Happy Thanksgiving from Derek & Connie Iannelli-Smith
We wanted to take a moment to say ‘Thanks’ to you for being such an evidence of God’s grace in our life…
William Bradford, Governor of the Plymouth Colony made this proclamation in 1623:
Inasmuch as the great Father has given us this year an abundant harvest of Indian corn, wheat, beans, squashes, and garden vegetables, and has made the forests to abound with game and the sea with fish and clams, and inasmuch as He has protected us from the ravages of the savages, has spared us from pestilence and disease, has granted us freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience; now, I, your magistrate, do proclaim that all ye Pilgrims, with your wives and little ones, do gather at ye meeting house, on ye hill, between the hours of 9 and 12 in the day time, on Thursday, November ye 29th of the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and twenty-three, and the third year since ye Pilgrims landed on ye Pilgrim Rock, there to listen to ye pastor, and render thanksgiving to ye Almighty God for all His blessings.”
During this season of Thanksgiving, I thought the above words would serve as a reminder that we are to be a people with a thankful heart for the many blessings God has bestowed upon us. Someone once said that true Thanksgiving, is first “thanks”, then “giving”. How true that is! When we really realize all that God has done for us, especially in sending His Son, Jesus Christ to this earth over 2,000 years ago, our hearts are filled with thankfulness which moves us to a life of service for Him.
10 And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.
11 “Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today,
Derek & Connie Iannelli-Smith
You need to see/feel things from my perspective and other forms of manipulation we use to destroy relationships
At the back of the Exemplary Husband (by Stuart Scott) study guide there is a great appendix article that I want to quote and is an apt topic for a discernment blog (these are my underlines);
Man is not a victim
Many see themselves as little more than a victim of their circumstances. The truth is, victim is not a biblical word. Even those who are treated ruthlessly are not referred to as victims. There are several aspects of the word victim that we need to consider when addressing this view. If a person suffers an unprovoked crime or sin at the hands of someone else, the person suffering could be considered a victim in the sense that he is a receiver of unwarranted treatment. Our legal system will certainly designate him the victim of a crime.
But there are wrong ideas usually associated with the word victim. Most often, it carries with it the idea of complete innocence when referring to the one who has suffered the offense. This is rarely the case so far as the events are concerned and never the case so far as the heart is concerned (Psalm 14:2-3). Let me explain by way of an example.
If you are lawfully stopped at a traffic light when a drunk driver rear-ends your car, you are certainly legally innocent in the accident. The drunken person is obviously breaking the law of God and man by driving while intoxicated and by hitting you. If, by the grace of God, you get out of your car and help the drunk person with pure motives until an ambulance comes to examine you both (rather than yelling at him for ruining your bumper), you can still be considered spiritually innocent in this event. However, if you consider yourself to be a better person than the drunk, or look down at his sin in disgust, you are sinning the sin of pride and are, therefore, no longer innocent in the event.
I am not saying that God does not respond compassionately when we are wronged. He does (Hebrews 4:14-16; Isaiah 63:9). And, I am not saying that God will not hold the offender fully responsible. He will (Ezekiel 18:2, 20). What I am saying is that we must remember that God sees any reactionary sin on our part during an incident as grievous as well (Romans 12:14-21). And we must keep an offender’s sin in perspective of our own sin against a Holy God.
Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. Romans 14:10-13 ESV
Most people do sin in response to another person’s sin and most people do see their own sin as less offensive than another’s. When we have been wronged it can be very helpful to remember that nothing anyone has done to us is worse than our own sin against a Holy God. Since any good in our lives can only be accredited to God’s work in us (Jeremiah 17:9-10; Matthew 19:17; 1 Corinthians 4:7), and since our sin was so bad that God allowed His only Son to be killed in order to pay for our sin (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Corinthians 15:3), we know that we are not in and of ourselves any better than anyone else because we sin on a regular basis.
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. Romans 3:21-25 ESV (emphasis mine)
Secondly, the word victim can imply that a “senseless, never-should-have-happened” event has taken place. The danger here is to forget that loving sovereignty (perfect and purposeful control) of God in one’s life. While some events may indeed be tragic, God knows the end from the beginning and how that event can serve to humble a person (Job 42:1-6), draw a person to Himself (John 6:44), show Himself to be a greater-than-anything God (Jeremiah 32:17; Genesis 50:20) and/or reveal Himself to the sufferer as Refuge, Strength and Helper (Isaiah 57:15).
