World Religions made Easy

This summer as an extension of my Internet Evangelism, I took an online course about bridging our communication with Muslims. We discovered areas in which Muslims and Christians can agree and the things we have in common. The study showed me topics that I can safely discuss with Muslims. The information in this booklet shares information about thirty world religions. While I was familiar with more than a few of the religions, but there were many groups of which I had never heard. During my experience sharing Jesus with women around the world, I was introduced to Santeria. I gained some valuable information from this resource.  Also, I had read an article about a doctor in our county that is proud of his belief in Sikhism. There were many particulars about reincarnation, karma, and the 5 K’s of this religion. My main purpose in a resource of this type was how each religion dealt with Jesus and what happens after death. This book was very clear on both counts. I was astonished at the number of men who basically founded their own religion and wrote the religious texts. It seems kind of egomaniacal on the part of the founders. I marvel that “man” has such a problem believing in Jesus and God’s plan of salvation. I did notice that several religions were covered more thoroughly and included six or seven pages of information. My suggestion would be to include more in-depth writing about Judaism and Biblical Christianity. I found this resource to have much valuable information and was given this pdf from Hendrickson/Rose Publishers for an honest review.

Ten Keys to Spiritual Growth

I am so delighted to find this resource. The Bible Study I attend suggests the book of Acts can be called the Acts of the Holy Spirit. I am enjoying learning all I can about this relationship. The illustration of a tree representing Spiritual Growth is right on. I am so excited! I can hardly wait to share at church tonight and with my CBS group. Water representing the Grace of God is perfect. He fills me us and my love can overflow to others. The soil is the Word of God enriches our lives by nourishing us, the Root is Jesus, how perfect, He is the reason for our salvation and our resurrection. The trunk of the tree represents our habits and actions. We need the living presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit for growth. Our relationship with others is represented by branches and the more we grow in the wisdom and knowledge of God we will exhibit the fruit of the Spirit. The 10 Keys listed below each appear with scriptures to Read; truths we can Know and questions we should Ask ourselves about our spiritual life. There are suggested activities to Do that will promote our Spiritual Growth. Many of the activities are habits in my life, but there is always something we can do to improve our relationship with the Holy Spirit. This pamphlet is filled with helpful suggestions.

1.      Focus on your relationship with God.

2.      Pray for growth

3.      Memorize and meditate on God‘s word

4.      Seek wisdom

5.       Obey God‘s word 

6.      Commit to community

7.      Serve others

8.      Give generously

9.      Be thankful

10.   Trust in God’s promises

Henderickson/Rose provided this pdf for my review.

Understanding the Holy Spirit Made Easy

As a child, I cannot remember much teaching of the Holy Spirit other than the mention in our Hymns. It has been my quest to learn more about the Holy Spirit and release control of my life over to Him. Understanding the Holy Spirit Made Easy seem to call my name. This Wednesday I began a 30-week bible study of the book of Acts. Although I have taught the Act of the Apostles verse by verse this past year to my women’s class of fifteen. I am excited to hear the Teaching Director refer to Acts as the “Acts of the Holy Spirit.” This resource has many excellent charts of vital information and comparisons. “We are not called to live for God in our own limited strength. The Holy Spirit is our infinite power source.” This week in my teaching in Ephesians 3, Paul is urging the church to access the power that we have been given as children of God. How wonderful that God to connect all these teaching at this time. One thing that I had never thought of is the illustration of the “Spirit is something like clothing. Without clothing, we are naked and vulnerable. When we try to live without the power of the Spirit, we are spiritually naked and vulnerable.” Repeatedly we are reminded that the Holy Spirit is not a thing. He is a person-equal standing in the Trinity with Father God and Jesus Christ. The proof was give through scripture passages. He can be lied to. He can be grieved. He has a name. My favorite name is Advocate before the Father. He can interpret my unspoken cries to My Abba Father.  Yes, He gives each of us special gifts. But I suppose my favorite gifts are the Fruit of the Spirit that He gives to all Christians. The answers to Frequently Asked Questions are most helpful in my role as a Discipleship Coach in Internet Evangelism. This is a much-needed book and I think I will order one in print to share with others. Hendrickson Rose Publishing gave me this pdf free of charge for a fair and honest review.

