"Start small. Read and study. Engage your friends. Start a blog or host a website. Volunteer to teach a class at your church. Get in the game. "
discl"Start small. Read and study. Engage your friends. Start a blog or host a website. Volunteer to teach a class at your church. Get in the game. "
disclaimer: i will not be rating this book, as i have not rated any other religious books, because i don't feel comfortable rating the range of someone else's beliefs based on my own views of the world and the Word itself. one day, i decided to read this book, and i thought i'd be rereading the same arguments i read in case for Christ in a different writing style, and i was happy with it. really, i was. i love lee strobel's books, and i'd heard of wallace before, so i would've taken that and been happy with it. but instead the author presents us with so much more. with not only a unique approach, but with substantial evidence and the encouragement to USE it. as a Christian, there was a time when i thought "if faith can't be forced, it can only be felt, and it can't be explained", but the truth is reading this sort of book always reminds me that some people are going to want to understand it from an outside perspective before ever believing they can "simply feel", and knowing what to say and when to say it is important. it is vital. it might be that life-changing moment you didn't know you'd be a part of. that being said, i would recommend this to literally any of my Christian friends, and i definitely will. as for non-believers, i think they would benefit equally from this read, even if only for them to know a few of the clues they were not aware of, even if only to say "well, i read it" and move on. who knows? maybe there's something in it for them too.
"While only some of us are gifted and called to be evangelists, all of us are called to be case makers. It's our duty as Christians." ...more
disclaimer: i will not be rating this book, as i have not rated any other religious books, because i don't feel com"Heads or tails, the Creator wins."
disclaimer: i will not be rating this book, as i have not rated any other religious books, because i don't feel comfortable rating the range of someone else's beliefs based on my own views of the world and the Word itself. lee strobel did it again! i've already read two of his books, and it still impresses me how well-formulated and well-thought his questions and directions are whenever he's building a case. if the case for Christ was inspiring to read, and the case for Faith was difficult yet necessary, then the case for a Creator is surprising. i have always been a Christian. there was never a time in my life when i could say any different, and i know, with God's permission, it will remain that way. however, that fact also meant i never looked deep into any sort of scientific opinion on Christianity. reading this book allowed me to see a new side of that which is already the most important part of my life, and i'm incredibly happy i decided to read it. i'd recommend this, even if you haven't read the other two books, as long as you're willing to go into it open-minded. for better or for worse. ...more
"But where sin abounded, grace abounded all the more."
Romans 5:20
disclaimer: i will not be rating this book, as i have not rated any other religious b"But where sin abounded, grace abounded all the more."
Romans 5:20
disclaimer: i will not be rating this book, as i have not rated any other religious books, because i don't feel comfortable rating the range of someone else's beliefs based on my own views of the world and the Word itself. i have this friend i really admire. my friend hasn't been religious for a very long time. his family was always religious, but he wasn't. he says he was scared. he was scared that God wouldn't accept him, wouldn't love him, because he had learned God acted that way. he has learned, through other people, through other eyes, that he would be rejected and casted away. he can't believe it nowadays. he can't believe the way people drove him away from the loving God who would quell all of his worries and hold him whenever he needed comfort. he can't believe the time he spent away from God when he could have been close. but he is so, so grateful that he's close now. i don't think he spends all that much time thinking about what he's lost. i'm so proud to watch him spend all his free time celebrating what he's gained. i'm saying this now because this book reminded of him in every possible way. it also reminded me of several other friends, and family members, and i'm glad to say it even reminded me of me. this was such an easily relatable book, so easy to put yourself in the author's shoes, that it felt like he was talking to me personally. i have to say i think this is my favorite religious book yet. the special thing about the ragamuffin Gospel is the way it delivers the message that, yes, we have to repent, but no, we can't allow ourselves to repent through fear, and we can't allow ourselves to forget repentance comes even more greatly to us when we are overcome by God's love. when we want to be better because He loves us that much, and all we want is to somehow pay Him back. even if only with a little gesture. even if only with our own flawed ways to love.
"Once you come to experience the love of Jesus Christ, nothing else in the world will seem beautiful or desirable."
i've recommended several religious books here before, but i would recommend this one the most. it reminded of "Gentle and Lowly", and despite not having made me cry the way Gentle and Lowly did, it was a meaningful experience i would wish on literally anyone. believer or not.