In short, only God has the ability to work all things together for both our good and His glory in a fallen world, never ignoring one to achieve the other. We must not take the view that something shouldn’t have happened to us. Is God not good? Is God wrong? Is God lacking in power? Obviously none of these are true according to the Bible.
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, [1] for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
Thirdly, the word victim often gives a person a hopeless outlook. No one who knows God is without hope, the ability to overcome and the resources to live with joy and thankfulness in spite of what has happened. This must sometimes be taken on faith until the truth and principles of God’s Word can be specifically applied to one’s situation and thinking (Genesis 50:20; John 20:24-29; 1 Corinthians 10:12-14; 1 Peter 1:6-7). Unfortunately, some individuals have been taught that they can never lead “normal” lives again. This is tragic because it utterly contradicts Scripture.
May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 2 Peter 1:2-4 ESV [emphasis mine]
Finally, the word victim usually allows a person to ignore personal responsibility. That brings us back to where we started. To be “a victim of your circumstances” is to declare yourself free from responsibility so far as thoughts, actions, usefulness and life direction are concerned. If we cannot help our responses, we conveniently cannot be held accountable for them. I have heard such statements as, “My sin is actually the result of a ‘sickness’ that I have because of what happened to me,” “I am this way because of my parent’s failures,” “I turned out this way because we were poor and I was exposed to many bad influences; I didn’t have a chance,” or “I have a disease or chemical imbalance; that is why I had to sin.”
This blame-shifting (whether subtle or not) is a grievous thing to my heart. I listen to these people as they seek to excuse themselves for their sin, knowing that at the same time they are removing all hope for themselves. Very often, people have been encouraged in these wrong beliefs by unbiblical counsel (which can even be “Christian” counsel). The truth is, we will be held accountable for our every thought, word, and deed.
So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. Romans 14:12 ESV
The Bible clearly teaches that we are always responsible for our own sin, no matter what our circumstances are – not for the sin of others, but for our own sin. We cannot say that “so and so” causes us to do what we do. Our own sinful heart simply is given an opportunity to express itself in our difficult situations. We sin in response to these situations because sin is in us and because we choose to sin. Christians have a double responsibility because through salvation and the application of the Word of God, we don’t have to sin.
For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:7-11 ESV [emphasis mine]
Many times the word victim allows a person to think of himself wrongly. When a person adopts the victim mentality, he usually develops self-pitying, self-righteous, or hopeless attitudes. Those who know God and abide in His truth can lead the kind of life that God intended, even if they have been greatly wronged. They simply must learn to apply the word of God to their circumstances.
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8 ESV
The Truth About the Lordship of Christ by John MacArthur
Thank you Thomas Nelson for early preview of this work, this opportunity continues to be a blessing to me.
In The Truth About the Lordship of Christ, MacArthur is not dealing with minor problems or disputes peripheral to the faith, but with the crucial issue of all—namely, What does it mean to be a Christian? His answers in this condense work addresses what I consider to be the core issue of present-day Christianity.
Why is today’s church so pathetic? Why are we able to tout many conversions and grow church members but have less and less impact on our culture? How is it that Christians are indistinguishable from the world? Is it because we are calling the unregenerate/lost, Christians? Or is it that many are settling for a “form of godliness but denying its power”
(2 Timothy 3:1-5 http://www.esvapi.org/assets/play.swf?myUrl=hw%2F55003001-55003005(ESV))? This pivotal work in MacArthur’s Truth series is successful in turning true followers/disciples from the feeble gospel and deceitful propaganda of this age to a true gospel-centered focus. This work reveals a man whose conscience is clearly taken captive by the Word of God. It reveals that he knows how to read the Bible for what it actually says, and is fearless in proclaiming that Word to desperate and handicapped generation.
As with all of MacArthur’s works, this book was very interesting, concise, and thorough. As always, MacArthur also challenges, inspires, and enlightens in a very charitable way. MacArthur teaches us through scripture to discern and think;
- that there is no justification without regeneration. “You must be born again” (John 3:7 http://www.esvapi.org/assets/play.swf?myUrl=hw%2F43003007(ESV)).
