Here is the basic transcript of a recent conversation I had with my pastor buddy.
Me: Did you get a copy of my new book “30 Days to Acts” yet? You wrote the foreword.
Him: No, did that come out already?
Me: Yes. You need to buy a copy. You wrote the foreword.
Him: Well, since I wrote the foreword, shouldn’t you send me a free copy?
Me: The foreword wasn’t THAT good.
And that is when he realized his friend is cheap.
Posted in books, Christian humor, Uncategorized
Tagged Christianity, devotional book, new book, pastor, Religion and Spirituality
I’ve given birth to a new book. (Well, it was a different kind of labor than you mothers have.) It is called “30 Days to Acts: A Devotional Commentary”. You can get this devotional book at Amazon. (Just click on the picture.) Merry Christmas!
Posted in books, Christianity, Uncategorized
Tagged bible study, book, Christian, Christianity, devotional, devotional book, faith, God, Jesus, new book, relationship with god, Religion and Spirituality
The church where I was saved many years ago just bought 500 copies of my devotional book “Immersed: 40 Days to a Deeper Faith”. They are going to use it for a church wide series beginning the week after Easter. Many churches have used the book that way now, but there is a special connection you have with the church where you gave your life to Christ.
I trusted Christ as my Savior and Lord in the old worship center at Continue reading
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Tagged Baptist, bible, bible study, book, Christian, christian book, Christianity, church, devotional, devotional book, discipleship, Evangelism, faith, God, Jesus, local church, Religion and Spirituality, southern baptist convention, spiritual growth
My wife recently posted her 10 most influential books. (She put my books on her list. Danger of nepotism?) So, here is my stab at my most influential. (Not counting my own. Danger of ridicule?) And, I’ve doubled and trebled up to get in some more. And, I’m leaving out some books that ought to get me banned from libraries and sitting rooms as penance.
1. The Bible. I read through the bible every year at least once and have for many years. It is more thrilling to me every year and is the foundation for my faith and my life. It is really 66 books, of course, but I’ll count it as one for this. If you haven’t read it yet, try starting with John and then Acts. Finish the New Testament a couple of times and then read the entire book.
2. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. This is a 7 book set. It is lots of fun to get lost in them. Very easy reading. I love the spiritual connection and the fun. I read them to my children and look forward to reading them to my grandchildren. And, add to this Mere Christianity (Lewis’s best non-fiction, I think) and The Screwtape Letters (tremendous insights into our spiritual battles) by Lewis. A serious Christian thinker not reading Mere Christianity is sort of like a serious student of English novels never reading A Tale of Two Cities–these things ought not to be done.
3. Trilogy of the Civil War by Shelby Foote. These three Continue reading
Posted in books, Christianity, education, history, revival, Uncategorized
Tagged bible, bible study, book, Christian, Christianity, deeper faith, devotional book, discipleship, God, Immersed, Jesus, Religion and Spirituality, revival, spiritual awakening, spiritual growth
Books can have a deep connection with us. I love my connection with books and authors that have been meaningful in my life.
I recently preached in Atlanta in a church that had used my book “Immersed: 40 Days to a Deeper Faith” church-wide. Most of them had read each chapter of the book for 40 straight days, discussed it in their small groups and there was even a sermon series connected to it.
Because of that, we had a special connection- an ‘Immersed connection’. Men and women, teenagers, even some kids Continue reading
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Tagged bible study, book, Christian, christian book, Christianity, devotional, devotional book, discipleship, faith, God, Jesus, new book, relationship with god, Religion and Spirituality
I recently baptized a young Air Force pilot. His wife gave her life to Christ many years ago. But he felt that he was self-sufficient. He didn’t need God. If others did, that was fine. He didn’t need anything else. He was smart, successful and talented. He would be just fine without giving control of his life over to God.
His wife prayed for him often. She even persuaded him to join her in worship on occasion. Their son attended our Christian school and he trusted Christ as his savior. He was baptized in our church. But dad, well, he just didn’t need God in his life.
