Kingdom of Grace

Grace as defined by a dictionary is unmerited favor or goodwill. Think of it as kindness, charity, or even mercifulness. It is what sets being a Christian or Christ-follower apart from the world's religion. There is nothing you can do to work your way into heaven, it's a free gift. You don't have to do anything to earn it, just simply take it and accept it from Jesus. Yes, it's that simple. That is why most in the world reject it or spend their lives trying to earn their way into heaven by what they do. Now, don't get me wrong, works are important, but they are a reflection of that grace we have accepted. It is what defines whether we are loving as Jesus would have. It is a by-product of Jesus transforming our lives and now that is what comes out of who we have become, a changed person reflecting the love and grace of Christ in our own lives, much like a mirror.

Cho Larson in his wonderfully written book, Kingdom of Grace, the fourth book in his Kingdom Series, allows us to see this very nature at work in the lives of believers. Using the way Jesus chose to heal people, He never punished them for their way of life up to the point of His healing touch. He didn't worry about what people might think if He touched an unclean man with leprosy, it was all done out of love and compassion for the person He healed. It doesn't mean others were simply neglected either. It was to demonstrate what the simple act of grace could do, not just in the transforming of the outside of someone but more importantly what it did on the inside. It just couldn't be contained! Jesus even asked those He healed to tell no one about what happened, but they couldn't help it. They were forever changed on the inside and out.

I guess it is easy for some people to see it in order to believe it. Imagine how many more people might be won over for Christ, if He simply appeared and healed all the diseases and illnesses in the world. But it is that kind of faith that won't last. It's like thanking someone for a gift you wanted, and then when you no longer desire that gift, you lose interest in it and even possibly the person who gave it to you. That isn't the kind of grace Jesus provides when it is genuine. It changes you from the inside so much, you can't go back to the way you were before. You don't want to! This is a wonderful book that explores that life changing grace in a way, you might not have considered before. Believers and non believers alike will all get something amazing out of it, if you are willing to be open to see what the grace of Christ looks like!

I received Kingdom of Grace by Cho Larson compliments of Westbow Press. This is such a profound book using the scriptures found in the Bible to illuminate the differences of the grace the world sees and the one that Christ offers to all who put their faith and trust in Him. They will be forever changed by the simple definition of grace according to Jesus. For this reason I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars. This would make for a great small group Bible study along with the previous books in the series to help you grow in your spiritual walk.

For more information about Kingdom of Grace, Cho Larson or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Kingdom of Grace by Cho Larson

You can find Cho Larson on Facebook to stay up to date with all his latest books.

To see more reviews on Kingdom of Grace, please visit Westbow Press' website. 

A Jewel of the Kingdom

"If you hear someone who claims to speak the very words of God and their message does not agree with Scripture, turn off the T.V. or change channels. Prophecy is not an expression of our personal opinion, our own understanding of Biblical truth, our interpretation, our own experience, our view of the world, a display of our personal Biblical knowledge, or a contest about who can quote the most Scripture."

"Have you noticed that many prophecies recorded in the Bible reveal sin and its consequence?"

Understand the gift of prophecy is probably the most misunderstood of all the Spiritual gifts. "Clearly, prophetic messages do not originate in our imaginations, impressions, intuition, or common dreams. Prophecy's purpose is not to please the ears of those who hear it. True prophecy typically does not serve to help us make personal decisions such as who to marry, where to go to school, what car to buy. New Testament congregational prophecy is NOT some kind of crystal ball to tell us about our personal future."

We must first understand what the gift of prophecy is, who is can be gifted to, when should it be used and most importantly how can we tell false prophecies and false prophets from the real deal. I know for me, when I began studying spiritual gifts, this was probably the one I desired the most, but not in order that I might share some word from God, but that I might see into the future some events and be able to enlighten a few people that doom was on the horizon. How clearly wrong my intentions were and how I understand now, why I never received that gift as a believer in Christ. I had it all wrong.