- that faith without works is a dead (James 2:20 http://www.esvapi.org/assets/play.swf?myUrl=hw%2F59002020(ESV)).
- that the mark of true justification is a perseverance in righteousness—to the very end. “All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22 http://www.esvapi.org/assets/play.swf?myUrl=hw%2F40010022(ESV)).
- that faith in a Jesus who is Savior but not Lord, is faith in a Jesus of one’s own devising or idolatry, the making of Jesus Christ in our own image. The Jesus who saves is the Lord—there is no other—and it was He who said, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46 http://www.esvapi.org/assets/play.swf?myUrl=hw%2F42006046(ESV)).
- that if you want to serve Christ, you must deny yourself and take up His cross daily and follow Him (Luke 9:23 http://www.esvapi.org/assets/play.swf?myUrl=hw%2F42009023(ESV)).
- that “without holiness no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14 http://www.esvapi.org/assets/play.swf?myUrl=hw%2F58012014(ESV)).
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that it is time for believers to own their maturity and responsibility before a sovereign Lord (Hebrews 5:13-14 http://www.esvapi.org/assets/play.swf?myUrl=hw%2F58005013-58005014(ESV)).
This revision of “The Gospel According to Jesus” in a booklet form presents itself in a cohesive, and yet appealing manner. This work is saturated in scripture and I appreciated the non-italicizing (as in my flesh I tend to skip over them) of the scripture references and formatting them as part of the writing and text. Well done. I would recommend this book to all, in all walks of life, regenerate or unregenerate.
The Truth About the Lordship of Christ By John MacArthur / Thomas Nelson |
Called to Controversy: The Unlikely Story of Moishe Rosen and the Founding of Jews for Jesus by Ruth Rosen
Thank you Thomas Nelson for the humbling opportunity to review this work.
What if your child took a birds eye view of your life and wrote it down, what would it look like? Ruth Rosen takes this task to heart as we read the biography of Moishe Rosen, the illustrious leader of Jews for Jesus. What makes this biography unique is that it from the eyes of a family member who continues in the ministry her father started. Her meticulous research and thoughtful commentaries on the events she covers also bring touching insight that I thought complimented the work well.
Why is it titled, “Called to Controversy?” Ruth states that she puts some data to some controversial items in the history of her fathers starting of the JJ ministry that is not elsewhere. Honestly, I was unaware of those controversies, and was more interested in the perception of Ruth of her father and the JJ movement so I probably missed whatever ‘controversies’ were addressed.
I was struck by this book many times and in sharing some quotes, I think you will see why;
Don’t let yourself become a desk jockey. People spend too much time sitting at their desks. You can’t witness on your seat; you gotta use your feet. This made perfect sense to Moishe, and he never forgot the admonition. Later, when it was his turn to supervise field missionaries, it was one of his guiding principles.
A lot of my principles came as counter measures to bad experiences.
But after the move, even though she was happy to entertain guests, she loved having a home life that was distinct from her husband’s work (this was a convicting reminder for me to remember my wife wanting some piece and quite from time to time).
I saw in Moishe a person with a biblically tough-minded reality about him that I did not often see in other in the ministry. From the start, one of Moishe’s gifts was his ability to encourage others to exercise their own gifts. Part of that encouragement was his genuine appreciation for what others could do. (I was struck that his daughter saw this character quality in him and it touched me deeply in light of my own struggles with my daughter seeing reality.)
Dad’s insistence on the apology made us feel important; the incident stands out as a reminder of how Dad respected us and cared for our feelings. (An instance in which Ruth was wrongly accused of something and Moishe respectfully and firmly executed mediating the offending party to make things right)
What I learned about volunteers was, first, you had to give more of yourself to them. And second, they were highly motivated – often more motivated than professionals.
The caveat, I guess I should have a higher view of it (Christian counseling) might be best interpreted as Moishe’s recognition that some Christian counselors genuinely help their clients. But he felt that the proliferation of counseling degrees rather than theological degrees from Bible scholars and seminaries was not healthy, and that the potential for damage in the field was very high.
Moishe taught by example, and that included how to give an honest and meaningful apology, a skill that, while often overlooked, truly is a measure of greatness.
