Wednesday, March 11, 2009

A Good Read

I cannot watch the news or hear someone talk about the news without getting frustrated, scared, or shocked. Even in our midwestern town violence has increased due to the stress of the economy. The situations seem hopeless. The circumstances look dire. The solutions are temporary. We condone murdering unborn children and using their cells for research. We encourage young teens to have sex when they are ready instead of waiting until marriage. We are sensitized to so much corruption in the world and blinded by a blanket of acceptance and political correction. I cannot watch what is going on without thinking, What is going on and What kind of a world will future generations be living in?

I bought the book, What on Earth is God Doing by Renald Showers as Christmas presents for Hubs, my father-in-law, and my brother-in-law. When Hubs opened his, it already had creased covers and pages since I was a little anxious and started reading it prior to Christmas! He hasn't seen it since, because I've been hogging it. Lately, I started reading it more and can't put it down.

I've listened to Renald Showers speak at a conference and I found that his books are as easy to read as is listening to him speak. I don't get lost in an overwhelming vocabulary; rather, he explains things perfectly & simply and gives great sources to all his facts.

Now, to the content. This book starts at the beginning of time and puts history into the perspective of what God and Satan are doing in the world. It makes complete sense and helped me sort out a lot of things in my mind. We have to remember that God is in control of what is happening, and this book helps us understand how and why. As to what is happening on earth now, that also gets discussed. He covers the past, the present, and the future.

If you are hesitant to take my word for it, here are some reviews from amazon.com:

Historical events are seen, at last, from a meaningful perspective: the long conflict between God's plan and Satan's revolutionary plan to spoil it. This is a gigantic work of synthesis of historical events, all flowing to an inevitable conclusion. But if it was (it is) inevitable then "why does God let the rebellion go on so long? Why couldn't He have demonstrated His sovereignty by crushing Satan as soon as he rebelled?" Well, the answer comes out pretty obvious at the end of the book. If you are the kind of history buff that always wonders why we still have so much evil in our crazy world -despite all the efforts against (apparently)- then this is your book.

One main stumbling block to my faith was why there is so much evil. This issue has been prayerfully answered with this book.

3 comments:

Melissa Amateis said...

This book looks great, Heather! I think I saw it when I was at Barnes & Noble one time. Now I may have to buy it!

Anonymous said...

Heather - I actually took Rick's book to G'ma's thinking I would have time, which I did not so now I may need to just make the time to read it.
Love-Joan

Audrey said...

this was a good post read! thanks for the encouragement to keep looking at the world through God's sovereignty and plan, it makes all this a smidge easier to swollow... Mitch and I would go crazy otherwise I think!!