Old Testament Books

The Secret Power of Speaking God's Word (Meyer, Joyce)

Joyce Meyer

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 29 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Review of Secret Power of Speaking God's Word 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This book is excellent. It has many Bible scriptures on several subjects, any of which you may be dealing with at a particular time. Often, the scriptures are written in the first person so that that you can personalize them and make them daily confessions. For those of us that believe that speaking God's word is necessary, and is the essence of prayer, this book gives us quick access to spiritual nuggets in every imaginable area. It is a "God send," literally.

Use This Tool Daily 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I bought this book and I'm so glad I did! I'm using it every day, speaking God's Word for my life and the positive changes are really remarkable. This is the most useful book I've ever seen by Joyce Meyer and I just can't say enough about it. I'd rate it 10 stars if that were possible. Besides the content itself, this is a really well-made book, very sturdy and small enough to take along in my purse.

Many times when people are praying, they are just speaking to God about their problems. This is faithless prayer and God cannot change anything in your life when you don't ask with faith. God already knows about the situation and think about it this way...God says His Word will never go void, but that He watches over His Word to bring it to pass. When you speak God's Word over situations in your life, situations are guaranteed to improve. Speaking God's Word has caused my faith to grow enormously.

The book is broken down into different topics like courage, health, depression, finance and so many more. Get this book and start using it today!!! God will bless you like never before. Also get "God's Master Plan For Your Life" by Gloria Copeland. It's awesome! I pray that God begins to bless you in every area of your life as you put this foundational principle to work!

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23

W. Phillip Keller

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Total reviews: 67 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Former shepherd adds new meaning to a familiar psalm 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

The 23rd. Psalm is certainly one of the most familiar passages in the Bible. Despite that fact, author W. Phillip Keller adds new depth and meaning to it as he shares his experiences as a shepherd as they relate to Psalm 23. He shows us that a good shepherd is sufficient for all of a sheep's needs if he will but follow and obey him. He describes how a shepherd sets up a cast sheep (one who has fallen on his back)on his feet just as our Good Shepherd can set us up on our feet after problems. He tells the reader the importance of the shepherd providing water and good food for a sheep just as God provides us with physical and spiritual nourishment. I would recommend this book to anyone--believer and non-believer alike, and to anyone who is going through tough times and needs reassurance of God's love and guidance.

Editorial Review:

With over 2 million copies sold, Phillip Keller’s beloved contemporary classic spans the decades with its uplifting insights on Psalm 23. Pairing Keller’s sublime reflections with the New International Version, this edition sheds light for a new generation of readers on the nature and ways of sheep—and of the Good Shepherd who cares for them.

Reflections on the Psalms (Harvest Book)

C.S. Lewis

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Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Lewis' hidden gem 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

In most, if not all, of Lewis' non-fiction works, he, at some point, refers and appeals to "real theologians", perhaps, in an attempt to distinguish the framework of his opinions, thoughts, and understanding from individuals that have been formally educated in theology. While Lewis certainly appeared to dedicate a great deal of his time to theology, he continually reminded readers that he was not a formally educated theologian, nor did he consider himself an expert. In Reflections on the Psalms, however, it can be recognized that his authoritative disclaimer is a little more direct, adamant, and deliberate than that which might be considered typical within his work. Having been written towards the end of his life and career, it almost appears as if Lewis is pleading with the reader to remove any preconceived perception of higher authority on the matter that he might maintain in one's mind. That is, it seems as if Lewis' purpose was genuinely that of sharing thoughts and resulting conclusions that he, as a layperson, had found himself reflecting upon. He goes so far as to compare this work with schoolmates sharing and comparing notes in an effort to better comprehend how a problem is worked out, as opposed to appealing to an instructor who might only offer a solution without ever actually explaining the intricacies of how a particular difficulty is overcome. Lewis claims that this work might be beneficial to the unlearned reader because he, considering himself equally unlearned in comparison to some, had only recently met these particular difficulties and, therefore, could still remember what it was like to not understand, in contrast to the expert that has known the answer for so long that they have forgotten the difficulty altogether. While the authoritative disclaimer might be more persuasive in this work, after reading it throughout, it will likely be difficult for many readers to swallow the reality of their own understanding if Lewis is, as he claims to be, lacking in comparative understanding on the theological spectrum of knowledge.

