25 replies to this topic

[Kevin Blankenship]

Hi sisters and brothers. I have been reading a book lately that has really been instrumental in bringing me AWAY from that dreadful mindset of "I must such and such to please God or else, I will remain on his "watch that young feller"-list!  See, I am already lying. I called myself...."Young feller"....so....I WILL do to watch. But I digress (as always).

  I am reading a book by Joseph Prince called Right Believing.  It's simply a clear and concise and book about how God sees us. How we see God.  And what the Bible has to say about the above.  It is amazing. I downloaded it onto my Kindle Cloud for like....10 bux!!!! Well worth it. It is NOT a small booklet!!! I have been reading it and digesting it and simply believing that this Prince guy would have no reason to lie to me. He's not among the "Prosperity Movement" and "Word of Faith"  group. I had to take a break from them. In the early 90's I was reading and reading their stuff every chance I got. But this book popped up after I watched one of Brother Prince's sermons on TV.  He reminds me of Watchman Nee. A modern version of Watchman. He is seems to place great emphasis on the Grace and Love of God OVER my well ingrained belief that I must EARN God's love.  I am VERY skeptical about these new guys. But Brother Prince has passed my Berean's test.  He may or may not pass yours. Give it a try. I think you'll be pleased and, like me, maybe lifted up to a MUCH better relationship to Jesus Christ!!!!! Oh how I needed that. And it came along at a dark time in my walk with Jesus. I was beginning to doubt.

  Anyway.....5 stars for Right Believing by Joseph Prince!!!!!!!

 Now.......what have YOU been a reading these days that would edify us???? You feedback is VERY appreciated and won't be taken for granted.    Y'all have a GREAT day and week!!!!!

[Mark Wood]

Prince is prosperity/ health and wealth, be careful.

[radar]

Since you made this an update thread Kevin I wanted to share a book that I am reading called:

The One Another Principles: A Biblical Blueprint for Small Group Fellowships

 By James W. Phillips

 

A vision-casting view of fellowship and an in-depth analysis of the dynamics that make it work! "Fellowship" is a word that nearly everyone thinks they understand -- but the biblical vision of fellowship extends far beyond what most small groups attempt to achieve. This thought-provoking volume traces this deficiency to a failure to adequately examine the "one another" principles in the Bible. When these principles are examined in depth, they provide a more challenging -- and more satisfying -- vision of the fellowship experience God wants His people to enjoy. Phillips identifies 30 essential "one another" principles found in Scripture, and offers a detailed yet accessible study of each, emphasizing how they constitute God's instruction manual for effectively living out our faith together. Each chapter is full of practical insights and contains "points to ponder" to help stimulate further discussion and reflection, along with exercises for putting these principles into action.

 

I didn't write the review but copied it from the internet, it explains the book a lot better than I could, but it is having a positive impact on my life as I try to enter the strait gate and helps me to examine my life as it relates to other believers. Hopefully, I won't be so quick to judge or to talk foolishly.

 

Shalom,

radar

[Julie Daube]

I am reading an absolutely awesome book called "Moving Mountains: Lessons in Bold Faith from Great Evangelical Leaders," by Paul L. King (he is a member of The Alliance). Kevin, you would love this book! It is a wonderful resource for building faith and dispelling doubt - probably the best book on faith and the power of prayer that I've ever read. It draws from the lives of solid, evangelical leaders such as A. B. Simpson, Charles Spurgeon, Hudson Taylor, Oswald Chambers, A. W. Tozer, Hannah Whital Smith, and E. M. Bounds. What I love about this book is that it presents a thoroughly biblical understanding of such topics as divine healing, provision/prosperity, and the authority of the believer while avoiding some of the extremes of the modern Word of Faith movement. I highly recommend this book to everyone reading this thread.  

[Kevin Blankenship]

DOUBLE POST: PLEASE DELETE.
 

[Kevin Blankenship]

Prince is prosperity/ health and wealth, be careful.

I am always on the lookout for the Word of Faith movement folks.  Prince doesn't seem to be of that ilk. I have watched a couple of his sermons on TV and then I am half way through this book entitled Right Believing.  The gist of the book is that Jesus has already taken all the of the  guilt  and condemnation upon the cross with him. So that, no matter how lousy we feel because of a sin we committed, or no matter how much we try to DO to please God......He will always see Jesus when He looks at us believers. That's what I am getting so far. I don't think that he has mentioned a word about healing. (AB Simpson believed in divine healing?????)  Anyway, I keep my eyes peeled for any of that modern day "another gospel" crap and if I see any in that book......I'll use it the next time that I run out of Charmin.

