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Showing posts with label Laura J. Davis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Laura J. Davis. Show all posts

Friday, July 29, 2016

Readers' Favorite Book Review of "Unlocking The Truth of Daniel: Digging Deeper Volume1" by Laura J. Davis



Reviewed by  for Readers' Favorite

Unlocking the Truth of Daniel: Digging Deeper Volume 1 by Laura J. Davis is a surprisingly powerful and instrumental work that will be invaluable to many when it comes to understanding scripture and translating it into real life and in prayer. 

The author skillfully takes readers on a step by step journey through the Book of Daniel, a book she considers to be both “historical and prophetic.” In the introduction she declares: “We will look at it verse by verse, making use of why, when, where, how, what, and who questions.” Volume 1 in the Digging Deeper Series, this book is a great tool for rediscovering God’s word in human history. 

Laura J. Davis possesses the wonderful gifts of clarity and a wisdom that can only be attributed to long years of drinking from the fountain of God’s word. In beautiful prose, she leads readers into the heart of the message of the Book of Daniel, a book laced with symbolism, insights, and prophecies. She combines her knowledge of history and scripture to offer interpretations, insights, and facts that will help readers understand God’s plan for their life. 

Each chapter is designed with questions that provoke reflection and prayer. No matter what readers’ interests are, they will find themselves cogitating on the passages as they read this work, plunged into the inscrutable workings of God’s grace and immersed in a consciousness that allows them to understand God’s will for them and to embrace it. 


Unlocking the Truth of Daniel is one of the best companions for those committed to staying close to God and receiving His word with generosity. It is, to say the least, a wonderful invitation to a God-centered life.




Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Wakulla Book Review: He Who Has an Ear, Who the Seven Churches of Revelation are Today, by Laura J. Davis





He Who Has an Ear by Laura J. Davis is a good book! First, it is easy to read. It’s nice to have a religious-type book written so a regular mere mortal can grasp the points being made by the author. The chapters are set up so that questions are anticipated and addressed. Additionally, there are enough historical references to make the chapters interesting, yet not so much detail as to become a bore. In other words, this book strikes a perfect balance. I also found the Scriptural references done in such a way as to communicate the point without becoming oppressive.

The book allows for the reader to ponder not only the churches of today as they related to the churches in Revelation, but it also allows the reader to consider the personal aspects of being a church member and spiritual member of the family of God. There is likely some good food for thought for anyone who reads this book.


I think the author displays a refreshing bravery in “telling it like it is” when she discusses the “wolves” in chapter 12. I was surprised to see some of my feelings about current “big-time” ministries put on paper. While the author, a former Christian singer, may have had health related issues which ended her singing ministry, her work here “sings” to me like one of those old-time gospel songs. This is also the only book about a “Revelation topic” that I have ever enjoyed. Great book! Read it!

WAKULLA BOOK REVIEWER:  Richard P.



*~*~*~*

I want to personally thank all the men who are reviewing the books written by JOHN 3:16 AUTHORS. I am thankful that we are able to bless them and appreciate the encouragement given to us by their reviews. 



Each WEEK (usually on Tuesday), we are posting reviews from 
Wakulla Correctional inmates of John 3:16 books. 





Inmates are loving the new books from John 3:16 authors. 
Chaplain Steve Fox is adding the new books to the prison library in this initiative to "change lives to ensure a safer Florida."

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Member Book Review - He Who Has an Ear by Laura J Davis

Laura J Davis

January 2014
ISBN: 9781492125051
Print $8.99, E-book $2.99
Biblical Exposition


More than two thousand years ago the Apostle John had a vision he received from the Lord. He was told to write seven letters to the churches of Asia Minor. Out of the seven churches only two received commendation from the Lord. The rest were letters of warning. Compromise and disobedience, combined with a lack of knowledge of the Word of God, has placed the 21st century church in a precarious situation. These letters to the seven churches are a message for this generation during these last days. He who has an ear will know what to do and act accordingly.

My Review: Insightful and well documented and researched book dissecting the Revelation of the Seven Churches for today’s meanings. Having just been in Ephesus, I appreciated the effort Davis went to make these places come alive for contemporary readers. It’s always tricky to make connections between popular current movements, people, and trends to Biblical prophecy. That very issue of expectation and assumption has been going on since the first Promise, however. Davis points out historical theories and why people thought/think what they do about the Christian faith and how to practice it.

