Grace by Max Lucado

I recently received a free copy of the new Max Lucado book Grace.

This was one I picked up not sure of how it would turn out. 

Max is one of the.most gifted story tellers of our age; yet sometimes the story tellers stories can begin to sound a lot alike.

So I picked this up really not sure of where this would go.
here is what the author had to say:

Grace.

We talk as though we understand the term. The bank gives us a grace period. The seedy politician falls from grace. Musicians speak of a grace note. We describe an actress as gracious, a dancer as graceful. We use the word for hospitals, baby girls, kings, and premeal prayers. We talk as though we know what grace means.

But bestselling author Max Lucado says we've settled for a wimpy grace, a goldfish grace that sits in a bowl on the shelf and never causes trouble or demands a response.

There's more to grace than we've ever imagined, and in his brand new trade book Lucado shares the truths of this cornerstone message of his ministry. He challenges readers to not only receive grace but also to be changed by grace. Shaped by grace. Strengthened by grace. Emboldened by grace. Softened by grace. Snatched by the nape of their neck and shaken to their senses by grace.

This book worked on a progressionary scale. Each chapter seemed to not be a separate entity but a continuation or even a perfecting of the one before. It is as if we are seeing God's system of grace unfolding a little more on each chapter.

This is a book not on Prevenient grace, saving grace or sustaining grace but a book on all three (primarily the later two as I'll explain in a moment) 

Max does a great job taking the reader through these stages of grace without the doctrinal jargon.or rhetoric upon which denominations split. In fact my only cringe was.at.the end when two words slipped in Eternal Salvation. It made clear Max's beliefs on eternal.security while potentially alienating.those from the Wesley side of the discussion. 

Yet in it all I found a book well worth the read; captivating.  Profound.  Simple in its revealing of the.complex; yet detailed enough to not leave room for the readers personal opinions on The topic.

I.truly would recommend this to anyone as a great read and a great gift. Share the GRACE!

Grace For the Moment: 365 Devotions for Kids by Max Lucado

I recently received the upcoming kids devotional from Max Lucado for free to review.

So what happens when you take Max's simple story telling, combine his knowledge with scripture and put it in 365 readings for kids?
You get a wonderful devotional for all kids!

Here is what the publisher had to say:

Give Your Child the Gift of God’s Grace—Every Day. 

Grace is: God’s best idea . . . More than we deserve … And greater than we imagine.  But how can you plant this important message of grace into the heart of your child? 

Adapted from the bestselling devotional for adults (with more than 3 million copies sold), Grace for the Moment: 365 Devotions for Kids presents the message of God’s grace in a way that children can understand. It’s perfect for families to read together or for older readers to enjoy alone. Each day offers a devotion and scripture to encourage regular time with God. And because giving grace is just as important as receiving it, a “Growing in Grace” opportunity accompanies each devotion, offering practical and easy-to-do activities to help kids apply God’s grace—every day and every moment.

This is one that I will have to pick up in the hardcover form once it releases on September 11th of 2012.

Two additional comments:

First: This is a 365 devotional but they do not have days such as Monday July 7th etc.. so it can be used for any year

Second: this isn't filled with pictures for younger ages.  

I would recommend it for 2nd grade and up to 5th.

Out Live Your Life by Max Lucado

Have you ever experienced, even for just a moment, a delusion of Grander?
In other words you wanted to be remembered as an EXPERT or just plain remembered long after you had died?

When I was younger I wanted to be known as an Expert for something. I read about EVERY book you can think of on cults and other world religions and could tell you their beliefs backwards and forwards and contrast them with Christianity.

then I got older and wanted something cooler, so I became a Music Expert. If you want to know anything about 70's thru 90's Christian Music I was your guy.
I could even figure out 9 out of every 10 song that people came in asking for... "It's on the radio, song by a guy and it has the word Jesus in it.."

But I was doing it all for myself. I also went through a long period where I wanted to be known in the church. I wanted to be in the front and share my knowledge that God had given me on leadership. But it was all about me. (You can see some of my posts about that if you go back about 2 years worth on this blog.)

Now though I see so much more out there, and hopefully if you know me and are reading this blog you have come to see JESUS and not ME in my actions and lifestyle.

Well, Last night I picked up a book. OUT LIVE YOUR LIFE by Max Lucado that I received through work for free to read from Thomas Nelson. I read 10 chapters last night in a matter of 3 hours and read the final 6 this morning off and on.

The idea of the book is helping us all to see that we were MADE to Make a difference.
Not to sit back and do nothing but to become involved in one way shape or form. But we are MANDATED by scripture to look after the oppressed... What did Isaiah say about Sodom? Their sin of debauchery led to their destruction? NO!! Their ignoring the poor, the abused, the lonely... that lead to their destruction!

This is a must read for all Christians who have a heart and a passion but just don't do it. They don't live it...

I was thinking about writing about the chapters that most convicted me, but looking over the contents I realize that I would be writing about each chapter...

So I guess let me talk about a couple KEY ones that hit me. Now remember I just read through Hole in our Gospel by Richard Sterns, I have been writing a devotional for short term missions groups, reading RADICAL by David Platt... I feel OVERWHELMED with a desire to do something but not really knowing how to sell all I have, get out of the Debt from school etc that has piled up over the years, and how to make that difference...

These chapters showed me some ways:
Chapter 3: Let God unshell you. This chapter talks about how we find ourselves living inside shells. Whenever we come across someone who is hurting or poor we hide inside our shells before we start to feel compassion for them.

Chapter 10: Stand up for the Have-Nots... the title says it all!

Chapter 13: Don't write off anyone.. This chapter talks about our ability to write everyone off who is different then us. The illustration in here about Max's personal lack of compassion for a homeless man while his mentor gave the vagrant his full attention and then food. It put him in his place when the mentor said that this vagrant may have been lying but there might have been just a bit of truth to his sadness and I needed to help him.

This is a book that you need to get. Your friends need to read it, your churches need to study it. I have not been more passionate about what one book can do then this one. At the end of each chapter there is a GOLD piece...

Max ends with a verse of challenge straight from Scripture and then a PRAYER.
these prayers are possibly more well thought thru then even the chapter. They are short, straight to the point but will help to internalize the entire chapter!

All I can say is WOW!! GET IT!