Book Review: Our Last Great Hope

Book Review

Our Last Great Hope

By

Ronnie Floyd

Who was Jesus talking to when He gave the great commission? Was he just talking to those "higher up" such as missionaries, pastors or evangelist? How many of us actually know what the great commission is? Do we know where to find it? Sadly lots of Christians don't think it applies to them. They don't know what it is...and they don't know where to find it. 

This is what I love about Floyd's book. It talks about the urgency of the great commission and how it applies to everyone of us. One of my favorite sections was "Accept the Urgency". Many of us in the church today do not have a sense of urgency. We always think "We will have tomorrow." But there are many things to point us to the fact that we may not always have tomorrow. For example the 21 year old my husband worked with who just died. Everyday is a gift and everyday is an opportunity to share the love of Christ and to share the gift that he gave us. 

I also love how he hit different points in our lives. Transforming our families. That if we have a family life that isn't good but we go out and try to fulfill the great commission what good are we doing? He talks about the importance of being disciples to our children and evangelizing them. He talks about captivating our communities. Kind of goes along with something I said before...if you or your church were to leave the community you are in, would there be a difference? Would the community notice?

My favorite was Talk to Jesus Daily. Just the title alone makes me want more. Makes me want to make sure that I am talking that time each day to be with Jesus. He is the one who gave the great commission and so we should be tuned with him and talking to him daily to keep on track. 

Eve

Do you ever think about Eve? I am today simply because she was the topic of our Bible study. Our leader said something that I had never really thought of before. She had no Earthly parents! WOW! Can you imagine?

Everything that you do is complete trial and error. Well everything you do after the fall that is. It probably wouldn't have been a big issue for her before the fall. I mean she was living in perfect harmony with the world. She had God right by her side. He was there with them in the garden. He walked with them in a way we will never understand until we meet God in Heaven.

But after the fall. After she ate that fruit and handed it to Adam. She covered up her body with leaves and she felt so ashamed. Can you imagine that maybe she wanted someone to talk to? Do you think maybe she just wanted someone to understand what she was going through? The first time she was pregnant and had no idea what was going on. I wonder if she just wanted a mom to talk to...but she had no one to understand what she was going through. No one to lean on...

WOW! What a huge responsibility she had and the experiences and what people would do about them after her had a lot to do with what she probably did. I wonder if she ever longed for a mom?

Nothing Like a Good Boost!

This weekend was busy for me. I took newborn pictures and also did couple pictures. So I had a blast...but I was tired! We also did a bit of shopping and a trip to Chuck E. Cheese's since The Inquisitor has a birthday coming soon! So that added to the exhaustion!

But my highlight of the week was the couple pictures I took. Here is a little look at them....

They are a wonderful couple and I really understand them well. They got married young (like me!) which is not socially acceptable anymore...but I am totally on their side and so is God!

They almost had me in tears when they said they looked up to my husband and I on how we raise our girls. We honestly don't hear that a lot and more often we get criticism for somethings we choose to do. So not only was it a great time taking their pictures it was also a very uplifting time! God knows what you need when you need it! Thanks so much you two for letting God work though your lives!

So Much!

So there has been a lack of posting by me. It's because I have so much on my mind. When that happens I usually take a break. Hopefully soon I will find time to shift through my thoughts...and later today I will have a Multitudes on Monday day!

Conflicted

Today I feel conflicted. I can't really explain it to you...and I honestly don't know if today is the right day for it. Sometimes I wonder why God puts something on my heart and why He does it at a certain time. Is He trying to make me bolder and stronger? Is He teaching me to share things at the right time...even if it's not popular? I hate feeling conflicted.

Give to God What is God's

Matthew 22:15-22
Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. "Teacher," they said, "we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren't swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?"
But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, "You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin used for paying tax." They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, "Whose image is this? And whose inscription?"
"Caesar's," they replied.
Then he said to them, "So give back to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."
When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.

I remember whenever this verse was taught. It always went like this...Obey your government and pay your taxes and don't forget to give your 10% to the church. I was talking to my husband about this verse. It more came about in such a different way. We were talking about patriotism and this verse came to both of us. It didn't really fit what we were talking about, but I think God had something to say to both of us through this verse.

I don't think Jesus was really worried about us giving our 10% to the church...and I don't think he was telling us to make sure we obey the government and pay the taxes. We think it was more about the insignificance of paying taxes. Go ahead and give this coin back to Caesar. It has his image on it and he made it. So go ahead and give it back. But when we looked this last night we thought...what is God's. Really everything is God's he made it all. But I think we should go further on this...what has His image on it?

Genesis 1:27
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.


Give to Caesar his coin. God isn't interested in your money...He doesn't need your money. What God wants is you. He is interested in you! He is not interested in just having part of you He wants ALL of you. So remember to jump in with both feet with full abandonment and give Him your whole self.

Multitudes on Mondays 21-30

21. Time away with my husband
22. Four wonderful families who blessed us and took care of our girls
23. Celebrating the choice of life
24. Hearing the passion of following Christ from fellow believers
25. Bands who long for people to know God and follow
26. A tent that kept us dry
27. Fields that bend in the wind
28. Sunrise to show the greatness of God painting the sky
29. Coolness of a fall evening
30. 5 little faces excited to see us