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HomeShop at BookSurgeJuvenile FictionAnimalsMice, Hamsters, Guinea Pigs, etc.Sifting Through Ashes: The Fight of Faith-The Victory by Grace |
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1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Why Do Bad Things Happen to "Good" People? Jun 30, 2009
"And Jesus said to him, 'Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.'" -- Mark 10:18
The Book of Job is tough reading for most Christians. "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil." -- Job 1:1
Yet this "upright" man found himself being tormented by the enemy who is in the world and reproached by his so-called friends who accused Job of hidden sins.
It's painful reading as we see Job lose his children, his worldly goods, and his health. His wife tells him to curse God and die. Yet Job remains firm in his faith in God.
Many people teach this book of the Bible solely in terms of its overall theme, which is staying in faith with God and honoring Him no matter what comes our way. From that teaching, many remember the common phrase, "the patience of Job."
Ms. Cherie Hill does all Christian readers a great service by going beyond that surface look at the Book of Job to reveal its deeper meanings:
1. It's a guide for how we should handle difficulties and problems that overwhelm us at the temporal level. Trials help us build character and serve God's purposes. We should be at peace, knowing God is in control, even in the worst times. Romans 8:28 helps: "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."
2. Rather than feeling abandoned by God, we should use times of troubles to draw closer to Him and to pray to Him. He will listen. Most people do the opposite. In fact, Job spent a lot more time arguing with his "friends" than he did speaking with God.
3. Wait patiently and listen for God. He's sending you messages, but your distractions may be keeping you from receiving or understanding those messages.
4. To our faith in God must be added trust in God.
5. We need to forgive those who hurt us so that we can be kept from unrighteousness. Job wanted to argue with his friends rather than reconcile with them.
6. Leave our pride behind and accept His grace through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ.
7. Rest comfortably in obedience as He does a work in us. When we obey, the struggles will recede faster.
One of the many blessings of this book is that Ms. Hill knows her Bible quite well. When she isn't quoting Scripture, she's paraphrasing Scripture. As a result, you get a rich tapestry of God's Word along with her explanations.
These quotations are so good that they helped me to find a solution to a writing problem that I've been struggling with for months. I just followed the Scriptures she quoted and a beautiful result came out, thanks to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
I also found that I now have a far deeper understanding of Job than I've ever had before, even though I had just completed a very thorough Bible study over months in our church. What a blessing!
Don't miss this book. It will help lift you up in times of troubles by drawing you closer to the Lord.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
A Cheerleader for Jesus Jun 28, 2009
Cherie Hill is an author with a tangible passion. She exudes the flame of caring, concern, and love in her writing. Sifting Through the Ashes caused me to sift through my defense mechanisms and seek those which I had deployed to avoid coming into full compliance with the master plan that God says he has for each one of us in Jeremiah.
This statement hit me square between the eyes: If we're trying to move ahead of God's will, acting out of God's timing and God's plan, then we're not delighting ourselves in God. That phrase described what I was doing exactly. Because I'm impatient to press on and accomplish the things I desire without waiting for the One who will make them doable, I run the risk of becoming discouraged and walking away from the whole matter, allowing Satan to chalk up another victory. It has become clear that my focus has to be on God - like Peter trying to walk on water. As long as he kept his eyes on Jesus, he stayed on top of the water. As Cherie pointed out - we need to seek God's face and not His hand.
Another key phrase I loved was: disappointment happens; discouragement is a choice. I will choose to not be discouraged - thanks to Cherie Hill.
The one criticism I have on this book is that it is somewhat repetitive. For someone who gets it the first time, redundancy can be a bit irritating. However reinforcement is good for teaching so those who struggle with grasping concepts will consider the repetition helpful.
Donald James Parker - Author of contemporary Christian fiction
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
A THOUGHT-PROVOKING AND ENCOURAGING READ Jun 09, 2009
"Sifting Through Ashesl The Fight Of Faith, The Victory By Grace" takes a fresh look at the Book Of Job and draws parallels between his life and our own. Who among us hasn't been tested, even found ourselves seated helplessly in the ashes of a life that suddenly and unexpectedly burned to the ground?
Filled with fresh insights and directly linked to supporting Scripture, "Sifting Through Ashes" is a must-read for anyone who's ever experienced those moments of "ashes" in their own lives--and who has not? Ms. Hill reminds us of the role the enemy played in Job's life, and in our own, and reminds us that regardless of the challenges that come our way, God has allowed them and is faithfully at our side, even as the flames burn seemingly out of control.
A quote from "Sifting" reminds us that "It's not up to us to solve our situations--it's our job to allow God's grace to work in and through us to fulfill His purposes.", and that "We must understand that God will use our suffering to fulfill His good and perfect will."
This book was such a source of encouragement to me, and I recommend it for anyone who's ever wondered why God allowed painful circumstances and times of trial in their lives. By visiting the story of Job's testing, we can be assured that we do not exist in our suffering alone, and that in trusting God implicitly through the fire, He will create beauty from the ashes and grow our faith immeasurably.
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