Reflections on the Psalms, as is the case so often with this author, is an enlightening undertaking for those that have experience similar thoughts and struggles as those outlined within. This work is not the comprehensive study on the Psalms that the title might indicate but rather Lewis' actual reflections on the Psalms. Not attempting to compose a comprehensive study, Lewis has selected topics based on his own interests and approaches them systematically, beginning with those topics which he found most difficult and less pleasant to contemplate and progresses upon those foundations. That which one might find most enjoyable about this particular work is that it is not apologetic and, as such, Lewis replaces what might otherwise be argument with fluid, acute, contemplation. In this fashion, Lewis, almost casually, sheds brilliant light on some of the most difficult issues that might arise in a Christian's mind.

Surprisingly, this, one of Lewis' lesser known works, might be one of his very best. What might be considered more surprising by the unsuspecting reader is the depth of truth and understanding woven into what, if literally judged by its cover, could be interpreted as a comparatively shallow study on the Psalms. Some, like this reviewer, might have had their interest directed after reading the essay published in Christian Reflections that anticipates this work, but very little comparison should be made. Reflections on the Psalms is exactly what it is in content, not necessarily in title. This work should be recommended, at least for consideration's sake, to any Christian.

"A man can't be always defending the truth; there must be a time to feed on it." - C.S. Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms

Editorial Review:

Lewis writes here about the difficulties he has met or the joys he has gained in reading the Psalms. He points out that the Psalms are poems, intended to be sung, not doctrinal treatises or sermons. Proceeding with his characteristic grace, he guides readers through both the form and the meaning of these beloved passages in the Bible.

The Prayer of Jabez: Breaking Through to the Blessed Life

Bruce H. Wilkinson

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Total reviews: 554 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Even well-versed Biblical scholars might be perplexed if asked about Jabez, a little-known man listed in 1 Chronicles, chapter 4. Yet his simple petition is the cornerstone of The Prayer of Jabez and has become a call to live a more "blessed life" for countless readers.

The prayer is a simple one: "And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, 'Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain.' So God granted him what he requested."

In an era where many Christians shy away from anything that smacks of "name it and claim it," author Bruce Wilkinson alleviates misgivings by putting the prayer into perspective. Wilkinson, founder and president of Walk thru the Bible Ministries and a popular speaker for Promise Keepers, writes in a persuasive, conversational style that will woo even the most cynical reader. He has used the Jabez prayer for more than 30 years, and testifies enthusiastically to the changes it has wrought in his own life. Wilkinson challenges readers to recite the Jabez prayer every morning and keep a record of the changes that occur. The power, he emphasizes, is not in the prayer itself, but "rather, the power is in what you believe will happen as a result of the prayer, and the action you take." Wilkinson makes a convincing case. --Cindy Crosby

Whiter Than Snow: Meditations on Sin and Mercy

Paul David Tripp

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Through these meditations on David’s words in Psalm 51, readers discover there is mercy for every wrong and grace for every new beginning.

What do you do when you’ve really blown it? Is sin really as dangerous and is grace really as powerful as the Bible says they are? Is there such a thing as a new beginning?

Sin and grace—these are the two themes of our lives. We all blow it and we all need to start over again. In Psalm 51, David tells his story of moral failure, personal awareness, grief, confession, repentance, commitment, and hope. And because David’s story is every believer’s story, Psalm 51 is every believer’s psalm. It tells how we, as broken sinners, can be brutally honest with God and yet stand before him without fear.

Whiter Than Snow unpacks this powerful little psalm in fifty-two meditations, reminding readers that by God’s grace there is mercy for every wrong and grace for every new beginning. Designed for busy believers, these brief and engaging meditations are made practical by the reflection questions that conclude each chapter.