[Kenny]

Here is a link doing a critique of Joseph Prince

 

http://www.letusreas.../Popteach56.htm

[Julie Daube]

I am always on the lookout for the Word of Faith movement folks.  Prince doesn't seem to be of that ilk. I have watched a couple of his sermons on TV and then I am half way through this book entitled Right Believing.  The gist of the book is that Jesus has already taken all the of the  guilt  and condemnation upon the cross with him. So that, no matter how lousy we feel because of a sin we committed, or no matter how much we try to DO to please God......He will always see Jesus when He looks at us believers. That's what I am getting so far. I don't think that he has mentioned a word about healing. (AB Simpson believed in divine healing?????)  Anyway, I keep my eyes peeled for any of that modern day "another gospel" crap and if I see any in that book......I'll use it the next time that I run out of Charmin.

Kevin, not only did A. B. Simpson believe in divine healing, but he also experienced divine healing. He believed that there is healing in the atonement, and he wrote a book about this topic called "The Gospel of Healing." This is why the C&MA includes "Christ our Healer" in the Fourfold Gospel. The Bible says that Jesus bore our infirmities when He died on the cross. He came to redeem every area of our lives - both the spiritual and the physical. I know this is true because I myself was miraculously healed after suffering from chronic back pain for nearly 20 years. There are some excesses in the Word of Faith movement, but they get a lot of things right. The book I mentioned by Paul L. King does a good job in explaining what is right about the movement while also clarifying some of what is wrong with the movement.            

[radar]

Thanks Kenny for the site recommendation. I went there and read the article, then I went to the homepage and did a search for Tozer on that site and found this really neat little gem:     http://www.letusreason.org/Pent48.htm

 

Shalom,

radar

 

Galatians 1:8

[Candice]

I have been just sitting here recovering from hip reconstruction surgery, crying because I'm a doer and can't do! 
So, I read this thread and I was actually flipping through the channels on TV and see Joseph Prince is on!  Within 30 seconds of reading this post.  So, I listen and watch his sermon which was filmed in Jerusalem II believe).  First impression - No.  Not for me.  Then, intrigued again, I watch his sermon today entitled "How to Have Bolder Faith" or something like that.  I listen, first statement he makes is "believe that something good for is going to come from this sermon". I think something like, this is some sort of power of positive thinking.  I am ready not to judge, but to change channels. But, I continue on to watch and listen and he talks about how some people will be so self-critical because of their life not being right with God.  Prince says they're walking with God, but think after 10, 20 years of being a Christian, they've messed up somehow - sinned or what not.  Prince says, you must know the LORD because if you don't, you wouldn't care!  Unsaved people don't care about their walk with God".  Sin consciousness is what he talked about.  So, I'll give him this.  The rest of the sermon just wasn't cogent.  Maybe because this is just a slice of the sermon, a sample so-to-speak, and it didn't come together well for me - neither sermon. 

 

I don't know...when I watch most television evangelism, I'm turned off by "production" and glitz and the enormous crowds.  I don't know why.  I can't say it's really wrong.

 

I think I like reading books because I know someone else is engaged with me. We're sort of doing life together.  Maybe my ideas of this are changing. Love Tozer, but he was imperfect.  Did he even show his wife any love?  Hmmm. Not according to his own children, wife and others. 

 

Even Beth Moore is just not doing it for me any longer.  I counted my bookshelf that I'd done something like 17 of her studies over the past ten years.  I've done others too.  We are all in need to believing Scripture.  Was it not John who said "you need no other teacher"?  I think so.

 

In the end, the only reliable book, person and reasonableness is the Holy Scriptures. 

 

Love all

Candice

[Kevin Blankenship]

Oh, so no one is reading anything else???  If the Joseph Prince book I am reading starts getting off into that word of faith stuff....I'll simply delete it. But I will form my own opinion of it.

  The whole idea of this thread was to see if anyone is reading any good books about the DEEPER LIFE. I obviously mean books OTHER than the MAIN BOOK. If all we read was the Bible.......when would we read Tozer's writings??? Simpson's???? Spurgeon's? Like....never?

   This thread has turned into something that I hoped it would not.   I'll use my own discernment, or lack thereof, to toss Prince's writings on that big pile of burning, heretical, books. Be the first to do it. I spent many a year in a denomination that actively teaches the prosperity doctrine and ebraced the Word of Faith stuff.  Yet we have forum members here who belong to that denomination. Perhaps...."gentle as dove" would work good here.

   I didn't lay down any criteria that the book title that you share with us must conform to our doctrinal belief.  As Candace said, we have a teacher....I assume that she was referring to the Holy Spirit. (Yet, 'Teacher' is one of the five fold ministry)

     Anyway, to those of you who have shard a Book Title......thanks.

[Big John]

Kevin, 

 

Dude, you crack me up!  And I mean that in a good way.  And I, personally, would encourage you to read whatever intrigues you.  Sure there is a lot of stuff out there that is dumb, or immature, or even wrong and deceitful.  But that is up to you and your relationship with God to sort out.  If you had a strong church that you were associated with then you could turn there for guidance.  I do find most books over the years to be mostly disappointing.  So often, just feeling lucky to find a single nugget.

 

Anyway, you have provoked me (to good works, lol) in sharing a book I have been recently reading.  I actually found a hard copy of this book about 20+ years ago in a used book sale and loved it then.  I had leant it to a missionary friend and never got it back, as it is in Ghana, Africa now, lol.  On a whim, I recently did a google search on it and found that it is on line from a couple of sources.

 

I highly recommend it.  It does seem to deal with a lot of the different issues people share here from time to time.  The introduction to this book calls it a primer in the "School of the Saints".

 

It is called "Progress after Entire Sanctification" by Rev Arthur Zepp, 1909.  Entire Sanctification was one way that they referred to receiving the Holy Spirit baptism in the past.  But even more it also referred to the so called baptism of fire for continued purification of the christian believer.  I find it both encouraging and delightful.  I think it also shows that to a large extent, real christian growth has been an issue for many centuries.

 

If you are so inclined, take some time to check it out.

 

Big John

[Candice]

Kevin,

 

Book I've read and recommend if I have to narrow it down to a half dozen or so (these are in addition, of course, to all of Tozer, Nee, and the oldies)....

 

Any book by Major Ian Thomas (he only wrote a few) but all are super. I love If I Perish, I Perish

 

Living Water: The Power of the Holy Spirit in Your Life by Chuck Smith (Chuck just passed on to real life a few weeks ago.  He was a believer in the second blessing-Calvary Chapel founder)

 

The Calvary Road by Roy Hession

 

The Rest of the Gospel: When the Partial Gospel Has Worn You Out

Dan Stone, Greg Smith (very good about spirit v. soul and basically being human and still ok)

 

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Philip Keller, a beautiful book - really!  This is a quick read, but very encouraging as to who we are and Who the Shepherd is to us sheep.  It goes into detail about all of Psalm 23 with respect to the shepherd/sheep relationship and it is quite interesting besides comforting.  IMHO.

 

Right now, I'm reading expositional book of Ecclesiastes by Ray Stedman Enjoying Life - God's Good Gift.  This one is challenging me and even confusing me because it is rather depressing in my own opinion. Almost completed, but will  listen to or read Chuck Smith's expositional sermon on Blueletterbible.org just to compare and contrast. 

 

Blueletterbible.org is fantastic for so many tools in bible study, sermons and commentaries, lexicon, etc.

 

Read well and enjoy brother however the Lord leads!

 

 

[Candice]

Also am ordering _The Naked Gospel: the Truth You May Never Hear in Church by Andrew Farley. My brother-in-law in Canada thinks highly of him.

[Kenny]

Also am ordering _The Naked Gospel: the Truth You May Never Hear in Church by Andrew Farley. My brother-in-law in Canada thinks highly of him.

 

Below is a link to a short critique of Andrew Farley

 

http://www.teachingt...2&columnid=5445

 

It's getting to the point where the only book I feel safe in recommending to others is the Bible

[Ysa]

King's Cross: The Story of the World in the Life of Jesus by Timothy Keller

 

It's based on the gospel of Mark. Somewhat poetic - a quality I secretly enjoy in any book - plus, it contains some surprising fresh insights. It seems a bit populist, though. Maybe because the target audience of this book is not Christians; it tries to engage people "outside the fold", I think. So it tries to approach them on a modern, up-to-date, relevant platform of their own.

 

I am reading it to decide whether I can recommend it to my friends who have developed an aversion to "churchy things". Right now I think I can.

 

Oh, I have been blessed by reading it, too. 

[chipped china]

I'm sitting here after knee surgery, still affected by pain and drugs but I still want to put my 2 cents into this discussion. please excuse any errors this has not been an easy time for me. I hate pain and I hate having my mind fogged with painkillers, thank you Lord that these times build perseverance and some kind of understanding of long suffering. Who know what we will have to endure in the coming years.

First, I love to find books, music, videos that I can relate with, that fit my perspective and what feel like the Holy Spirit has anointed. I tend to like books that either enlightened scripture by scripture or explain factually the history of Christianity. It doesn't really matter who feeds your soul as long as it teaches the true gospel and you can look up the premise that is being made in the bible. As long as you are in the scriptures everyday it's Ok to take excursions through others. Then the Holy Spirit will warn you when things don't seem to be right on. This happened with me while reading some commentary by His Holy Church organization. A lot of it seemed Ok but little by little I could see the the HS showing me things were getting twisted every so slightly. So I threw it away.