I found this book very interesting, as it challenged me with wanting to invest more in relationships than evangelism for the sake of evangelism It inspired me by giving me hope that family does and will see the truth regarding good character, integrity, and doing the right thing. It enlightened me by giving me hope that maybe my own daughter some day will see past the lies she was told do some investigating on her own. I also liked how Ruth made me think throughout the book as she related her father’s thought processes, and reasoning’s for doing things, and especially conviction when doing right things.
Ruth held my attention and the story held my attention as I was always looking to read more of her perspective of her father and his ministry. I was also struck by the appendices in that Ruth shared a gospel presentation by her father and it really (for me) tied the whole book together in that, the purpose of his life (and ours) is to share the good news of Christ, and if she saw that through his life, so much that she continues with JJ today, wow… It was interesting to also find out that Moishe was part of the Council of Biblical Inerrancy with many other heavy hitters (“Moishe felt strongly that no group should outlive its usefulness. He was immensely pleased that the ICBI chose to disband in 1988, satisfied that they had completed their task by clearly defining and bringing public attention to the issue of inerrancy.”
I highly recommend this work to anyone interested in a biography, evangelism, character, integrity, and leaving a legacy. May it inspire you as it did me.
Called to Controversy: The Unlikely Story of Moishe Rosen and the Founding of Jews for Jesus By Ruth Rosen / Thomas Nelson * Why did Moishe Rosen, a Jewish man raised in an Orthodox home, become the founder of Jews for Jesus? Showing how her father challenged the status quo for Jews and Christians alike, Rosen offers a comprehensive look at Moishe’s life, revealing the personality traits, principles, struggles, and successes that made him a controversial figure. 320 pages, hardcover from Nelson. |
The 360° Leader–John Maxwell Book Review
You can lead from right where you are! In John Maxwell’s new book, he outlines how to lead up, lead to the side and lead down from where you are in ANY organization. “This fantastic book is based on the knowledge that good leaders are not only capable of leading their followers but are also adept at leading their superiors and their peers. 360° Leaders can lead effectively, regardless of their position in an organization.”
For years I have struggled to lead, always impatient with the dead silences, and for the most part, a reluctant leader tainted by bitterness of the solitary leading I have been a part of and this book gave me hope. Why? To me, I was reminded that leadership is influence and influence happens dramatically from the middle. It is high stress, low recognition, intensive, and not the place many folks want to be in…until now. I was so struck by this book as God has been working in my life to rescue my ambition for this past year, preparing me to realize that THIS is was what I was called to do. This also showed me that much discipleship can occur from the middle that dramatically influences everyone in an organization. This book was so interesting I also purchased the audio version so that I could redeem my commute! I also took the assessment, which was very helpful to show that I have much to work on in the areas of;
- Investing in relational chemistry
- Putting completing fellow leaders ahead of competing with them
- Giving rewards for results
- Exhibiting a whatever-it-takes attitude toward helping my team and/or organization
- Considering how decisions or events will impact people above, beside, and below me
- Adapting to my leader’s personality while still being my genuine self
- Being attuned to my leader’s weak areas but focusing on his/her strengths
- Accurately evaluating opportunities according to my leader’s priorities
- Praise the strengths and accomplishments of peers
- Exhibiting a sincere motivation to help my peers succeed
- Remaining friends with peer competitors
- Seeking to collaborate with my peers to fill in knowledge and skill gaps
- Embracing and enjoying acceptable humor with co-workers
- Seeking to celebrate the differing strengths of my peers and seek to get to know them better
- Not taking rejection of my ideas personally
- Actively seeking out a cause for those who have disengaged from a task or a relationship
- Encouraging followers by catching them doing something right
- Adapting my leadership style according to what my people need
- Considering what I have personally modeled before criticizing the behaviors of my followers (or my leaders)
- Being strategic in rewarding outcomes I want repeated
- Seeking to align pay with results achieved
- Praising effort, but rewarding results
Some of these (especially the underlined ones) were areas I have been blind to and I can see looking back (starting businesses, planting churches, leading ministries, etc), if I had thought more about being intentional with them, I might have ‘lead’ better and not hurt as many as I have. This book was very interesting to me and it challenged, inspired, and enlightened me on how selfish I really am and how patient people have been with me. John Maxwell made really think about my ambitions and he held my attention well. As with all of John’s books (and I have read quite a few of them) the information was impeccably presented in a cohesive, yet appealing manner which gave me hope that leading from the middle is NOT something to avoid but embrace. Although I was a little disappointed that there was not a lot of scripture in the book itself, but being acquainted with John’s writings, ministry, and life, it is very evident that much of this book is based upon biblical principles which successfully convey Biblical truth. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about serving and investing in others, not just for leaderships sake but to be a better witness for the Gospel. If there was any scripture I was reminded of reading this book, it was;
Christ’s Example of Humility
2:1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:1-11 http://www.esvapi.org/assets/play.swf?myUrl=hw%2F50002001-50002011(ESV)
Thank you Booksneeze for this investment in me, and by far this is the best book I have reviewed for you so far. Thank you!
