Related Subjects: Author Index Reviews Page 1 2
Book reviews for "Hazard,_David" sorted by average review score:

How a Man Prepares His Daughters for Life (Lifeskills for Men)
Published in Paperback by Bethany House (1996)
Authors: Michael Farris and David Hazard
Amazon base price: $7.99
Average review score:

Very practical
I enjoyed his perspective on the subject matter. I look forward to implementing some of his ideas and suggestions. A good father can make all the difference in the life a girl chooses. I will read this book every few years as my daughter ages.

One of the best "how to" books for dads that I've read!
To develop the potential in and character of your daughter may require some changes in your life as a dad but the rewards are eternal. Men, God commands this and our culture near the turn of the millenium requires serious preparation in order for our daughters to be grounded in the Lord and in their integrity. This book was the first of three of the Lifeskills for Men series that I have read so far and all are concise and thought-provoking. Dig in!!

Practical advice that you can use right now.
This book focuses on real issues that every family faces. All advice is given in the context of his own family and experience, which for me was helpful. I think this book has a great deal to offer any man who is concerned with helping his daughter transition from the relative safety of the family to becoming an adult in a complex and usually unforgiving world. As the father of three - two of whom are sons, I found that many (if not most) topics discussed were highly applicable to all of my children to some extent.


Satisfy Your Soul: Restoring the Heart of Christian Spirituality
Published in Paperback by Navpress (1999)
Authors: Bruce A. Demarest and David Hazard
Amazon base price: $10.50
List price: $15.00 (that's 30% off!)
Used price: $7.00
Buy one from zShops for: $6.75
Average review score:

Dr. Demarest discovered his treasures (Part 3)
Dr. Demarest discovered his treasures (Part 3)
By Peter K. Y. Chang

(7)
In a broad sense, the spiritual helper is a mature Christian who offers soul-care in the form of spiritual friendship, spiritual guidance, spiritual mentoring, or spiritual direction.
Discipleship includes teaching, training, and a helping ministry. It is an important biblical concept, which must be encouraged and supported. An effective discipleship program may enable Christians to grow in the spirit, to live out the value of Christ, and to meet the purpose of God's Kingdom. An effective approach to discipleship involves our faith and lives. A spiritual helper who knows how to lead us deeply into God's will, must be familiar with training in essential Christian doctrines, structuring a quiet time, cultivating Christian fellowship, and witnessing to the Christian experience.
Christian helping agents by practicing personal soul-care, build on the core issues of discipleship to achieve Christ-like souls. We should pay more attention to nurturing the life of individual Christians. Jesus approves of this in Matthew chapter twelve. Soul-care deals with dysfunction to renew Christian foundation in sorrowing Christian hearts.
Soul-care ministries recognize that variable dispositions relate to God differently. They guide growing Christians to take account of personal history and temperaments. Mentoring and offering spiritual direction must be highly personalized. Jesus gave the best model when he called twelve disciples and taught, trained, and nurtured them according to each individual need. God called Moses to guide the Israelites as a whole, and to mentor Joshua in particular
The spiritual helpers must have a dynamic Christian faith. They call forth new life in other Christians by closely connecting to Jesus. They must possess knowledge regarding Scripture, theology, the spiritual classics, and psychology. They also should be persons of loving concern, of experiencing some suffering and failure in life, and of knowing how to deal with it.
Dallas Willard concluded, "Spiritual direction was understood by Jesus, taught by Paul, obeyed by the early church, followed with excesses in the medieval church, narrowed by the Reformers, recaptured by Puritans, and virtually lost in the modern church." Therefore, it is our responsibility to restore it.