I tend to like Watchman Nee and Chuck Missler because I believe the bible to be supernatural and a living breathing document just as our Lord is alive and our Advocate at the right Hand of the Father. It was written so not everyone can understand it with out first being reborn. I believer every dot and comma was put there for our learning. I also enjoy Charles Stanley, David Wilkerson, and of course Tozer and Chuck Smith. One of my favorite devotionals is from the Institute of Creation Research. So often I feel closer to God after having read one of them. 

Because we are all unique and have slightly different realities from our experiences and our relationship with God we are going to gravitate towards the teaching that make sense to us. Frankly I don't understand why everyone doesn't see truths the way I do but that's not for me to worry about. I have no control over whether a person thinks we are are already in the tribulation or what gifts the Lord has given them. I may not have the gift of tongues but that doesn't mean others don't. Some things we just won't understand until we are removed from these bodies and standing before our precious God.

I also believe as the Body of Christ we need to uplift and rebuke one another. We need to understand that our gifts come from God and therefore not from ourselves stamping out pride, or that our weaknesses if agreed as weakness from our old self are forgiven then we achieve Agage love for one another and can bare our souls in the atmosphere of learning not condemnation.

God's blessings to all of you and keep the fire of growing in Him bright and alive, love betsy

[Kevin Blankenship]

If I tossed every book on account of not seeing perfectly eye to eye with the author, than I would not read at all. This includes Charles Stanley (he is an open Cessationist....and is quite vocal about it although he was somewhat trained under Leonard Ravenhill...a believer in sinless perfection and  Spiritual gifts being for today. But I have, in spite of comments to the contrary, continued to read through, (almost done) Pastor Prince's book "Right Believing" and it is simply a long, and well studied, teaching that our works will only be a RESULT of right believing. Our true position in Christ is talked about and jives with my thoughts. He has YET to mention prosperity, or any of the words that it now masks behind.....or even health.

  Believe me, I have read and studied the Word Of Faith stuff for years, back in the 90's when I was very impressionable and was of the belief that God should "show up and show off" (I detest that little saying).  My only beef with Prince is the interview he did for TBN with Joel Osteen and HIS stylishly dressed (but nasty tempered) wife sitting by him. I have watched Prince preach ALOT.  He seems to have no agenda nor does he give a care that many of the church world classify his teaching as HYPER-Grace.  But, if one took the time to read the book (a demon won't jump off the pages and posess you) instead of relying on those RED FLAGS....which are really nothing more than our preconceived ideas about the WAY THINGS SHOULD BE.   I have LONG been entangled with a performance-based salvation. I have been treading at the foot of Sinai LONG ENOUGH!!!! This book has me marching with joyous determination to the Jordan where I plan, with God's guidance (Thy Word is a lamp......) to cross over and enjoy the Spirit filled life and the life of being fully (as possible in this life) given over to the Will of our Great God!!!!!  I am on close watch for heretical teaching. I have yet to find any. This book has been the FIRST in a while to point me AWAY from myself and towards Jesus. That, is Bother Prince's primary stressing......that it's not about ME......but about Jesus!!!!! And believing that I am loved by God....NO MATTER WHAT my mind may tell me.  It was an answer to a fervent prayer. Anyway,.....that's my say.  Everyone has the right to buy and read what they want. I'm just saying that this book has been very very edifying to me. No talk of the usual Word of Faith cliches. He might have had early instruction in that area...but he has obviously drifted. I also had early instruction in Hagan, Copeland, Duplantis, Oral, and the rest of those.......people.    Jesus told his disciples, who had just came back and said: in Mark 9:39 "But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me." Anyway....peace.

[Charles Miles]

Enjoying a book now and its title is Holy Fire, by Dr John Shiver. Kind of a deeper look into Holy Spirit and who He is. So far it is a good read.

Charlie

[Lori Smith]

Kevin,

 

If the Lord is using Joseph Prince to free you from a legalistic stronghold then read on Brother! Maybe he preaches hyper-grace, but many thought Paul preached hyper grace at the time. Certainly that's why he responded as he did in Romans 6:1-2. The Bible is a grace message, and it's impossible to walk the Christian life under our own strength. If it was, God would have sent another prophet not a Savior. A good book to read is "Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret." Sorry if it's already been mentioned, I didn't read all of the posts. It's about the exchanged life which Paul actually talks about, but it is more discernible in Greek. The idea, is that Jesus exchanges His life (walk) with ours, thus, it goes beyond sin. Hudson Taylor was responsible for tremendous missionary work in China; however, he was miserable until God gave him a true revelation about grace. If God is using Joseph Prince to bring this same release, than receive it with gratitude.

 

Shalom,

Lori