Review 105: Golden Mouth: The Story of John Chrysostom - Ascetic, Preacher, Bishop (J. N. D. Kelly)

Honest (doesn't ignore faults)and pentetrating history of one of the great heroes in Church history; Chrysostom's courage (speaking out against privileged) and perseverance (enduring frequent exile) are humbling. Regaining his power in preaching should be one of the first tasks of the Church.

Review 104: Farenheit 451 (Ray Bradbury)

 Some very good paragraphs/lines; a pretty compelling picture of the darkness of the human heart and the heroic struggle for/against truth.

Review 104: Dracula (Bram Stoker)

3 men who love a girl try to save her. An astonishingly Christian theme of heroism and redemption pervades this book. This is Christianity incaranate in the dark, romantic tale. Though, as this great work shows, dialect is always hard to write, and the dialogues of Van Helsing become grating for their attempt to capture dialect. Otherwise, beautiful story; it will leave you on the edge of your seat. I have been to Transylvania (Romania). Apparently the character of dracula was based (in part) on Vlad the impaler from this region. The castle there is amazing, and was inhabited by Romanian royalty (not just Vlad).

Review 103: Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage (Alfred Lansing)

Riveting telling of Shackleton's adventures in the North Pole. Essential reading for any man who wants to be a man. Shackleton is one of the great leaders of history -- especially when it comes to leading men through adversity, and having a knack for inspiring confidence. This man could lead people anywhere... to the North Pole. No really, he led men to the North Pole, and amazingly, he got them back.

Review 102: The Letters of C.H. Spurgeon (Charles Spurgeon)

My first intro to Spurgeon was not his sermons, but his letters, and it was a breathtaking intro. At a very young age he demonstrates wisdom and humility. No doubt, this is why he was/and is the prince of preachers.


Charles Spurgeon, soon after conversion:


I can get good religious conversations with Mr. Swindell, which is what I most need. Oh, how unprofitable has my past life been! Oh, that I should have been so long time blind to those celestial wonders, which now I can in a measure behold! Who can refrain from speaking of the marvellous love of Jesus which, I hope, has opened mine eyeslNow I see Him, I can firmly trust to Him for my eternal salvation. Yet soon I doubt again; then I am sorrowful; again faith appears, and I become confident of my interest in Him. I feel now as if I could do everything, and give up everything for Christ, and then I know it would be nothing in comparison with His love. I am hopeless of ever making anything like a return. How sweet is prayer! I would be always engaged in it. How beautiful is the Bible! I never loved it so before; it seems to me as necessary food. I feel that I have not one particle of spiritual life in me but what the Spirit placed there. I feel that I cannot live if He depart; I tremble and fear lest I should grieve Him. I dread lest sloth or pride should overcome me, and I should dishonor the gospel by neglect of prayer, or the Scriptures, or by sinning against God.

On sanctification,


But so long as I am encaged within this house of clay, I know they will lurk about, and I must have hard fighting though the victory by grace is sure. Praying is the best fighting; nothing else will keep them down.

Review 102: The Expulsive Power Of A New Affection (Thomas Chalmers)

I rate this one of the most important sermons ever preached. The title alone is sanctifying. You can't replace a bad affection without putting into its place a holy affection, Chalmers argues.

Review 103: The Character of Paul an Example for Christians (Jonathan Edwards)

One of the sermons I can say truly changed my life. This is not just a different kind of writing, approach -- this is a different religion. Edwards is not afraid to challenge/warn Christians. And we are better for hearing these challenges -- safer for feeling unsafe.