Christmas Cradle Picture Book

Christmas had become a time of stress for my family with all the shopping and decorating and giving of token gifts not really needed or appreciated. It was then that I simplified the holiday season by focusing on Jesus, God’s greatest gift. Acts of service in His Name gives me a peace and joy lacking in the secular holiday. Now any gifts I give are made by hand with love.  For eight years, I have volunteered during Christmas at the Library to read Christmas books to children who come from all countries to celebrate Jesus’ birth at the Billy Graham Library. One book was similar to the Christmas Cradle, but I much enjoyed the fact that children and adults can put “cards” recalling the loving service they performed for others inside a cradle. The “gifts” placed inside the cradle brings the Christmas story of Jesus full circle. It reminds us of the true meaning of Christmas, our gift of Salvation. The book is very colorful and the vivid colors are sure to attract the attention of young children. The sweet story of celebrating Christmas in Aunt Jenny’s farm turns into an opportune teaching moment to share the story of the Christ child born in a stable. Molly forgets about Santa and elves and reindeer this night and gives her heart to Jesus. Truly a much-needed reminder for our children to remember why we started celebrating Christmas. Maybe this could become a book that deserves regular reading at Christmas. The book was offered for review free of charge by the Hendrickson Rose Publishing.

Instant Bible Lessons for Preschoolers: A to Z Thru the Bible

Instant Bible Lessons for Preschoolers: A to Z Thru the Bible

By: Lindsey Whitney

As Sunday School teachers, we are always looking for instant lesson plans. This book has 208 pages and offers 26 lessons with reproducible pages. I like the alphabet format for organizing notable characters found in the Bible. It is full of ready-to-use lesson plans with a short introduction and opening activity for children that arrive early. Each character representing a letter of the alphabet includes scripture references where the story is found. Each Bible story has several paragraphs and includes an “I wonder” section. These encourage students to use their imagination, express their feelings about the story, and spark some interesting conversations. Instant Lessons provide about seven pages for teacher instructions, coloring, handwriting practice, art and craft activities, or dramatic play. These optional extra activities which utilize age-appropriate preschool skills There are plenty of different activities to keep children engaged, no matter what their preferred learning style. Included is a page of the corresponding alphabet letters to trace -these are really "balloon letters" to color. These are not the manuscript letter the children will be taught to write in public school.
“J is for Joseph” shares the story of the rainbow-colored coat that Joseph received from his father, Jacob. One activity is a coloring book outline of Joseph’s coat. Students will use small bits of paper to glue them on the coat. Another activity with Goldfish crackers utilizes skills of pouring. This helps in understanding concepts of sharing with others, concepts of little and much, and more than and less than. 

This resource can be used "in an instant" when you have a substitute at church. Thank you to Hendrickson/Rose Publishing for allowing me the privilege of reviewing this resource.

100 Days of Prayer, a Daily Devotional,

100 Days of Prayer, is a Daily Devotional, written by Steve Arterburn fills 207 pages. The table of contents takes 3 pages to list the one hundred titles which include: Attitude of Gratitude, The Fullness of Christ, Too Busy, and Life Eternal. Each day presents an important thought, one bible verse, and a short explanation of the idea, followed by three or four quotes from notable authors. These quotes from famous Christian authors or historical figures are poignant and thought-provoking. This resource would be useful for someone who has limited time and desires a brief devotion. Since I mainly pray scripture promises back to my Heavenly Father, I wish there were more Biblical content for deeper enrichment. The daily prayer itself is short maybe five sentences at the most. I was disappointed that this devotional prayer guide did not provide some advice for those who do not know how to talk to God or are ill-equipped to approach Him with their problems. As a discipleship coach, the women who I guide through our Bible course do not really understand the purpose or the power of prayer. Some people may need a prayer devotional to offer instructions on how to pray. The Lord’s Prayer or other prayers from the Bible could be included. This book was given to me as a pdf file by Rose Hendrickson for an unbiased review.

