The first book in this tour is The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn. This books explores the reality of what it means to live as a manager for God's money. That mindset (that we are managers of God's money rather than that we own the money and therefore are entitled to use it as we see fit) is the primary thrust of the book. But it doesn't go off the deep end. Alcorn doesn't say that you shouldn't own a home or cars - in fact, he says you need to provide for your family in the way God calls you to provide - but he also says you need to be open to hearing what that standard of living is rather than making an assumption based on what you desire.
Alcorn gives a very simple recommendation that you start to adopt this mindset by tithing - and by making sure that your tithe is really from the first fruit - not what you scrape together after you've done what you like with the money. And then go from there. He challenges you to give your money to God above and beyond what you are able and see how He blesses you.
It's a thought provoking and interesting read.
The second book in the tour is Experiencing the Spirit by Henry and Melvin Blackaby. This is the third book in the series (Experiencing the Cross, Experiencing the Ressurrection, and now Experiencing the Spirit.) I have only the blurb that the publisher sent for this one as I've not finished yet. I will say that what I've gotten through has been delightfully thought provoking and challenging and I'm looking forward to having the chance to finish. (I thought this tour was next week, so the fault is entirely my own.) Still - I can already happily recommend this one just based one the bit that I've read.
Here's the blurb:
The first Christians “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6) shaking the gates of hell even in the face of severe persecution. The result: People all around “were filled with wonder and amazement” (Acts 3:10).What can give Christians today the same impact?
God’s Holy Spirit is ready to answer that for us in an awesome way, as Henry Blackaby and his son Mel Blackaby make clear in Experiencing the Spirit. You’ll see how the proof of the Spirit’s presence is our awareness of God’s personal assignments for us, plus our supernatural enablement to carry out those assignments. You’ll find essential clarification on the difference between natural talents and spiritual gifts. You’ll explore the dynamics of being filled with the Spirit through intimate relationship with Him, committed obedience, and radical departure from sin.
Instead of considering what you can do for God with your abilities and talents, you’ll be encouraged here to seek what God wants to do through you supernaturally by His Spirit, empowering you beyond your personal competence and capacities. Release the Holy Spirit’s work at the very core of your experience of the Christian life.
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