"And God answers, That's what you don't know. You don't know how much I love you. The moment you think you understand is the moment you do not understand. I am God, not man. Your words are glib. My words are written in the blood of My only Son. [...] Did you kow that every time you tell Me you love Me, I say thank you?"...more
"Only in a world where faith is difficult can faith exist."
disclaimer: i will not be rating this book, as i have not rated any other religious books, "Only in a world where faith is difficult can faith exist."
disclaimer: i will not be rating this book, as i have not rated any other religious books, because i don't feel comfortable rating the range of someone else's beliefs based on my own views of the world and the Word itself. lee strobel did it again. the case for Faith is as important as the case for Christ, but i have to admit it's harder to read. that's not a bad thing at all, though. it was meant to be like that, if we're asking hard questions. as far as being able to draw the best conclusions from each specialist goes, i believe this book did a very good job at it. overall, it's a tough but extremely well-done analysis, and the way strobel discovered his own faith through the things he learned is very inspiring to see. i'd definitely recommend it to anyone who's interested in the subject!...more
"There is no termination date on my commitment to you. You can't get rid of my grace to you. You can't outrun my mercy. You can't evade my goodness. M"There is no termination date on my commitment to you. You can't get rid of my grace to you. You can't outrun my mercy. You can't evade my goodness. My heart is set on you."
disclaimer: i will not be rating this book, as i have not rated any other religious books, because i don't feel comfortable rating the range of someone else's beliefs based on my own views of the world and the Word itself. now. woah. that was an INCREDIBLE read. there was a point, super early in the book, where i had to stop and breathe so that i could stop crying. the reason is that we're always so caught up in ourselves, in our sins and our own wrongdoings, that we fail to see just how much Christ loves us, and just how much He wants us to know that, and i think this book does an amazing job of reminding us. i, for one, felt extremely comforted, and extremely happy while reading it. i tend to recommend religious books for both my religious and non-religious friends, not only because i think it is very important to feed on God's words, but also because i think it is worth the read. you know, even if only to understand what it is that some Christians feel, or to which extent God influences their lives. i rarely reread religious books, since i'm constantly looking for new reads for my Biblical Studies, but i do believe i'm going to find myself coming back to this one once in a while. a great one, really. God is good all the time.
"But there is one thing for us to do. Jesus says it in Matthew 11:28. 'Come to me.'"...more
"If Jesus conquered death, he can open the door of eternal life for me, too."
disclaimer: i will not be rating this book, as i have not rated any other"If Jesus conquered death, he can open the door of eternal life for me, too."
disclaimer: i will not be rating this book, as i have not rated any other religious books, because i don't feel comfortable rating the range of someone else's beliefs based on my own views of the world and the Word itself. that being said, that was, woah, an excellent read. it is the report of an atheist journalist that seeks out answers about Jesus through the point of view of many experts in the subject. before reading the book, i read some of the reviews, and i notice a pattern: people claim the author was biased. now, in my opinion, there is a way to describe that "biased" thought. i particularly believe the fundament to becoming a believer is wanting, even if only a little bit, to believe. if the author had searched those people without a single thought in his mind, a single voice in his heart that was already whispering "let's look for Jesus, shall we?", i don't honestly believe the result would have been the same. in my opinion, though, that doesn't make his case any less believable. it might make it even more. as someone that's been religious my entire life, wanting to believe has only brought me more and more i want to learn about God, never satisfied or "full enough". finally, i'd like to go back to this one quote that really stood out to me:
"It's because this Jesus � the historical Jesus � is also the living Lord. That's why. It's because he's still around, while the others are long gone."
and say that anyone that's interested in reading an analysis on Jesus or anything related to this book might find this an actually great read. i'd recommend it, for sure. ...more
"After he has been following Christ for a long time, the disciple of Jesus will be asked "Lacked ye anything?" and he will answer "Nothing, Lord." How"After he has been following Christ for a long time, the disciple of Jesus will be asked "Lacked ye anything?" and he will answer "Nothing, Lord." How could he when he knows that despite hunger and nakedness, persecution and danger, the Lord is always at his side?"