Sermon on the Moun

Several years ago, I taught 30 lessons on the Gospel of Matthew. It was then I learned that Matthew is the only gospel that speaks of the “kingdom of heaven” instead of the kingdom of God. Primarily his readers were Jewish people who avoided pronouncing or writing the name of God out of respect and fear. The Sermon on the Mount covers Matthew chapter five through seven.  This teaching takes place early in Jesus ministry after he had been tempted by the devil in the wilderness. I really like the visual on Page 2. A bulleted list showing the many different areas Jesus taught during this preaching on a mount in Galilee. One of my favorites is what we call the Beatitudes found in Matthew 5:3-12. “The beatitudes are not commands the believer must fulfill to enter the kingdom of heaven; rather they are rewards” we shall receive at of the coming of God’s kingdom. A chart on page 5 gives the text of the beatitude, explains the meaning of the phrase, and identifies the reward in the coming kingdom. Verses 13 through 16 in chapter 5 explain the essential elements of salt and light. As followers of Jesus, we must make a difference in the world pointing unbelievers to the true source of the light and life. Page 10 has a good chart on the model prayer Jesus taught his disciples in Matthew six. The prayer is broken into phrases helping us see the focus of every phrase in the prayer and listing God’s attributes. This is a compact teaching tool in fourteen pages. Solid ideas are found in this resource that would be useful for teachers and pastors alike. Henderson Rose provided this pdf for a fair and honest review.Several years ago, I taught 30 lessons on the Gospel of Matthew. It was then I learned that Matthew is the only gospel that speaks of the “kingdom of heaven” instead of the kingdom of God. Primarily his readers were Jewish people who avoided pronouncing or writing the name of God out of respect and fear. The Sermon on the Mount covers Matthew chapter five through seven.  This teaching takes place early in Jesus ministry after he had been tempted by the devil in the wilderness. I really like the visual on Page 2. A bulleted list showing the many different areas Jesus taught during this preaching on a mount in Galilee. One of my favorites is what we call the Beatitudes found in Matthew 5:3-12. “The beatitudes are not commands the believer must fulfill to enter the kingdom of heaven; rather they are rewards” we shall receive at of the coming of God’s kingdom. A chart on page 5 gives text of the beatitude, explains the meaning of the phrase, and identifies the reward in the coming kingdom. Verses 13 through 16 in chapter 5 explain the essential elements of salt and light. As followers of Jesus, we must make a difference in the world pointing unbelievers to the true source of the light and life. Page 10 has a good chart on the model prayer Jesus taught his disciples in Matthew six. The prayer is broken into phrases helping us see the focus of every phrase in the prayer and listing God’s attributes. This is a compact teaching tool in fourteen pages. Solid ideas are found in this resource that would be useful for teachers and pastors alike. Henderson Rose provided this pdf for a fair and honest review.

Bible Study on the Book of James

This small book of James is a hard-hitting, “tell it like it is” letter written by the half-brother of Jesus, James the head of the Church Council in Jerusalem.  One of the first letters written in the New Testament, in AD 49, letter written mainly to the Jews scattered throughout the Roman Empire. An epistle is about practical Christian living, the style is pointed, insightful, and remarkably similar to the wisdom of the Old Testament. Some of my favorite phrases are from the Book of James: “Count it all joy”, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,” “be ye doers of the word and not hearers only.”  When I became a teaching director of the women’s bible study class, James was the next book to be taught. Every penetrating truth I shared was reflected back at me. The lesson of the tongue was so true and authentic, I felt like I needed to teach to a full-length bridal mirror to highlight my transparency. James is a book about the realities of life. Following the format of the other bible studies in this series, this book has six sessions focusing on the six tests, that, according to James, reveal how healthy and mature our faith is. These are the tests: Trials, Favoritism, Good works, Speech, Relationships, and Prayer.  A leadership guide is included to help teachers present this wealth of information for today’s Christians living the world. Thank you 

