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5 Books The Lord Has Used to Change My Life

By Kelly · 8 Comments

There are many Christian books that have influenced my life by either helping me to increase my knowledge and/or helping me to grow in my walk with the Lord. Yet, out of the many books I’ve read, these five are the ones that have made the most significant impact in my life thus far.

Each of these books have challenged me and have practically ministered to me as I’ve read, meditating and prayed over the truths and wisdom they exposit from God’s Word.

Please note: If you opt to purchase any of these books using the affiliate links below, a small portion of the sale goes to support The Nourishing Home at no additional cost to you. There is no obligation to purchase, but if you do, you are helping to support the free resources, meal plans and recipes here at The Nourishing Home. Thank you!

The ESV Study Bible 
The ESV Study Bible provides a wealth of resources that make studying God’s Word an easier and richer experience.

One of my personal favorites are the introductions to each book, which include helpful information about the author; date/place of writing; an extensive chart of key themes; a summary of how the book fits in with the rest of the biblical storyline; an outline of the book; and maps showing the setting of the book.

I also really appreciate the ESV’s system of 80,000 cross references and a thorough concordance – these two resources help to facilitate easy location of important words, passages, and biblical themes.

I am so thankful for my ESV Study Bible – it has been an invaluable resource in helping me to really dig deeper into the truths of God’s Word!

 

The Knowledge of the Holy
“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”

If there was just one book outside of the bible that I would urge everyone to read – it would hands-down be A.W. Tozer’s The Knowledge of The Holy.

This incredibly insightful and awe-inspiring book explores the attributes of God with the purpose of helping us see God for who he really is – in all of His majesty, glory and power! I cannot recommend this book enough. Reading this book will not only help you grow deeper in your understanding of God, but in your worship and praise of Him!

 

Because He Loves Me
Fitzpatrick has written an incredible book that beautifully illustrates that the gospel is not only essential for bringing us to saving faith in Jesus Christ, but it’s also central to living out an effective, Spirit-led Christian life!

She reminds us and expands upon our knowledge of the fact that as a believer, our true identity is “a beloved child adopted by the Father, espoused to the Son, and empowered by the Holy Spirit!” Throughout the pages of this heart-lifting book, Fitzpatrick encourages Christians to accept God’s forgiveness, walk in love, and live gospel-centered relationships.

For me personally, this book has ministered to me in helping me to be able to fully release the baggage of a past filled with a works-based faith and embrace the grace and love of the Lord through living out the gospel everyday.

 

Idols of the Heart: Learning to Long for God Alone
Many of us don’t stop to think about the idols in our lives, I know I didn’t think about them as fully and rightly as I should have before I read this life-changing book!

Idols of the Heart reveals that “idolatry lies at the heart of every besetting sin.” If you think of idols as statues in far-off lands, think again. Idols are the desires, longings, and expectations we worship instead of the true God.

This book is an incredible resource in helping Christians to honestly assess (through prayer and petition to God) the idols in our lives and provides solid biblical counsel on how to effectively overcome them in order to live a more holy, God-focused life.

 

Feminine Appeal
This inspirational book comes along side women (like a kind and wise mentor-friend) to help us better understand and live out the Titus 2 principles that God desires for His daughters to embody.

Each of the seven Titus 2:4-5  principles has an entire chapter devoted to helping us understand and live out these virtues by providing amazing biblical insight, practical real life examples and thought-provoking study questions for introspection.

Feminine Appeal is truly the BEST book I’ve read on living out the principles of Titus 2! That’s why, I’m forever grateful to God for spurring me on to read it and to Carolyn Mahaney for being the willing instrument that the Lord has used to encourage so many women to strive to His higher calling for us as wives, mothers and women of God!

Share Your Thoughts!
I hope you will consider reading one or more of these wonderful resources. And if you have already, please feel free to share a comment below on how these have made a personal impact in your life. Also, please feel free to recommend other books that you’ve found to be exceptionally helpful to you in increasing your knowledge of and love for the Lord. Thanks, friends!

