Your child is in trouble at school. Your boss is a micro-manager who makes work difficult at best. Your weight has ballooned. You are single and you want to be married. Does any of this matter to the Almighty God of the universe? Do you matter to him? How can you take your head knowledge about the omnipotence, love, and compassion of God and transfer it to your heart? How can you connect your everyday reality to the truths you say you believe? Caught Off Guard was written to rekindle your lost passion for life in relationship to Christ. It tells true stories from today and biblical times to show you some surprising things you may have overlooked about our loving and purposeful God.
Caught Off Guard : Encounters with the Unexpected God
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Review
The most beautiful word in the English language is grace. Although impossible to adequately define, William Smith has done a masterful job of illustrating God s grace in his book, Caught Off Guard: Encounters with the Unexpected God. The stories are wonderful and refreshing for any parched soul looking for encouragement. --Robert Jeffress, Pastor and author of Second Chance, Second Act
Too often, we as Christians are absolutely shaken when God moves outside the box in which we ve placed him and calls us to accept circumstances that we never imagined could possibly come from him. In Caught Off Guard, it is obvious that William Smith has learned the dangers of limiting God. He powerfully calls readers to follow our wild and uncontrollable Creator into a world of deeper trust and wonder! --Doug Herman, Author of Time for a Pure Revolution & founder of Pure Revolution Conferences & Resources
The most beautiful word in the English language is grace. Although impossible to adequately define, William Smith has done a masterful job of illustrating God s grace in his book, Caught Off Guard: Encounters with the Unexpected God. The stories are wonderful and refreshing for any parched soul looking for encouragement. --Robert Jeffress, Pastor and author of Second Chance, Second Act
Too often, we as Christians are absolutely shaken when God moves outside the box in which we ve placed him and calls us to accept circumstances that we never imagined could possibly come from him. In Caught Off Guard, it is obvious that William Smith has learned the dangers of limiting God. He powerfully calls readers to follow our wild and uncontrollable Creator into a world of deeper trust and wonder! --Doug Herman, Author of Time for a Pure Revolution & founder of Pure Revolution Conferences & Resources
The most beautiful word in the English language is grace. Although impossible to adequately define, William Smith has done a masterful job of illustrating God s grace in his book, Caught Off Guard: Encounters with the Unexpected God. The stories are wonderful and refreshing for any parched soul looking for encouragement. --Robert Jeffress, Pastor and author of Second Chance, Second Act
About the Author
William P. Smith, M.Div., Ph.D. Dr. Smith is a counselor and faculty member in the School of Biblical Counseling at the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation in Glenside, PA. He currently serves as the director of distance education and is a frequent contributor to The Journal of Biblical Counseling. He also serves as director of Counseling Ministries at Chelten Church in Dresher, PA. Bill and his wife Sally are busy raising two young sons and a daughter. In his spare time Bill enjoys coaching his sons sports teams and renovating the family home.
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More About the Author
William P. Smith, M.Div., Ph.D., is the director of counseling at Chelten Baptist Church, Dresher, Pa., the author of the book Caught Off Guard: Encounters with the Unexpected God, the minibooks How Do I Stop Losing It with My Children?; How to Love Difficult People; Should We Get Married?; Starting Over; When Bad Things Happen; and Who Should I Date, and many counseling articles.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
a fresh view of the creator,
By
This review is from: Caught Off Guard: Encounters with the Unexpected God (Paperback)
Everyone brings there own assumptions and experiences of life and God to the text of scripture. We then inevitably interpret the text through this lens. It is difficult to step away from that lens to see God more accurately by allowing Him to define Himself. In Caught Off Guard: Encounters with the unexpected God, Smith invites the reader to look at the scripture through a new lens. His conversational writing style allows him to speak profound truths in an understandable way.
I am currently using this book in a small group setting. I have found the questions that Smith offers are extremely provoking. These questions have caused our small group to enter a much deeper level of conversation. We are now going beyond the initial intellectual study of the meaning of the text and discovering the unsettling questions that our hearts are asking in which the intellectual truth answers. The meaning of the text is only as helpful as it is able to be applied. Smith leads his reader to apply it. The young adults in our ministry have been refreshed by reading Caught Off Guard: Encounters with the Unexpected God. This is most evidenced in that they are buying it for their friends and family.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Drawn to Worship,
By
This review is from: Caught Off Guard: Encounters with the Unexpected God (Paperback)
As I read through "Caught Off Guard: Encounters with the Unexpecetd God," my heart was overwhelmed and drawn to worship. Dr. Smith takes his readers on a journey of discovery and renewal as he opens our eyes to the heart of God...a heart of relationship, intimacy, grace, compassion, power, mercy, justice, holiness, tenderness and eagerness.
I found the chapters to be well-written, easy to understand and balanced. The questions at the end of each chapter prove to be a highlight and should not be taken lightly. The reality of God's love and grace can be applied not only to biblical characters but to each one of our lives as well! As I counsel, teach, pastor and lead, I have encouraged everyone around me to read Dr. Smith's book. Our family even gave copies of his book as Christmas gifts. I wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Smith's book to those who long to know and experience the God of creation, the God of the Scriptures and the God who longs for intimate relationship with you! As a result, your heart will be drawn to worship!
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Most helpful book I've read this year,
By Kathy F. Cannata "Rev. Dr. R. Cannata" (New Orleans, LA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)
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This review is from: Caught Off Guard: Encounters with the Unexpected God (Paperback)
Along with others, I have eagerly anticipated this book for a couple of years now. The CCEF crowd have produced some of the best works of applied theology around -- Ed Welch's When People are Big and God is Small and Blame it on the Brain; David Powlison Power Encounters; Paul Tripp War of Words and Instruments in the Redeemer's Hand, etc. Bill Smith stands out as one of the most insightful of this school of thought. His talents and commitment are amply demonstrated in thus, his first book.
Caught Off Guard is about fleshing out knowledge of God in the midst of daily struggles. Bill's rich experiences have prepared him to guide us through this tricky task. He has lived in inner city Philadelphia rehabbing homes. He has a master of divinity from Westminster Seminary and a PhD from Rutgers. He is licensed to preach in the PCA and worked in churches for years. He's been a counselor with CCEf, and editted their journal. But his greatest qualification is as a wise and creative Bible teacher. Accessible but profound; lofty but humble, this is Bible teaching and pastoral application at its best. Lively, fresh, arresting. The book is broken into 20 short chapters of about 8 pages each. Each chapter concludes with basic but helpful questions, making this ideal for small group study. If I were to strain for criticism I could mention two very minor items. 1. Not alot of meaningful reflection on how God meets and changes us through the sacraments. 2. While this is unparalleled in showing the glory of God, there is somewhat less ink spilled on the centrality of the church. But overall, this is the most helpful book I have read so far this year. I heartily recommend it.
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
Brandon was lost. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
reverent fear Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Mount Sinai, Holy Spirit, Old Testament, God the Father, King Uzziah, Red Sea New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Brandon was lost. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
reverent fear Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Mount Sinai, Holy Spirit, Old Testament, God the Father, King Uzziah, Red Sea New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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