The Tabernacle

The Tabernacle is one of my favorite topics to study. The Tabernacle was an actual part of Israel’s history. The precise directions and measurements were given to Moses by God Himself.  Each piece of the Tabernacle can be compared with the coming of the Messiah. The format of this book will be easy to teach because it divides the study into 6 Parts. Each part follows the same format beginning with reading the Word of God: Read It, Know It, Explore it, and finally Live It. Life Application Questions to help us draw meaning from the traditions of the Old Testament and using it in our daily lives. The various treasures in the Holy of Holies are divided into groups and discussed in detail. Part 1 God with Us, concentrates on the Temple in the wilderness. It was a place where God would actually come down and enter the Tent of Meeting. Several artist rendering and even a scale model of the Tabernacle help us understand the dimensions. The timelines and cutaway diagrams were very detailed. Part 2 Sacrifices and Holiness, explore the altar where the animals were sacrificed and the laver. The Laver was a magnificent piece where the priests must purify themselves before they performed their duties. The surface of the laver was said to be highly polished so the priests could see their own reflection as they washed in the water. One of my favorite illustrations is the colorful shaded chart showing the various four different kinds of offering in the Old Testament. It supplies appropriate scripture and detailed descriptions. Part 3 The Lampstand, shares how light is viewed in the Bible. The subtitle is light in a dark place. Our world is definitely in darkness but Jesus is the light of the world. Part 4 God’s Invitation, details the Table of Bread and Altar of Incense. Part 5 Drawing Near to God, teaching the importance of the Veil that was ripped from top to bottom when Christ died on the Cross. The Ark of the Covenant is a holy and sacred and was a crucial part of the Tabernacle. Part 6 Finding  Mercy, the demonstrates a paramount issue of our faith. The garments of the High Priest is depicted and explained. A glorious picture of the Mercy Seat also called the Atonement Seat. In order to understand the pageantry and details of the Tabernacle, we must realize the sacrificial offering that Jesus made on the Cross. The mention of Jewish holidays, comparing of Old Testament and New Testament, a chart showing the contents of the Ark listing the items, their symbolism and describing how Jesus fulfills every need, makes this resource very complete and useful as a teaching tool. Hendrickson Rose, provided me this wonderful resource in exchange for an unbiased review.

The Life of Paul

The Book of Acts chronicles the life of Paul: from his conversion on the Damascus Road, his unique calling to spread the Gospel to the Gentiles, and details of his arrests, trials, and prison. For the past eight months, our women’s class has been studying the Acts verse-by-verse. As we moved through the Acts of the Apostles, Peter and Paul were key players. This book on the Life of Paul would have been a great help to me as I prepared my lessons. The 120 page Bible study of Paul’s life is divided into six sessions. Each session has maps, a timeline of Paul’s missionary travels, life application questions, and plenty of space for answering study questions. Beautiful photographs of the area give credence to the study. The charts are neatly organized and easy to read. Interesting commentary on Paul’s missing years, and “the curious case of John Mark” adds depth to the study. A two column chart parallels between Jesus’ and Paul’s final entries in Jerusalem.

A special section entitled “Leaders Guide” is filled with helpful suggestions and cautions for leading a group. There is a list of do’s and don’ts, as well as group guidelines of behavior. Several schedules are provided with the breakdown in time for 30-minute sessions, 60-minute sessions and 90-minute sessions, also included are very helpful group guidelines. This 6-week inductive study guide is very well-planned and in an easy to use format. Thank you, Hendrickson Rose, for providing me this wonderful resource in exchange for an unbiased review.

