Seizing Your Divine Moment: Dare to Live a Life of Adventure (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "One day Jonathan son of Saul said to the young man bearing his armor, "Come, let's go over to the Philistine outpost on the other..." (more)
Key Phrases: seizing your divine moment, divine moments, divine adventure, Jesus Christ, Los Angeles, God of Israel (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In his second book, Bethel University professor and futurist McManus (An Unstoppable Force) uses an Old Testament Bible story about the son of King Saul to give readers perspective on how they can fulfill the will of God in their lives and make the most of divine and defining moments. To live life most fully, he insists, we must take risks, and he warns those looking for instant gratification that being in God's will is inherently risky, as it does not ensure protection from harm or difficulty. McManus, who is also a pastor, challenges the readers to act on what they already know about God from Scripture and prayer rather than wait for a heavenly sign before moving forward. "There are certain things that you do not need a calling to do," he gently chides. "You've already been commanded to do them. Too many divine opportunities are lost because we keep waiting for a word when the word has already been given." A good mix of anecdotes, personal experiences, Biblical study and commentary, this book will be inspirational for those seeking to lead a more deliberate, spiritual life.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

In this inspiring book, Erwin McManus uses the biblical account of Israel's war with the Philistines (1 Samuel 13 and 14) and the characters of Saul and Jonathan to demonstrate the difference between living a life of purpose and adventure, and living one of apathy and missed opportunity. In the midst of a less-than-hopeful battle, Saul--who should have been leading--rested beneath a pomegranate tree as Jonathan seized the divine moment that would impact the future of Israel. Through this story McManus artfully illustrates the eight characteristics of an adventurer's heart, what he calls the Jonathan factor.

Using powerful examples from his own life and ministry, along with fresh biblical teaching, McManus asserts that God crafts divine moments specific to each of us--priceless opportunities for us to actively engage in God's big-picture plan. Apathy and apprehension prevent us from being all we are meant to be for God's kingdom. But by developing the characteristics McManus outlines, Christians can move from mundane to miraculous living.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (November 5, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785264302
• ISBN-13: 978-0785264309
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #493,484 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Challenging & Inspiring, November 9, 2002

By	Joseph Valentine Dworak "JVD" (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

McManus has done it again. In his first book, "An Unstoppable Force," McManus challenged believers and churches alike to stop trying to catch up and start creating. Much like his first book, this book is a call to Christ-followers to wake up and start taking charge of their lives, never letting a "divine moment," pass you by. One great part about this book is that McManus practices what he preaches, this is a man who lives his life serving others and God continues to use him in powerful ways.

If you read this book, you cannot help but be challenged by McManus' call to seizing your moment. He carefully weaves the story of Jonathan and his armor-bearer to show how Jonathan seized his moment, and won a mighty victory for Israel, while King Saul slept.

If you have not read anything by McManus, buy this book, but also read his other work "An Unstoppable Force." This book delivers on many fronts, but most of all to challenge individual believers to take risks for the invisible kingdom of God. Do not read this book if you do not want to be challenged out of your pants. This book is solid, and cutting edge, unlike many "Christian Books" out there, you are missing out if you do not check this out. I personally cannot wait until McManus publishes his next work. But in the mean time, do not miss out on what McManus has to say in this soul-penetrating manuscript.

Joseph Dworak

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars To live or merely exist, that is the question, April 30, 2004

By	Gary Mull (Milan, MI United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

There's a lot to chew on in this book. After the chewing, I find myself freshly inspired to take the gifts and opportunities God gives me and do something that matters. McManus offers a helpful perspective on the decisions we make and the situations we encounter each day. His ideas make sense, are validated by dozens of stories from his own experiences, and are consistent with what we see happening in the Bible.

Here's an example. McManus was in a room with a man recently let out of prison. There was nobody else around. The other man pulled a knife which he had already used on someone else's throat (remember, this is not fiction). Seems to me like a good time to run. But McManus shocked both men in the room by saying, "William, that knife is going to send you to hell!" Though the tension was rising, it was now startled and derailed. This doesn't mean YOU shouldn't run if someone pulls a knife on YOU. I think the point is that we all have moments when we can either slink away and miss a chance to do something good, or we can stand firm and work with God as he works to penetrate the globs of darkness we bump into every day.

Throughout this book, McManus weaves a Bible story about Jonathan. Jonathan was the son of Israel's first king, King Saul. At one point, King Saul's army was wildly outnumbered and likely to be destroyed by the Philistines. Jonathan decided that God was on Israel's side, so he acted on that faith, seized his divine moment, and triggered a rout of the Philistine army. While not all of our experiences will match the dramatics of Jonathan's, the principle holds true. We can succumb to fear, take the course of least resistance, and accomplish little. Or, we can recognize that, as Henry Blackaby wrote, "God is always at work around you" and "invites you to become involved with Him in His work."

Thoreau wrote that most men lead lives of quiet desperation. I don't want to be one of those men. McManus gives me Bible-based ammunition to fight boldly, moment by moment, against a drab, irrelevant existence. If this resonates with you at all, then I recommend a slow and thoughtful reading of this book.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Life of Adventure in Christ, April 10, 2003

By	Te'koa Laprince (Kalamazoo) - See all my reviews

This is a wonderful book for anyone grappling with the complexities and ambiguities of finding God's will for their individual life. Without the undertones of oversimplification often found in books on this topic, McManus delicately and insightfully dicusses many of the difficult areas of the decision making process; "How can I be sure of what God wants me to do?" "Risk Taking & the fear of failure", Facing the inevitability of uncertainty, "The relationship between the 'Vision' and the need for financial provision",etc. McMannus carefully avoids the two frequently visited extremes of 1. Never make a decision without a clear supernatural sign from God & 2. God doesn't care about who you marry or where you work, he's only concerned about your character. One of my favorite qoutes from the book is "When you are passionate about God, you can trust your passions". The Chapter on "Uncetainty" was liberating.In the manner of Aslan, McMannus contends that our life path in Christ is good but not safe. Seizing your Divine Moment shows how to find peace and direction in an untamed adventure with a God whose hope and future for us is good.
This book is beautifully written, highly entertaining, motivational and practical. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT.