Parables by John Macarthur

Parables The Mysteries of God’s Kingdom Revealed Through the Stories Jesus Told.

John Macarthur’s book, Parables, is an interesting and comprehensive look at the parables of Jesus. He explains to whom they were directed and the purpose of these stories in his overall teachings.  He presents the parables as lessons told not to make his stories easier to understand, but instead to keep the message hidden and only for those accepting his teaching.

Had it been better organized, Parables would have been a good reference book to use in your daily readings, but I found it difficult to find specific topics or references. It is a useful for those who teach and could also be used as a daily devotional. 

I received a copy of Parables from the Booklook blogger program.

Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook By Pearl Barrett and Serene Allison

Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook - Eat Up and Slim down is a large 350-recipe cookbook. Every page is printed on glossy paper. It is helpful in keeping your cookbook clean, but also makes the book quite heavy –very heavy. 

That was the good; unfortunately the glossy paper is all I really liked about the cookbook.   It is obviously an attempt to sell their own “Happy Mama” brand of food items, which is fine if they are readily available.  Almost every recipe has some specialty ingredient that is not available unless you live in an area with “health food” stores.

I am a little concerned when someone with no nutritional training writes a diet book and these two ladies were recording artists, no nutrition or medical training.

My first thought upon opening it was that the cookbook is written with pretentious ingredients: Pristine Whey Protein, Integral Collagen, MCT oil, Pressed Peanut Flour, Mineral Salt.  Folks, salt is salt, and all salt is sea salt. If you like Stevia, you may like this cookbook, but I personally don’t like it. While Stevia may be indicated for certain health conditions, the FDA has concerns about side effects on other conditions. Stevia and sugar are BOTH natural sweeteners. If you cut down slowly on how much sugar you use in recipes and you will quickly become accustomed to much less sweet tasting foods.  

Searching for Jesus by Robert J. Hutchinson

Searching for Jesus is an enjoyable and interesting book on the historical Jesus of Nazareth. This

book is well-researched and has 51 pages of reference notes.

Robert Hutchinson’s writing is very engaging. He brings you into the room with Jesus at the Last Supper and brings to life the steps Jesus walked to reach the Garden of Gethsemane.  You get a true sense of place as the events unfold.  

While many books on the historical Jesus try to make him less than He was, Searching for Jesus shows that new research and archeological finds align with the Gospels.  Of course, I did not agree with some of the conclusions the author presents, but just use a little discernment and you will enjoy the book.

I received a copy of Searching for Jesus as part of the BookLook Blog program in exchange for an honest review.

Book Description

For more than a century, Bible scholars and university researchers have been systematically debunking what ordinary Christians believed about Jesus of Nazareth. But what if the most recent Biblical scholarship actually affirmed the New Testament? What if Jesus was not a Zealot revolutionary, or a Greek Cynic philosopher, or a proto-feminist Gnostic, but precisely what he claimed to be: the divine Son of Man prophesied in the Book of Daniel who gave his life as a ransom for many? What if everything the Gospels say about Jesus of Nazareth—his words, his deeds, his plans—turned out to be true? Searching for Jesus changes “what if?” to “what is,” debunking the debunkers and showing how the latest scholarship supports orthodox Christian belief.

About the Author

Robert J. Hutchinson is an award-winning writer and author who studied philosophy as an undergraduate, moved to Israel to learn Hebrew, and earned a graduate degree in New Testament studies.