Rating: Summary: Maybe for a Christ, not for me. Review: According to the book, if you're a Christ, then, Congratulations, you already find your purpose of life. For me, an immigrant who is not a Christ, (along with 2/3 of world populations) it is practically saying that I live a meaningless life until I become a Christ. According the logic of the book, it is GOD who create us so that our purpose of life is to serve GOD. So, logically, I could say, my parent give me life so my life is to serve my parent. That is absolutely not true! I have to say, I don't like it and I found it is a little affending to me. I tried to scan the book to find WHY I have to believe GOD and Bible. Author give me no reason other than the quote from Bible, which tell me I have to believe whatever he said.
Rating: Summary: Missing key points of Christian living Review: This book is meant for people who has just started seeking and is just average. Here the author hasn't done any justice in emphasizing about the most important factor which is 'GRACE'. He just brushes past it and has not done any justice on that topic. Let the Holy Bible be our reference from which we understand God. One book I will recommend after the Holy Bible is the book by Dr. James Richards called " Grace: the power to change". It will help us in seeing how we are still trying to cling on to our own abilities and how we still fail. Must read for saved Christians.The Holy Spirit will definitely reveal to our hearts the truth if you read the Bible submitting yourself to Christ and not to your own abilities. We should always remember one thing, we are no longer under law but under grace. Amazed by his Grace!
Rating: Summary: Help for those of us adrift in our lives. Review: Simply put, this book plainly spells out what God wants from people. After reading this book, there is no way you won't understand why God put you on earth and what He wants from you now. This book is affirming, comforting, exciting and gets you revved up to do God's will. Even if you are not a Christian, or you don't know what you believe about God, this book will make you feel like the most important person in the world to God.
Rating: Summary: Worth it? Review: I believe Rick Warren is a good honest man but judging from what I've heard about the book, both its negatives and its positives, I don't think any church should do a serious study of this book. I think pastors should stick to teaching the infallible Word of God, only. No doubt, its had a very positive effect on many Christians but I have taken a look at the book and it is very soft, it does not potray the hard truth, especially with its uses of the most idiomatic translations in existance. Im saddened that my church is going to embark on a study of this book, I'd rather litsen to a sermon on the purpose of life straight from the Word of God, which is to "press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 3:14) God bless, Marc (14 years old)
Rating: Summary: Off the Word of God Review: An author has to have more than Bible quotes in order to be accurate, Scriptually. God does not CONTROL, God does not MAKE us do anything we don't want to. Freewill has been seriously over looked as a whole. I'm very glad that God allows His people to turn to Him when WE are ready and DO whatever amount for Him as WE choose.
Rating: Summary: Not Redeemed by Money but by Blood-I Peter 1:18-19 Review: I do recommend this book, however, I recommend it be read with Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I was disappointed that Christ's gospel does not really pervade this book. Complemented with Bonhoeffer's would correct that deficiency. As Peter says in his letter, we were redeemed not by gold or silver but by the precious blood of Christ, who was innocent of all sin. We are brought into Christ's kingdom by his life's blood, as in Leviticus, God says that in the blood is the life. "Bought with a price", figuratively speaking, our salvation cost God the life of His son. Bonhoeffer explains this beautifully in another of his books the Cost of Discipleship. I almost rated this book only three stars because to not drive that point home is most grievous. As Paul states in I Corinthians 9:16 "Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel" and "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God." I Corinthians 1:18. And I must agree with another reviewer that not much mention is made of the workings of the Holy Spirit which is also most grievous. Anyone can follow a formula. A much neglected parable of Christ's is the parable of the wheat and the tares in Matthew 13, which I believe applies to this current age, and I firmly believe that Christ is standing at the very gates about to return in the clouds, as He has warned in Mark 13. As Christ repeatedly warned his apostles-"DO NOT BE DECEIVED". So, it is possible to read this book and apply it to one's life so well, that though one's life seems to follow the proscribed formula given in this book, one may still miss the mark. The result, eternally speaking, would be disastrous to say the least. Wheat can be eaten; however, tares are weeds, unfit for any purpose. I believe that God has laid on my heart the warning given in Revelation 10:11, "You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and