Joyfully Serving Him, Kelly

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The Good News

By Kelly · 6 Comments

Have you heard the Good News? The REALLY Good News! Salvation through God’s Son is the ultimate Good News and even if you’ve “heard” it before, I implore you to please take a minute to “listen” again.

The Lord says that “what does it profit a man to gain the entire world, yet lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36)

Sadly, people spend their entire lives unaware, or unconcerned, that everything they are working so hard in this life to achieve will ultimately come to nothing!

Whew, that sounds so harsh, but it’s the truth! Think about it, everything we can possibly achieve for ourselves in this lifetime, even relationships, will be of no value whatsoever if we lose our own eternal soul!

There are two things that are absolutely certain – everyone will die and everyone will spend eternity somewhere. Despite what you may believe, or choose not to believe, this is reality.

So, have you thought about your eternal soul? It’s the single most important thing that we could ever spend time thinking about, because once we die, there is no turning back – the decisions we have made about who we serve in this life will have eternal consequences.

Maybe you think you are a good person and that your goodness earns you favor before God and a place of eternal rest with Him in heaven?

Maybe you believe that God grades on a sliding scale (i.e. as long as you are mostly good, or are at least better than most, you are okay with God and he’ll overlook your shortcomings)?

You might even believe that there is no hell, because how could a good God allow suffering even for those guilty of breaking His laws?

But if you knew of a human judge who turned a blind eye to the sinful crimes of a guilty rapist or murderer or thief … would you describe him as a “good” judge?

No. You would label him as corrupt and unjust.

God is not a corrupt judge, nor is He unjust. He will punish rapists, murderers, and thieves… But He won’t stop there. Whether you choose to believe it or not, we are all sinners! And without Christ, we will stand guilty before the throne of God. In fact, His Inspired Word tells us that if we break even one small law, we are guilty of breaking the entire law! (James 2:10)

The fact is we are all sinful, disobedient people (Romans 3:23; 5:12). And we are separated from God and have no hope of eternal life without His Son Jesus Christ: “no one comes to the Father except through the Son” (John 14:6).

And God is clear in His teaching that sin is not just an act, i.e. what you do, but it’s also how you THINK … sin resides in the attitude, heart and mind …

So breaking God’s law doesn’t amount to just whether you have told a lie, or stolen something, or physically hurt someone, it amounts to how you think … In other words, the thoughts and the desires of your heart.

Jesus makes it clear that it’s not just our actions, but our thoughts that condemn us, “You have heard … ‘Do not murder, anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.” (Matthew 5:21-32)

Let’s take a personal look at God’s Law and use it to make an honest assessment of ourselves … Have you been dishonest? Have you put someone, or something else, above serving God? Have you been jealous? Have you felt hatred toward someone? Have you had sexual thoughts about someone other than your spouse?

Who among us can say with a clear conscience that we have not done all of these things at one point in time; most on a regular basis?

When we make an honest assessment of ourselves, it becomes clear that we are all sinners in both thought and deed, and as such, we are unholy, unrighteous and stand guilty before God.

It is only through the knowledge of our sin and guilt, that we can truly understand our desperate need for God’s saving grace through Jesus Christ the Lord.

So ask yourself this question: Why did Jesus give Himself to die for us?

If you or I could save ourselves through our own good deeds, then why did Jesus die for us? If God is going to overlook any or all sin, then why did Jesus die for us?

Jesus gave up the glory of heaven to come to earth as God incarnate. He lived a perfect, sinless life and then was crucified to pay the penalty of sin for us – death (Philippians 2:5-13).

Why? Because God will not overlook sin! Sin (in any form) is what separates us from Him. NOTHING we can do is, or ever will be, sufficient to pay the fine for our sin. Our own perceived goodness is not enough. God says that “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” before Him (Isaiah 64:6) and that “none are righteous, no not one” (Romans 3:10-12).

God’s Word also clearly states that the only acceptable penalty for sin is death. (Romans 6:23) That’s why you, me, and everyone needs the Savior, Jesus Christ.

The Good News is, God has provided an escape from the condemnation we deserve – a way for our sins to be forgiven and for us to stand reconciled and righteous before Him.

God loves us so much that He does not want you, me or anyone else to perish and be eternally separated from Him (2 Peter 3:9). And that’s why He has provided a way for us to be forgiven – through the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ.

