A Few New Books Worth Knowing About

Amidst the noise of a busy publishing world, here are a few recently released books that are worth knowing about:

1 Samuel for You by Tim Chester continues the great work of the God’s Word for You series whose aim is to produce books that equip people to read God’s Word, feed themselves with it’s truth, and lead others in Bible study. Like Chester’s Titus for You (which I reviewed), 1 Samuel for You is packed with insight and application, this time focusing on how Israel’s kings anticipate Christ through typology and symbolism. This book, although not a commentary, is a great devotional companion that can help lay readers as well as pastors. I commend this book and the entire series.

The Atheist’s Fatal Flaw by Norman Geisler and Daniel J. McCoy. When the Bible says that atheists are fools (Psalms 14:1), a logical conclusion would be that unraveling the beliefs of atheists shouldn’t be too hard, because, in fact, they are fools. And that is what The Atheist’s Fatal Flaw seeks to do. Geisler and McCoy tackle several categories of atheist belief including the problem of moral evil, the value of human autonomy, death and faith, guilt and rules, heaven and hell, inconsistencies, and more. This apologetic book interacts with many of the New Atheists and knocks out their flimsy foundation, showing that Christianity to be the only thing to reconcile atheism’s flawed beliefs. If you’re not into apologetics, this may not seem like ‘light’ reading, but it does engage the reader in a winsome way.

Here’s a video interview with Norm Geisler about the book courtesy of JanetMefford.com:

Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God by Tim Keller

Here is Amazon’s description of Keller’s new book out November 4. I look forward to reviewing this!

Christians are taught in their churches and schools that prayer is the most powerful way to experience God. But few receive instruction or guidance in how to make prayer genuinely meaningful. In Prayer, renowned pastor Timothy Keller delves into the many facets of this everyday act.

With his trademark insights and energy, Keller offers biblical guidance as well as specific prayers for certain situations, such as dealing with grief, loss, love, and forgiveness. He discusses ways to make prayers more personal and powerful, and how to establish a practice of prayer that works for each reader.

A Commentary on the Psalms (Vol. 2) by Allen Ross (along with the other three volumes of the four part series) is an accessible exegetical commentary from Kregel that is geared toward busy pastors. The structure of each chapter is as follows: text and textual variants, composition and context, an exegetical analysis summarizing and outlining the psalm, a commentary in expository form, and closing with a short section called “Message and Application.”

Ross, a professor at Beeson Divinity School, has a firm grasp on the Psalter’s meaning and how to apply it. He explains the Psalter in it’s biblical theological context and relates necessary portions to Christ when appropriate. He documents his sources in footnotes which will prove helpful for readers looking to go deeper. Throughout his commentary in expository form, Ross explains nuances of the Hebrew text that amplify it’s meaning. (Since I only received volume two of the four book set on the Psalms, I have a hard time knowing more about Ross’s intent and desire that he shares in the introduction of volume one.)

My experience with this volume proved it to be a helpful tool for preachers. My understanding of the psalms that I studied were greatly aided and I felt equipped to study and preach from the psalm. If you are considering investing in a major resource on the Psalms, this four-volume set from Kregel (which amounts to 3,500+ pages) would be worth considering.

(Per FTC guidelines, I did receive the book for free in exchange for an unbiased review.)