Dear Readers,

As a pastor who teaches a flock of believers every week, I study the Bible and Bible commentaries daily and extensively. But I have also found it enriching and helpful to follow a rather eclectic reading path from a variety of authors on subjects ranging from politics, mental health, prophecy, the history of the Jewish people and Israel, African-American history and the story of former jihad terrorist!  I recommend these books because I have learned something valuable from them, even if I don’t always agree with every philosophy or viewpoint represented. Below are some...

March 6, 2008
A former Jihad terrorist, and one of the most influential men in history  are  the subjects of two fascinating books I would like to recommend. The first sought to destroy Irael.  The second was a world leader who became an ardent Zionist and driving force behind establishing the nation of Israel.


Churchill and the Jews: A Lifelong Friendship
by Martin Gilbert

Through this first book, I discovered another piece of history seldom taught in school or, at least to me, not very commonly known.  Winston Churchill was a lifelong friend of the Jews, and one of the most influential advocates of the establishment of the State of Israel. In his book Churchill and the Jews, historian Martin Gilbert describes an “underappreciated and heroic aspect of the brilliant politician’s life and career.”  Churchill was warned repeatedly that his support of Zionism would find him  “up against the hereditary antipathy which exists all over the world to the Jewish race.” Churchill persisted in his friendship and advocacy toward the Jews, even in a world where his own colleagues often regarded them with scorn, dislike, distrust and hostility.  This detailed historical account of this unlikely relationship gave me a renewed appreciation for the miracle of modern Israel. How God used men and women, like Churchill, to champion His people, even in the face of severe opposition and doubt.  Gilbert is a highly acclaimed historian and biographer of Churchill, and was knighted in 1995 for “services to British history and international relations.” 

He quotes this tribute to Churchill regarding Israel:  “For Churchill it was the magical revival of a nation which had seen so many empires crumble to dust, which had persisted through so many trials and humiliations, which had renewed its ancient creative vitality from which mankind might hope.  It was characteristic that he called upon his countrymen to conceive the establishment of the State of Israel in the perspective of thousands of years.  No petty calculations of ephemeral diplomatic loss or gain drew him to Zionism; for him it belonged to the great tide of history.”1


Why I Left Jihad: The Root of Terrorism and the Return of Radical Islam
by  Walid Shoebat


I’ve recommended this next book before, but want to re-introduce it since I’ve had time to study the text even closer, and because the author will be speaking at Maranatha Chapel on March 19, 2008. Why I Left Jihad: The Root of Terrorism and the Return of Radical Islam, by Ex-Muslim Terrorist Walid Shoebat



“I was born in Beit Sahour, Bethlehem, in the West Bank. Hatred of Jews was my education...I believed it was a righteous thing to grow up and kill Jews...My lullabies...were about flying body parts and rolling heads.” Walid's grandfather was the Muslim Mukhtar (chieftain) of Beit Sahour-Bethlehem (The Shepherd's Fields) and a friend of Haj-Ameen Al-Husseni, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and notorious friend of Adolf Hitler. So Mr. Shoebat describes his childhood and bravely confesses to once being a jihad terrorist.

This is a radical book! I found myself exclaiming and underlining passages throughout the book. It is a dramatic story, told at great risk, by someone born and raised in the culture of Islam, and trained to be a terrorist. “I was initiated into Yassar Arafat’s Fatah terror group and recruited by a well-known bomb maker,” he writes and then goes on to describe his first attempt to bomb the Temple Mount. He tells us that Islam means submission, not peace. He explains the connection between Nazism and Islam. And, he tells the dramatic story of his own conversion to Christianity.

I would also encourage you to read carefully the second half of the book where he shows tremendous insight into biblical prophecy—from a perspective that has given me much to contemplate!  I know I will be spending some time considering his viewpoint, since it challenges much of my own understanding of prophecy.   This is a fascinating book that is not only a great story, but helps us understand the history and the current politics of the most ongoing conflict in the world.

1. Harry Sacher, “The Faithful Friend of Zionism,” Jewish Chronicle, January 29, 1965.

your comments: media@maranathachapel.org

Fall, 2007
I want to recommend this time a particular author, whose work I have not only enjoyed tremendously, but from whom I have learned and gained a greater understanding of prophecy and the Mideast. Joel Rosenberg is a Christian with an orthodox Jewish background, and he has written four fascinating novels, which, though works of fiction, have proven to be eerily prophetic: The Last Jihad, The Ezekiel Option, The Last Days, and The Copper Scroll (Tyndale Fiction).

The first page of The Last Jihad describes a hijacked jet coming in on a suicide mission to attack a major American city  ... but it was written nine months before September 11, 2001.

