s grace when you find out that it was with much difficulty that she recorded this audio book. It is not for sympathy that she even mentions this difficulty but rather to glorify God and to magnify Jesus. She does not have all the answers and she will sometimes even question God about her situation but not with despair. She knows and trusts the One in whom she has believed.

This reviewer is part of the christianaudio Reviewers Program. More information about this audio book and others can be found at: http://christianaudio.com/a-place-of-healing-joni-eareckson-tada.

HELL - TO BE OR NOT TO BE - CONSCIOUS THAT IS

Is there a definition of hell in the bible? The fact is, every time hell, eternal punishment, or other such words are used, a piece of the definition is being forged. So, in order to get the whole picture, you would have to do more than pick just certain verses and come to a conclusion. For instance, in one place we read about the dead not being conscious and in another place Jesus talks about the place where "there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, where the worm does not die."

How are these seemingly opposing statements to be reconciled? Here are a few ideas:

Dead people do not gnash with there teeth! I am not sure exactly what "the worm" is, but, isn't it interesting that it does not die, in a place reserved for judgment?

Another place, in 2 Thessalonians talks about "suffering the punishment of eternal destruction". Eternal destruction? Destruction that never ends? And all this is going to take place "away from the presence of the Lord". The word fire may just be a symbol, a metaphor. I would ask what is it a metaphor of?

The bible speaks of those who will "die" and go to heaven eternally. Are they really alive? And the splendors of heaven, do you think that the description in that bible (God's Holy Word) even comes close to the full glory of it? If that is true of Heaven then it is equally true of Hell. The bottom line, the full reality of both Heaven and Hell is far more than our finite minds and limited words can express. How much more glorious Heaven will be! By the same token, how much more terrifying Hell will be!

Another thought, concerning fire, whether literal or not God knows, however isn't it interesting that Moses saw a burning bush whose leaves and branches were not consumed?

Add all these verses with the ones that mention that the dead are not conscious and they will take on a different meaning. How can we reconcile that the dead are not conscious in light of the above verses? I believe that the dead are not conscious of the pleasures of the life of the living, of the joys of being in the presence of the Lord. But they do understand the presence of the Lord, not for joy, but for terror.

If anyone thinks this makes God sound harsh and unloving, consider this - "there is none righteous, no not one" Do you think you are better than say, Adolph Hitler? Why? What did you do that wooed the attention of God, that got you in His good graces? The fact is that unless Jesus is your Lord and Savior, the wrath of God is hanging over you even now. Apart from Him Hitler's fate is your fate. On the other hand if Jesus is your Lord and Savior, the glories of God's dwelling place await you. Your destiny will be the same as Jesus, who is now with God His Father.

This is hardly exhaustive and in fact far too simple. But I hope it will stir up your minds and get you searching the Bible to see if these things are true.

ARE YOU A CHILD OF THE KING?

I was blessed to read this poem. All children of the King will be blessed.

http://www.joncandrews.com/2011/03/child-of-king.html

Have You Listened to the BOOK Lately?

Well? Have you listened to the "Book" lately? It will be one of the most beneficial listening experiences you will ever have.

I have listed below, sites that feature free on-line Bible listening. You can listen in a variety of translations (English Standard Version (ESV), New Living Translation (NLT), The Net Bible, New International Version (NIV), American Standard Version (ASB), King James Version (KJV). These are some of my favorites.

May God bless you as you listen!

"Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God" Matthew 4:4 (ESV)

The "Book" - The Bible - is nothing less than God's Word.

http://classic.net.bible.org/bible.php

http://www.faithcomesbyhearing.com/ambassador/free-audio-bible-download

http://bible.cbn.com/BibleInAYear.aspx?day=4&plan=1

http://www.biblegateway.com/versions/

http://www.listenersbible.com/devotionals/listen

http://www.blueletterbible.org/reader/daily/generic.cfm

JOHN BUNYAN, THOUGH LONG GONE, STILL SPEAKS

The lists below are from John Bunyan (1628-1688), in his authobiography, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners, which journals his spiritual journey from unbelief to belief in the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 6. I find to this day seven abominations in my heart:

(1) Tendencies toward unbelief.

(2) Suddenly to forget the love and mercy that Christ manifests.

(3) A leaning to the works of the law.

(4) Wanderings and coldness in prayer.

(5) To forget to watch for that which I pray for.

(6) Apt to murmur because I have no more, and yet ready to abuse what I

     have.

(7) I can do none of those things which God commands me, but my

     corruptions will thrust themselves in, ‘When I would do good, evil is 

     present with me.’

7. These things (mentioned above) I continually see and feel, and am afflicted and oppressed with; yet the wisdom of God orders them for my good.

(1) They make me abhor myself.

(2) They keep me from trusting my heart.

(3) They convince me of the insufficiency of all inherent righteousness.

(4) They show me the necessity of fleeing to Jesus.

(5) They press me to pray unto God.

(6) They show me the need I have to watch and be sober.

(7) And provoke me to look to God, through Christ, to help me, and carry me

     through this world. Amen

AudioFile audiobook review: A PLACE OF HEALING By Joni Eareckson Tada, Read by Joni Eareckson Tada

I have had a unique opportunity to start doing some reviews for Audio File Magazine. It is unique to me in that I am not reviewing the book and its contents. I am reviewing the readers of the books and even though comments about the book may appear, they are secondary to the main focus.

The following is my first audio reader review:

AudioFile audiobook review: A PLACE OF HEALING By Joni Eareckson Tada, Read by Joni Eareckson Tada

A review of the book will coming soon.

HAVEN'T READ D.A. CARSON'S NEW BOOK - SCANDALOUS!

SCANDALOUS: The Cross and Resurrection of Jesus   by D.A.  Carson

Doesn’t the title of this book grab your attention? It grabbed mine.

If someone had asked about the scandal of the cross, before listening to this, I believe that I could give a sufficient answer as to its scandal. How the resurrection was a scandal I was not so sure about. Author D.A. Carson opened my mind to far more than I could even think about for both the cross and the resurrection.

Each of the main five chapters had been taken from five different messages given at a conference. Each could stand alone, but there were two ties, the theme of the scandalous and scriptural eyewitness accounts.

The scriptural exposition of eye witness accounts bring out each of the scandals. The accounts stretch from before the cross to the resurrection. In each of the five accounts, Carson, in a unique way presents what appears, at times, to be an unrelated idea (sometimes from Scripture, sometimes from modern accounts). These unrelated ideas are actually introductions for the specifics of the scandal within each passage in question.

The reader, John Haag, did a fine job capturing the essence with his excellent and well executed phrasing.  Your mind will be engaged and fascinated.

As a part of the christianaudio Reviewers Program, I have no problem recommending this book. I listened to it twice. The second brought out so much more.

 You can find this book as well as other great books at: http://christianaudio.com/.