Tag: heaven

Book Briefs: “The Promise of Heaven” by Randy Alcorn

~ Bob Hayton ~ 1 Comment

As we approach Christmas, I wanted to highlight some books which would make good gift items. I realize I’m a bit late with this, & I’m late on my shopping, too! But some of you may be in possession of a gift card soon, and wondering what to spend it on… For other gift ideas, you may want to check a new category I’ve created called “ideal gift books“.

The Promise of Heaven: Reflections on Our Eternal Home by Randy Alcorn is an absolutely beautiful book. It is filled with full color, photographs of nature scenes from the West taken by professional nature photographer, John MacMurray.

As one pages through the book, they are struck by the beauty of God’s earth, and then Randy Alcorn fills their minds with thoughts of the New Earth to come. Answering a host of questions about heaven, the book is interesting, informative and delightful. Randy shares the Gospel clearly and encourages us to worship our Lord for the Earth we have, and our future “Heaven on Earth” to come.

The production of this book is top notch. While it isn’t quite a full coffee-table sized book, it deserves a spot on anyone’s coffee table. It would make a great gift for loved ones this Christmas. If someone you know likes Mountains and nature photography, they would absolutely love this fine book. I highly recommend this.

Preview this remarkable book here. And pick up a copy of this book from any of the following online retailers: Christianbook.com, Amazon, or direct from Harvest House.

Disclaimer: This book was provided by Harvest House Publishers. I was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.

About Book Briefs: With limited time available to give every book sent my way a full review, I’ll be offering short-form book reviews called Book Briefs. Book Briefs are book notes, or my impression and informed evaluation of a book, but they stop short of being a full book review.

Book Briefs: “Hell is Real (But I Hate to Admit It)” by Brian Jones

~ Bob Hayton ~ 1 Comment

In the wake of Rob Bell’s controversial book Love Wins, a plethora of books have appeared clamoring to answer the question “Does Hell exist?” Most of these books take us back to the Bible and answer the question in the affirmative. A new book from Brian Jones is no exception. What is different about his book, however, is apparent from its title: Hell is Real (But I Hate to Admit It). Jones uses a healthy dose of humor and personal candor as he tackles this ever-troubling topic.

Jones shares his story of secretly disbelieving in Hell for his first four years as a pastor. When he realized his error and confessed his secret sin, he was met with bewilderment. Why confess a doctrinal shortcoming? “Pastor, we were worried there was something more serious going on!” was how many took his news. This is indicative of the sad state of affairs in the church today and part of the reason Jones has given us this book.

His book is written in a simple, straightforward style. He explains the Bible’s teaching on Hell, but more than that, he gets into the question of why it is that he and so many others wanted to believe there isn’t a Hell. He then finishes the book with a call for “apocalyptic urgency” and a straightforward witness to the lost around us.

He doesn’t dismiss social concerns but calls the church to be more forthright in its evangelistic fervor. By the end of the book you aren’t surprised to learn that he was fired from the Princeton Theological Seminary bookstore for being too evangelistic. Jones has a passion for Jesus Christ, and it shows!

This book is accessible and at times humorous. And more importantly, it won’t steer you wrong. It might just spur you on toward a more serious view of evangelism. If we really do believe there is a Hell, shouldn’t that belief burden us all with “apocalyptic urgency”? Brian Jones thinks it should, and I have to agree. Read this book and be challenged. You won’t regret it.

Pick up a copy of this book from any of the following retailers: ChristianBook.com, Amazon.com, or direct from the publisher.

Disclaimer: This book was provided by David C. Cook publishing. I was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.

About Book Briefs: With limited time available to give every book sent my way a full review, I’ll be offering short-form book reviews called Book Briefs. Book Briefs are book notes, or my impression and informed evaluation of a book, but they stop short of being a full book review.

Music Mondays: “We Will Dance” by David Ruis

~ Bob Hayton

Music Monday posts highlight the music which touched my heart on Sunday. I pray the message of these songs will help us all to live in the spirit of Worship all week long.

I know it’s not Monday, but the sickness around here (3 of us have strep throat) pushed this post out a day.   This song has a Jewish sound to it and an expectant hopeful focus on Heaven.   It becomes an avenue of expressing joy to our Lord and Savior.   I hope the message of the song blesses you all today.

We Will Dance
by David Ruis

Sing a song of celebration
Lift up a shout of praise
For the Bridegroom will come
The glorious one
And oh, we will look on his face
We’ll go to a much better place

Dance with all your might
Lift up your hands and clap for joy
The time’s drawing near
When He will appear
And oh, we will stand by His side
A strong, pure, spotless bride

Chorus:
We will dance on the streets that are golden
The glorious bride and the great Son of man
From every tongue and tribe and nation
Will join in the song of the lamb

Tag:
Sing aloud for the time of rejoicing is near (women echo)
The risen King, our groom is soon to appear (women echo)
The wedding feast to come is now near at hand (women echo).
Lift up your voice, proclaim the coming Lamb (women echo)

 © 1992 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing

To listen to this song, try this you-tube video clip or search for it on Rhapsody.com.   Here is a free guitar chord sheet with the words.

Other great songs we sang Sunday were:

We Believe (#14): Death, Resurrection, and the Coming of the Lord

~ fundyreformed ~ 2 Comments

Part 14 in a series of Sunday posts celebrating the glorious Truth we believe as Christians. The readings are quoted from the Elder Affirmation of Faith, of my church, Bethlehem Baptist (Pastor John Piper). I’m doing this because every few weeks our congregational reading is an excerpt from this document, and every time we all read aloud the truths we confess, my soul rejoices. I pray these posts will aid you in worshiping our Lord on His day.

Death, Resurrection, and the Coming of the Lord

We believe that when Christians die they are made perfect in holiness, are received into paradise, and are taken consciously into the presence of Christ, which is more glorious and more satisfying than any experience on earth.

We believe in the blessed hope that at the end of the age Jesus Christ will return to this earth personally, visibly, physically, and suddenly in power and great glory; and that He will gather His elect, raise the dead, judge the nations, and establish His kingdom. We believe that the righteous will enter into the everlasting joy of their Master, and those who suppressed the truth in unrighteousness will be consigned to everlasting conscious misery.

We believe that the end of all things in this age will be the beginning of a never-ending, ever-increasing happiness in the hearts of the redeemed, as God displays more and more of His infinite and inexhaustible greatness and glory for the enjoyment of His people.

*Taken from the Bethlehem Baptist Church Elder Affirmation of Faith, paragraphs 14.1-14.3. You are free to download the entire affirmation [pdf] complete with Scriptural proofs for the above statements.