Book Reviews 2021 for Koorong

My Book Review Contributions on Koorong Books webpage continued...

#7.

The Christmas We Didn't Expect: Daily Devotions For Advent

Author: David Mathis

The Unexpected Reading
 By Emil Jayaputra, 23 Mar 2021
https://koorong.com/product/the-christmas-we-didn-t-expect-daily-devotions_9781784984762

There are many unexpected things in this book from the unexpected conception, parents of lowly estate, undignified visitors all the way to unexpected joy and that Unexpected Day. Written as 24 daily devotions for Advent, Mathis provides fresh revelation out of deep contemplation from multiple facets of Christmas that most of us might not have focused on. The very fact that His journey of human life started like us: from ovum to zygote to embryo to fetus to newborn. The call to look beyond ourselves. How Christmas will change us if our hearts will be softer or more callous. I bought this book not long after its release as it's highly recommended by John Piper. I'd say that the message of these devotions is to exhort us that the sweetness and essence of Christmas must be drawn and lived daily all year through, not just in the 24 reflective days leading to the D-Day. Above all, Christmas is worth celebrating not just because God came down as human but also because He forever joined our humanity to His divinity. This is truly a book on Christmas I didn't expect.t-sized book which could serve like a sanctuary that keeps ourselves pure in a time of common infection.

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#8.

How Should I Think about Money?

Author: RC Sproul
https://www.koorong.com/product/how-should-i-think-about-money-23-in_9781642890587#product-tabs

Review Title: Profitable must-read for everyone
Review Stars: 5
Book Review by Emil Jayaputra, 26 September 2021

It is interesting that Jesus actually teaches about money more often than other topics like faith, prayer, heaven, or hell. With a keen interest and background in accounting and economics myself, this book offers a fresh insight to how we should be wisely managing our resources especially our finances. What I like about this book is it's small enough so you can read it quickly but still covers a lot of relevant subjects. Poverty, wealth and investments, value, inflation, interest, and owning a business are seated on the Scripture perspective in a separate chapter. At the same time the author also provided stories and lessons from history which help explain the concepts better. Without a doubt, this book will be a useful and worthwhile guide to families, business owners, employees, investors, company management, and everyone because how you handle your own money and/or manage others' money matter to God. Here and eternally.

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#9

Reformation Questions, Reformation Answers: 95 Key Facts

Author: Donald K. Mckim
https://www.koorong.com/product/reformation-questions-reformation-answers-95-key-facts-donald_9780664260606#product-tabs

Review Title: Bite-Size Emphasis on Back to Bible
Review Stars: 5
Book Review by Emil Jayaputra, 31 October 2021

The 95 theses posted on the Castle Church in Wittenberg by Martin Luther have undeniably triggered and transformed the Christian church in Europe and and Christianity the world over. Since then over 504 years have passed. Numerous books and resources have been written in various disciplines on this defining moment of the church history. One of them was this humble 'Reformation Q&A: 95 Key Events, People & Issues' by Donald K. McKim. Starting with questions on the backgrounds like What was the Reformation all about, how did it develop, the author moved on to name 17 people leading and playing meaningful roles in this movement. Various happenings and topics surrounding one of the most studied events of Western world like Diet of Worms, Indulgences, Geneva Bible, Free Will are covered about one-page long each. Finally the author dedicated nine bite-size Q&A on the Reformation contributions to social welfare, modern science, even capitalism, and what it means for us today. It's lamentable that some Christians are still unaware of the importance of this critical episode that actually helped bring back the focus on the Bible as the highest authority and only theological basis for the Church. In an informal, easy-to-read way, this book will reintroduce the cruciality of the great Reformation because these days we are living in come with "every wind of teaching and the cunning/craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming" (Ephesians 4:14). Happy Reformation Day 31 October 2021!

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#10.

Love Came Down At Christmas: Daily Readings For Advent

Author: Sinclair B. Ferguson
https://www.koorong.com/product/love-came-down-at-christmas-daily-readings-for_9781784982898#product-tabs

Review Title: A Perfect Christmas Gift
Review Stars: 5
Book Review by Emil Jayaputra, 5 November 2021

It's not everyday that you would get to read and learn much about the most wonderful and comprehensive definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13 from the perspective of Christmas. Sinclair Ferguson linked these two because he said that that best-known chapter written by Paul is basically a description of Jesus Christ Whose birth we celebrate at Christmas. So Christmas is all about love. And what is love? "Love is simply being like Jesus". Naturally this book would be perfect for daily devotion use starting December 1 leading to Christmas Day as there are 25 chapters including Introduction. Each chapter is a comfortable reading that's about five-page long. The author finished every chapter with a brief contemplative reflection and poetic prayers composed by various famous theologians/authors like Augustine of Hippo or Charles Wesley. I can also recommend that you gift this book as a Christmas present for your family, friends or colleagues this Christmas because I know I will. May our God Who loves us so much with gifting His only Son to redeem us grant that we long and get to know more of Him, what Love looks like, and what Love actually means by musing on this truth that "real love always comes down" for Love came down at Christmas.
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Book Reviews 2020 for Koorong

My Book Review Contributions on Koorong Books webpage continued...