kings." In the last days, there will be an apostasy, a falling away from Christ's essential teachings. As stated in 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12, "God sends upon them a strong delusion, to make them believe a lie, and be condemned because of not believing the truth and taking pleasure in unrighteousness." My extremely, strong belief, is that the times of the gentiles has ended. As Paul explains in Romans 11:25 and 26, after "the full number of the gentiles come in" to Christ's kingdom, all Israel, all of God's people, the jews, all of them will be spared the wrath which will come on the rest of the world. This is the time in which we are living. The book, however, has good, practical advice about living in this world for the time being. I found myself thinking this book could almost be classified as a self help book, and none of the information was new to me. I did benefit from the reading of it; I liked that its message is really simple, just as God's message in the Bible is, so much so that a child can even understand it, which is the real beauty of the gospel and Christ's teachings. I went through a difficult time about 10 years ago and relearned and grappled with some of the lessons Mr. Warren teaches throughout the book. However, I was refreshed reading the book, since the world's message of one's purpose in life is so antithetical to what God really wants us to understand about Him and what He may ask us to do in order to save those that are being deceived; as Daniel says in Chapter 11, verse 33, "and they that understand among the people will instruct many". I also recommend Victor Frankls' book Man's Search For Meaning to balance the teachings within this one. For how can one apply the lessons of this book, when the world has sentenced one to die because it has found that one undesirable to its purposes for life??? I do believe that there are many victims, God's creations, buried within this earth's surface whose sole purpose was to be witnesses of evil deeds and evil doers and fulfilled one law of Christ's expressed by Paul in Ephesians 5:11 "do not participate in evil deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them." And, lastly, I must say that my conscience is bothered by the marketing blitz of this book and do think the book is over-rated. And, considering events of 9-11, one must be careful where one puts one's money, because, one may inadvertantly be helping those who destroy. My church freely gave this book out, although some donated money to the cause. I didn't. My conscience is also bothered by that, and I don't feel right keeping it in my possession. So, someday soon, this book will either return to its source or be lended to someone who might benefit from its teachings.
Rating: Summary: Worth reading Review: I enjoyed more than I thought I would.
Rating: Summary: Good Reading Review: After reading "The Purpose Driven Life" (TPDL), I felt much the same as after reading "The Purpose Driven Church" (TPDC). There is some very good stuff here, but it is moderated by some softness that is not entirely biblical (e.g., church discipline) -- not that it is wrong, only that it tells half the story, the half which is more "politically correct". Although that should not be the overriding factor, I fear that many people use books like this more as "gospel" than the actual "Gospel" (i.e., the Bible). It happens all the time. The book is easy to read. The writing is smooth and printed in a fashion that is easy on the eyes. The insertion of tidbits is tasteful and not overdone. The notes are well organized. The splitting into 40 sections (one-per-day) is reasonable and flows well. The advice is very good and the scripture references are plentiful, from a variety of translations, and are very helpful. Overall, definitely a good Christian book to read this year. Give it a try.
Rating: Summary: Very impressed - this book is a must read Review: With all of the crime going on in the world, I would think that this book is more valuable now than ever. Don't just read it, apply it. Don't just read it, live it. The Purpose Driven Life was recommended to me by one of the elders in our church. I don't know of anyone with a legitimate religious background who has not read and is impressed with The Purpose Driven Life. Highly recommended. This book can change your life.
Rating: Summary: Good introduction to a way of life with boundaries Review: Many of us wander through life without convictions, or hope, or practical ideas on how to get through rough patches. And, while all of us may not be perfectly aimless, we really haven't the foggiest idea of how to enjoy what we have. We think we should have more, more, more. This book reminds us that love and worship of one god is enough; we don't need more. If we seek those two things -- God and Love -- all else on earth is merely passing. I'm enjoying this book with my daughter. We discuss the ideas the author puts forth, and I personally am applying some of the author's practical suggestions. Today I actually cleaned house to the glory of God. I never enjoyed cleaning house more. Don't look to this book as a bible. It falls short. But it does help get us through the day. Rejoice!
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