The Last Days opens with an attack on a U.S. diplomatic convoy heading in to the Gaza strip, the death of Yassar Arafat, and radical Islamic terrorists trying to take over the West Bank and Gaza.  A U.S. convoy was attacked, Yassar Arafat died...and then Hamas seized control of the West Bank and Gaza,  but Rosenberg wrote all of this before the facts occurred!

In The Ezekiel Option, a dictator rises to power in Russia, an Iranian leader vows to annihilate Israel, and Russian and Iran form an alliance.  The day the novel came out, Iran elected a new president who quickly began his tirade against Israel, vowing to “wipe Israel off the earth.” And Russia and Iran have formed quite an alliance, as you can read about in my article here.

The Copper Scroll, tells the story of a discovery that captured the world’s imagination; a copper scroll, which turned out to be another Dead Sea Scroll, was discovered in 1956, and it describes an unimaginable treasure hidden somewhere in the hills of Jerusalem.  The copper scroll is real, the treasure is probably real as well—and this books tells a very probable story of what it all means to the world, and to prophetic events.

These books are enjoyable, thrilling, edifying reading.  But now Joel Rosenberg puts it all together, the facts behind the fiction, and the facts that foretell our future, in:

 

Epicenter: Why the Current Rumblings in the Middle East Will Change Your Future (Tyndale House Publishers, 2006)

This is Rosenberg’s his first non-fiction book, and it takes the reader on a journey that includes interviews with Israeli, Palestinian, and Russian leaders, plus previously classified CIA and White House documents.  He connects the events and information with biblical prophecy and recent headlines in a compelling manner, which increased my desire to study the Word and prophecy —and I am amazed at this

Over Salad and Hot Bread:
What an old friend taught me about life
by Mary Jenson
My church, Maranatha Chapel, had a church mother/grandmother in the person of Nancy Bayless.  She "adopted" me and my wife, and scores of other friends of all ages and taught all of us a lot about living, and ultimately dying.  In this touching and beautifully written book,  my friend Mary Jenson tells the story of her own friendship with Nancy, with openness and vulnerability.  The book not only tells a story but passes on some deep, important life lessons. It was a memorable journey for me to read about this dear friend who impacted so many lives, but I believe it is also a book that will touch hearts and open us up to take a chance on friendship.

Random Acts of Romance; Surprise and Delight the One You Love
by Molly Brown (Author), Ken Winston Caine (Author), Jack Croft (Author), Sharon Faelten (Author), Carol Gilmore (Author), Kevin Ireland (Author), Jennifer Kushnier (Author), Eric Metcalf (Author), Christian Millman (Author), Wyatt Myers et al. (Author)

I’m not quite sure how I came to pick this one up, but it was almost my anniversary, I was thinking how nice it would be to surprise my wife with a few nice gestures...and well, the title caught my eye. It’s just a whimsical, fun, and sometimes serious collection of random things you can do to make the one you love happy. I found it helpful and I figure, you can never learn too much about love.

The Neo-Conservative Revolution: Jewish Intellectuals and the Shaping of Public Policy, by Murray Friedman

This book is an eye opener. The Jewish influence on American culture and politics is much deeper and more profound than I ever imagined. The book reveals scores of well known men and women, Jewish intellectuals, who have impacted American policy at all levels of society, from the Cold War policy, to the war in Iraq and current conservatism; from literature, art, and cinema to even the inscription on the Statue of Liberty! There’s an interesting discussion of how the political Left has not been good for the Jews, in spite of the Jewish community’s attraction to what is perceived to be a more tolerant wing of politics. As someone who loves the Jewish people, I find this fascinating and in a way ironic. While the tiny nation of Israel in the Mid East fights for its life and has to constantly stand up to the enemies surrounding it, its offspring have quietly been shaping and influencing the most powerful nation in the world through ideas and influence.

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas, an American Slave, written by himself

If one has ever tried to ignore or gloss over the evils of slavery as it occurred in our nation, this book will lay to rest any doubt that this was indeed one of the most horrific and shameful eras of our history. Born a slave in 1818 on a plantation in Maryland, Frederick Douglas taught himself to read and write and eventually escaped his brutal life—but not before living through unspeakable horrors. “I was broken in body, soul, and spirit,” He wrote. As a child he witnessed the abuse of his aunt by a cruel overseer: “The louder she screamed, the harder he whipped...I was quite a child, but I well remember it. It was the first of a long series of outrages, of which I was doomed to be a witness or participate...It was the blood-stained entrance to the hell of slavery....” He understood “the brutalizing effects of slavery upon both slave and slaveholder,” and observed, sadly, that the “religious slaveholders” were the worst. A heart wrenching but important book to help us fully understand the history of our African-American brothers and sisters.

