Do you ever feel that what you read in some Christian books is not really God's truth at all, but is merely the opinion of the writer, dressed up in the clothing of truth? Such books are merely imposters and are like the fig tree Jesus cursed-they look promising on the outside, but when you get up close, you find that they, like the fig tree, are barren, written for the glory of the writer and his or her ideas, not for the truth of God and his glory.
Unfortunately, many sermons and teachings fall into the same category. One such teaching is that we have to work very hard to please God, because he is just about fed up with us because of all our shortcomings. This is a teaching that is just plain wrong, according to Darin Hufford, and in his book, "The God's Honest Truth," he sets out to correct it.
"The God's Honest Truth" is a great book. Its premise is that knowing God is based on love, because God is love and he loved us first (and continues to love us). Too many conceptions of God, Hufford points out, are based on faulty images of our human fathers that we transfer to our divine father. Thus, we see God as demanding, abusive, absent, or passive-aggressive, because that is how we (sadly) see our human fathers.
But God is not like that; rather, God is love, and to frame his teaching, Hufford uses the pure and true description of love from 1 Corinthians 13 to guide his discussion about God and our relationship with him.
As an example of what this book is really about, Hufford cites the problem of "loving" God more than we love our spouse or our children. God does not compete for our attention, and if we set up our relationship with him in such a way that we must choose between time with God or time with our family, we act as though God is insecure. Instead, Hufford writes, "The only way to love God more than your spouse is to love God through your spouse. Your husband or wife would be the direct recipient of that love" (p. 169).
Hufford's book is filled with similar true-to-life examples and the corrective truth the Bible offers. The most important thing we can realize and understand is that God loves us purely. By studying what love truly is (in 1 Cor. 13, for example), we can sincerely and simply love God more and more.
Jeremy M. Hoover is a book reviewer and Christian minister. You can request a review by emailing him at jeremyhoover@gmail.com. He also sells a set of 11 ebooks on prayer, which you can find jeremyhoover@gmail.com.
professional maid services Park Ridge ..You decide! We are often asked to make decisions. Decision... Read More
(Channelled)I have been trying to ignore this title "A Man... Read More
In Habakkuk, the prophet cries out in a lament complaint... Read More
The Kundalini is a pool of energy that lies dormant... Read More
In your quest for enlightenment, always ask what's in it... Read More
We are all here on this plane, thinking to ourselves... Read More
When the storms in your life are raging, just believe,... Read More
Someone asked me the other day what was the most... Read More
There is no shortage in the abundance of blessings we... Read More
I am not enlightened, and yet,... Read More
The first hymn of Isha Upanishad says - whatever living... Read More
What type of person grabs your attention and motivates you?... Read More
As we proceed further into the 21st century there is... Read More
Lonely Song"a box of paints - lament for my da"It... Read More
A feeling of fulfillment is something we all seek. Here... Read More
Love is mentioned well over 350 times in the Bible.... Read More
I seemed to have lost my heart. Now this is... Read More
Once you become saved and born again, the Bible tells... Read More
He knew it was going to happen. He wasn't really... Read More
"In the sixth century of the sixth millennium, the gates... Read More
Here they are, our Ladies of Mercy and Divine Benevolence.... Read More
Matthew 2:16-18Herod Kills the Children16 Then Herod, when he saw... Read More
1. Identify a woman who is "like minded," who has... Read More
Want more peace and joy in your life? Daily stress... Read More
For some of us, EVERY DAY IS HALLOWEEN!!! If you... Read More
cleaning lady near Lincolnshire ..A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in... Read More
What does it take to live life holistically?It definitely does... Read More
You will become as great as your dominant aspiration...If you... Read More
Spending 'Quiet Time' with the LordFrom the beginning of my... Read More
The following article is an exploration of the Spring holiday... Read More
An analysis of Western man's guiding presuppositions, A Review of... Read More
What the Animals Tell Us"I am the Sun's son. I... Read More
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. --ROMANS... Read More
Life is just a journey. Princess DianaWhether we are... Read More
For many years of my life, I thought the spiritual... Read More
"...I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I... Read More
After 6 years, I left an abusive relationship with an... Read More
"In the sixth century of the sixth millennium, the gates... Read More
There is an inherent generosity in the human spirit to... Read More
A Nathan type prophet sees with his eyes. A Samuel... Read More
I have been counseling people on weight loss, exercise efficiency... Read More
Your creative gift has power.God was the first and still... Read More
As a Psychiatrist I spent most of my life training... Read More
Some people think just by saying the words thank you... Read More
In this article, I would like deal with one specific... Read More
Were you lied to as newborn Christian? I was...let me... Read More
Who Are you?Have you ever asked yourself the question 'Who... Read More
Some men see things as they are and say, "Why?"... Read More
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.... Read More
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.... Read More
Spirituality |