If God Is Love Don't Be A Jerk - Book Review

 

Title: If God Is Love Don't Be A Jerk; Finding a Faith That Makes Us Better Humans

Author: John Pavlovitz

Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press

Publication Date: September 28, 2021

Length: 238 Pages

About the Author
John Pavlovitz is a blogger, author, and pastor based in North Carolina. His blog, Stuff That Needs to Be Said, recently surpassed one hundred million views.

We Have One Job; LOVE!
Loving God and neighbor and self is the elemental stuff of Christian prayers, songs, T-shirts, and bumper stickers...and we all know that.

However, there is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path. Love is the path that Jesus laid out for us. This book is about the walking: about imagining what love should or could look like if we take that mandate seriously. 

My Thoughts 
John Pavlovitz has written a powerful book that challenges the reader to really think about the conclusions we hold about the character of God. Our ability to be loving to ourselves and our neighbors is in many ways a product of these conclusions.

"One set of answers will yield a hopeful, compassionate benevolence that continually moves us to welcome others in and to live with an openhanded generosity...and another is likely to construct a scalding, brimstone-laden judgmentalism that leaves us predisposed to exclude and prone to finger wagging."

 The author believes we should be compassionate and empathetic to our fellow human beings. We are all jerks at times...setting out to hurt another person and succeeding. We should ask ourselves, "Am I trying to understand this person, or am I trying to defeat them?" Understanding is a key element in love.

We tend to see the world through the filters of our personal background, culture, and education. It is really difficult to be open-minded and understand the reasons for our preferences and prejudices. We live in our own little world and are mostly ignorant about how the rest of the world is living. This book encourages you to open your mind and your heart. It asks you to really SEE what is going on around you. Your religion is not what you believe, your religion is how you treat people.

Mr. Pavlovitz comes down hard on traditional evangelical churches and challenges them to be "The Church of Not Being Horrible." We have ONE job: LOVE!

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI ~ I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley.

Book Review: Get Your Hopes Up! by Joyce Meyer

ONE WORD BOOK REVIEW: HOPE

 Get Your Hopes Up!: Expect Something Good to Happen to You Every Day

 Author: Joyce Meyer

 Publisher: FaithWords

 Publication Date: April 7, 2015

 Length: 197 Pages

About The Author
Joyce Meyer is one of the world's leading practical Bible teachers. Her daily broadcast, Enjoying Everyday Life, airs on hundreds of television networks and radio stations worldwide. Joyce has written nearly 100 inspirational books.

Be A Prisoner Of Hope
Hope isn't something we wait to feel, it is something we decide to have. We can choose hope.

This powerful new book by Joyce Meyer is divided into the following sections:

Section 1: Hope To Go Higher
Your life will go only as high as the level of your expectations.

Section 2: Hope When You Are Hurting
Have a happy anticipation that God is going to show up on the scene, that He won't be late, and that He is going to calm the storm.

Section 3: Hope and Happiness
Whatever unexpected challenge or frustration you may face, decide in advance that you're not going to let it steal your joy.

Section 4: Hope is Here
God wants you to live in hope so that even on days when it seems like everything around you is spinning out of control, you can be firm in your belief that something good is going to happen.

My Thoughts
This is a very inspirational book based on the author's experiences, entertaining and meaningful stories and passages from the Bible.

We all need hope. This book explains how we can find it and make it a lasting influence in our lives. The most important thing is to place our hope in God. We must believe it, meditate on it, speak it, and encourage others who are also facing trials.

Joyce Meyer has written dozens of books and I believe this one is right up there with the best of them. This book will be life-changing if you read the words and hold them close to your heart.

RATING: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I received a digital copy of this book to read and review from NetGalley.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Book Review: Miracles of Archangel Gabriel by Doreen Virtue

Miracles of Archangel Gabriel

Author: Doreen Virtue

Publisher: Hay House

Release Date: July 15, 2013




About The Author
Doreen Virtue holds B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees in counseling psychology and is a lifelong clairvoyant who works with the angelic realm.

Archangel Gabriel
This book explores how God sends angels to those in need. In particular, Archangel Gabriel is assigned to help mothers and messengers. Gabriel is mostly known as the "Messenger Angel".

