THE PURPLE BOOK and ONE 2 ONE

All righty boys and girls...get out your pens and Bibles...and lets do a little Bible study.

I have been known to write a Bible study or two in my time. My particular means of study is...the inductive method of asking the WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, and HOW of the surrounding context of what I am studying. Thus...when I write my workbooks...I ask a question... give you the Scripture reference where you find the answer...and then ask another question.

I recommend THE PURPLE BOOK. You may ask your self..."Self...what is the Purple Book." It is the brain child of two of the co-founders of Every Nation...Rice Broocks and Stever Murrell.

"The Purple Book is a 12-part Bible study designed to help you stand firm and grow strong in your Christian life. The Purple Book guides you into a solid understanding of the Bible."

There are 12 chapters in the Purple Book...each one chock full of lessons to mine for nuggets from the Word of God. Chapters includes:

1. Sin and Salvation
2. Lordship and Obedience
3. Repentance and Baptism
4. The Holy spirit and Spiritual Gifts
5. Spiritual Hunger and God's Word
6. Discipleship and Leadership
7. Spiritual Family and Church Life
8. Prayer and Worship
9. Faith and Hope
10. Biblical Prosperity and Generosity
11. Evangelism and World Missions
12. Resurrection and Judgment.

This is a great book for personal study, family devotions, small groups or Sunday School classes. The question is...WHY? "Because you need a FOUNDATION that no storm in life can demolish--and a heart that's shaped and guided by the knowledge of God's Word."

A great companion book is called ONE 2 ONE in the Discipleship Series...PERSONAL FOLLOW-UP AND DISCIPLESHIP by Steve Murrell.

ONE 2 ONE is a twelve-lesson follow-up and discipleship guide to help believers start right in their walk with God. Topics includes:

1. A New Start: Salvation
2. A New Master: Lordship
3. A New Direction: Repentance
4. A New Heart: Forgiveness
5. A New Standard: The Bible
6. A New Power: Prayer
7. A New Victory: Faith
8. A New Gift: The Holy Spirit
9. A New Life: Water Baptism
10. New Relationships: The Church
11. A New Mission: Evangelism
12. A New Enemy: Spritual Warfare

The idea is..."Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a NEW CREATION: The old has gone...the new has come." (II Corinthians 5:17)

These two books gives a great start on the NEW journey.

The section called A NEW MASTER: LORDSHIP is worth the price of admission form me.

"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, BOTH...LORD AND CHRIST." (Acts 2:36)

"Lordship is one of the central messages of the Bible. Jesus is referred to as "LORD" ninety-two times in the book of Acts and 747 times in the whole New Testament, while being referred to as "SAVIOUR" only twice in Acts and twenty-four times in the New Testament. The Biblical emphasis is overwhelmingly on the concept of LORDSHIP. Lord means master, the one who calls the shots, the one who makes the decisions" (excerpt from Chapter 2)

Old Ruminatin' Readin' Rod...gives these two projects...5 moo-moos.

Love and Purple...One 2 One Kisses
Rodney "Chewing The Cud" Boyd

TALK THRU THE BIBLE by Bruce Wilkenson and Kenneth Boa

Greetings and salutations ya'll...ready any good books lately.

Back in the 70's...Brenda and I attended a seminar called WALK THRU THE BIBLE. It was a weekend seminar...that took you through the Bible with and overview of the Old and New Testament with nifty little memory techniques that will help you recall the unfolding story of salvation.

I remember little things like how to remember where certain books of the Bible are located. For example...if you wanted to remember where the book of Hebrews is found...think about the preceding books that all begin with the letter /T/. The longer ones start off with the book of I Thessalonians, II Thessalonians, I Timothy,
II Timothy, Titus. What do you need with that /T/? Well...you need phi-LEMON. The question now is...what does God do with all of the /T/? Well...HE..BREWS it. To remember the Pauline Epistles of Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians...take the first letter of each book and think about this....Gentile (Galatians) Eat (Ephesians) Pork (Philippians) Chops (Colossians). I know...it's silly...BUT...I still know where the books are found.

I first heard of Bruce Wilkenson from the monthly Walk Thru the Bible devotional guides... which lead to going to the Walk Thru the Bible Seminars. I also have Daily Devotion books called (1) Your Daily Walk [365 Daily Devotions to Read Through The Bible In a Year (2) Closer Walk [365 Daily Devotions That Nurture a Heart For God] (3) FamilyWalk [52 Weekly Devotions For Your Family].