The Armor of God

As a Bible Study teacher and an Internet evangelism coach, I was excited to acquire another resource on the Armor of God. Ephesians six has always been my “go to scripture” when explaining to Christians about the enemy. I have a small book entitled “What to Wear to the War,” plus I have posters and pamphlets labeling the many pieces of armor. This resource is special because it is in the form of a bible study course with 6 sessions. The mature ladies in my Sunday school class have just now started to dig into the word of God. It is taking them years to discover the treasures of wisdom and God‘s holy Word. This will be a great tool to teach the sobering reality of spiritual warfare. I really like the clarity and organizations of charts and this 120-page book many charts through the book. The full-color photographs of each piece of armor are detailed and eye-catching. A chart in the second chapter gives scriptural insights to the protection God has provided for us. It lists our responsibility of faithfully dressing for battle every morning. Quotations and insights are gleaned from notable authors and historians. A beautiful prayer on page 36 would be a welcome addition to any morning meditation. Chapter 3 introduces us to our greatest enemy, Satan. The deceiver whose goal is to steal, kill, and destroy. Many women I have encountered believe the lies of Satan.  They cannot be forgiven. That no one loves them. Once a person is so devastated by abuse and abandonment, it is hard for them to believe the everlasting love, the infinite mercy, and the amazing grace offered by our Lord Jesus Christ. This book teaches us how to effectively use the weapons of war: Prayer and the Sword of the Spirit, the infallible Holy Bible. A wonderful treasure trove of scripture and thought-provoking questions are included. A special section entitled “Leaders Guide “is filled with helpful suggestions and cautions for leading a group. Several schedules are provided with the breakdown in time for 30- minute sessions, 60-minute sessions, and 90-minute sessions, also included are very helpful guidelines for group interaction. This 6-week inductive study guide is very well-planned and in an easy to use format. Thank you, Hendrickson Rose, for providing me this wonderful resource in exchange for an unbiased review.

Whisper

I was all excited to review this book because the author Matt Batterson had written "The Circle Maker." Anne Graham Lotz mentioned Honi Ha-Ma’agel, a Jewish scholar who lived in the first century B.C. It seemed a book that could help me in my prayers and relate to God more fully. I really thought I would enjoy it, but I could not get into it. I'm sure it would be a good book for small groups.

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Who I Am in Christ Daily Devotional

My role as a Discipleship Coach is to encourage women of their identity in Christ. My students may be recovering from a dysfunctional lifestyle, depression, divorce, and discouragement. They have feelings of unworthiness. Many do not believe they can be forgiven. Or they think they have to do all kinds of works and get cleaned up before they can repent. This devotional starts out with the topic of IDENTITY THEFT. We need to KNOW who we are in Christ. God gave us a priceless identity. We are created in His image. Satan uses lies and accusations to make us feel we are not good enough to come before a holy God. That part is true. We are not acceptable until we believe that Jesus is the Son of God and His precious blood redeems us and cleanses us until we white as snow. God wants us in the Word so we can grasp who we are in Christ. Each day presents a Truth found in the Bible along with an easy to understand explanation. There is a question for Reflection, which makes it personal to us, and then a short prayer. “For Further Study” shares an expanded scripture. Days 14-73 tells us who we are as a believer in Jesus Christ. Days 74-100 discusses about Transformation: Becoming Who We Are. Once we believe, we are His. We can be sanctified every day by our intentional time in God’s Word and walking daily in His will. I will be using key verses from this Who I Am in Christ Daily Devotional to share with my students. Thank you Hendrickson-Rose for this PDF to review. 

