Faithbook of Jesus: Connecting with the Twenty-Something Generation

Over the years, I have read many devotionals spanning the spectrum from Oswald Chamber's classic My Utmost for His Highest , to the small quarterly devotionals that can be picked up at almost any church published by Radio Bible Ministries. Most devotionals fit a relatively standard format of daily one page readings. Usually these readings are based on some section of scripture, and more often than not it rests on one verse. Faithbook of Jesus by Renee Johnson is no different.

Faithbook.. is a fifty-two week, daily devotional that is specifically geared towards a "twenty-something" audience. As such, most of Miss Johnson's devotions are based around things that most young adults would be dealing with in this new millennium. Originally written for her blog, these devotionals have been edited and put in book form. She deals with issues that run the gamut from pre-marital sex to how we deal with the culture around us.

As I stated before, the format of the devotionals is nothing new. There is a pithy title at the top of the page, a verse to draw inspiration from, the devotional (consisting of 3-4 paragraphs), and then an insight at the bottom of the page. The insight is meant to either get people to dig deeper or call people into action.

What is unique about the format are a few new features at the bottom of the page. Not only does Renee offer insight, but she also has taken quotes from people that have posted to her website and used them to enhance the devotional. She also has added little prayers where she addresses Jesus with different names such as "Design-Label Jesus", or "Thirst-Quenching Jesus". Granted some of these names are little distracting and kind of hokey, but all in all they help the reader see that Jesus is more than one dimensional.

My favorite feature is the call to interact and be part of the "community".  At the end of each devotional, Renee asks a question and then invites the reader to respond on her website. In this post-modern culture, this is what people are looking for. We just don't want to read someone's idea of something, we want to interact with them and share our ideas as well.

The devotions themselves are at times really good and at times rather quaint and full of bubble gum. The moments that are the most brilliant and bright are the ones in which Renee gets very personal with her struggles to stay pure and to stay satisfied in her singleness. It is these sections that draw the reader in the most, connecting with them on a level other devotionals don't.

Faithbook of Jesus is not for everyone. But the target audience will most likely receive it with open arms. The twenty-something age group is a market that has not been targeted effectively by this type of genre. Although there is room for improvement, Faithbook does connect on many levels and is worth checking out. Renee Johnson is a bright light in the next generation of Christian authors.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

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God is Kind, But He's Not Soft

"You didn't think, did you, that just by pointing your finger at others you would distract God from seeing all your misdoings and from coming down on you hard? Or did you think that because he's such a nice God, he'd let you off the hook? Better think this one through from the beginning. God is kind, but he's not soft. In kindness he takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life change.".....Romans 2 (The Message)

My mom and dad divorced when I was just a year old. I never had the chance to meet my dad, he died a few years back at the age of 63. Since, I never had a father figure in my life, I never had a negative or positive role model to look to in learning how to be a dad. I had to find other role models, and ultimately my heavenly daddy, to show me how to be a man, a husband, and a father.

Over the past 11 years of having the opportunity of being a dad, I have had many successes and many failures in raising my children. There have been times when I should have been more patient and understanding. There have been times when I should have been more strict and not as lenient. Times when I should have listened when I ignored. Times when I should have shut my mouth and let the children talk.

God has never found himself on one side or the other in the discipline department. He is precisely where he should be. He is never too harsh, and never too soft. When we fall down, he picks us up. When we are in need of a little discipline he gives it with a firm but loving hand. We may have this idea that God is a pushover. That he is weak and that he lets us get away with things because he loves us too much to punish us. God loves his children in such a way that he will lead us to the truth and a radical change in him. Love does not mean sitting on the sidelines and letting your kids do things that is wrong. Love means disciplining them for the wrongs they have committed, but showing them the right way and the way out of the trouble they are in.

God is kind, but he's not soft.

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Daily Devotional Thoughts-Mark 10

1-12
This is an interesting piece of scripture that deals with divorce and remarrying. Now it is pretty obvious from this passage that God's heart breaks every time there is a family that is ripped apart from divorce. And, just looking at our own culture, it is evident that nothing good comes from divorce.

One of interesting aspects of this passage is Jesus' insistence that if a person is divorced and remarries, they commit adultery. He says this to the Pharisees as well as disciples who push him on the issue later. Jesus is always concerned about the heart of the matter. Even on this touchy subject there are heart issues that need to be dealt with. Perhaps Jesus was trying to point to the heart of the religious community of his day that thought they were better than everyone else because of their "holy" lives. Most of them has accepted the letter of the law but not spirit of God.

13-16
How do people become like children? How do we trust unconditionally? We have faith like a child who has not lived long enough to doubt the things they have been told. They have not lived long enough to exercise their "ya..but". Lord take my life and change me so I am not constantly trying to find ways to prove you wrong.

17-31
The ultimate passage to contradict the prosperity doctrine that is so prevalent within the church these days. It is wrong to have money, it's just that money can so easily control you. God wants great things for us, but how did we ever get the idea that He was talking about material and monetary gains? Of course he wants great things for us-eternal life. Of course he wants to give us live more abundantly-life in Jesus.

32-51
This is a great story. Here we have James and John walking up to Jesus and saying "Hey Mr. Jesus we want to be princes in your kingdom. We want to be important." Jesus looks at them and says, "Do you know what you are asking? Do you realize that the Prince of Peace, the creator of the universe is going to suffer on a cross and die for the sins of the whole world? Do you really want to share in that glory? Do you realize that the King of the Universe will become the ultimate servant? And if you want to attain glory, you will have to do the same thing? Do you really want this?"

I don't think James and John really understood what they were asking for. And they obviously caused a little consternation among the other disciples. What I find interesting is John is still considered the apostle that Jesus loved (at least self proclaimed). But I really do think he go the message of love. All you have to do is read his letters and find that out.

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