NOTE: These are all Recommended Ruminator Reading...within the Recommended Ruminator Reading....more bang for your buck.

Of course...Mr. Wilkinson will probably be more familiar to you from THE BOOK OF JABEZ, SECRETS OF THE VINE, BEYOND JABEZ, EXPERIENCING A SPIRITUAL BREAKTHROUGH, SET APART, and THE DREAM GIVER..and his latest book...YOU WERE BORN FOR THIS (The Seven Keys To a Life of Predictable Miracles). NOTE: No...I do not get a cut of the sales of these books.

NOW...onto TALK THRU THE BIBLE.

I have read through the Bible many times...I have taught various overviews of books of the Bible...but I still find myself wondering about the common thread...the meaning of...the purpose of...the historicity of...the 66 books that are collected into the single volume that we called THE BIBLE. Wow...66 books on one shelf in the library. (See the first book review that we did on THE BIBLE).

Bruce Wilkenson and Kenneth Boa have put together a great resource tool for any Bible lover.
On the cover of my copy it says:

"A unique reference tool to help you easily understand each book of the Bible, its historical context, and its place in Scripture as a whole."

From the introduction of the book:

"The Bible is the greatest work of literature, history, and theology ever written. In its production, preservation, proclamation, and product (changed history, changed lives), it stands as the most unique book in existence. It is a unity out of a diversity of authors, time span, an literary forms. The Old and New Testaments smoothly blend to crate a bold sweep from eternity past to eternity future, from the heights of heaven to the depths of hell. In these sixty-six books we discover our past, understand our present, and attain hope for our future."

I find this book to be theologically challenging...and easy to read...not getting lost in ecclesiastical rhetoric. This is what they call..."BIBLE BASICS AT A GLANCE." Of course...you want to READ THE BIBLE...but this is a great companion to give you insight along the way.

This book has helpful charts, diagrams, and maps along with answering basic Bible questions. Have you not ever wondered..."Who came first...Hezekiah or Samuel?" "What is the purpose of the book of Hebrews?" "Why is the Song of Solomon in the Bible?"

Some of the talking points they give for reading TALK THRU THE BIBLE includes finding:

--The meaning of its name
--Who wrote it
--The date and setting
--The theme and purpose
--It's key words, verses, and chapters
--How Christ is presented (even in the Old Testament)
--It's contribution to the Bible as a whole
--A broad summary of the events and highlights it records
--A detailed outline of the book

"Talk Thru The Bible is a Bible survey designed to give you a quick, clear overview of Scripture. Great for students, teachers, and pastors."

When I am studying the Bible I like to view it from many points of view. I like the INDUCTIVE METHOD as you read a passage and ask the who, what, when, where, why and how questions. Usually...the Bible serves as it's own commentary...but Talk Thru The Bible is a great helper... called along side to help...understand what you are reading.

I give this book 5 BIG moo-moos. I went on Ebay and there are a few copies there for the bidding.

Love and Talking Thru Kisses
Rodney "Talking and Walking...Mooing and Chewing" Boyd

NEVER QUIT by Edwin Louis Cole

Hello Quitters..."Quitters never win and winners never quit." (Unknown). Have you ever thought about quitting...giving up...running away...letting life just happen...Que Sera Sera...whatever will be will be? Hey...me too.

NOTE: There is a time when quitting is good. That would be where you quit doing your own thing and start doing things God's way. When you say yes to God and no to your flesh.

The latest Recommended Ruminator Reading Review is a book by the author of MAXIMIZED MANHOOD...Edwin Louis Cole. Maximized Manhood is another great book about how to deal with stuff that is common to man...the flesh. The quote from Ben Kinchlow on M.M. is worth the cost of the book..."Being a MALE is a matter of birth...being a MAN is a matter of choice."

NEVER QUIT...is a book not necessarily about not quitting... but a book about how to quit properly. It is a book about NEVER QUITTING...TRUSTING GOD. "Winners are NOT those who NEVER FAIL but those who NEVER QUIT." (Edwin Louise Cole)

This book is a combination of three booklets that Mr. Cole had printed...with some added information to tie them together. Those booklets are:

1. Facing the Challenge of Crisis and Change

2. When Life is Just Too Tough

3. Entering and Leaving Crisis and Change

The third booklet is the one that caught my attention a few years ago...and I had lost the booklet...and was delighted when I found this book at McKay's Bookstore (my favorite used bookstore).

The back cover has some great insights to draw you into this book. "If you ever wanted to quit, READ THIS FIRST." "Stress, Change, Crisis! Everyone know what it's like. Everyone has been tempted to walk away, forget it, give up." Crisis is normal to life....but God has a way for you to become a winner in every situation."