i want to start this review by saying i won't be rating this book, because i don't feel comfortable rating religious books (as a religious person, i would rather not feel like i'm rating other people's beliefs, personally). i do feel, though, that this book is a bit different from the last "religious" works i've read. usually, i emphasize how important it is for every sort of person with every sort of opinion to read books on God and religion, even if only because of a slight curiosity, because most books focus on the process of becoming a Christian or finding your place in God and etcetera. this one, though, was mostly focused on the disciples--which makes sense, if you consider its title. that does NOT mean this isn't a good read for people that are not yet converted, and i would definitely recommend it in a broad sense, but it does mean you have to read the book for what it is, knowing what to expect. that being said, i feel like this is an incredible read. i had moments when i disagreed with one or two aspects, one or two "words", one or two "points of view", but i definitely feel like this is a precious and valuable read. there are many aspects about what it means to be in the presence of God that we may overlook on a daily basis, and it's essential that we know that we are always prone to make mistakes, and we have to right our wrongs before Him since He has always looked after us, and He always will. in short, this was a great book, and i appreciate the opportunity to read it. ...more
"Why then, did Jesus have to die? Even Jesus asked that question. In the Garden of the Gethsemane, he asked if there was any other way. There wasn't. "Why then, did Jesus have to die? Even Jesus asked that question. In the Garden of the Gethsemane, he asked if there was any other way. There wasn't. There isn't. On the cross, in agony, he cried out the question "Why!?" Why was he being forsaken? Why was it all necessary? The answer of the Bible is—for us."
disclaimer: i will not be rating this book, as i have not rated any other religious books, because i don't feel comfortable rating the range of someone else's beliefs based on my own views of the world and the Word itself. that being said!!! this is my favorite religious book i've read so far. i've decided not to add to my favorite book's shelves because it feels undermining to place it together with fiction stories that have drawn me because of fictional narratives while this has made me so happy and so emotional in my reading because of much greater reasons. basically, as someone that's been a Christian my whole life, i believe this is one of the books (from the ones that i've read) that hit the closest to home. as always, there were points in which i disagreed, which i believe is normal; no other book is going to be as the Bible is, and there are going to be aspects that do not resonate with everyone. reading this, somehow, it felt as if i was listening to the preaching of one of the few churches that have made me feel comfortable and accepted throughout my life. the doubts and concerns regarding Christianity are addressed very well, and the quotes and examples chosen by the author were very well-put. as always, i do recommend the read to anyone that's either a Christian, a believer or a nonbeliever, in case they are all open to disagreeing in some parts and still taking in the whole read. ...more
um tempinho atrás, eu li a coleção "Análise da Inteligência de Cristo", do augusto cury, e eu gostei muito da forma como ela focava em aplicar conceitos da psicologia em tudo que Jesus viveu e em tudo que Ele ensinou. curiosamente, eu gostei muito desse livro por andar na mesma direção (a conexão entre Jesus e a psicologia) mas com a ideia "contrária": ele relaciona os ensinamentos de Jesus com pacientes e experiências que o autor teve com a psicologia na atualidade. o jeito que ele foi escrito foi muito bem feito, por começar com um versÃculo ou com uma ideia sobre a BÃblia e desenvolver um raciocÃnio com um caso com o qual eles se relacionam. fui lendo aos pouquinhos, mas pros meus Estudos BÃblicos, foi um dos livros mais "leves", e eu me senti muito bem lendo!!! recomendo demais.
"Os discÃpulos ficaram contagiados com seus gestos. Deixaram seus barcos, futuros, expectativas, suas cidades e seguiram Jesus. N**spoiler alert** 4.5
"Os discÃpulos ficaram contagiados com seus gestos. Deixaram seus barcos, futuros, expectativas, suas cidades e seguiram Jesus. Nos primeiros meses, eles o seguiram por causa do seu poder; depois, o seguiram por causa do seu amor."
"Os textos das suas biografias são claros: Ele não queria melhorar ou reformar o homem, mas produzir um novo homem."
mais uma vez, durante os meus mome"Os textos das suas biografias são claros: Ele não queria melhorar ou reformar o homem, mas produzir um novo homem."
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