Included in each chapter are check lists about the characteristics of the churches, calls to action and contemplation, questions and dialog interspersed with segments of the Scripture. My Kindle copy has a little formatting trouble with spacing between sentences, but it was not terribly difficult to read.

For those interested in eschatology, Davis’s honed reasoning about the symbolism of the seven churches mentioned by John in the Revelation of Christ will provide much to ponder, chew over and discuss. The author includes a lengthy resource and bibliography that is also helpful to those who would like the study deeper.

Friday, November 8, 2013

A Taste of Friday with Laura Davis: Learning from the Master

Welcome, Laura Davis!


 
Faith and Family

NOTE: For ease of reading, this Bible Study Workbook sample chapter for Kindle has deleted the spaces where your answers would have been written.

If you are using this study with the novel Come to Me, read the first two chapters.

If you grew up in a Christian home, you probably said grace at your meals, attended church every Sunday, and had regular prayer and Bible study times. If you were like me, however, you only said grace when grandparents came to visit. Growing up, prayer times consisted of “Now I lay me down to sleep...” We learned The Lord’s Prayer in school. All of these things are good, but reciting prayers by rote and getting perfect attendance in Sunday school does not a Christian make. Faith in God and exercising that faith are essential to your Christian walk. So, how do we learn faith? Is it acquired through osmosis just by being part of a Christian family? Is it something that grows over time? How can we grow in faith? More importantly, how do we instill our faith in God in our children and other family members?
In the selected chapters for today, we get a brief glimpse of what married life was like for Mary. We consider her concerns as she thinks about her marriage to Joseph. We see a willing worker and faithful servant of God.
It is eleven years after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Come to Me opens with Mary lost in thought as she waits for the apostle Luke to arrive. As you read these chapters, remember Mary lived in a small community of about 400 people. She probably knew everyone in her village. In fact, most extended families lived close to one another. As she reflects on her life, keep this in mind.

Faith

Chit-Chat: When you were growing up, who taught you about God? How important was God in your family?
“4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5).
This is called the Shema. It is a term given to a set of daily prayers recited by members of the Jewish faith. The Shema is recited twice a day, during morning and evening prayers and is the last thing on the lips of the dying. It is considered a commandment, or mitzvah, separate from the commandment simply to pray. Joseph had carved this prayer into Mary’s bench. What do these verses mean to you?
Take a moment to examine yourself. Do you remember what it felt like when you first fell in love? I do. My relationship with my husband was a long distance one, and we ran up some very expensive phone bills talking to each other every day. I couldn’t stand being away from him. He was always on my mind. My heart soared when the phone rang, and when I saw him in person, I was over the moon. I loved my husband with all my heart, soul, and mind. My question to you is this: Do you love God that way?
As the stepson of a devout Jew, Jesus would have been under Joseph’s instruction and that of the local leaders of his synagogue. The Shema would have been one of the first prayers Joseph taught Jesus. As we read further in the verse, we can see why Jesus knew the Scriptures so well. Moses had just given the Israelites the Ten Commandments.
 “4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).
In addition to loving the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind, what does verse six command?
What does verse seven command parents to do?
Verse eight commands, “Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.” Today you will see Orthodox Jews doing just that. Some wear little boxes on their heads called tefillin. They also wear leather straps on their arms in obedience to this command, all to remind them to love the Lord and obey Him. This is the background Jesus came from. His life was steeped in tradition and the Torah (Old Testament). His parents, who were chosen by God, would have taught him well.
Look at verse seven again. How was Jesus’ life an example of the Shema?
Family

