LIVING BY FAITH
This section is devoted to those books which inspire us to walk more
closely with God
and to follow Him in our daily lives. It covers devotional books and those on discipleship
and spiritual warfare. Books exclusively devoted to prayer are more likely to be found on
another page:
Getting to Know God Better
 The Fight: A Practical Handbook for Christian Living by
John White. This is a guide through the basic areas of Christian living believers wrestle
with throughout their lives: faith, prayer, temptation, evangelism, guidance, Bible study,
fellowship, and work. The author shows new Christians how to begin their new lives and
offers older Christians refreshing insights into the struggles and joys of freedom in
Christ. This is a good basic book on discipleship. Trade paper, InterVarsity Press, 230
pages. CAt. #IVP-7770. $10.79-D
 Following
Jesus in the "Real World": Discipleship for the Post-College Years
by Richard Lamb. InterVarsity Press, soft cover, 223 pages. For those of us who
were active in campus Christian organizations, dorm Bible Studies and prayer
meetings, graduating and leaving the campus can be a spiritual let-down. Somehow
it's hard to find a church that seems to compare with the campus organizations
we belonged to. And the responsibilities of the "real world" of employment,
marriage, parenting, and financial pressures can take up a lot of those hours we
had for evangelism and fellowship while we were in college. This book helps both
new graduates and those who are looking back with nostalgia at their college
days to make the transition to a non-academic world. Here are some of the
chapter headings:
The King and the
Kingdom
Productivity and Prayer
Meaningless Work and Fruitful Labor
Community After College
Strategies for Church Involvement
A Mobilized Lifestyle for the Kingdom
Embracing a Lifestyle of Ministry
Finding God's Will for Your Life
The Joy of Obedience
Each chapter has some questions to reflect on and some
suggestions for further reading at the end. IVP-16089. $11.69-D
 Run with the Horses: The Quest for Life at Its Best
by Eugene Peterson. Trade paper, InterVarsity Press. This series of profound
reflections on the life of Jeremiah has meant more to me than any book I've read in a long
time. Each chapter begins with a verse or two from Jeremiah followed by a contemporary
quote in bold print that raises an issue or idea to think about. And then the author
shares his insights into the life of Jeremiah. Here is an excerpt to give you an idea of
the author's theme and style. First he sets the stage by talking about how many people
today live trivial lives and then do something really evil to establish their
significance. The mass media report what they've done and said, and then writers "vie
with one another in analyzing their motives," etc. Peterson points out that no
culture has been as eager as ours to reward nonsense and wickedness. The he goes on:
If, on the other hand, we look around for what
it means to be a mature, whole, blessed person, we don't find much. ...No journalist
interviews them. No talk show features them. They are not admired....They do not set
trends...At year's end no one compiles a list of the ten best-lived lives.
All the same, we continue to have an
unquenchable thirst for wholeness, a hunger for righteousness. When we get thoroughly
disgusted with the shams and cretins that are served up to us daily as celebrities, some
of us turn to Scriptures to satisfy our need for someone to look up to. What does it mean
to be a real man? A real woman? What shape does mature, authentic humanity take in
everyday life?
Peterson's response is to show us the live of Jeremiah, a man who lived
the life of faith to the hilt, and yet had the same human frailties all flesh is prone to.
Whether your life seems humdrum and boring, or frantic, if it's not fulfilling, this book
is for you. From Jeremiah learn to risk, to trust, and to pursue wholeness and excellence
-- "to run with the horses in the jungle of life in our times." Peterson is one
of the few authors who has dealt with the important issues of where we get our
significance in life and the excitement of walking by faith.. This is a book worth reading
again and again. 213 pages, including notes. Cat. #IVP-9056. $12.59-D
| 