“Whiter Than Snow is music for the sinner’s soul. In fifty-two personal, creative, and sometimes poetic devotionals, Paul Tripp responds to Psalm 51 the way a jazz musician improvises on a familiar tune. In making this sweet music, Dr. Tripp makes King David’s confession our own, helping us get honest about our sin and opening our hearts to the mercy of Jesus.”
Philip Graham Ryken, Senior Minister, Tenth Presbyterian Church

“Convicting and encouraging, cutting and healing. Paul Tripp delves into the misery of sin and the goodness of grace with insight and inspiration. This book wonderfully blessed me, and I pray for its widest possible reading.”
Daniel L. Akin, President and Professor of Preaching and Theology, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Chanting the Psalms: A Practical Guide with Instructional CD

Cynthia Bourgeault

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Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Chanting the psalms, or psalmody, is an ancient practice of vital importance in the Christian spiritual tradition. Today many think of it as a discipline that belongs only in monasteries—but psalmody is a spiritual treasure that is available to anyone who prays. You don’t need to be musical or a monk to do it, and it can be enjoyed in church liturgical worship, in groups, or even individually as part of a personal rule of prayer. Cynthia Bourgeault brings the practice into the twenty-first century, providing a history of Christian psalmody as well as an appreciation of its place in contemplative practice today. And she teaches you how to do it as you chant along with her on the accompanying CD in which she demonstrates the basic techniques and easy melodies that anyone can learn. “Even if you can’t read music,” Cynthia says, “or if somewhere along the way you’ve absorbed the message that your voice is no good or you can’t sing on pitch, I’ll still hope to show you that chanting the psalms is accessible to nearly everyone.”

Survey of the New Testament

Paul Benware

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Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Recommended for conservative Christians 4 out of 5 stars.
15 of 16 people found this review helpful.

If you are a conservative Christian with strong fundamentalist leanings you will find this an excellent survey of the Old Testament books. If you are not then you will probably find difficulty with many portions of it. However, you may still find value in the large number of photographs, charts, tables, and graphs.

The author does an excellent of distilling chapters of information into tables that clearly show the relationships. For example, he has illustrations of the chronological relationship between the Old Testament books (no the Bible does not have them in chronological order), God's covenants with Israel, and a chronology of Israel's judges. Hardly a page goes by without a picture, illustration, chart, or other visual aid to help the reader understand the author's comments. However, some of the pictures belong more in a tourist pamphlet than a serious Bible survey book. (For example, there are pictures of places "tradition" assigns as significant, like the "burial place" of Samuel. There is no evidence of this being factual but even in the Middle Ages traders recognized the value of having a religiously significant location within your city. So, many "traditional" sites suddenly sprang up.) Fortunately these sorts of pictures are few in number when compared with the large number that enhances the text.

While the mainstream or more liberal Christian may find something of value in the charts and tables, "Survey of the Old Testament" is really recommended mainly for conservative Christian readers who will find it a valuable resource strongly slanted toward that belief system.

Editorial Review:

In Survey of the New Testament, Paul Benware approaches the New Testament in three helpful segments: the anticipation, institution, and fulfillment of the New Covenant. Questions will be addressed such as 'What is the purpose of life?' and 'Can I be freed from guilt and sin?' This handy primer will help any student of the Bible see the content, unity and progression of the New Testament scriptures.

Old Testament Hebrew Vocabulary: Learn on the Go

Jonathan T. Pennington

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Hebrew for the Ears 4 out of 5 stars.
34 of 34 people found this review helpful.

These two CD's serve as another helpful addition to Zondervan's ever growing original languages library. Pennington again is the "author" who lends his voice to the reading of the Hebrew words and their definitions. It basically follows the same format as his New Testament Greek Vocabulary.

All Hebrews words occurring 20 times and more are given in their descending order of frequency. Pennington also says the alphabet in the beginning and like the NT counterpart there is a 40 page booklet to accompany the CDs. The glosses (definitions) follow Zondervan's Vocabulary Guide for Biblical Hebrew by Van Pelt and Pratico.