Book review of Mark Driscoll’s–Who Do You Think You Are?
Thank you to Thomas Nelson BookSneeze program for the preview opportunity to review this work.
Forgetting who we are in Christ is a stable diet for many believers, thanks to the fall and depravity. In a culture of “I need to feel good about myself” and the never vanishing ‘self-esteem movement’, finally a work that brings out an exegetical commentary on the book of Ephesians presenting a biblical worldview in contrast to the psychologized drivel that is so prevalent in our society. In acclaimed Driscoll style, a contextual work that brings the Bible into everyday life with a humble and scholarly tone that is refreshing in a world looking to define itself by many competing idols with much needed sobriety and candidness.
I agree with Driscoll, we all live in an identity crisis. This crisis produces worshippers (we all are worshipping something whether Christian or not). By worship, Driscoll defines “Worship is the continuous outpouring of all that I am, all that I do, and all that I can ever become in light of a chosen or choosing god.” This ‘worship’ is the product of the idols we have; of which he further defines as identity idolatry which can be thought in terms of Items, Duties, Others, Longings, and Sufferings (idols). In light of the worship definition, it is easy to see how we can ‘worship’ these things. It is also clear that religious language like ‘worship’ and ‘idolatry’ may produce the temptation to blow off the convicting truths that we are ‘idol factories’ as they may reveal that we are not as ‘good’ as we think we are or that our self-esteem is not as healthy as it should be. The book of Ephesians provides the lens of the creation-fall-resurrection-restoration narrative we all walk through that define our everyday lives.
I enjoyed many things about this book. Each chapter starts with a pericope of text from a chapter of Ephesians. This is not your traditional Christian book which slaps three sentences of scripture text to sprinkle a ‘holy wand’ on the chapter. Mark actually grabs large chunks of text and meticulously works through it in the coming pages. I also like the footnotes on each page that point you to the exact Biblical references to concepts and points made in each chapter. A few highlights from the book that I appreciated are,
This book was interesting to me and will benefit future believers in my life as well. It challenge, inspire, and enlightened me in reminding (see first quote above) that my desire for good theological sermons or messages has been also contributing to my forgetfulness of the good news of the gospel. Mark’s section on Spiritual Gifts, especially the introspective questions were very helpful, and I think it may also be helpful to not only ask them of ourselves but to ask our ‘communities’ these questions about our Christian witness as well. Of course, Driscoll makes you think and hold’s your attention, and I found this especially helpful with the personal testimony stories that started each chapter. It made them more real and transferable. This commentary on Ephesians was presented in a cohesive, yet appealing manner, however, I wish there was a way to also bring the cross-references directly into the chapter rather than having to flip back and forth. I would like to also note that there are already a myriad of resources out there to bring this work from conviction to application to implication. Check out: the Ephesians Campaign
Mark Driscoll successfully convey Biblical truth and this book is saturated in scripture, cross references and historical affirmations that is equally impressive. I would highly recommend this book to all types of readers and humans alike as it addresses all of life, not just Sunday morning.
By Mark Driscoll / Thomas Nelson
We answer how we are countless times each day, but rarely do we think about who we are. Revealing that we define ourselves by things other than Jesus, Driscoll identifies who you are in Christ—saintly, blessed, saved, afflicted, heard, and more. Discover that you’re not what you do; rather, who you are determines what you do. 256 pages, hardcover from Nelson.
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