Musings of a Snickerdoodle

  Jesus, Divorce and Remarriage  by  Gordon Wenham  is a nice very summarized look at this controversial topic.  A concise, examination at what God's Word teaches us about how we Christians are to look on divorce, remarriage, and of course, marriage itself. It doesn't really deal with modern Christian views on divorce, as the goal of this little book is to focus on what Jesus taught about divorce and remarriage and what the popular views were at that time.   Now, though  informative background information regarding the contemporary views of the people Jesus is talking to is interesting, the most interesting parts to me were where the Biblical texts are focused on.  Jesus' teachings in particular (In Matthew 5, 19, and in the other Gospels).Wenham makes you really look at what Jesus is saying, getting past the clutter of our preconceived notions of what He must, in our view, be saying.  We see that Jesus goes after terms like "murder" and...

Rediscovering Scripture's Vision For Women: Fresh Perspectives on Disputed Texts by Lucy Peppiatt is a book that, as the title indicates, attempts to look at Scriptures teachings of God's plan for women.  As you may have guessed, these "fresh" perspectives ultimately attempt to lead the reader to think that Christian women do not need to keep silent in the church, can pastor churches, don't need to submit to their husbands…etc.   I have read some of it outloud to many of my sisters (I have seven sisters) and they were all joining me in criticizing the claims of this book. Let me deal with some of her claims.   First, her view of 1 Corinthians 11.   I find part of her introduction to her interpretation ironic:   "My own research has led me to study these verses in detail and to discover that the more obvious meaning of the text causes consternation and embarrassment among many, and even causes others to question Paul's understanding here....

I have liked pretty much any Elisabeth Elliot (Gren) book I have read (I've read about three or four I think, but not the ones on marriage or relationships).  When I saw that this book was published, I was quite excited.  This is a book about Jim and Elisabeth's 'love story', told through many of their letters to each other and their journals.  Their daughter, Valerie, put it together and added commentary. I was very disappointed by their relationship.   I had always had the impression that they were a model example in Christian pre-marital relationships.   After reading this book, I think that they are a horrible example to young men and women. I was quite shocked.   They started out liking each other, but not being sure whether the Lord would have them marry. All fine and good.   But then when you get to them still not being sure whether or not the Lord would have them marry,(actually for a while,   Jim was quite sure that the Lo...

Lies Women Believe by Nancy Demoss Wolgemuth is a book that goes through various lies that women believe about reality and counters them.  Dealing specifically with many of the lies women believe about God, themselves, sin, priorities, sexuality, marriage, children, emotions and circumstances, this book is designed as a gentle, but firm exhortation to wake women up to see the truth. I get the impression that many of the women's writings of today cater to women's excuses, unbelief and overall selfishness. We don't need to build up our self-love, "the truth is that we do love ourselves" , we need to learn to deny ourselves.   "Our most common malady is not having a low view [of] ourselves, but having a low view of God." I also loved how the author pointed out that the thought, "I can't help the way I am" because of - fill in the blank-,   is a lie.   She uses Eve as an example: it was not Eve's circumstances that accounted...

So Close to Home by Michael J. Tougias and Alison O'Leary is a riveting account of the amazing, providential survival and reunion of a family after the ship they are travelling on was torpedoed by a German submarine.  In 1942, the Downs Family, consisting of Ray and Ina Downs and two of their children, Lucille and Sonny Downs (their oldest son Terry was already in the U.S.), were making their way back to the United States from an eleven month stay in Columbia where Ray had taken a job with the United Fruit Company.  They began their journey home on a ship called the Heredia. Their trip home was drastically interrupted. The night before they were to land at New Orleans, two torpedoes hit the ship.  The Downs' almost make it out onto the deck of this ship together but are separated by a lurch of the ship causing a surge of water to engulf them.  Ray is washed back inside the ship, while Ina, Lucille and Sonny are swept to various places on the decks and in t...

When first received my copy of the NIV Zondervan Study Bible in the mail, my first impression was amazement over its size and weight, it is HUGE!   It is quite impressive on the inside as well, the text of the   NIV is laid out in a one column format instead of the usual 2 columns.   The cross references are placed on the side of the column and study notes on the bottom.   I loved the charts throughout, especially in the OT which included charts summing up what was in certain sacrifices and offerings, and charts on the Lord's appointed festivals, census results, Levite Numbers and responsibilities…etc.   Very helpful.   There were many photographs of Biblical areas throughout, and also pictures of various archeological finds having to do with many biblical events and people.   Those are quite fascinating and interesting.    Many of the study notes seem quite intricate and useful and exegetical.   Several of the pages are quite pac...