And then, one Sunday, God just broke through the stubbornness. God showed him Continue reading
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Tagged Air Force, Christian, christian book, Christianity, church, devotional book, Evangelism, faith, God, Jesus, Religion and Spirituality, sermons, witnessing
“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25
On the night my father died, our family gathered in his room. After weeks of battling physical ailments, death was near. While we did not grieve as those who had no hope, we still grieved. And we sang.
As we circled the room where our family patriarch was dying, we sang hymns and choruses of faith. It felt like midnight in our souls, which made it a good time to worship. It is good to worship the Lord in the pleasant Continue reading
Posted in Christianity, prayer, Uncategorized, worship
Tagged Christian, Christianity, death, devotional book, discipleship, faith, God, praise, Religion and Spirituality, worship
I still remember my first time jumping off the high dive.
In the summertime I spent a lot of afternoons at the community pool in my small town. Most of my time was spent in the shallow end, splashing and playing with my brothers and friends. I watched other kids jumping off the diving boards at the deep end of the pool. It seemed fun and exciting, but too scary for me.
As the summer progressed, I thought more and more about what it would be like to overcome my fears and worries and plunge into the deep, blue water of the deep end. I even walked by that area of the pool a few times to calculate the possibilities. The deep water was so inviting, yet I was so frightened to plunge in.
Finally, I could take it no longer. Continue reading
Posted in books, Christianity, Church, discipleship, Uncategorized
Tagged book, Christ, christian book, church, devotional, devotional book, discipleship, faith, God, Jesus, spiritual growth
Our church just started a new sermon series called “Immersed: 40 Days to a Deeper Faith”. We are using the devotional book I wrote by the same title in conjunction with it. The idea is to read a devotional each day for 40 days and the 2 chapters of the bible each day as it suggests. By the end of the 40 days we will have read the books of John, Acts and Proverbs.
Christians often look for a mountaintop experience- and I like mountaintops. But less often do believers buckle down to the harder work of consistent bible study, prayer and reflection. May I put in a good word for consistency?
There is something beneficial in a steady, long walk with God. Wonderful experiences are, well, wonderful. Emotional experiences have some merit. But a consistent walk day by day is not to be overlooked or discounted. In fact, I suggest that some of the greatest gains of discipleship are made in the consistency of a devotional life each day.
Feelings come and go; rise and fall. Emotional responses can be worked up or worked out. But a consistent walk with the Lord will get you somewhere. It will get you closer, deeper and stronger.
And that is a good destination.
Posted in books, Christianity, Church, discipleship, faith, Uncategorized
Tagged bible, bible study, christian book, Christianity, devotional book, discipleship, faith, Immersed
I’m all for people being babies- when they are actually babies! But it isn’t as attractive when big boys act like babies.
I’m all for Christians being immature. But if they are still immature after years of faith we have a problem.
The example I use is the kiddie pool and the high dive. Permit a brief quote from the introduction of my devotional book “Immersed: 40 Days to a Deeper Faith”.
“I still remember my first time jumping off the high dive.
In the summertime I spent a lot of afternoons at the community pool in my small towns. Most of my time was spent in the shallow end, splashing and playing with my bothers and friends. I watched other kids jumping off the diving boards at the deep end of the pool. It seemed fun and exciting, but too scary for me.
As the summer progressed, I thought more and more about what it would be like to overcome my fears and worries and plunge into the deep, blue water of the deep end. I even walked by that area of the pool a few times to calculate the possibilities. The deep water was so inviting, yet I was so frightened to plunge in…”
Okay, you can get the book to read the rest. But suffice it to say that God made us to swim in the deep water of faith.
Shallow Christianity will never fully satisfy because we long for the deeper faith of spiritual growth. We need the meat instead of the milk. We want the diving board instead of the kiddie pool.
Come on in. The water is fine!
Before she was even two years old, our granddaughter would entertain us with the words to this song: “Hey Jude, don’t make it bad.Take a sad song and make it better.” You’re welcome! 😉 While it is absolutely adorable coming from a two-year-old’s mouth, it is truly a sad song because the writer was a […]
Doug Munton 