#3.

Counterfeit Gods: When the Empty Promises of Love, Money, and Power Let You Down
Author:  Timothy Keller

Highly relevant and crucial reading
By Emil, 29 Feb 2020

https://koorong.com/product/counterfeit-gods-when-the-empty-promises-of-love_9780340995082

What I love about this book is that it actually identifies and dismantles our inherently acute conditions. Generally speaking, more obvious idols are money, sex, and power. But Tim Keller fleshed the idea out from biblical perspective that the idolatry enslaves and distorts our lives like the culture of greed that eats away at our souls and brings down economic collapse. Idolatry is not just a failure to obey God but a setting of the whole heart to replace God with the idols even when it sounds positive like family, work, career. Tim also advised how to replace our counterfeit gods, i.e. that Jesus must become more beautiful to your imagination, more attractive to your heart than your idols. Rich of relevant quotations from Jesus Himself and influential thinkers like Martin Luther, C.S.Lewis, R.Niebuhr, he wraps all his messages around the real life stories from the Bible and modern times like WW II and the GFC 2008. For all intents and purposes, this book is highly readable and crucial to every serious Christian at each stage.

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#4.

The Great Gain of Godliness
Author:  Thomas Watson

A must Puritan reading
 By Emil J., Mar 12 2020

https://koorong.com/product/the-great-gain-of-godliness-puritan-paperbacks-series_9781800403093

In the midst of such degenerate era as this where being godly, pious, or even just the word religious could become a source of mockery, The Great Gain of Godliness advised Christians to be like a living fish swimming against the stream. Not a dead fish down the stream. Thomas Watson reminds us in this book: "The looser others are, the stricter we should be. The more outrageous others are in sin, the more courageous we should be for truth." For those longing to be an upright person who shines in the dark and holds fast his/her integrity (Psalm 37:37), I would highly recommend this compact-sized book which could serve like a sanctuary that keeps ourselves pure in a time of common infection.

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#5. [unrecorded / deleted by Koorong]

Most likely one authored by Ravi Zacharias

#6.

ANGELS

Author: Billy Graham

Spiritually Comforting
By Emil Jayaputra, 25 Jun 2020

https://koorong.com/product/angels-billy-graham_9780849938719

For some reason I have long been inquisitive to learn more about angels as this topic is not usually discussed in depth in sermons or daily talk. This book called "Angels (Ringing Assurance that We Are Not Alone)" is fit for its purpose as it quenches my thirst for many aspects of these ministering spirits. Plus it was written by Billy Graham, possibly the most prominent and influential Christian preachers in 20th century. The book assures me of angelic protection over God's children in times of hardship and danger. (Read the strange Christian bookroom incident as told by Dr. Nelson Bell, Dr. Graham's father-in-law, in 1942 in Shanghai China in one morning that lasted for two hours to be "enchanted".) Dr. Graham wrote some people strongly believe that each Christian may have their own guardian angel which possibly begins in infancy according to Jesus in Matthew 18:10. It also offers great comfort reading numerous accounts of heavenly escort of angels when believers cross that thin veil (death) from natural world to spiritual world... into the presence of the Lord. Needless to say, I highly recommend this book to my fellow believers especially those who, due to this ongoing pandemic COVID-19, are sick or dying, under economic/mental pressure of everyday living, or frustrated by events of present challenges. Thank God for the ministry of His blessed angels.
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Book Reviews 2019 for Koorong

My Book Review Contributions on Koorong Books webpage

#1.

CEV the Big Rescue Bible (Cover & Illustrations 2014)

Publisher: Bible Society Australia

A Great Starter Bible for an Early Reader
 By Emil, 05 Nov 2019
https://www.koorong.com/product/cev-the-big-rescue-bible-cover-illustrations-2014_9780647519103

I bought this Big Rescue Bible for my son in Year 1 because I think it fits someone who just starts learning how to read: Font size not too small, not too heavy (hence avoided hardcover version), got introduction of each book, footnotes, side space for note taking, mini-dictionary, 20 pages of full color pictures, CEV text (which retains the form of and captures the spirit of King James version). And guess what, my little boy loves it so much that he reads it fervently (like unseen before) whatever the reason might be. We can only thank God, hope and pray that his early enthusiasm would be rolling like a snowball into the future.

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#2.

A Praying Life: Connecting With God in a Distracting World
Author: Paul Miller

Fresh, Balanced View on Prayer and the Pray-er
 By Emil, 26 Nov 2019

https://koorong.com/product/a-praying-life-connecting-with-god-in-a_9781631466830

If you are bored with how any typical book on prayer shells out practical tips on how to pray, you've come to the right place. Like its title, it does talk a lot about prayers which shape our Christian life, hence the title "A Praying Life". Aspects of our spirituality that hinder our praying life, and how the state of our relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ are actually determined by our prayerfulness. The author also cites many real life stories in his own family which put the readers in perspective. In one story, for example, Paul tells of how prayer influenced what car they purchased. If you are struggling in many a life decision, you will certainly learn much from this book while at the same time being strengthened by its solid biblical theology which helps form your knowledge and understanding of God, self, and prayers in between.

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