As Mary waited for Luke, she recalled her conversation with her nephew John. You might be surprised to discover that James and John, the “Sons of Thunder” as Jesus called them, were actually His cousins. The next few scriptures will help you discover this for yourself.
 “21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him” (Matthew 4:21-22).
“These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John.” (Matthew 10:2).
What were the names of Zebedee’s sons?
“55 Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons” (Matthew 27:55-56).
Who was present at the cross?
 “40 Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome” (Mark 15:40).
Look at the previous verse again and then read the one above. What was the name of Zebedee’s wife?
Who were Jesus’ cousins?
As discussed earlier, Nazareth was a very small village and extended family members tended to live close to each other. While this wasn’t always the case – Mary’s cousin Elizabeth lived more than 100 kilometers away from her – it was the norm. Already we see the close family ties Jesus grew up with and how the strong ties of faith in God kept them together.
“1 And God spoke all these words: 2 ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 3 You shall have no other gods before me. 4 You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments’” (Exodus 20:1-6).
In the novel, Luke is worried that his respect for Mary would turn into adoration or worship. The early converts in Antioch, particularly the women, had this problem, as the book suggests. But what does God say about idol worship?
What do we learn about God from the verses above?
Put yourself in Mary’s shoes. She is a servant of God and a Jewess, brought up to honour God and place Him first. How do you think she would react to people worshipping her?
Is the veneration of Mary scriptural or in any way appropriate for Christians?
Tradition tells us Mary was a young girl of no more than fourteen or fifteen. Some scholars suggest she may have been as young as twelve. Her betrothal to Joseph was not how we view engagements today. It was a binding contract. Most betrothals lasted for a year or more. During this time, Mary was considered by all to be Joseph’s wife, even though she still lived at home with her parents and they had not yet consummated their marriage.
Mary is like any young teenager thinking about her wedding day. Contrast this with the promiscuous lifestyle of today’s teens. What is the missing element in teenage lives today that has led to such immoral behaviour?
What or who are the major influencers of this behaviour?
Having a better idea now of how Jesus was raised, we know how important a role parents have in instructing their children spiritually. Teaching them to believe in God and to obey Him is one thing. Being an example of faith to them is another. What can you do this week to show your children, family, or friends that you love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind?
Prayer: Lord, faith and family go hand in hand. Help us give you first place in our lives. Help us be an example to our children and a witness to our neighbours as we live out our faith. Keep us from putting anything else above you. May you find us faithful when you come again. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
About the Author:

Laura J. Davis is the author of the award-winning novel Come to Me. She is an avid student of the bible. You can contact her at www.laurajdavis.com

 

Monday, November 19, 2012

Learning from the Master - Book Launch, by Laura J. Davis




Free books today only (Tuesday, November 20)!  When you purchase Come to Me or Learning from the Master visit http://tinyurl.com/9wrru6a for more details.


Are you sold out for Christ? Would you do anything He asks you to do? Many people believe they are living fully surrendered lives to God, but when the worries of this world start to crowd in, they cry out in frustration and anger instead of bowing before Him and saying, “Thy will be done.”

But what does Jesus say about this? How did He lay down His life so willingly? By following the lives of Jesus, His mother Mary, and the apostles, we can discover what true surrender is all about.

Based on the award-winning novel Come to Me, Learning from the Master follows the life of Christ, from birth to resurrection. Each chapter in the study will take you through the book Come to Me, giving you the opportunity to know Jesus in an intimate setting as He interacts with His family and friends. From there, the study takes the reader through various topics such as: faith, family, trust, doubt, and even wilderness experiences. In addition, other topics of discussion include the significance of the Bethlehem star, the last supper and of course the resurrection.

With over twenty topics of discussion, Learning from the Master: Living a Surrendered Life, is ideal for your ladies bible study group, or for private study. Each topic leaves the reader with a clear understanding of how to live a fully surrendered life.


“Embracing the fullness of life means accepting the truth to find that life. Laura has captured the essence of pursing and getting hold of that truth from our Master, Jesus Christ. The beauty in this study guide, is that Laura guides us along a rich journey of discovery through the tender  and loving eyes of Jesus’ mother, Mary. Learning from the Master is rich with compassion; but chock full of challenges and wisdom. Be prepared to be transformed.”
– Heidi McLaughlin, Author of Sand to Pearls


Learning from the Master will guide those who read it into a deeper understanding of what it means to live a surrendered life.”
 – Rick Larson, Creator of The Star of Bethlehem DVD




Author Bio:

A singer and a songwriter for over 25 years, Laura J. Davis turned her hand to writing full-time, after an emergency surgery caused the loss of her singing voice. Her debut novel, Come to Me, received a Reader’s Favorite Award for Historical Fiction. She has appeared on 100 Huntley St. as both a singer and writer. She is a member of Canada’s largest community of writers who are Christian, The Word Guild. She is also a member of Christian Women’s Affiliate and The Christian Writer’s Guild. Laura currently resides in London, Ontario with her husband, son, and two cats. You can contact her to speak at your next event through her website at http://www.laurajdavis.com
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