Customer Reviews

The Secret to the Christian Life (Inspirational)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is the 2nd out of a series of 3 on the Deeper Christian Life. It follows, Living by the Highest Life (BY Gene Edwards). Over and over this book emphasizes that you cannot live the Christian Life.. it is only by the Father's Life in Jesus Christ (who is in you).
There are a number of practical exercises that are meant to help you deal with the distractions that come when you try to be quiet before the Lord.. and then to enter into the Fellowship that is going on between the Father and the Son.. the same fellowship that you have been called to enter into.
This book essentially takes the first 3 chapters of Madame Guyon's, Experiencing the Depths of Jesus Christ and lays a more detailed groundwork before leading you into some exercises that help you to turn inwardly to fellowship with your God in the secret place.
I found this book to be very helpful to break away some of the mindsets I came into it with that I acquired in the intellectual pursuit I used to have for the Lord. Knowing about Christ and actually having a relationship with Him (beyond space and time) are two different things.
We need the supply we get from Him everyday, and this book helps you to discover how to tap in and abide in the Vine.
I recommend the following books with this:
Madame Guyon: Experiencing the Depths of Jesus Christ
Milt Rodriguez: The Temple Within, Fellowship with an Indwelling Christ
Michael Molinos: The Spiritual Guide
James Goll: The Lost Art of Practicing the Presence of the Lord
Bill Freeman: Spending Time with the Lord

books on their own won't do it for you.. you still have to make the time to get quiet before the Lord and turn to look at Him and receive His love and Words. See: Hab.2:1-2

I have read about 5 of Edwards books. He is great at getting you to think differently about the Christian Life and how things could (and often should) be different. However, he often takes what would charitably be called "poetic license" when he uses the Bible to support his ideas. Just when I am convinced I should throw the book away, then I will come across an idea that made it worthwhile. I have enough Bible knowledge to know when he misquotes it, but I would NOT recommend his books to people who would not know the difference. In this book, I thought the week 5 exercise was the most helpful suggestion I had received in weeks. BTW be sure to actually do at least week one before even reading week 5, and I did all the weeks in the order he suggested which is much wiser.

I read some of the previous opinions about the book before I bought it. They were helpful by giving me an idea about whether or not this book would contain information new to me. I recommend the previous reviews.

Product as described. Shippment was quick. Book has a lot of good points but seems to ramble from time to time.