Continuing on with the back cover..."Facing the challenge of job loss, mid-life crisis, troubled marriage, moving, financial difficulties and general stress can become the fuel that propels you to your greatest victories and success!"

In this book you will find: (1) What to do in crisis (2) Ten steps to leave the old and enter the new (3) How to transform crisis into overwhelming success (4) What is your part, what is God's part. "When life is just TOO TOUGH...GOD'S FAITHFULNESS IS TOUGHER. Even if you're tempted to QUIT...YOU CAN MAKE IT THROUGH !

"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is COMMON to man; but GOD IS FAITHFUL, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but WITH THE TEMPTATION will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to BEAR IT. Therefore (because of what was just said) my beloved...FLEE IDOLATRY."

(I Corinthians. 10:13-14)

NOTE: Although we are reviewing NEVER QUIT... the book MAXIMIZED MANHOOD is a great companion book to read also.

"You are either in crisis, or about to be faced with one." (Anonymous) "Such is the normal ebb and flow of life." (Edwin Louis Cole).

For me there are three central themes to NEVER QUIT...(1) Crisis is common, normal to life (2) How you leave a crisis situation...will determine how you will leave your current situation. (3) God never fails, quits, ends anything on a negative, GOD IS FAITHFUL (even when we are not).

Well...that is it...go out and find a copy...and NEVER QUIT.

I give this a 5 moo-moos out of 5 moo-moos.

Love and Never Quitting Kisses

Rodney "God Is Faithful" Boyd

THE BOOK OF SPAM

Hello fellow Mooers and Chewers on the Cud of the Word of God.

This Recommended Ruminator Reading is brought to you (unofficially) by SPAM...the unofficial canned meat of the Ruminator Sunday School Class.

I started talking about Spam and my love for Spam...as a joke...that has turned into a running gag in class. Periodically...when someone says something that is interesting, poignant, thought provoking...I will deem it as SPAM WORTHY...and pass out a can of SPAM...if I have one laying around in my bag. Spam...a delightful blend of spices and ham...the unofficial canned meat of the Ruminator Sunday School Class. Spam has even made it into the food that Chris and Tammy has brought in for the class. In reality...I eat Spam every three to four years...fried to a crisp.

When I was looking around McKay's bookstore in Nashville...I came across a book called THE BOOK OF SPAM: A Most Glorious and Definitive Compendium of the World's Favorite Canned Meat. The book is by Dan Armstrong and Dustin Black published by ATRIA Books.

"Reading The Book of Spam is like getting a Ph.D in Canned Meat! (Or at lest a Master's in Awesomeness.)

This book is chock full of vital information...of the most trivial kind...that will give you hours of pleasure. I personally find that this is the perfect book to place in your bathroom library...to read in snippets...as you meditate in the privacy of your personal space.

This is no cheap book thrown together on cheap paper and fuzzy photographs. It is a top notch production with full color photos, time lines, historical facts, and just plain fun stuff.

Not only does this book touch on the history of Spam...but the history of cans and canned meats from ancient times...World War II...Old Time Radio
Monty Python's SPAMALOT Broaway musical ripped off form Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and the history of Spam advertising...and much, much more.

I listen to a lot of Old Time Radio... and heard a Spam Commercial on the George Burns and Gracie Allen Show.

"The first radio jingle for SPAM is also argued to be the first radio jingle ever!" I also heard this on The Burns and Allen Show (at that time the hottest show on radio)...on Old Time Radio. It went a little something like this: " Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam...Hormel's new MIRACLE MEAT IN A CAN...Saves time, tastes fine...to eat something grand...ask for SPAM." George and Gracie even had a pet pig named SPAMMY...."Totally cute...Totally delicious."

Of course we can't overlook the HAWAII SPAM CONNECTION. When Brenda and I went to Hawaii (for our 25th Wedding Anniversary)...we stopped in to McDonalds for a quick bite...and the salads...had Spam and Pineapple on it. "Introduced to the islands during WWII, SPAM quickly became a part of Hawaiian society. Every self-respecting Hawaiian eats it. They say that SPAM is "ono" That means GOOD."

There is even a SPAM MUSEUM at 1937 Spam Boulevard, Austin, Minnesota.

For more information...check out www.spam.com


Well...that's about it. I would give this book...5 moo moos.

Love and Spammy Kisses
Rodney "A Delightful Blend of Spices and Ham" Boyd