This is the most profound book I have ever read. A very easy book to read and you'll want to read it over and over. I had never considered the Beatitudes in this light before and found it very enlightening. Thank you Max Lucado ... may God bless you many times over.

Max Lucado has vividly expressed in this book how much God loves us and supports us in our Christian life. After reading this book, one will yearn more on loving and serving Him. I think I'm gonna have collection of Max Lucado's books.

After a diligent search, I selected this book as the syllabus for the Adult Bible Study I moderate at the Morrow Memorial United Methodist Church in Maplewood, New Jersey. As a former college professor and scientific researcher, the "footnotes," collected at the end of the book, that direct the enthusiastic reader to further references, swayed my judgment. The penetrating questions and more sources in the book's Study Guide, matched with each of the ten Sessions, challenge even the most percipient reader to contemplate the verse of the Beatitudes according to Saint Matthew just covered.

The book is very accessible and a compelling read. Reverend Lucado employs a narrative style and strong figurative language to create unforgettable images - metaphors, similes and puns punctuate his anecdotes that all can relate to. Without proselytizing, the minister imaginatively explicates the paradoxes and jarring hyperboles that comprise the Beatitudes. He invites the reader of The Applause of Heaven to a preview of the eternal blessing of unbounded joy promised to the believer in the Kingdom of God. Whether, as a drunk, one uses the lamppost for support or to find ones way, this book guides one on the path to meet with Jesus on the Mount. As recommended for the performing artist's arduous journey to Carnegie Hall, practice, practice and more practice of each "be attitude," the text assures us, will land the Christian in heaven to be greeted with God's thunderous applause.

As one rebuilds ones heart using the Beatitudes as the blueprint for living, ones contemporary values are disabused by John Elliot's admonition that "he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." Read Reverend Lucado's deconstruction that to be meek, for instance, involves not only practising humility and eschewing vanity but also exercising patience, tolerance, contentedness and control over ones anger. "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Shalom!

I could have finished this book a good while now, but it was a book that I enjoyed reading at a fairly slow pace. There is quite a lot to grasp and understand as Max Lucado walks us through The Lord's Prayer, and through the House of God starting at the living room, through to the kitchen, and finally the chapel.

This prayer which is said by millions all around the world every day, is sometimes said in ritual style with the deepness of it taken for granted, though not intentionally. But Mr. Lucado uses Our Lord's Prayer as a floor plan of the House of God, with a step by step description of how God meets our needs when we dwell in him, and how we can live our lives completely in God's favour as we obey this great Prayer.

As Christians with our sins forgiven which Jesus paid in full on the Cross, we must act accordingly as the prayer directs us. Not wanting to give too much away let me encourage you to read this book soon and cherish the lovely way it is written. It has truly blessed my heart and I know it will yours too. Mr. Lucado.....thank you once again for the wonderful revelations of this book. I pray that God will continue to bless you and your family, and of course your literary work.

Heather P. Marshall

Max does a wonderful job of combining the house with the Lord's prayer. We are using this book as a small group bible study and everyone is getting something from it. Most chapters you leave feeling "on fire" and ready to tackle your house, but mostly is a truly new way of looking at the meaning of the Lord's prayer. Everyone who is in class says that they see the Lord's prayer in a new light now--believing now that God is truly their Father. Max, God is surely working through you and we hope to see more of your work!

In this book, Lucado leads us through the Lord's Prayer. He has very creatively taken phrases of that prayer that we all learned as children to take on the characteristics of certain rooms in the Great House of God: the home that the Lord has constructed for each of us to share in. While I have studies religions for several years and been a Christian all of my life, I never understood the prayer that I recite every night until I had read this book. Littered with scriptural references, humorous anecdotes and even stories from his own life, Lucado illustrates his descriptions of the various rooms of God's house in a way that every one can understand. This book provides a way for those seeking God to see what He has done for them. and for those who already recognize Him as our Supreme Leader, Lucado gives a way to know him more. There is even a Study Guide in the back to use this book in a small group study, or even on your own. I would recommend this book to anyone who was seeking to know God for the first time, and for those who want to be closer to Him.

Why 5 stars?:
This is a book that deal less with inspiration and more with an understanding of who God is and why he has done what He has for us. Moreover, it does an acceptable job at explaining how we can get closer to God, because He wants us to be. The reader will understand who God is, what He gives us, and how we can show our appreciation.