(8)
Emil Brunner's "Law of the closeness of relation" could be imperfect, but it helped us understand the discipline concerning psychology. It includes the important aspects of truth and the distortion of truth due to the disturbance of judgment by sin. Christian counseling is to identify and welcome what is true in psychology while rejecting what is inconsistent with the biblical standard of truth.
The human being consists of an inner immaterial soul and spirit, dwelling in a material body, which is known as "dichotomy." Soul and spirit are interactive and interrelating, but soul often refers to the self from the human perspective, and spirit, the self from the divine point of view. Our inner person cannot be divided into two essentially different parts, soul and spirit. The former deals with psychological, the latter with spiritual issues. In fact, a person engages God with the inner structure in the same as he engages himself and others. Faulty thought of self leads to misbehavior toward God. Hostile emotion toward another person leads to resenting God. A strained relationship with another person impairs relationship with God.
Therefore, we need Christian counselors to work for the soul and to foster spiritual growth by dismantling psychological barriers. The functions of psychology in the field of Redemptive Counseling include the contribution to spiritual formation, helping Christians to understand their uniqueness, showing how false images of God hinder spiritual growth from maturity, highlighting the destructive power of false guilt, and exposing the tyranny of perfectionism and being a workaholic.
A Christian who is delivered from condemnation is not necessarily healed from emotional illness. For those who are emotional wounded, God uses Christian psychology counselors to bring healing to them. Biblical-framed psychology helps to diagnose emotional and spiritual problems and offers healing solutions to re-experience God's love, mercy, peace and grace.

(9)
Many Christian scholars admit that reading the spiritual classics can satisfy our common hunger for experiencing and honoring God. When we read them, we enter into conversation with the great personalities of the Christian heritage. As Hebrews 12:1 said, "All these pioneers who blazed the way for us." The classics showed the major movements of Christian spirituality. We read, as if we engage patristic, medieval, Orthodox, Reformation, Roman Catholic, and Charismatic writers. We receive the benefits of great personal blessing via the writings of spiritually wise men and women. The spiritual classics also challenge our culturally shaped perspectives on the faith. We tend to reflect the norms and values of the social context, and neglect legitimate elements of biblical faith. The spiritual classic writers help us distinguish the truth from the false in every generation.
Solomon, who experienced most blessings before he was old, found that nothing satisfies the heart apart from God. Apart from a living relationship with God, everything is "chasing after wind, everything is meaningless," he said.
However, Paul experienced hunger in his heart as a sign of life and hope. Teresa of Avila advocated the need for believers to surrender themselves unconditionally into God's loving bosom. Growing Christians, each in their own ways, cultivate discipline through quietness, meditation, verbal or nonverbal prayer, and spiritual reading. Our spiritual progress occurs via the synergy of God's initiative and our trusting responses.
Before ending the book, Dr. Demarest has pled for balance in living out the gospel. He urged us that Theology and spirituality must be bound together in a mutually nourishing relationship. We must take biblical warning against doctrinal laxity. We must have our roots in the historic Christian message. We should follow the examples of faithful theologians. We must avoid antichristian heresies, which deny absolute truth and disintegrate Christian belief.
Finally, Francis of Assisi, gave some mottos to encourage us. These are Christian spirituality is an enterprise, which integrates the whole person; spiritual renewal calls for self-denial, following the example of Jesus and other saints; Spiritual path requires openness to change and challenge; the spiritual restoration calls for courage, for the Kingdom's sake etc. Thank to Dr. Demarest, we have committed ourselves to serve God. We are ready to meet the goals set in this book.

Dr. Demarest discovered his treasures (Part 1)
Dr. Demarest discovered his treasures (Part 1)
By Peter K. Y. Chang

(1)
The purpose of this book is to emphasize spiritual formation, which shapes and forms Christian character and action into the likeness of Christ. Therefore, we may grow into godliness, holiness, compassion, faithfulness, and obedience.
The author, Dr. Demarest, was profoundly influenced by Thomas A' Kempis, John of the Cross, and Henri Nouwen etc. His spiritual insights helped him to deeply trust in God. This was the first time he experienced the sense of actual growth in the inner man. With these new approaches, he felt satisfied and was transformed into spiritual truth. He said, "What I was discovering was the intuitive way of engaging God; that is, learning how to open my heart as well as my head to truth." Then he read more extensively in classic writings, and traveled to New Mexico, where he learned to balance the right beliefs, the right affections, and the right actions. There an aged pastor broke cried as he thanked God for solving his problem. This embedded in his life for many years.
It was an encounter with God. Dr. Demarest discovered his treasures in a Christ-centered orthodoxy, the commitment to community. Then, he wanted to get close to other Christians so as to encounter Christ in them. He practiced spiritual disciplines from the past. He learned different views of the ancient writers that led others into the presence of God. He found a way to honor the place and work of the Holy Spirit. Finally, he gained a most treasured gift in connecting with the classic understandings of Christian spirituality through the spiritual masters of history. He realized how important it is to give place to human longings and questions, how to allow the Holy Spirit to lead us to focus on spiritual disciplines, and to draw us into a more intimate knowledge of God. Therefore, we can ultimately rest in Him.

