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Religious Book Store > Religious books beginning with I
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In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day: How to Survive and Thrive When Opportunity Roars |
Author: Mark Batterson
Published: 2006-10-16 |
List price: $13.99
Our price: $11.19
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As of: November 22nd, 2008 12:39:14 AM
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Customer comments on this selection.
 inspiring read
plain and simple- its worth the read. Its quick to get through because you are so inspired and energized. I don't write reviews often- but this one deserves a high five.
Jabez Meets Wild at Heart
Like a thin book that sold millions of copies a few years back, "In a Pit..." takes one little-known verse from the Old Testament and expounds on it. Like that other book ("The Prayer of Jabez"), Batterson is intent on giving us a feel-good message and revealing a side of God's nature we sometimes ignore. On the other hand, he moves away from the prosperity-oriented ideas into the practical world of risk, failure, and uncertainty.
This book is for all the adventurers among us, as well as for those who struggle to move forward at the slightest sign of opposition. Batterson challenges us to move away from conformity, when it's for the sake of appearances over substance, and to unleash our creative, passionate sides. He applies these ideas mostly to careers and ministry, with less application to marriage. This is "Jabez" on steroids, or "Wild at Heart"-lite. He keeps the writing conversational, occasionally throwing in a Greek definition like any good pastor, and often using pastoral cliches such as "downloaded" and "cast a vision." But these cliches aside, his message is a freeing one: to chase after the lions that come your way. Instead of running from trouble, embrace it and see what miracles and victory may result.
It's a lot of book for a fairly simple message, and it tends to be repeated over and over in different ways. In the end, though, I found it encouraging, challenging, and a breath of fresh air as I head off into new adventures.
 Loved it!
Pastor Mark takes an often overlooked section of Scripture about Benaiah and helps the reader understand the greater picture that is revealed. Mark then encourages the reader to not only understand the greater picture in Scripture, but to apply it within our own lives as well.
Now that I have finished the book, I can say the real challenge is evaluating life and being sensitive to a myriad of opportunities that present themselves to me on a daily basis.
One reviewer states that Pastor Mark forgets the sovereignty of God. I disagree. Examples in the book give testimony regarding personal lions chased only to fail in their initial intent. Even though they may not attain the goal(s) they journey to achieve, at least they seek God and pursue a goal and passion for their life. Even though God may say "no", at least they don't have to look back and wonder, "If I had only given it a try...."
This book is not promoting a "name it, claim it" philosophy.
 Please!
While the author reminds us not to limit God, he forgets or ignores the sovereignty of God. It is good for us to pray big prayers, but let's not forget that God can say no. After all, He is God, not Santa Claus nor some genie.
I also find it telling that most translations say that Benaiah "went" or "went down" into a pit rather than "chased" the lion into the pit. The book is a wonderful example of how to create doctrine out of a dubious translation. Pity, since a number of Batterson's ideas are actually worthwhile.
Great book - better than others of this genre!
Don't let the humorous title fool you, this book is anything but funny. Sure, Batterson is humorous, witty and in his own words zany; but his subject is no laughing matter. Mark Batterson, pastor of National Community Church in D.C. is calling God's people to battle, to overcome their fears, limitations and inhibitions, and to strive for Christ in a way that may actually seem ludicrous to a lost and dying world - with passion and intensity! I was thinking of the similarities of this book with two others I've recently read - McManus' The Barbarian Way and the Harris brother's Do Hard Things. I like Batterson's approach much better than McManus who seems to say that Christianity must be uncivilized to be effective - but, I think of Wilberforce and his approach to ending slavery in England - it was England itself that was uncivilized and barbaric, Wilberforce fought to end slavery by restoring virtue and goodness...but reforming manners. Batterson, while he uses similar imagery of a warrior fighting for the cause of Christ, doesn't isolate himself on the isolated island of barbarianism. Do Hard Things is another powerful book that is very similar to Batterson's book, just targeted for a younger audience of teenagers.
Much better than The Three Success Secrets of Shamgar, Batterson stays within the biblical text to make his points and draws on other biblical references throughout the book to drive home this point. If you liked Piper's Don't Waste Your Life, or White's Serious Times, anything written by Schaeffer or Colson or Guinness or the movie Amazing Grace - you'll really appreciate this book as well. The idea isn't original, but his examples are new and different. I hope this book is as popular with men as Eldredge's Wild at Heart - this one is even better!
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