You won't be able to put this book down until you finish it all. Max Woosley is a master story teller and will keep you turning pages to see what could possibly happen next. The fascinating concept of cloning yourself and the multitude of challenges it presents to Dr Kim Rambaugh will hold your complete attention on every page. I can't wait to read the sequel. Amazon should start a six star rating beginning with this book by this bright new author. Tom Clancy and Steven King better be looking over their shoulder.

Best science fiction novel to date! This book is a must read by this great, new upcoming author!

A great read! It has it all: romance, action, intrigue, humor, and most of all, suspense. This is great science fiction. I particularly enjoy the way the author puts the reader right inside the thoughts and emotions of the main character, Dr. Kimberly Rambaugh, and the inner conflicts that arise because of her discovery. A great depiction of the pitfalls mankind can encounter in the journey towards revolutionary technology. Buy this book. You won't be disappointed.

Reading Max Lucado's book "When Christ Comes - The Beginning of the Very Best" was some of the best time I have spent this year. His insights into the word of God concerning the Second Coming of Christ were heart-searching, dream-launching, and understandable! Full of truth, and current life application, I would recommend this book to EVERYONE. I so much look forward to seeing Jesus; more than ever before.

Max Lucado has been truly blessed with the gift of interpretation. As a Christian, I read my Bible but falter with meanings and explanations. Max Lucado to my rescue.

This book oozes hope. It relays joy. It shares the Truth about our heavenly expectations. Peace abounds as you learn that Christ will return, keeping His promise, allowing us access to Our Father's Kingdom. All of this is deciphered for us verse by verse; translated into common understanding and personal adeptation. I loved this book. Fear was invading my spirituality but "When Christ Comes, reinstated the strength within me to have Faith.

Excellent teaching. Worth more than gold!

this book gripped me from the very first page. i must admit i was a little troubled by some of the paragraphs,but on the whole i learnd a great deal about jesus,the pain and suffering he indured for humankind.i enjoyed the chapter crossing the threshold where he told a story(or what i thought was a story)about a prince and a peasant bride. as i read through the paragraph i realised max was actually talking about god being the prince and us representing the peasant bride. we may at times dessert him and forget about him but my heart is full of HIM.An inspiring book written by an extremlely talented author,who shows great faith and compassion in his writings. GOD BLESS you and your beautiful family max,may they give you joy,peace and happiness for the rest of your life and beyond.

Beautifully written, 'Before The Dawn' would be required reading for die-hard Dark Angel fans even if the series were still running. Max Allan Collins has given us what we crave -- the Dark Angel "fix" fans have needed since we first heard the series was going to be cancelled early in 2002. This book isn't just terrific brain candy -- it takes a deeper look at some things we saw in the show (such as Max's thoughts as she escaped, and life with her first 'adopted' family), and it fills in a lot of gaps in Max's history as a Manticore escapee on the run in pre- and post-pulse America. I'll be watching eagerly for future DA works from Mr. Collins.

DARK ANGEL: BEFORE THE DAWN is a fascinating prequel novel that is a treat for any DA fan to read. Max Collins has all the characters down pat, and the backgrounding he does for Max, Original Cindy, Logan, and the other regulars of the show is fascinating. After reading this book one can go back and view Season 1 and Season 2 of the series in a slightly different light, picking up clues that were not noticed before that lead back to Max's earlier life before she came to Seattle. Mr. Collins also does an excellent job of foreshadowing things-to-come in the DA universe, threads that will undoubtedly be continued in his DA sequel novel SKIN GAME which picks up the storyline after the last televised episode of the show. If you're a DARK ANGEL fan, please buy BEFORE THE DAWN! The read is well worth your time!

When I first heard that they were taking the Dark Angel series off the air I was really mad. That series was perfect. Perfect actors, perfect future depiction, perfect characters, perfect plot. Perfect right? So why [did]Fox chose to take it off the air I fear I will never know. So needless to say when I heard that Max Allan Collins was writing a book to continue the series, I perked up considerably. I was really worried that this was going to be one of those books that didn't connect with the TV series, but Collins did an excellent job of portraying the characters just as they were on TV. My only complaint was that Collins put Max's leaving phrase was "Gotta blaze," when on the series it was "I gotta bounce." But that was pretty much my only complaint. Anyway, I'm getting off subject. Over all this book is a great uplifter for the rest of us X5's who are still seriously depressed that our brothers and sisters were taken off air. Anyway, this is a great book and definitely worth the money to buy it.(I've already read it and it's sequal about ten or more times apiece.) It may be off the air, but Dark Angel continues.