(2)
Thus, Dr. Demarest has been willing with his teaching talent through this book to satisfy people's spiritual hunger during the age of "the American Dream." Those people, in fact, are seeking significance by turning to the spiritual world. They long to touch the transcendent, but they are vaguely touching deity before they know the true God. Yet very few average Christians understand that authentic contact with God should affect them in some meaningful, even palpable way. Moreover, the "Native American religion," the "Old Gods of Pagan Religion," the "Wicca and Druidism," the "Mother Goddess of the Earth," and the "New Age Movement," etc. and all kinds of atheism, pantheism, polytheism, Naturism, and postmodernism have distorted true Christian belief. A. W. Tozer admitted, "For millions of Christians, God is no more real than He is to non-Christians." They hunger for something within them, as if Augustine sought for something to love; there was a hunger within him before he became Christian.
We need to lead those who are searching, but have never met God, or gone astray with suffering to know God through His Word. They are weak and unable to stand up for Christian convictions. Their souls also suffer from emotional deadness, from moral problems. They have no enriching relationship with God. We have to find out the causes that may come from intellectualism, emotionalism, legalism, individualism, or hyperactivity. Unfortunately, many people need help, but do not know who will direct them or guide their souls in the direction of growth in Christ? C. S. Lewis addressed this problem as to personal biases that result in a closed mind. At any rate, we may enter a new era in the work of God to reach and revive others and ourselves.

(3)
The word "spirituality" nowadays lends to varied practices. Some non-Christians and other pagan religions, as noted above, have freely misused it. The word "spiritual" functions as the inner person coherent with God's will. It pertains to the true living God, the Holy Spirit, and it produces the quality of Christian through the Trinity God and His Word. It shapes the Christian life in relationship with Christ for the glory of God. It also renews and satisfies the soul, and extends to every aspect of Christian life before God and other persons.
However, as the definition of spirituality and spiritual are misused, we must discern between the truth and the false which includes generic spirituality and religious spirituality. For the former, it only focuses on the human self-fulfillment with little or no regard for God. It is highly eclectic, picking and choosing from a wide range of beliefs and practices. It concentrates on self, and has a passion for the satisfaction of personal needs and feeling such as C. S. Lewis described in his book "Screwtape Letters." The fatal flaw of generic spirituality is to disregard for the God of the Bible.
Religious spirituality searches for transcendence and purpose by appealing to a higher power. It is the potent force in the non-Christian religions. Heresies gush as Gnosticism, pretending to be Christian, empower quasi-religious system such as Yoga, Transcendental meditation, and the New Age Movement. It is embodied in the self-help movement, and nourishes so-called religious spirituality relating to a higher power. It elevates human effort above God's grace. It rejects Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life, and the reality that no one comes to the Father except through Him.
We must distinguish authentic Christian spirituality from the many non-Christian alternatives in the world. Only Christian spirituality concerns the shaping of our inner beings into the likeness of Jesus Christ. That is to say, it is unashamedly Trinitarian, revelational, Christ-centered, creational, salvational, both individual and corporate, and empowered by the Holy Spirit.(to be continue on Part 2)

Satisfy Your Soul
Dr. Demarest takes the reader on his own spiritual journey that has transformed his life. While he is clearly a scholar of theology, he shares his personal experience of spiritual hunger and follows with the development of understanding that spirituality is more than an intellectual exercise. It must be holistic in the sense that a person's heart and soul must be included to fully grasp the power of God and the Holy Spirit in our lives. This awareness allows for a closer, intimate walk and ongoing understanding of the will of God. While spirituality has lead the author in his own life, cautions regarding the need for spritual discernment in our culture are presented. Reliance on the Word to feed the soul serves as the basis for continuing growth. Personal comtemplation is encouraged as a tool for continued spiritual growth. The reader is encouraged to study godly mentors and acknowledge spiritual friends for continued growth. Spiritual classics through time are referenced to guide the reader with a foundation for spiritual growth. This book shows how Demarest changed his own spiritual life. His examples that are abundantly documented with scripural refernces provide a guide for the reader toward a rich and full spiritual journey.