In Cho Larson's latest book, A Jewel of the Kingdom, he shares this condensed but precise book on what prophecy is, how it was used throughout the Bible, what it isn't, and how it can be used today to help strengthen the church of this age. I received A Jewel of the Kingdom by Westbow Press and the author, himself for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside for my copy of the book in exchange for my fair and unbiased review of the book. It is laid out perfect for individual or small group Bible studies, with each chapter, having a set of questions to answer as well as a space for your own notations. It also includes Proof Scriptures under certain sub-sections to help you dive deeper into the Bible for clarification on that subject, for example, :Where does a prophet prophesy? Proof Scripture: 1 Corinthians 14:12, 1 John 4:1.

This book came at a perfect time in my own persona morning devotions as I had been doing a study through the prophets like Ezekiel and Jeremiah who all foretold of their own dealings with false prophets of their day, leading the people astray in contradiction to God's true message for his people. They spoke of a coming wrath from God for disobedience and the false prophets promised only peace and prosperity for the people. In response the people liked what they were doing and didn't want to turn from their evil lifestyle so they disregarded God's true prophets. I think this would be a value to anyone who wants to research the subject of prophecy in regards to what the Bible has to say about it and most of all how it can be used in the church today. Who knows perhaps you have been given the gift of prophecy and don't even realize you have it?! I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about A Jewel of the Kingdom, Cho Larson or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

A Jewel of the Kingdom by Cho Larson

You can find Cho Larson on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest books.

You can find A Jewel of the Kingdom on Amazon or wherever Christian books can be found.

Treasures of the Kingdom

If you have been a believer in Christ long enough, then you understand the meaning behind spiritual gifts. However if you're a lot like I am, you might be confused at what they are in comparison to natural abilities versus spiritual gifts. Is there a way to know for sure? Aren't they simply the same thing anyway? I mean as long as God gets the credit, does it really matter? You just might be as surprised as I was.

God, we know, is never changing. But has He changed when we look at what is happening not only in the world around us but more importantly what is happening inside the church and in the hearts of the believers? Is He ministering the grace of healing to His people today? Is He still a God of miracles? Is it possible that He would ever desire to withdraw His power and authority from the church? Why would He covenant with His church and then withdraw any part of His covenant? These questions and more drove Cho Larson, to search for these as if lost treasures. Ones that we might be missing because we believe we haven't lost them.

Christians are the branches of the Tree of Life, branches of the Vine, and we are to receive power given by the Holy Spirit, to take this Good News of Jesus Christ to every nation. But what does Christianity look like without Christ? "We become like dry vines or withered branches from the Tree of Life. We no longer receive our sustenance from the Vine. These shrunken offshoots hold to a form of godliness, but deny the power and are in danger of being cut off or burned. We are trying to please men rather than God and are not serving under the authority of Christ. We have abandoned the Spring of Living Water for a well we have dug by our own efforts." (pg. 36).

In Book 2 in the Kingdom Series, author Cho Larson, helps readers to search for and discover Treasures of the Kingdom. He outlines in perfect detail the mystery surrounding the gifts of the Spirit from our natural God-given talents. He showcases with Biblical scriptures, the way we can tap into the Spirit and discover who God has designed us to be and what role we can play in what God has ordained for us to do, not simply filling out a role in the church that needs to be filled. I love his questions for how we can tell if we are even in the right place within the church or ministry by his eye opening and truth revealing questions. By far, my favorite chapters are on natural gifts versus spiritual gifts. Now I believe I have the answers I have been searching for instead of looking for them on my own.

I received Treasures of the Kingdom by Cho Larson compliments of Westbow Press and the author, himself for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased opinion of the book. There is so much to be shared in this book, that this review would be much to long to read and explore, but if you question what God's spiritual gifts truly are, how the church is losing its way in these last days, and how to find out what God has called for you in your own spiritual walk, I would highly recommend this amazing resource to accompany in your own personal Bible Study or with others in a small or large group setting. I would give this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Treasures of the Kingdom, Cho Larson or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Treasures of the Kingdom by Cho Larson

You can find Cho Larson on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest books and resources.

This book is available in paperback, hardcover or eBook formats wherever Christian books are sold.