Max Lucado looks at the Christmas story from a very different angle in his first novel. Loosely based upon the scriptures, the story tells of Gabriel being summoned by the Lord to go to Earth and deliver a great message3 that is reminiscent of the opening scenes of "It's a Wonderful Life". There are some fictional angels who appear now and then, but it helps to flesh out the story. The most poignant scenes are when Gabriel does arrive on Earth and actually is protecting Mary from Satan just before the birth of the Messiah - this is, of course, a fictionalized account.

However, the book does have its drawbacks. First, the size and shape of the book make it awkward to hold and read. This sounds petty, but it was a real problem for me. Also, the illustrations did not add to the story and were misplaced. I could have done without them. Most importantly however is that the book is just too short. There are not enough details and it really feels more like an outline than a compete story.

Why 3 stars?:
While Lucado's first novel is an interesting take on the story of the Nativity, it was not designed particularly well. It will make a nice addition to Lucado fans' bookshelves, but otherwise it could be skipped.

I fell in love with the books of Max Lucado a few years ago. All of his stories are very easy to read. I started to read Cosmic Christmas and became completely addicted. When I first picked it up, I just read a few pages. I couldn't wait to get back to it. I had to make time to finish the book. I couldn't think about anything else. Everyone I have loaned it to has said the same thing. "I just can't put it down!" It is a wonderful story, creatively written. You can actually feel the throne room. You can feel the Hell Hounds around you. You can feel yourself standing in the presense of the baby king, Jesus. I highly recommend this book to everyone of all ages. It also makes a great Christmas gift.

My pastor read us this story on Christmas Eve, very much like a father would read to his children;in front of a faux fireplace and Christmas tree in a large overstuffed chair. He even had people acting it out behind him on stage dressed as Satan, and Gabriel, and so on.. I have never been so moved by any one book. As soon he finished it, I made sure to put in a order at my local bookstore and read it 3 times the first day. It really makes you realize how much the Lord loves us. More importantly it shows how much Satan wants to succeed in making us FAIL. I have since recommended it to every person I know, and have told a dozen more about it. It's a very beatiful, very different spin on the traditional Christmas story. Let's face it, we all know why we celebrate the season, but do we know the reason behind God's plan? Even thought it is a work of fiction, I think all will agree this book is very worth taking an hour out of your day to read.

You can't deny the love that this book protrays. It is very warm and comforting. The analogy was good, but it was missing a very special character, Jesus. Shaddai represents God the Father, the children represent mankind, and the dark forest represents sin. These are all good representations. However, I would liked to have seen Shaddai have a Son who guides the lost boy back to the Father. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." I don't think that you can adequately represent the love of the Father if you omit His Son.

At the time that I read this I was in the middle of a missionary training school. I was learning so much. It was at night and my group was staying in our director's house. This book was on the table beside where I was sleeping. For some reason I was unable to sleep and I thought that this would help relaxe me. Instead this book made me think. I learned so many things that night about God and His great love for me. This booked put many of the things that I had learned about being God's child into ways that even a child can understand. This book allowed me to "become like a child" and come closer to Christ adn understand more of His love for me. This book is a must for anyone who is having trouble understanding why God allows some things to happen

This is a great book that speaks to young children about God's love, mankind's freewill and God's forgiveness. I have never seen my four year old so intent as when we read this book together; he actually had tears in his eyes. It is a simple story told in a way that kids can grasp. The illustrations are also wonderful, my child pointed out characters that resembled a number of his friends. This is a good book to help build the fundamentals of faith, and a good addition to a family library. I have also caught my pre-teen kids reading and enjoying it.

Max Perkins: Editor of Genius is one of the best non-fiction titles I've read in a long time, and will likely be one of the best books I'll ever read. Berg (with the help of his own editor) truly is a genius: he pulls us directly into the story, introducing us to Scribner's Max Perkins at the zenith of his editorial career, then plunges us into his first acquisition -- F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Beautiful and Damned -- before taking us, methodically, through Perkins's life. An intrepid biographer, Berg tells us only what we need to know about Perkins's early life, getting to the good stuff: his discovery of Fitzgerald and Thomas Wolfe and his work with Ernest Hemingway. We also find out about Perkins's work with other remarkable authors, including Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (The Yearling), S.S. Van Dine (the Philo Vance mysteries), and Arthur Train, creator of the mythical DA Ephraim Tutt. I laughed out loud at the story about how many believed that Tutt existed after the publication of his "autobiograhpy," complete with photos.

We learn of Perkins's patient relationship with the frustrating Thomas Wolfe, a mammoth talent and physical specimen who could not contain his own enthusiasm. Berg suggests that, as Perkins discovered, Wolfe wasn't writing "books," he was writing one book, which would have encompassed thousands of pages if he had not died early -- a profound insight into the heart and soul of a dynamic author.

We learn much of Papa Hemingway as well, including some insights into the macho author's home life. Elements of Hemingway's unpublished fiction suggest that the bullfighting fan, fisherman, and big game hunter might have enjoyed switching gender roles in bed with one of his wives.

Fitzgerald comes off as one who excelled in being pathetic, a man who suffered desperately with his wife, Zelda, alcohol, and simply living large. Berg gives us a tender portrait of Perkins's greatest find.

As with all excellent biographies, Max Perkins: Editor of Genius examines only what made Perkins who he was: the editor of the twentieth century. Perkins preferred to sit on the sidelines, championing his authors. Often, he sits on the sidelines in this book as well, but this only makes sense: he was famous for his work with his more famous authors. It wasn't Max, it was his interaction with these great authors that made him all great.

As some reviewers have pointed out, Max would have enjoyed thsi book.

What greater praise than the fact that I have spent 2 full day and into the night reading this book about a wonderful person who was a friend and confident to so many wonderful writers. I have read biographies of Fitzgerald, Hemingway and Wolfe and I had a paperback on Perkins but it became mislaid. I have read so many of their books and now want read them again as this biography has whetted my appetite.All the wonderful letters that are printed tell so much about these revered writers and tell how much they needed their wonderful editor.Wonderful book!

If you are an admirer of F.Scott Fitzgerald, Ring Lardner, Thomas Wolfe, Earnest Hemingway, Marjorie Rawlings; basically any significant American writer of fiction during the first half of this century--buy the book. Here's how I would put it: If those authors could send ONE, just one posthumous request for you to purchase a particular book, "Perkins: Editor of Genius" would be my sincerely expected choice. Why? Because he wasn't just the "editor of genius": he was their friend. Maybe in some cases like Mr. Wolfe's, the only REAL friend of a lifetime. Fitzgerald wrote in his last years, " Max, you are the only person who has never lost faith in me." Even after Scott Fitzgerald's too short existence, Max was a warrior for a reputation which he confidently predicted would survive the fads of that time. This is a study for those of us who can only regret never meeting him, a study in accepting the short-comings of others with understanding; and demanding the best from ourselves. Words are cheapened by their use in describing Max, because their cousins are seen so often where the object is so less deserving, but buy the book. Mr Berg paints a wonderous, living picture, whose thousand words I believe venerable Perkins would have approved--if somewhat sheepishly.

If you're a fan of Lucado, you should find each story to be a unique jewel. However, if you've read many of his other books, you may be disappointed as this book is actually a collection of stories you probably remember from his other works. However, the title of this book captures the theme so precisely; a gift. The gift of Grace, there is no greater gift. And this title explains the purpose of this book: to be a gift to others...for those who would feel comfortable with a smaller book... for those who may only have the time to ocassionally read... or where a story needs to be precise in its brevity. This is such a book. One book that sets out to be a gift, one book that succeeds.

Simply, this small treasure is a Greatest Hits collection of Max Lucado's previous writings. Pulling the best snippets of wisdom from books such as The Great House of God and In the Grip of Grace, Lucado creates a melting pot that consists of a Reader's Digest version of all his books.

If you are swamped with his list of available titles, this is a great place to start. You will be able to decide what book to read next after spending time with The Gift for All People.

It's best to read a few stories either in the morning as part of a devotional or at night before going to sleep. The stories will help you examine you're own life and grow closer to Christ.

I received this book as a gift and have much enjoyed it. Max Lucado has a wonderful way with words and it's apparent on every page just how much he loves God. I would recommend this book to anyone, I'm planning on purchasing it as a gift to a friend. The last chapter is especially important as he talks about what it is to be a Christian. Definitely a lovely book, a gift to us from Max Lucado and God!