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Thursday, April 10, 2014

Review - The Heroic Boldness of Martin Luther


Review – The Heroic Boldness Of Martin Luther

I’ve said it before, and so I’ll make the statement now that I, like a good many people, tend to stay away from Biographies and Autobiographies because while the informative value is usually unequaled, the presentation is generally dry and it seems like the monotony will never end.  But I’m more than pleasantly surprised by the superb use of space by the author in the one hundred and twenty-two pages of The Heroic Boldness of Martin Luther. 

In the first chapter of this book, Dr. Lawson introduces the reader to the humble beginnings of the son of copper miner Hans Luder and a devout Roman Catholic mother. The manner in which Lawson presents a brief yet complete synopsis of Martin Luther’s life is anything but dry and monotonous, which as I stated earlier is what I’ve come to expect to find in this type of work.  By maintaining the use of the same “rapid” writing style that was in evidence from the preface on, this writer doesn’t give the reader time to become bored or overwhelmed by what is actually a goodly amount of information.  In fact, I was a bit perturbed that the book ended as soon as it did, I wanted it to continue on. 

I came away from this read with the same mindset that I, as an author, work towards developing in my readers.  While without a doubt complete, this book left me with the need to do further research on the person of Martin Luther, to answer questions not raised in the book, but by the book.  In my humble opinion, this is what a well-written book or a well-delivered sermon should accomplish.

Well done, Dr. Steven J. Lawson!    

 

 

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Review - Extreme Prayer by Greg Pruett

Okay, I'll admit it, when this book came up for review my first instinct was to pass on it.  My reason was legitimate.  Prayer, both as a topic and as a practice, has been written on so much that many people are jaded on the subject.  But, with a bit of Spiritual pushing and shoving [by His Holy Spirit of course!], I committed to review Extreme Prayer, and what a blessing it's been for me.

Pruett has managed to introduce the same Scripture(s) on prayer that we'll all had shoved down our throats many times in an entirely new way.  He doesn't approach either the concept of prayer as a whole or the practise of praying as individuals as a requirement or a duty.  By wrapping his life experiences in ministry around solid Biblical teaching on the subject of prayer, the author makes it possible for readers to come away from this one hundred and fourteen page book looking forward to the adventure of a life of prayer with the Lord.  By tying different episodes of his, his families, and his ministry partners' live to the absolutes of Biblical prayer, this author successfully introduces prayer to readers in what I believe to be God's intent.  Scripture doesn't support that prayer should be a dreaded, or a "to be avoided at all cost(s)" part of the Believer's lives.  Prayer is something intended to be a part of Christians' lives that is looked forward to, depended on, and sought after.

The writing of Extreme Prayer is obviously the result of both the inspiration of the Lord's Holy Spirit, and a life lived focused on prayer.

Well done, Greg Pruett!

The book Extreme Prayer was furnished to myself by Tyndale Momentum in consideration for my reviewing the book. In no way was my review influenced by Tyndale Momentum of any other person.