Tuesday, August 14, 2018

God Is: A Devotional Guide to the Attributes of God

by Mark Jones
240 pages / 2017

If you want a free book dealing with this topic, try J. I. Packer's Knowing Godwhich was published 45 years ago. So, why do we need this really good read now (really good enough to be used in a Bible class!)?

Mark Jones's God Is has indeed been compared (favorably) to Packer's book. What Jones has to add is a devotional and systematic look at 26 of God's attributes as revealed in His Word. What makes these looks at who and what God is even more valuable is this insight from Jones's Preface:
"The true and living God is too much for us to bear, to handle, to conceive, to adore, to know, to trust, to understand, and to worship.... However, that the Son became flesh makes our human nature appear lovely to God. But he also makes God appear lovely to us."
This is why each chapter has the following sections:
  • the "Doctrine" regarding an attribute of God;
  • how Christ makes that attribute more beautiful;
  • how our knowledge of each attribute has "Application" to our lives before His face.
What deepens each section's insight, and will deepen our insight and its effect on us, is Jones's use of content from two main sources:
  • most importantly, each section is peppered with Scriptural quotations, which makes it suitable for use in your daily devotions (26 x 3= at least 78 days worth! - more if you simply work through the Scripture references at the back in light of the attributes of God they demonstrate);
  • secondarily, Jones's use of meditations from the Puritans and others in church history connects us in our contemplation of God's awe-inspiring greatness with His people across the ages.
Both the Bible and church history demonstrate how "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8), and Jones shows just how magnificent God's presence in Him is. If you think Mark Jones can help you understand and be awed by who and what God is, you can get it here in the US, and here in Canada.

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