Ms. Virtue's studies of Archangel Gabriel were based on reading the Bible and other spiritual texts. The author also conducted field studies of people who've had modern miracles that they credit to Archangel Gabriel.

This book is illustrated with beautiful color paintings and prints of Archangel Gabriel.

My Thoughts
The author provides detailed information about the history of Archangel Gabriel. She includes all the passages from the King James Version of the Bible in which Gabriel is specifically named.

The case studies about real people who have received help and guidance from Archangel Gabriel are very inspirational. I chose this book because I believe I had an encounter with Gabriel many years ago.

In 1992, my daughter and I were in a very bad car wreck. I was lying on the ground and in great pain because my leg was broken in 5 places. A strange man walked up to me and took my hand. He said his name was Gabriel. I heard him ask for a blanket and he put it over me. He asked me to count forward and backward, he asked me to name the day of the week and he asked me to name the president of the United States. He stayed with me while the ambulance attendants worked with the other driver. I remember hearing him tell the EMTs that he thought I was going into shock.

I was loaded into the ambulance and didn't see Gabriel again. However, a few days later I got a telephone call in the hospital. The voice sounded distant but he said he was Gabriel and wanted to make sure I was OK. Suddenly, the line went dead and all I heard was static.

If you don't believe in angels, you probably won't like this book very much. I am a believer and I found this book informative and inspirational. The stories in this book will warm your heart and the beautiful illustrations are a feast for the eyes.

Rating: 4 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I received a digital review copy of this book from NetGalley.

Have you been touched by an angel? Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Book Review: Putting God Into Einstein's Equations

Putting God Into Einstein's Equations: Energy of the Soul

Authors:  Jerry and Marcia Pollock

Publisher: Shechinah Third Temple (April 13, 2012)


This compelling book uses Einstein's equations as a platform to explore and reflect the energy of our God-given Divine souls.









About The Authors
Jerry Pollock has a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in pharmacy from the University of Toronto. He obtained his PhD in biophysics at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel in 1969, and then went on to New York University Medical Center for four years as a postdoctoral fellow and assistant professor of microbiology. Until July 2006, he was professor of oral biology and pathology at Stony Brook University. He is now professor emeritus at Stony Brook University.
Marcia Pollock is a graduate of Stony Brook University on Long Island with a major in psychology. She holds a masters degree in special education teaching from C.W. Post University. She retired from the Brentwood School District in July 2005. Marcia died from liver cancer on March 18, 2011.

Soul Mates Write A Book
This book is the direct outcome of an unusual and unique collaboration by soul mates Marcia and Jerry Pollock spanning the spiritual and physical worlds. Marcia is deceased, and her contributions come from the powerful intelligent energy of her Divine soul, which is without her physical body in the spirit world. Jerry is alive with his Divine soul, which is constrained within his physical body on planet Earth. Communicating through thought-energy telepathy or channeling, the authors have written this book in their attempt to bring new knowledge to the understanding of God's spirit and our world.

 
My Thoughts
I found this book of spiritual investigation and growth intriguing, fascinating and provocative. The collaboration between these soul mates is evidence that true love never dies. 
Marcia Pollock contributed knowledge of the spirit world and Jerry Pollock wrote about his knowledge of the physical world. The Pollocks used Albert Einstein's equations of relativity to explore and reflect the energy of our God-given souls.

I know very little about the theories of Albert Einstein. I did find the thoughts expressed in this book very interesting. Mr. and Mrs. Pollock used examples from research and their own experiences to illustrate and explain their beliefs.

This is one of my favorite passages from the book. It reminds us that spiritual growth takes time and effort;

In the course of life, humans seem to easily be able to darken their Divine souls. It is much easier to blacken your soul than it is to brighten it. Climbing the spiritual ladder takes time and energy. Living in the material world is impulsive.

This book might not be for everyone, but I recommend it for all who are serious about spiritual growth and development. This book will give you insight and guidance as you climb the spiritual ladder.

My Rating:  5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I received a complimentary paperback copy of this book to read and review from the author. This book is available in paperback and digital format on Amazon.com.