When the Soul Listens: Finding Rest and Direction in Contemplative Prayer
Published in Paperback by Navpress (1999)
Authors: Jan Johnson, Dallas Willard, and David Hazard
Amazon base price: $9.60
List price: $12.00 (that's 20% off!)
Used price: $8.34
Buy one from zShops for: $7.75
Average review score:

Insightful book requires careful reading
Jan Johnson's book on contemplative prayer is one that I'll be rereading. It's not difficult reading, but this type of prayer is not something that you can just assimilate into your Christian walk without considerable thought and prayer. I really appreciated the author's honesty and her vulnerability. She definitely doesn't paint herself as being a person who has mastered this stuff - she is just another pilgrim on the journey, and indeed her points are more credible to me because she isn't perfect.

The book talks about what contemplative prayer is, what it looks like in someone's life, problems we might encounter - really practical stuff. She used personal anecdotes to illustrate her principles, and also quotes from many sources. I must say that I found the "notes" section at the end of each chapter fascinating. As a lover of Christian books, I'm fascinated by the books that an author refers to. And this book has the notes at the end of each chapter, instead of the all of them being at the end of the book. They're more accessible this way, I think.

I especially appreciated Jan's description of how we can practice a contemplative lifestyle in the busy-ness of life. She is quick to dispel the notion that contemplatives are locked away in a room somewhere, not living a normal life.

I own Jan Johnson's other books - "Enjoying the Presence of God", "Listening to God - Using Scripture as a Path to God's Presence", and "Living a Purposeful Life", and I look forward to reading those as well.

Please check out my other reviews of Christian books and music.

Listening to God
i had long been wanting to know what is comtemplative prayer. I had read many books about it but they just confused me. Jan Johnson showed me what it really means to pray contemplatively. She also challenged me t oadot this kind of prayer in my daily life. I have done so and GOd has blessed me mightily since then.

When the Soul Listens
Because I often feel too busy to even think, contemplation seems like a spiritual luxury I can't afford. Jan Johnson shows me otherwise. When the Soul Listens is about contemplation for the rest of us; it's about developing simplicity of soul and receptivity of spirit in the busy world we live in. It's a "how to" without condescension because Ms. Johnson takes us along on her spiritual journey and her exploration of the other side of prayer - listening. This journey goes beyond platitudes and cliches into authentic Christianity. I appreciated the careful research, thorough documentation, yet comfortable conversational style. Jan Johnson says her purpose "is to help you learn how to meet with God in life transforming encounters in which your heart comes to rest in His presence." Everything in the book focuses on this purpose in an understandable and inspiring way.


Blood Brothers
Published in Paperback by Chosen Books Pub Co (2003)
Authors: Elias Chacour, David Hazard, and James A. Baker III
Amazon base price: $10.39
List price: $12.99 (that's 20% off!)
Used price: $8.88
Collectible price: $10.00
Buy one from zShops for: $8.90
Average review score:

darling
This is a must-read for anyone who is looking for a human perspective on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Chacour brings the story of personal pain, struggle and hope to the pages of his book. This book removes the story from the realm of politicians and mass movements and refocusses the story where it should be, on the individuals hurt by and caught in the chaos, tragedy and beauty that make up the story of the Holy Land. It is beautifully and captivatingly written, capturing the spirit of the land and people. It doesn't gloss over the violence, hardship or injustice. Nor does it leave the reader feeling jaded, hopeless, or helpless. I finished with a desire to read more, learn more about both sides of the conflict and its history. Having travelled in that area of the world before the outbreak of the current conflict, I can say that it does a great job of accurately portraying the place, the people, and the spirit that pervades both. Truly an inspiring work!


A Day in Your Presence: A 40-Day Journey in the Company of Francis of Assisi (Rekindling the Inner Fire)
Published in Paperback by Bethany House (1992)
Authors: Saint Francis of Assisi, David Hazard, Francis, and St Francis of Assisi
Amazon base price: $9.99
Used price: $5.99
Buy one from zShops for: $6.89
Average review score:

Great Resource
This book will lead the reader through an inspiring forty days in the company of St. Francis, one of the most popular Saints. There are forty daily devotions that average 2-3 pages each. They consist of a selected Scripture verse (or verses), a passage from the writings of St. Francis (prayers, excerpts from his letters, etc.) and a final prayer by the editor that is related to the passage from Francis. The devotions include such topics as loving your enemies, God's transforming power, joy, and praise to the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. I wish the book were longer, but overall it is an excellent devotional resource.


