by Kevin Tillman | Mar 4, 2024 | Book Commentary, Thoughts
First of all, this is a subjective list. There are hundreds of thousands of Christian books written over the years. The primary basis for this list is books that have caused the greatest impact in my life. These are books that shifted thinking or shaped theology. These are books that I look back and see their impact. This list may change someday, and I might even think of one I left off after typing this blog. I actually have at least five more that I’d like to include, but that can be saved for another day. For now, here’s a list of books that I would highly recommend. These are not listed in any particular order.
Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire – Jim Cymbala
This is the true story of Brooklyn Tabernacle. In the 1970’s the church was a small congregation of less than 20 people. The bills were overdue and the building was falling apart. But, that’s when the prayer really started. Much more than a true story, this is a book on prayer and the power of God. This one is sure to inspire and bring hope.
Download or Purchase “Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire”
How Now Shall We Live – Chuck Colson
Colson goes deep in this one. This is a book about the Christian Worldview and how is lines up with other worldviews. Every worldview must answer the tougher questions. Colson takes a look at culture and how a distorted worldview can affect everything. The description on Amazon claims “This book will change every Christian who reads it.” That’s a bold statement, but this book definitely helped form my outlook on life.
Download or Purchase “How Now Shall We Live”.
Counterfeit Gods – Tim Keller
God is the only one that can truly satisfy the deepest longings of our heart. We were created with that need for Him. However, that desire has led our humanity down a trail that never works. It’s been a chase for the counterfeit instead of the real thing. This book is hard hitting, exploring the empty promises that life brings. Tim Keller will challenge your thoughts and your pursuits. One of my favorite quotes from the book is “an idol is anything that is more important to you than God.” Even good things can become idols. This book will have you seeing everything differently.
Download or Purchase “Counterfeit Gods”
Mere Christianity – C.S. Lewis
Honestly, no list would be complete without “Mere Christianity” on it. If you haven’t read it, you should. The book is derived from a series of radio broadcasts defending and giving strong reason for the Christian faith. This book would fall under the category of apologetics. For the reader looking for something that defends Christianity and gives strong reasoning behind the claims and beliefs, this is the book for you.
Download or Purchase “Mere Christianity”
This Present Darkness – Frank Peretti
Though this is a fictional novel it will open your mind to the spiritual forces that are at work around us. Peretti is a phenomenal author and this one is hard to put down. The book ebbs and flows between the cosmic battle of angels and demons and the life of those caught in the middle. This book has sold millions of copies and opened many to the reality of spiritual warfare.
Download or Purchase “This Present Darkness”
Once again, this isn’t meant to be the final word, but these books are definitely mind shaping. I’ll likely do a follow up blog at some point with more recommendations, because I’ve already got my mind on a few!
by Shannon Tillman | Feb 19, 2024 | Thoughts
At a ministerial training, a group was asked, “if you see a piece of paper on the floor in the church hallway, whose job is it to pick it up?” Some answers focused on the janitor who obviously neglected his job. Others replied they thought it would be responsibility of the person who dropped it. The trainer said, “It’s your job. You saw it. Pick it up.” If we truly say we care about the church, it is no longer about the responsibility of others, but about our duty to do what is best for the church.
I think Moses could have done a training on having a heart for his church, his flock, the Israelites. We see him often intercede for the nation. The Lord even affirms the heart of Moses for the people they both loved.
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol… (Exodus 32:7-8a, emphasis added)
In this passage, God calls the Israelites “your people”. Yet, in previous passages, God refers to them as “My people”. We see this in the calling of Moses to Egypt in Exodus 3.
So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring My people the Israelites out of Egypt.” (Exodus 3:10, emphasis added)
The heart of God beats for people. When we press into His heart, the concerns for “His people” become our concerns. They become “our people”. Ministry is not about a leader being lifted up but instead being humbled to serve in good times as well as the bad. Moses shared in the Israelite’s struggles (the plagues of Egypt) and in their triumphs (parting of the Red Sea). God’s people now are Moses’s people. The Lord recognized the heart of Moses toward Israel.
Because of His gracious ways, God allowed Moses to know what was taking place at the foot of the mountain. God told him how the people had created an idol to worship. The Lord knew Moses would intervene; he would take the difficult task in partnering with God to deal with the sin of idolatry. Ministry is hard! But to love people as God loves people is to confront the sins that keep others from their relationship with the Lord.
The Lord could have destroyed the people with holy justification. But because God’s people had become Moses’s people, the leader interceded for the sinners.
But Moses sought the favor of the LORD his God. “LORD,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’” Then the LORD relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened. (Exodus 32:11-14)
The greatest level of ministry is demonstrated by Moses as he interceded for the people. His intercession focused not on the protection of the people but on the promises of God to the people as well as preserving the Name and the glory of God in front of others. Ministry to people promotes God’s glory. May we as leaders whether it be in the home, church, or business world do the same for those under our care. God’s people are our people.
