Never Beyond Hope: How God Touches & Uses Imperfect People [Paperback]

J. I. Packer (Author), Carolyn Nystrom (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 7, 2005

Tied for a 2001 Best Non-Fiction Book, Christian Living award in the God Uses Ink Contest! If you get discouraged by your spiritual failures, you're not alone. In fact, you're in pretty good company. From the life and death of Samson to Peter's denial of Jesus, the Bible is filled with stories of people who wanted to serve God but frequently failed. And yet God still worked through these men and women for his purposes and glory. Through God's power, their points of weakness became their greatest strengths. In Never Beyond Hope J. I. Packer offers his pastoral wisdom, exploring the stories of eight imperfect people portrayed in the Bible. Packer shows you how their struggles and triumphs relate to your own experiences and highlights how God works despite your mistakes. Packer also teams up with expert Bible study writer Carolyn Nystrom, who helps you process and apply what you are learning in each chapter with study questions for personal reflection or group discussion, prayer suggestions and journaling ideas. Let this book help you discover that God's vision for your life may be far bigger than what you can see right now. Though you may be far from perfect, remember that in God's eyes you are never beyond hope.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The introduction to this book takes the aphorism "While there's life, there's hope" and reverses it to "Only while there's hope is there life." Hope is a gift from God, Packer (an evangelical theologian at Regent College best known for Knowing God) and Nystrom (a writer of Bible study guides) state. The authors expound upon the implications of hope for "all problem people" by retelling the stories of eight biblical characters (Jacob, Manoah's wife, Samson, Jonah, Nehemiah, Martha, Thomas and Peter), emphasizing their particular flaws and the ways in which they were nevertheless used by God. If God can use defective people such as these, say the authors, there is hope for us as well. Packer and Nystrom cite the Biblical reference for each character's narrative frequently throughout each chapter, adding some paraphrasing, embellishment and quite a bit of interpretation. Sometimes they veer into sheer speculation, as when they criticize Manoah and his marriage. They extrapolate a great deal from only a few verses, and while their method is entertaining and effective in conveying their point about the characters' flaws, it flirts with inaccuracy. The text is always readable and often folksy, as when the authors describe Jacob as both "ambitious" and a "corner-cutter." (Apr.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 178 pages
• Publisher: IVP Books (February 7, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830832726
• ISBN-13: 978-0830832729
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #492,374 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very touching devotional book, July 18, 2000

By 

Keith Peters - See all my reviews

This review is from: Never Beyond Hope: How God Touches and Uses Imperfect People (Hardcover)

This book is based on a series of J.I. Packer sermons showing how God has used imperfect people such as Jacob, Samson, Manoah and others. In it's brief, simple and moving way, Packer's words also give the rest of us hope to continue with life's struggles. Easy to read and perfect for end of the day thought and reflection, I recommend it highly.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars just not enough...., October 13, 2000

By 

kt stinson (Denver, CO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Never Beyond Hope: How God Touches and Uses Imperfect People (Hardcover)

From the time I read Knowing God in the early 80s to the retreat where I was privledged to meet Dr Packer, and through all of his books that I have read, I harbour great respect and affection for the man. So when I saw this book as I was on my way out of town I quickly glanced it through and snatched it up. The title, the snippets, the reviews, all sang that this was the book to give refreshment to my tired, aching spirit.

Unfortunately it didn't deliver. I have heard Dr Packer speak a number of times and each time the "audience" ended up in focussed worship. So it is difficult for me to grasp how these wispy chapters can have been taken from his talks. They are fairly shallow and although he hints at it, he never quite seems to get to the manifestation of God's heart towards those about whom he writes.

In fact I just finished the book 2 days ago and I'd be hard pressed to give even one direct quote or idea from it. The book was more like spiritual cotton candy that just melts in your mouth than chicken noodle soup that warms your stomach and heals your aches.