“Deep calls to deep . . .”
Psalm 42:7a.
Let me recommend a book to you. Yes, I know, another book! But in a world such as ours with so many distracting voices screaming at us, seeking to lure us away from Christ, we have to take positive actions to fix our minds more firmly on Him. Reading God, Christ-saturated books is one way to do that. Start with the Bible, of course, for that is the Book of all books. But then, along with the Bible, add books that help you understand the Bible’s message more clearly, especially as it centers on Christ!
So back to my recommendation. The book is called “Deeper.” It’s by Dane Ortland. Some of you read his previous book, “Gentle and Lowly” which I also highly recommend if you’ve not yet read it! (And if you haven’t, do your soul a favor and read it now! I’ll even give you a copy if you ask and promise to read it!) “Deeper” is not exactly a sequel to “Gentle and Lowly,” but it is a good follow up. In “Deeper” the goal is to help you, the Christian, grow deeper into your relationship with Christ. It contains no “tricks” or “secret methodologies” to create “instant dept” (There is no such thing!). Instead, it takes you back to those central, rock-solid means God has given to take your soul deeper into loving devotion to Christ so that the spiritual growth and maturity He has designed for you can take hold. This book is all about Christ and how you (yes you!) can know Him in a way that strengthens your faith, deepens your joy and enriches your life of daily walking with Him.
Two quotes sum up the book for me: “To grow as a disciple of Christ is not adding Christ to your life, but collapsing into Christ as your life” (p 166) and “the Spirit changes us by making Christ wonderful to us” (p 167).
Get this book! There are some on the book table and more on the way. Also on order is a short “concise” version called “How Does God Change Us.”
Hoping to see us all grow Deeper into the Joy of knowing Jesus!
Pastor S. Scott Lee