Review: The Way of the Righteous in the Muck of Life: Psalms 1–12

Dale Ralph Davis. The Way of the Righteous in the Muck of Life: Psalms 1–12.  Ross-Shire, UK: Christian Focus Publications, July 20th 2010. 144 pp.

4 out of 5

Purchase: Westminster | Amazon

This is a devotional Bible commentary on Psalm 1 through Psalm 12 written by Dale Ralph Davis, a Pastor and Professor of the Old Testament with Reformed Theological Seminary at Jackson, Mississippi.  I have previously enjoyed Davis’ commentary on the book of Judges and also his book titled The Word Became Fresh which the subtitle explained as “How to Preach from Old Testament Narrative Texts.”  Both works were phenomenal and I think one can say that Davis’ commentaries on Old Testament historical narratives are phenomenal and is one that an expositor of the Bible must have if he is going to teach on Old Testament narratives.  So when I saw that Davis’ had written a devotional commentary on the beginning of the Psalms I had to purchase it though it took me a few years before I finally read it and finished it.

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Review: DC Universe: Rebirth

A Friday night weekend light reading review!  Don’t miss the end of this review where I have a Christian reflection.

Geoff Johns.  DC Universe: Rebirth. Burbank, CA: DC Comics, May 25th 2016. 80 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

I enjoyed this work.  Having been interested with Comics only the last few years I started reading Batman and a few other DC Comics materials during their “New 52” era and was surprised to learn that in the middle of 2016 they stopped the New 52 reboot with a new era company-wide change called “Rebirth.”  This work was helpful in explaining to me what Rebirth is about and the possible direction DC comics is going.

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Review: John Knox: Fearless Faith by Steven Lawson

Steven Lawson. John Knox: Fearless Faith.  Ross-Shire, UK: Christian Focus Publications, November 2014. 126 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Westminster | Amazon

Of all the major Reformers John Knox is one that I probably know the least about.  It was therefore a delight for me to read this book on John Knox by the preacher and biographer of preacher Steven Lawson.  One would expect this work would have been part of the series of “A Long Line of Godly Men” which the author is the editor for but this work was instead published by Christian Focus as a stand-alone work and I suspect it is because Steven Lawson has been greatly impacted by John Knox and wanted to write about Knox even though someone else contributed to the John Knox volume for the “A Long Line of Godly Men” Profile Series.  What follows in this review is a summary of the chapters of the book followed by my thoughts of the contents of the book.

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Review: Batman: Detective Comics Volume 3: League of Shadows

I was delayed in posting last weekend’s leisure reading review so here’s the review.  This is the latest Batman from DC Comics and officially it is released for the public today!

James Tynion IV.  Batman: Detective Comics, Volume 3: League of Shadows. Burbank, CA: DC Comics, October 10th 2017. 184 pp.

4 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

DC Comics has several series on Batman running at the same time and Detective Comics is one of the longest running series not only in DC Comics’ history but also in comic history in general.  This volume collects Detective Comics issues #950-956.  Here it focuses on Batman fighting a villainous group called the League of Shadows.

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Review: Why the Reformation Still Matters

Michael Reeves and Tim Chester. Why the Reformation Still Matters.  Wheaton, IL: Crossway, September 30th 2016.  224 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Westminster | Amazon

A timely book I read in light of the 500^th anniversary of the Reformation, though this book was published a year ago (2016).  This book is written with the general Christian readers in mind and argues that the Reformation still matters and why it matters is because the doctrines recovered in the Reformation are biblical and has implication for our lives today.  Whether you are a general Protestant or you are new to Reformed theology or you are a seasoned saints in a Reformed church or a non-Christian curious about Christianity this book would be edifying for all who read it.  While this book is pretty basic concerning Reformed theology I found that even as a pastor who daily read Reformed writers I was much encouraged in the faith by this work.

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Review: What is True Conversion?

Stephen Smallman. What is True Conversion?  Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, February 18th 2005.  32 pp.

4 out of 5

Purchase: Westminster | Amazon

As a Pastor I regularly keep my eye out not only for large academic work but also smaller practical booklets for a lay audience that would be beneficial for discipleship and biblical counseling.  I picked up this booklet, What is True Conversion? with that in mind and I used it as a tool for my pastoral care with those who attend our church that I wanted to discuss assurance of salvation with.  I also used this booklet as something I read along with one of the special needs attendee in our church in which we read through each section very slowly and discussed it together.  The following are my thoughts of the book.

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Review: Protestants: The Faith That Made the Modern World

This is a book review as part of our blog’s celebration of Reformation 500.

Alec Ryrie.  Protestants: The Faith That Made the Modern World. New York, NY: Viking, April 6th 2017. 627 pp.

4 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

This book was published in the timely year that is the 500^th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation which began when Martin Luther started raising concern with the corruption of the Catholic Church that eventually led to Luther’s recovery of the doctrine of justification by faith alone, among other things.  Here the author Alec Ryrie examines Protestantism historically as a movement.  Ryrie also evaluated the impact that Protestantism has had for good or for bad in history.  Given how much Protestantism has shaped world history and has contributed to what society and civilization looks like today, this is indeed a fascinating book for both Protestants and non-Protestants alike.

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