Whose job is it to pick up the mess in the lives of others? Yours and mine.
by Kevin Tillman | Feb 12, 2024 | Thoughts
“A difference in words is a very awful and important difference; a difference in words is a difference in things. Words are very awful and wonderful things, for they come from the most awful and wonderful of all beings, Jesus Christ, THE WORD. He puts words into men’s minds. He made all things, and He made words to express those things. And woe to those who use the wrong words about anything.”
Charles Kingsley (1819–1875)
We should guard our words. Words have power to uplift and power to tear down. Words have power to heal and power to destroy. As Christians we have been taught to discipline our actions, to “keep from sinning”. But, shouldn’t we give as much diligence to our words? Words are a gift from God. Like any gift, however, words can be abused. The words that we speak, the words that we type, and the words that we post on social media have power.
Here’s some practical advice:
- filter your words before you speak, type, or post. Think over your response before putting it out there.
- you don’t have to give an opinion on everything. This might be the most valuable of all advice.
- sometimes it is better to say nothing than to say something. Actually, often this is good advice.
- “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Proverbs 15:1. The right thing said the wrong way can make it worse. It’s important to say the right thing the right way.
- “speaking the truth in love” Ephesians 4:15. When in a confrontation, make sure your own motive is pure.
How loose we are with words, forgetting that our words are a representation of the Word! Lord, have mercy on us!
by Shannon Tillman | Jan 29, 2024 | Thoughts
“Truth hurts”. We often think of that statement in the sense of speaking truth to someone for their own good, to confront them with something wrong. Yet, in this passage of Scripture, we see truth spoken to the Truth, Jesus, in the form of hurtful mockery.
The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” (Luke 23:35)
They mocked Jesus with His very deeds, His titles, His true character. The enemy mocks us with truth but twists it to “prove” truth in a way or time that is not God’s will.
Jesus did save others. He did not save Himself at the time because He was saving the world at that moment. By dying, Jesus was actually proving that He was God’s Messiah, the Chosen One. His first mission on earth was to die for our sins. However, at His second coming, He will rule and reign the world from Jerusalem. If He had shortcut His initial purpose, all of us would be eternally lost. But because He is the Messiah, He stayed on the cross to extend salvation to the world.
The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” (Luke 23:36-37)
Jesus is the King of the Jews. He is the King of kings. Yet, He knew that His rule would manifest later in history. By saving Himself, He would not have been crowned king.
That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. (Ephesians 1:19b-23)
It was because of His death and resurrection that God put Jesus above all. Everything is under His feet because He was willing to die for our sins. The people mocked Him as a king and told him to save Himself, but it was His death that heralded His divine coronation.
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” (Luke 23:39)
The criminals wanted to be saved from their crossed and mocked Jesus with the truth of His Messiahship. The truth is that Jesus was saving them at that moment, if they so chose to receive it. The salvation was not a temporal escape from a cross but eternal salvation.
Often the enemy attacks us with truth. However, the enemy desires us to usurp God’s timing to have the truth manifest now. Jesus is Messiah, King, the Chosen One and much more. But if He had forced the truth instead of trusting God’s timetable, His purpose of saving the world would be thwarted. Instead, He chose to endure the pain, endure the mockery, suffer unto death so that we might be saved. In our own lives, we must trust God’s timetable so that more lives can be transformed to the glory of our Risen King!
by Shannon Tillman | Jan 22, 2024 | Thoughts
A messy journal entry is straight from my prayer journal. Sometimes, I write things down that are easier to transcribe (or fix some of the grammar and thoughts) then try to “tidy up” and make into a decent blog post. On this post I did add an additional thought to the end.
Thoughts on Deuteronomy 2:4-5,9
Give the people these orders: ‘You are about to pass through the territory of your relatives the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. They will be afraid of you, but be very careful. Do not provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land, not even enough to put your foot on. I have given Esau the hill country of Seir as his own… Then the LORD said to me, “Do not harass the Moabites or provoke them to war, for I will not give you any part of their land. I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as a possession.” (Deuteronomy 2:4-5,9)
God gave the land. He delegated the boundaries. The Lord even gave property to the enemies of Israel! He kept His Word to Esau and to Lot despite their unfaithfulness. Our Lord is faithful to His Word. Did knowing this encourage Israel to believe that what God did for others He would do even more for them?
Horites used to live in Seir, but the descendants of Esau drove them out. They destroyed the Horites from before them and settled in their place, just as Israel did in the land the LORD gave them as their possession. (Deuteronomy 2:12)
Esau fought for the land. They acquired the land because the Lord promised the land. If God fulfilled His word to Esau, then the people could trust the Lord for acquiring the land for Jacob (Israel).
Trust God. He is faithful to His Word. What He has promised, He will fulfill. Be encouraged by His fulfillment of His word to others. Do not compare or be jealous. Instead, let it increase your faith for what He will do for you.
by Shannon Tillman | Jan 1, 2024 | Thoughts
Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. (John 12:26)
This verse simplifies all of life. Follow Jesus. Where He is shows His servants where they should be.
