“Caught Off Guard” by William P. Smith

Wow! The CCEF guys just keep on hitting ’em right out of the park! I truly believe that these men are writing the BEST books out there for Believers these days. (Although I wish their prices weren’t so crazily high sometimes–but I still whole-heartily recommend everything they ever write!)

I just started William P. Smith’s, Caught Off Guard–Encounters with the Unexpected God, and it is already a delight.

The preface starts out with some illustrations of how often we know a lot about God–but there is a GAP in how we actually live. Let me tempt you with an excerpt:

“For instance, some people talk about God’s omnipotence, yet they have no confidence that he brings this power into their lives when they feel out of control. Others know and talk about how Jesus forgives sins, but they walk around with a guilt that never seems to go away. Still others answer correctly that he does not harbor grudges, but they are afraid to come to him after they have yelled at their kids for the forty-seventh time. They know he is a friend of sinners, but they don’t have confidence that he wants to be their friends.

… I want you to see God’s concern for people in trouble–including those who have brought their problems on themselves. People who sin big, are scared of life, who resist wise counsel, who shy away from the Lord, and are angry with him. In short, people who have no reason to expect his mercy or help. Yet people who get what they don’t deserve in a good sense, because God is so much better than any of us believe. Because they experience his goodness, these people’s lives are radically changed. They have come to know it in their hearts, because they’ve seen his heart expressed in his actions.”

Thank you, Dr. Smith! What a read. What a help.

I hope you’ll check out “Caught Off Guard” and make sure your church library has a copy too!

(No, no, I don’t work for CCEF and I have no ties to them other than praying for their ministry and supporting them financially. No one there has ever heard of me–I just sell hundreds of their books every year at my little events and I love and trust them all vicariously through their writings. 🙂 )

Happy Thursday, all!

Love you bunches,
Tara B.