Why I Left Jihad: The Root of Terrorism and the Return of Radical Islam, by Ex-Muslim Terrorist Walid Shoebat

“I was born in Beit Sahour, Bethlehem, in the West Bank. Hatred of Jews was my education...I believed it was a righteous thing to grow up and kills Jews...My lullabies...were about flying body parts and rolling heads.” So Mr. Shoebat describes his childhood and bravely confesses to once being a jihad terrorist. This is a radical book! I found myself exclaiming and underlining passages throughout the book. It is a dramatic story, told at great risk, by someone born and raised in the culture of Islam, and trained to be a terrorist. “I was initiated into Yassar Arafat’s Fatah terror group and recruited by a well-known bomb maker,” he writes and then goes on to describe his first attempt to bomb the Temple Mount. He tells us that Islam means submission, not peace. He explains the connection between Nazism and Islam. And, he tells the dramatic story of his own conversion to Christianity. This is a fascinating book that is not only a great story, but helps us understand the history and the current politics of the most ongoing conflict in the world.

The Emotionally Healthy Church

 

by Peter Scazzero
Of all the books in my library—commentaries, Bible dictionaries, Greek and Hebrew studies, lexicons, theology books, discipleship books...and more—I have never come across a book that effectively deals with the emotional aspect of discipleship and our spiritual lives until I read The Emotionally Healthy Church. I am convinced that true discipleship needs to integrate emotional and spiritual health. So much of the Bible is filled with emotion, starting with God’s passionate feelings toward His children. This book is a great starting point toward helping us live in a healthy and more Christ-like manner when it comes to dealing with our emotions.

The Church and the Jews
The Separation of Church and Faith

Daniel Gruber opens his introduction to The Church and the Jews with this statement: “When it comes to the relationship of Jew and Gentile, the major thrust of all traditional church theology is separation.” I’ve always known that somewhere, at some point in history, the Jewish people and the Christian church began to view each other more as adversaries than people whose faith shared much in common. But I never understood how or why this happened until I read these books by Daniel Gruber. He gives a detailed picture of how church authorities wrested control of policy and doctrine, steering the church toward a more Gentile worldview. The more I study the Jewish roots of our faith, and learn about their culture and history as they relate to the Bible, the more amazed I am at how much the church is missing in terms of truly understanding our faith! Reading these books was like putting on a new pair of glasses that finally brought everything into focus.

Lincoln’s Melancholy

 by Joshua Wolf Shenk

      Abraham Lincoln suffered through terrible, devastating bouts of depression. This is a secular book, written by a man who has had to deal with his own depression, about a man who has affected myriads of people during his lifetime and since. I read once that Abraham Lincoln is still one of the most respected historical figures in China. Part of the greatness of Abraham Lincoln is not only how he dealt with politics and the Civil War, but also how he dealt with pain. His greatness, compassion and understanding were forged in the fires of great mental suffering. Joshua Shenk reveals the role faith played in Lincoln’s life, including his doubts, disillusionments, and the help he found. A fascinating book about a man who fought suicidal tendencies, and overcame paralyzing depression because he knew his life had a purpose.

The Gospel According to Job
by Mike Mason
 
Job was the successful, faithful man who suddenly lost everything and was thrown into a maelstrom of suffering. I’ll admit that I have feared the story of Job, because I don’t want to suffer the way he did! However, Mike Mason’s new book has the affect of taking me by the hand to show me the real story of Job—and the real story is very good news for mankind. A compelling, honest look at our pain and God’s sufficiency—and an opportunity to understand Job as you never have before.

The brilliant writer who earned her fame and fortune writing vampire books, has written a compelling book about the life of Jesus as a young boy. I was thoroughly enthralled by it, as I found myself pondering the humanity of Christ. I’ve spent most of my life studying Jesus as God manifested in the flesh, but sometimes I don’t think we’ve explored enough the total humanity of our Savior. While I can’t vouch for all the theological implications of her book, I know that Anne Rice researched exhaustively and has chosen to dedicate her writing to the Lord. As she put it, “I was ready to do violence to my career...I consecrated the book to Christ.” Her descriptions of life in ancient Israel are rich and help the reader picture exactly how Jesus might have grown up. The author’s note at the end includes her testimony and her description of the research that went into the book. Both are inspiring and fascinating.

Recommendation 666

by Herbert Peters 

      Herb Peters has opened my eyes to the significance of events in Europe, (or as Hal Lindsey says, “the revived Roman Empire”) and a certain fascinating character named Javier Solana. While I don’t agree with Mr. Peter’s timetable on the rapture of the church, there is much in this book worth examining and comparing to Scripture. I think you’ll be rather amazed when you read about Recommendation 666 – a very real political document.

I'll add to this list as new books come up, but in the meantime, I welcome your comments and feedback.

Pastor Ray
media@maranathachapel.org