I Promise You a Crown: A 40-Day Journey in the Company of Julian of Norwich (Rekindling the Inner Fire)
Published in Paperback by Bethany House (1995)
Authors: Julian, David Hazard, and Julian Norwich
Amazon base price: $9.99
Used price: $8.01
Average review score:

Julian of Norwich-a woman who knows the Lord
In a very searching time of my life, this book was given to me by a dear friend (who will receive her crown one day). It truly kindled a fire within me to "press toward the goal of the high call of God". As a nun who lived during the 14th century, Julian of Norwich was not affluent, influential or even in a large community. She was a nun in a small convent. God chose to heal her as she was dying, and then use her to speak to us today in a way that will create a fire within you to know Him. The obvious changes were made to put the book in a readable, updated language form, breaking down it into daily devotionals. Yet you continue to feel the heart of Julian. Yes, Julian of Norwich was truly a woman with a deep love for and intimate relationship with the Lord. May we all find such a place.


Majestic Is Your Name: A 40-Day Journey in the Company of Theresa of Avila (Rekindling the Inner Fire Devotional Series)
Published in Paperback by Bethany House (1993)
Authors: David Hazard and Teresa
Amazon base price: $9.99
Used price: $12.75
Buy one from zShops for: $11.99
Average review score:

Majectis Is Your Name
Written by a Roman Catholic nun from Spain in the 1500s who experienced a personal relationship with Christ. Her book is an outstanding devotional on growing closer to our Lord.


Safe Within Your Love: A 40-Day Journey in the Company of Hannah W. Smith (Rekindling the Inner Fire)
Published in Paperback by Bethany House (1992)
Authors: David Hazard and Hannah Whitall Smith
Amazon base price: $9.99
Used price: $6.75
Buy one from zShops for: $6.75
Average review score:

I thought this book was awesome and inspiring.
When I got this book for Christmas I put it away. Another devotional book, oh well, was my thought. Was I wrong. I started reading it on New Year's Day and have not been the same since. What insights Hannah had, and my faith and love in our Lord has been made stronger because of this devotional. It is more than just another devotional. It is inspiring!


When You Can't Say "I Forgive You": Breaking the Bonds of Anger and Hurt
Published in Paperback by NavPress (04 August, 2000)
Authors: Grace Md. Ketterman and David Hazard
Amazon base price: $9.60
List price: $12.00 (that's 20% off!)
Used price: $7.98
Collectible price: $10.00
Buy one from zShops for: $8.35
Average review score:

What I CAN say. . .
This book is excellent for a guide to letting go of hurt and anger and being able to live a meaningful life. David and Grace make a great writing team as they combine experience, christianity and skill into making the process of forgiveness logical and simple. The many examples they used made it a page turner for me. I definitely recommend this for it's readability, scholarship, and practicality.


You Set My Spirit Free: A 40-Day Journey in the Company of John of the Cross (Rekindling the Inner Fires)
Published in Paperback by Bethany House (1994)
Authors: John of the Cross, David Hazard, and John
Amazon base price: $9.99
Used price: $6.94
Buy one from zShops for: $6.84
Average review score:

Excellent
This is an excellent guide for those seeking God. As I read it, though, I found I wanted to read John of the Cross' words more literally (this book is a paraphrase). Having tried translations by Peers and Kavanaugh, I prefer the latter. Hazard's paraphrase is very helpful even as an introduction, but I've discovered that as I'm ivest myself in following John's rather complex sentence structure, I find incredible richness. At this point in my journey, I find his writings far more significant and helpful for me than any contemporary writer from any stream of christianity.

Timeless
I have used this for personal retreats and for Lent. My experience of this tool changes with each circumstance, it has helped me grow and the beauty of John of the Cross becomes richer and richer.

WOW!
Please, read this book! Read it for your spouse. Read it for your children. Read it for everyone you love, but especially for those who you don't love. And, above all, read it for your relationship with the Lord, for it will never be the same.


Related Subjects: Author Index Reviews Page 1 2

Reviews are from readers at Amazon.com. To add a review, follow the Amazon buy link above.