Tag Archives: good reads

Where I Am

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9781511300162I am told Where I am is the last book written by Billy Graham.  I decided to read this book after being reminded of the one year anniversary of his death. The book features short chapters encompassing the whole of Scripture, beginning with Genesis and continuing on to Revelation. In classic fashion, Graham gives insights into discovering who God is and covers subjects such as heaven and eternity.

Along the way, the book offers a concise history of the human race. Graham highlights each human life has a choice of two paths, to pursue one’s own selfish path leading to destruction or accept God’s gift of deliverance and follow the path leading to eternal life.

Graham’s book speaks often about death and life in the hereafter. It’s 36 chapters and wealth of scripture makes the book an excellent devotional. I found it to be an uplifting read.

A Heartbeat Away

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{28D833CC-BD09-4475-B8F0-B0439C21365C}Img400It’s time for another book review.  This one, A Heartbeat Away, is written by one of my favorite authors, Dr. Harry Kraus.  He is a surgeon who serves as a medical missionary to East Africa.

“A novel is way too long of a project to write simply for entertainment.  Don’t hear me wrong! I think entertainment is important; if I can’t capture and entertain, no reader will hang in there to the end.  But in the process, I hope that a small message of hope, faith, or grace is absorbed.” Dr. Harry Kraus

The story follows the life of a surgeon Dr. Tori Taylor whose cold, unforgiving demeanor and perfectionism toward her colleagues and nursing staff makes her and island.  Still, her work is outstanding and she is well-respected.

Tori maintains complete control of her life, that is, until a virus attacks her heart, making a heart transplant imperative for her to survive.  Once the transplant procedure is complete she begins having vivid dreams, so real she believes she is witnessing some horrid event.  But these are someone else’s memories not hers.

Kraus introduces two teenage lovers seemingly unrelated to the plot and the two separate story lines race along in parallel.  Are they connected some how?  Once Tori begins receiving warnings and threats to cease pursuing the identity of her heart donor, she realizes the dreams are memories to witnessed murder.

Kraus does not let the reader relax at any point in the story.  Several late plot twists keep the reader guessing until the last pages.  Dr. Kraus’ experience as a medical surgeon adds authenticity to the writing.  This is a must read for anyone interested in fiction, murder mysteries or dramas with a medical theme!

The Kremlin Conspiracy

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51Uwwhjh-5L._SY346_If you are looking for heart pounding read this is one I’d recommend.  It’s book one of a three book series written by Joel C. Rosenberg featuring the adventuresome Marcus Ryker; former marine and former secret service agent.

One of the things I like about Rosenberg’s work is his ability to incorporate important world events into his writing in an almost prophetic manner.  The Kremlin Conspiracy is no exception.  A quote from the book:

“America’s next president needs to understand that as troubled as the Middle East is and as volatile as North Korea remains, the most serious threat facing the United States–the truly existential threat–comes from Russia.”

The plot follows a reckless Soviet president bent on consolidating his power and restoring Russia to its former glory. His plan includes capturing and annexing former Soviet states into the Russian federation and adopting the dangerous countries of Iran and North Korea as strategic allies. Will his plan succeed?

As the plot thickens, a mole surfaces from deep within the Kremlin’s inner circle taking the story to even loftier heights.  Can the information the mole entrusts to Ryker be trusted or is it meant to trap him?

Joel C. Rosenberg is one of my favorite authors.  The second book in this series is due out March 2019.  The Kremlin Conspiracy is a must read political thriller.

The Power of Books

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book-863418_960_720Carl Sagan was an atheist who had this to say about the power a book possesses.

“What an astonishing thing a book is,” marveled [Carl] Sagan. “It’s a flat object made from a tree with flexible parts on which are imprinted lots of funny dark squiggles. But one glance at it and you’re inside the mind of another person, maybe somebody dead for thousands of years. Across the millennia, an author is speaking clearly and silently inside your head, directly to you.”

Sagan’s comment certainly explains the desirability of books through the ages.  It would also seem to explain the power and effectiveness of the Bible. Its author, God, is not dead and its words are timeless. That being said, one has to wonder why we don’t read the Bible more.

The Knowledge of the Holy: part 1

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IMG_0057I look forward to summer for a variety of reasons.  A favorite reason, I get a chance to catch up on my reading.  This summer a neighbor lent me the book, “The Knowledge of the Holy,” by A. W. Tozer.  Its an older book whose content is timeless.

One of the first things I noticed about the writing of A. W. Tozer is how large his  vocabulary is.  That being said he says he writes for the common man.  The material is very rich in both ideas and content.  I found myself rereading each chapter to absorb the full meaning of what is being said.  That shouldn’t discourage anyone from reading this book.

The main idea Tozer is trying to convey is Christians have lost their perspective on the holiness of God.

In the opening chapter he defines idolatry:

“Among the sins to which the human heart is prone, hardly any is more hateful to God than idolatry…Idolatry substitutes for the true God one made after its own likeness.”

Just in case we rush to rationalize away idolatry as described in the Bible, believing it doesn’t apply to twentieth century Christians, he writes:

“Let us beware lest we in our pride accept the erroneous notion that idolatry consists only in kneeling before visible objects of adoration, and that civilized peoples are therefore free from it.”

Tozer summarizes idolatry this way.  The essence of idolatry is the entertainment of thoughts about God that are unworthy of him.  Idols, then, can be fashioned not only with our hands but in our hearts as well.

The first step down the slippery slope of idolatry occurs when we surrender our high opinion of God.  When we believe God can tolerant sin, that the holy scriptures lack relevance in today’s culture, we rob God of his holiness.

To be continued…