Review of Mark Batterson's book, "Primal"

Mark Batterson has done it again. No, he didn't drive off with the gas pump still in his car or forget another wedding, but he has written another book that will challenge you to the very core of your being.

Just like "In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day" and "Wild Goose Chase," Mark is calling us back to basics or to a "Primal" faith in God.

When I first started reading the book, I felt it was a call back to our "first love." But very quickly I discovered there was more to it than that. Mark was giving us a great picture of what the Great Commandment means for our lives.

When Jesus was asked about the most important or greatest commandment of all, he was quick with the response to "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." In a very easy to read writing style, Mark quickly defines what it means to love the Lord your God with your heart, soul, mind and strength.

The explanation and application of what these four elements represent in our lives is life changing. I would dare say most of us have never been challenged to love God with our sense of humor or with our imagination. But those things are part of loving God with our mind.

I've also heard people say that their "heart" tells them one thing but their "head" or their "mind" is telling them something else. It's almost as if they have to detach their heart from their mind when there really shouldn't be a disconnect. If we are truly going to love God with all four of these elements, heart, soul, mind and strength, then all of these need to be working together to bring honor to God.

I tell people frequently that when truth is presented to us, we have to bear responsibility for what we do with it. One day God will ask us what we did with the truth that was illuminated for us. So please be advised that after Primal, you will be responsible for a lot more than you are responsible for at this moment in time.

It's not too late to go out and purchase a copy for yourself and for someone else as a Christmas gift. You will be glad you did and your friend will be glad you did too.

Primal is published by Multnomah Books and should be available in your local Christian Book stores, Amazon, Christian Book Distributors or through your favorite place to purchase books.

Always in Pursuit!

Livin' Ready

The third Sunday of Advent found me preaching about the Wise Men. Several lessons jumped out at me while preparing for the message. For example:

• they were the first Gentile believers after the birth of the Messiah. What a great Missions Message and a challenge to those who thought the Messiah was only for the Jews.
• they came bringing their best as gifts to the Messiah. They didn't search around at the last minute for an offering, er I mean gift.......they came prepared to worship Him through their gifts. And God was able to use their gifts to finance the trip into Egypt and back.
• they had studied the Word. They knew what the prophets had stated about the coming Messiah. And they accepted it as absolute truth.
• they were sensitive to the leading of God. Through this they may have saved the life of Joseph & Mary and perhaps others. I wonder how many other lives would be saved if all of us were this sensitive to the Spirit.
• they were not content with only knowing about the Messiah but they wanted to be in His presence. Contrast this with the chief priests and teachers of the Law for the Jews. They could not have cared less even though they knew.
• finally and perhaps most importantly to me, once they knew about the coming birth of the Messiah, they watched for the star and lived ready so they could follow the star. They stayed packed up and ready to go. The writer of Hebrews encourages us to live our lives in such a way that we are not "entangled" by the things of this life. (Hebrews 12:1)

What great messages wrapped up in the lives of these Wise Men from the East. May these lessons become real to all of us during this time and throughout the rest of our lives.

Always in Pursuit!

Nevertheless

The idea of the Messiah being born to a virgin was something that brought great hope to every Jewish man for centuries. Nevertheless, I wonder if their hope was for the daughter of another to be chosen.

One resource I read during preparation for the second Sunday of Advent (December 6) challenged me to read the words of Gabriel to the Virgin Mary as asking "permission" rather than giving a "command." To be honest, I'd never done that before but as I read through the words with that attitude, I discovered that Mary's willingness was key to everything the angel said. She did have a choice.

Fortunately, she was willing. She was willing to be momma before her time.She was willing to deal with the "looks" and the whispers behind her back. She was willing to deal with the possibilities of being turned out by Joseph and perhaps even being stoned, although I would assume she had more confidence in Joseph and his love for her AND for God than to think he might have her stoned. Nevertheless, it was still a possibility she was willing to deal with.

She was a willing servant to the Lord Most High. And once that was established, the Holy Spirit could "come upon" her and "overshadow her" in order to usher the Messiah to the earth.

I was reminded a bit of the three Hebrew princes in Daniel 3. They were called to live their lives in a "willing" manner as well. They faced a fired up king and furnace. Their words to Nebuchadnezzar stand out: "the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your had, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold."

I think Mary had the same attitude. I'm will to do this no matter what happens. Hoping for the best but nevertheless, I'm the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said.

Made me think a bit.....but that's what Advent is all about, isn't it?

Next week, the Wise Men.

Always in Pursuit!