Topical Bible Index: Bible Insert

What a handy dandy research tool! My favorite parts of the Topical Bible Index: Bible Insert are the quick find section on the Chronological listing of the events in Jesus life in all four gospels, the Miracles of Jesus, and the Parables of Jesus in convenient easy to read table. I have dozens of book and computer files with this information, but it is not always with me. But as a bible study teacher, I like to have this handy topical index that will fit inside my bible cover. It is concise with 500 topics that include biblical references. Fifty-five pages is a comfortable size and not too bulky to carry to class or church. It is neat and attractive with a full-color photo to denote the letters of the alphabet-such as Angel for the A. I also like the fact that PDF download which I can open on my tablet or phone and complete searches to find all references of a word such as CROSS. Since I answer phones at a Christian ministry, I do not have time to thumb through the 300 pages of my handbook. This Thursday I was all in a dither trying to find relevant verses on loneliness and fear. Within seconds had 12 verses regarding fear and loneliness. Many senior citizens, that I talk to on the prayer line, do not have computers or smartphones. It is comforting to those unfamiliar with the Bible to have a few verses to read when they are alone. This is a great teacher reference and pastors could certainly find it useful. Henderickson/Rose provided this PDF for my unbiased review.

The Life of Jesus: 6-Session DVD Bible Study

Two years ago I purchased the Miracles of Jesus and led my women’s class in a Bible Study. We enjoyed the picturesque scenery of Jerusalem and everywhere that Jesus walked. We used the discussion questions and the study guide to prepare my lessons. The Life of Jesus series seems to be just as interesting and wonderful. My favorite part of this DVD of the life of Jesus is the opening backdrop in Jerusalem Galilee and other points of interest. Since I have never been to Israel it is important to me to see where Jesus walked. The information on the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River was in lightning. Although all the sessions offered historical truths of key events of Jesus' life, I think my favorite part of the series is Session 6 with Dr. Matt William sitting in front of a campfire during the dark of night. Defeating the Enemy chronicles Mark 1:21 – 28 when Jesus Casts Out Demons. He shared scripture and gave a detailed background of Jesus’ confrontation with the demons. He encourages us to balance our thinking. Not to be overly obsessed with demons because “greater is He that is in us than Satan that in the world.” We know in the book of Revelation that the Devil has been defeated.  However, Matt encourages us to remember that Satan knows his time is short and we are likely to see more demonic activity in the days to come. Demons are very real and powerful. We cannot face them in our own strength. Prayer is essential and we must rely on the power of Jesus’ name. The Deeper Connections series was written and taught by biblical experts who could also communicate that material in a clear, practical, understandable manner. Each video is approximately 30 minutes with breaks for discussion and resources to use with the videos. I appreciate the scripture verses shown the screen so participants can read it without turning the lights. Thank you, Hendrickson/Rose  Publishers for allowing me to preview this valuable resource.

Rose Christ in the Passover

For years I have been intrigued with the Jewish Celebration of the Passover. I myself have attended three Passover Seder meals. One hosted by a Messianic Jew and his many children. It was very meaningful to hear the children ask the questions. Most Christians have little insight into the feasts and festivals of the Jewish faith. The demonstrations of the matzo bag fascinated me. As a Bible Study teacher of women I want to share with other the experience of the Seder Meal. I invited this family to come to our church and explain the history of the Passover and the significance in the celebration and symbolism as it relates to Jesus Christ our Savior. Years later, I am teaching a Women’s class at my church. This PowerPoint of Christ is the Passover is the perfect vehicle to share the Old Testament background of the Passover. The slides show a detailed comparison of the Passover and the Lord’s Supper using scripture from Exodus 12 and several passages from the New Testament. The Christian Seder portions of the slideshow uses full-color photos of the matzo bag and the Seder plate representing the essential elements in the traditional meal. The photos of middle matzah, called Afikomen, was broken and one piece placed back in the matzo bag show what no amount of words can convey in a lesson. The various slides can be used to supplement teaching and the participants can use the worksheets to share in the reading of the scripture. This resource would be a wonderful addition when used in a Bible study or a special class prior to our Easter celebrations. Thank you Hendrickson Rose for allowing me to review this PowerPoint of Christ in the Passover.