For Me, This Lion Can't Roar!

In Davis Bunn’s latest book, Lion of Babylon, a fantasy world is presented as the setting for this mystery.  If you have the ability to divorce yourself from all aspects of reality, perhaps you would enjoy this book.  This is another book that did not impress me – at all.

Christians, Muslims, professional and commom man all find themselves melding together in a surreal setting where Kumbaya and smores by the campfire must be the norm.  I kept waiting for Peter Pan or Wonder Woman to join this cast of characters bent on bringing world peace!

The author is certainly a masterful writer when it comes to the plot of this story, my concern deals strictly with the character development.  Given the current political atmosphere in the Middle East, and the polarization of views of each side of the religion question, I find it more than a strectch to think these characters could peacefully coexist, much less form a well oiled covert operative group!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through their bloggers review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Extraordinary? - not so much

In John Bevere's latest book, Extraordinary – The Life You’re Meant to Live, readers are presented with an unrealistic, seemingly hedonistic view of modern Christianity.

As you can probably tell by the opening sentence, I found this book disrespectful at best and blasphemy at worst.

Extraordinary puts an unhealthy emphasis on how great our life should be and urges us, in the vein of Osteen, to pursue “our best life now".  Bible reading and BELIEVING Christians will tell you that our best life is yet to come.  As Paul told the church at Corinth, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. Christ himself told us that we would have to take up our cross in order to follow Him.

Bevere was very candid about his past struggles with lust and an addiction to pornography and he openly discussed how saturating himself in God's Word helped him to overcome these strongholds.  That is the most redeeming portion of the author's work.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through their bloggers review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Boone Drake is back!

The Betrayal is the second installment in the 11 Precinct Series by Jerry B. Jenkins.  Boone Drake is back and once again he is on a mission. 

I was a little apprehensive when I received this book to find that it is a sequel, but readers will have no issues with catching on to the exploits of Boone as he deals with betrayal and corruption that is pervasive in the Chicago Police Department

Boone has to deal with impending threats to his life on almost every page, coming from both somewhere deep in the Chicago Police Department and members of the street gangs he battled persistently in the first book, The Brotherhood.

As the pages seemingly turn themselves, readers are left to wonder about the characters that Boone is interacting with.   Only at the conclusion of this book do the answers become “seemingly” apparent.  There are some doors left unopened – I’m assuming the author will explore them in future volumes.

Overall, if suspense and intrigue is up your alley, grab a cup of coffee and a copy of this book – then take the phone off the hook and devour!

 Here's a sample to get you started:  Link to 1st chapter

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through their bloggers review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

How about a little fire, Scarecrow?

Some time ago, a few ladies met in a certain city to read the scriptures, and make them the subject of conversation. While reading the third chapter of Malachi they came upon a remarkable expression in the third verse: "And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." One lady's opinion was that is was intended to convey the view of the sanctifying influence of the grace of Christ. Then she proposed to visit a silversmith and report to them what he said on the subject.

She went accordingly and without telling the object of her errand, begged to know the process of refining silver, which he fully described to her. "But Sir" she said, "do you sit while the work of refining is going on?" "Oh, yes, madam," replied the silversmith; "I must sit with my eye steadily fixed on the furnace, for if the time necessary for refining be exceeded in the slightest degree, the silver will be injured."

The lady at once saw the beauty, and comfort too, of the expression, "He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." Christ sees it needful to put His children into a furnace; His eye is steadily intent on the work of purifying, and His wisdom and love are both engaged in the best manner for them. Their trials do not come at random; "the very hairs of your head are all numbered."

As the lady was leaving the shop, the silversmith called her back, and said he had forgotten to mention that the only way that he knows when the process of purifying is complete when he sees his own image reflected in the silver....

--Author Unknown

The Remarkable Story of George Wilson

On December 6, 1829 two men, George Wilson and James Porter, robbed a United States mail carrier in Pennsylvania. Both men were subsequently captured and tried. On May 1, 1830 both men were found guilty of six indictments which included robbery of the mail "and putting the life of the driver in jeopardy." On May 27th both George Wilson and James Porter received their sentences: Execution by hanging. The sentences were to be carried out on July 2nd, 1830.

By today’s standards, this sentence seems very harsh. Remember, no one was killed in their crimes. In the earlier days of American history the justice system more closely followed Biblical principles.

The system was both swift: "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil." Ecclesiastes 8:11. And harsh: "Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man." Genesis 9:6.

James Porter was executed on schedule. George Wilson was not. Shortly before the set date a number of Wilson’s influential friends pleaded for mercy to the President of the United States, Andrew Jackson, on behalf of their friend.

President Jackson issued a formal pardon. The charges resulting in the death sentence were completely dropped. Wilson would have to serve only a prison term of twenty years for his other crimes.

Incredibly George Wilson Refused The Pardon!

According to the official report, THE UNITED STATES VERSUS GEORGE WILSON (Peters 7 Report Sections 150-163) Wilson was returned to court as they attempted to "force" the pardon on him. It is recorded that George Wilson chose to:

"...waive and decline any advantage or protection which might be supposed to arise from the pardon referred to..." Wilson also stated that he "...had nothing to say, and that he did not wish in any manner to avail himself in order to avoid sentence ..."

The case reached the Supreme Court. The Attorney-General made the following comments:

"The court cannot give the prisoner the benefit of the pardon, unless he claims the benefit of it... It is a grant to him: it is his property; and he may accept it or not as he pleases."

Chief Justice John Marshall wrote the following in the decision:

"A pardon is an act of grace, proceeding from the power entrusted with the execution of the laws, which exempts the individual, on whom it is bestowed, from the punishment the law inflicts for a crime he has committed...

"A pardon is a deed, to the validity of which delivery is essential; and delivery is not completed without acceptance. It may then be rejected by the person to whom it is tendered; and if it be rejected, we have discovered no power in a court to force it on him.

"It may be supposed that no being condemned to death would reject a pardon, but the rule must be the same in capital cases and in misdemeanors."

In other words, George Wilson committed a crime. He was tried and found guilty. He was sentenced to be executed. A presidential decree granted him a full pardon. But George Wilson chose rather to refuse that pardon. The courts concluded that the pardon could not be forced upon him so George was hanged.

Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Isaiah 55:6-7.

A New Title from the Bible Answer Man

Has God Spoken?  Proof of the Bible’s Divine Inspiration is the latest book from Hank Hanegraaff.  If you like apologetics (and anagrams) you will like this book. 

Many today proclaim the Bible to be the inspired, inerrant and infallible Word of God.  Most, even some of today’s most powerful preachers, proclaim this rather vociferously – even though the only basis to their claim is their substantial faith.  Hank Hanegraaff sets out to provide a resource that all can use to strengthen their apologetic foundation.

Early on the author address the post modernism logic that is pervasive in today’s culture, along with the idea that some might be disappointed to find there is not much depth to the evidence presented within the book.  The author chooses to draw from inferential textual criticism to lay the foundational proofs for his claims.

The use of anagrams is pervasive in this book, retaining the author’s style of teaching through the use of this tool.  When the author chooses to emphasize a point, he will do so through comparison of other’s ideas.  Such is the case with his disagreements with UNC – Chapel Hill’s liberal leaning professor Bart Ehrman.

This book will present a challenge to some, as I am sure they, as I did, will find areas of the authors arguments a little difficult to swallow and counter to a fundamental view of hermeneutics.  Overall, this is a good book, but I believe the author falls a little short by trying to cover so much within one title.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through their bloggers review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”