WalkerFamilyLife Blog

What Is the Gospel? by Greg Gilbert

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Really good short book on the essential elements of the gospel as distinguished from some popular errors in modern evangelicalism. Short, too the point, and inspirational.

View all my reviews

Documenting what we already knew about Hollywood’s agenda to promote the “normalcy” of homosexuality. We must be in the fight for the Biblical definition of marriage and not let our thinking be influenced by the world’s agenda!

Hollywood now opening arms to gay characters, families – USATODAY.com.

Not Even a Hint: Guarding Your Heart Against Lust by Joshua Harris

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the best book I’ve read on dealing with lust and sexual sin. I highly recommend it.

Josh Harris, author of I Kissed Dating Goodbye, deals transparently with the roots of lust and the real issues behind it. Then he equips the reader with the tools needed to fight it.

The biggest problem we have in the fight for moral purity is that we’ve let the lies of the world influence our thinking. Josh helps us see where we’ve gone astray and realign with God.

One other key point about this is that it is not just for men, but for women as well. We all battle it in different ways and Josh deals with it evenhandedly.

Read it!

View all my reviews

This article from CNN’s web site on the continued attack on the definition of marriage:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/08/12/equally.wed/index.html

Does it strike anyone else as revealing that most of the time there’s one masculine and one feminine partner, even in same-sex relationships? If homosexuality was so natural, wouldn’t that be less common?

NBC and the Today show once again showed the media’s agenda to portray homosexuality in a sympathetic and positive light by deciding to allow gay couples in their annual wedding contest. Never mind the statistics. Never mind the law. Never mind the Bible. Folks, the fight for the family is raging – make sure you are fully engaged!

‘Today’ show decision to open wedding contest to gay couples spurs heated debate | Show Tracker | Los Angeles Times.

The Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit by Francis Chan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Francis Chan picks up the mantle of Bill Bright in helping the church form a biblical understanding of the way that the indwelling of the Holy Spirit should change us. This is a challenging book and you may or may not agree with everything (I didn’t) but all believers do need to think through the things he is saying. Come Holy Spirit and fill your church!

View all my reviews >>

Adulterer dating site AshleyMadison.com offers $25M to buy rights to new Giants-Jets Meadowlands stadium – The Huddle: Football News from the NFL – USATODAY.com.

In Jeremiah chapter 12, the prophet voices an often considered question: “Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive?” A story like this raises that question again for me. ashleymadison.com is a dating site for married people seeking to have an adulterous relationship. They are actively promoting and profiting from the breakup of the family. The fact that they can offer $25 million for naming rights to a football stadium while organizations like FamilyLife who are seeking to give families help and hope are scrimping and saving to make an impact with less $$ than that as an annual budget is maddening.

We know that our God is a God of justice and there will be a high price for those who cause others to stumble. I pray for those who are tearing apart families like the folks at ashleymadison.com that they will come to understand God’s love for them, repent and submit to Christ’s lordship in their lives, but in the meantime let me challenge you consider which side of the battle for the family are you investing in? We invite you to join with us in our battle to see Every Home a Godly Home!

Continuing the theme from Chapter 3 of how marriage illustrates the fact that Christ’s relationship with his bride is built on a basis of grace, Chapter 4 speaks about two forms which that grace must take. Colossians 3:12-13 tells us

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

(Colossians 3:12-13 ESV, emphasis added)

If you are quick to anger, instead of being long-suffering, the root is probably lack of mercy and lack of lowliness. In other words, being chosen, holy, and loved has not broken your heart and brought you down from self-centeredness and pride.

Paul recognizes that both forgiving and forbearing are crucial for life together – whether in church or marriage. Forgiveness says: I will not treat you badly because of your sins against me or your annoying habits. And forbearance acknowledges (usually to itself): Those sins against me and those annoying habits really bother me or hurt me! If there were nothing in the other person that really bothered us or hurt us, there would be no need for saying “endure one another.”

Yesterday FamilyLife got approval from Apple for our first iPhone App. The FamilyLife Audio app lets you listen to recent broadcasts of FamilyLife Today and Real FamilyLife. It also gives you access to transcripts if they are available and the ability to email them to a friend! If you have an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad (lucky!), be sure to download it in the AppStore on your device or at http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/familylife-audio/id376833393?mt=8#.

Also, it’s very important to get those first reviews in so if you like what you see, be sure to give it 5 stars and a review!!

Son of Hamas by Mosab Hassan Yousef

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
True life spy-thriller told from by one with a unique perspective on the Israeli/Palestinian question. Born as the son of one of Hamas’ founders, Mosab tells how the teachings of Jesus transformed his thinking after he became a spy for the Israeli Shin Bet. He eventually put his faith in Christ and sought to stop as much violence as possible.
Absolutely riveting book with a great message and witness to the power of the gospel to change a life and many of those around it.

View all my reviews >>