The only disappointment which I have so far is that I learned Hebrew using the modern pronunciation whereas Pennington uses the Classical pronunciation. (...)

Well Done 5 out of 5 stars.
10 of 10 people found this review helpful.

Pennington performs a valuable service to anyone who seeks to learn Hebrew on their own. The vocabulary includes the most common Hebrew words so that the learner will have the maximum benefit of memorization. Each is clearly pronounced enabling the student to recognize similar sounding words, which is important since much Hebrew Scripture relies on word plays and punning. It is a great resource.

Editorial Review:

In this set of two audio CDs, Jonathan T. Pennington reads all the Hebrew words that occur twenty times or more in the Old Testament in descending order of frequency, followed by an English definition.

Learning to Pray Through the Psalms

James W. Sire

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Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

A Formatio book. Weariness. Wonder. Joy. Longing. Anger.These are the feelings of the Psalms: honest expressions of pain and joy penned by real people in the midst of real life circumstances. Though they were written centuries ago, the Psalms still resonate deeply with us today, giving voice to our thoughts and longings:"Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD." (Psalm 130:1)"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1)"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God." (Psalm 84:2)In Learning to Pray Through the Psalms, James W. Sire teaches us to take our appreciation for this rich book of Scripture a step further. Choosing ten specific psalms, Sire offers background information that helps us read each one with deeper insight and then lays out a meditative, step-by-step approach to using the psalmists' words as a guide for our own personal conversation with God. A group study is also included in each chapter, along with a guide for praying through the psalm in community.The Lord loves when his people pray. And his Word is a powerful tool for framing honest, intimate prayers. Sire's innovative approach will enrich our minds and our souls as we read more perceptively and pray with all of our emotions.

The Psalms: Meditations for Every Day of the Year

Joan D. Chittister

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Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

ONE WHO HAS MEDITATED THE PSALMS EVERY DAY OF HER ADULT BENEDICTINE LIFE SHARES HER INSIGHT GENEROUSLY AND WISELY WITH US 5 out of 5 stars.
8 of 9 people found this review helpful.

Once more we are fortunate to find the prolific and Catholic Benedictine Sister Joan sharing the depths of her spiritual insight with us, guiding us in prayer and here in meditation of the Psalms, these 150 ancient prayers and praises of the Old Testament read in their entirety each week by the followers of Our Holy Father Saint Benedict.

Knowing well our softness Sister Joan does not oblige us to read all 150 in this book, but asks us to take one a month, preferably with meals, providing a daily thought based upon the Psalm of the month, ranging from the spiritually divine to the awakening, joyfully ridiculous.

Thus each month we are invited each day of that omnth to read the same Psalm. committing her to memory if possible by the end of the month, and each day supplementing that reading with a brief thought for that day supplied by Sister Joan from her ample trreasure house of spiritual knowledge and apophthegmes.

I could not help but notice there lacks a selection for the 29th of February, which falls every four years. Perhaps that day by implication contemplative silence is suggested.

This month's Psalm reading, for example, is from Psalm 92: "The just will flourish . . ." A brief introduction comes with each month; "We live in a strange period of history . . .". Today's special reading suggests we bring someone half our age to lunch and ask them three values they wish to live by and why, and thereby learn to cherish and to live the rest of our own lives.

Next month, November, we contemplate together Psalm 145: "You, O God, are kind and full of compassion, slow to anger, abounding in love. You are good to all, compassionate to all your creatures."

Her introduction to November's guided reading concludes: "It is compassion that supports us in our darkest times; it is compassion for which we are most grateful in life, and it is compassion that we ourselves must develop if we are ever to be worth anything to anyone at all - besides ourselves (p.122)." alone.

May this brief taste of the sweetness and the light of this substantial volume serve to whet your appetite for more, as there lies set herein a rich and spiritual feast, true to our Catholic Faith and the Path of Peace through prayer.

Editorial Review:

The Psalms are the oldest prayers in the Judaeo-Christian tradition. They are a lexicon of the human condition--assuring us that our hopes and fears and desires are just like the rest of humanity's and that God is with us always.