MY TOP "TEN" LIST
Recently
a friend asked me to recommend a good book
to him. That is almost like asking me to
brag on my wife or my two daughters. That
is EASY! I love books. Reading has
broadened my world, enhanced my
understanding of God, and has enabled me
to experience things that I would never
have experienced otherwise. Through the
printed page I am able to spend time with
great men and women of God who being dead
"yet speaketh." I have been with
missionaries in Africa, with the broken
and hurting in a mental ward, or have seen
the miraculous happen "right before
my eyes." These things take place
whenever I set down with a good book. I am
always better and wiser for the
experience.
Therefore,
I thought I would spend a little time this
month going over some of my favorite books
and authors with you. Perhaps this column
will prompt you to get a book that will
minister to some particular need in your
life. I tried to limit myself to ten
all-time favorites. I quickly found that
that was an impossible task. I finally
decided to just give you some of my
favorites as they relate to various
topics. I will also put an * besides those
books which were written by a favorite
author. The books are not in any
particular order.
THE
LIFE APPLICATION BIBLE -- NIV.
Zondervan Publishers This is an excellent
study Bible. It is also the best selling
study Bible and translation presently on
the market. My wife and I own three
copies.
REES
HOWELLS INTERCESSOR
by Norman Crubb. This is a powerful
biography on the life and times of Rees
Howells. This book shows the awesome power
of prayer.
PRAYING
HYDE by
Francis McGaw. This tiny book again majors
on the impact of prayer. It has powerfully
influenced by life through the years. This
is one of my all-time top ten favorites.
JOHN
NEWTON by
Catherine Swift. This is another
biography. I love the topic of grace. This
book shows the effects of grace in the
life of a British slave trader who found
(and wrote) "Amazing Grace."
HALF
TIME by
Bob Buford. The author lays out a game
plan for men entering their middle years.
He tells how one can go from success to
significance.
DEVELOPING
THE LEADER WITHIN YOU
by John C. Maxwell. I have read a number
of books on the subject of leadership.
This one has earned a place at the top of
my list.
SEE
YOU AT THE TOP
by Zig Ziglar. Ditto.
THE
PURPOSE DRIVEN CHURCH
by Rick Warren. An excellent book on how
to "do church."
JOURNEY
OUT OF NOWHERE
by Nancy Covert Smith. Mrs. Smith suffered
a nervous breakdown a number of years ago.
Although the methods of treatment have
changed dramatically since she wrote her
book, the feelings that one experiences
during that time haven't changed. I knew
what it was like to suffer emotional
trauma after reading this book. Powerful.
*AS
FOR ME AND MY HOUSE
by Walter Wangerin, Jr. There most be a
million books out there on marriage. This
is probably my favorite. It helps that it
is by one of my favorite authors.
*EVIDENCE
THAT DEMANDS A VERDICT
(Volume 1) by Josh McDowell. I have a
number of books on apologetics. This
classic is still number one in my opinion.
*CAN
A MAN LIVE WITHOUT God
by Ravi Zacharias. This is a challenging
defense of the Christian faith. This book
is not for the light reader.
LIFE
IN THE SON
by Robert Shank. This classic was
copyrighted in 1960. It remains one of my
all-time top ten favorites. It is a study
of the doctrine of perseverance. (I had
the personal thrill several years ago of
meeting Robert Shank quite by accident in
a restaurant in southern Missouri.)
*THE
PREACHER AND HIS PREACHING
by A. P. Gibbs. Another top ten selection!
WORSHIP
by
A. P. Gibbs. Gibbs books are only
available through Walterick Publishers, P.
O. Box 2216, Kansas City, Kansas 66110
I
BELIEVE IN MIRICALES by
Kathryn Kuhlman. If you face a terrible
illness, PLEASE read this book. You can
thank me later!
*WHERE
IS GOD WHEN IT HURTS
by Philip Yancey. A powerful study into
the issue of suffering and pain. While you
may not agree with everything Yancey says,
you will be moved by his arguments.
WHAT'S
SO AMAZING ABOUT GRACE? by
Philip Yancey. An all-time top ten
favorite! Dr. Robert A. Seiple, President,
World Vision, notes "This is beyond a
doubt the very best book I have read from
a Christian author in my life."
*IN
THE GRIP OF GRACE
by Max Lacado. Another favorite book by a
favorite author. One of the ladies in our
church has read this book four times!
THE
LIFE GOD BLESSES
by Gordon McDonald. The writer talks about
caring for the human soul. Once you read
this book, you will never view the soul in
the same light ever again. This is almost
a must read, in my opinion.
*WHY
REVIVAL TARRIES
by Leonard Ravenhill. This remains the
book on revival.
*LOVING
GOD
by Charles Colson. An all-time top ten
favorite. (You may have noticed, I can't
count to ten very well.)
THEY
SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES
by John L. Sherrill. This book, along with
LOOK OUT THE PENTECOSTALS ARE COMING
by C. Peter Wagner, are my two favorites
on the Pentecostal experience.
THE
EMANCIPATION OF ROBERT SADLER
by Robert Sadler. This book changed my
life. It is a true account of a black man
that was sold into slavery in America in
the early part of the this century. He
finally got away from the plantation in
the mid 1920s. You will never view black
people the same after reading this book.
*FATAL
CONCEIT
by Richard Dortch. My favorite book on
integrity.
While
their are many others, this is a
representative list of books and authors
that have profoundly impacted my life. I
don't know how I can live out LOVE,
ACCEPTANCE AND FORGIVENESS by Jerry
Cook, A TALE OF THREE KINGS by Gene
Edwards, or OUR GOD IS AWESOME by
Tony Evans, but I do have to stop
somewhere.
My
library contains somewhere around 3,000
volumes. Today's list merely serves as a
sampling of those that have most
influenced my life for good, growth, and
God. Maybe sometime in the future I will
go over my favorite magazines, or my
favorite websites. I simply want to do
anything and everything that I can to
influence you to get you closer to Jesus
and His marvelous Word and grace.
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