He invites you to come to Him for a full pardon from your sin and receive the free gift of Eternal Life that only comes through the Son (John 14:6). You cannot earn it, and you do not deserve it, but God is offering it to you as proof of His love for you (Ephesians 2:8, Titus 3:4-7).

The Bible says that the God of the Universe became a man (Jesus Christ), and suffered and died on the cross for your sins and mine so that we could be set free from the penalty of sin. Then He rose from the dead and defeated death! It’s as simple as this—we broke the Law, and Jesus paid our fine by taking the penalty of death upon Himself for us. (1 Corinthians 15:3-5, Philippians 2:8, Matthew 16:21, Acts 10:40-42)

The reason we need a substitute (a Savior) to pay our moral “fine,” is because only Jesus lived a perfect, sin-free life (2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 John 3:5). Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, atonement for sins was made and death was defeated for all who believe and put their faith and trust in Him alone (1 John 2:2; Romans 3:21-26).

Accept the Gift of Eternal Life in Christ
God makes it clear through His Word, that in order to be saved, you must turn from sin (repent), and believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, placing your faith (trust) in Him alone. Christ is the only “grounds” for obtaining God’s mercy and salvation (Acts 4:12). Through Jesus Christ’s death on the cross, the sins of those who believe are washed away (1 John 3:5).

Yet, God does not want us to just “believe” in the sense of just acknowledging a fact that Jesus is the Son and Savior, “for even the demons believe” in that regard (James 2:19). We must “believe” in the sense of having faith in Him. In other words, TRUSTING in Him – a trust that results in a person making Jesus the Master of his/her life. The Lord demands that we turn our lives over to Him fully … in other words, make Him the Lord of our lives (1 John 2:2-6).

If after reading this, you realize your desperate need for the Savior, do what the Lord commands: “Repent…that your sins may be wiped out and times of refreshing may come from the Lord” (Acts 3:19) and put your full faith (trust) in Christ (Galatians 2:20).

What does it mean to repent?
Repentance does not mean to merely feel sorry about your sins. True repentance is to turn away from sin and turn to God (Acts 3:19, 2 Corinthians 7:9-10). A repentant heart desires to have nothing to do with sin, but fully surrenders its life to The One who saves. Jesus died to set you free, and then He rose from the dead to be your Lord. Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). If you will confess and forsake your sins (repent) and trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord (choosing to live for Him and not yourself), God will forgive you and you’ll pass from death to life (Romans 10:9-10).

What does it mean to “put your faith in Jesus Christ?”
It means to personally trust in Jesus the same way you’d trust in a parachute if you had to jump 25,000 feet out of an airplane. You wouldn’t just “believe” (acknowledge the fact) that the parachute exists; you would put it on (trust in it to save you)!

In the same way, there are millions of people who “believe” (acknowledge the fact) that Jesus is God’s Son . . . but they have not put Him on (surrendered their lives to the Savior). There’s a BIG difference. And the difference will be obvious when we “jump” through the door of death.

Today, with all your heart, I implore you on Christ’s behalf—repent (turn away from sin), and surrender your life to Jesus Christ.

If you feel the power of God’s Spirit working on your heart and you want to turn from living for yourself and turn instead to God and name His Son Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior – Master of your life – I pray that you will!

He promises that all who come to Him in repentance of heart, and confess Him as Lord, will be saved (Romans 10:9-10).

So please, put your trust in Him alone – not in any person who claims to speak on behalf of God, or any church that acts as the dispenser of God’s grace and forgiveness — but trust only in the Son of the Living God, Jesus Christ, who purchased us and redeemed us with His blood. He is the author and finisher of salvation (Hebrews 12:2 & 5:9). He alone saves (Acts 4:12, John 14:6).

God’s Word is clear –no one but God’s Son Jesus Christ has the authority and power to forgive sin, and no one can intercede on yours or my behalf except the Son Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:5, Acts 4:12, Acts 13:37-39, Acts 5:30-32).

Thank you for allowing me to share the Good News of Christ Jesus the Lord with you! My prayer is for you to accept the truth of God’s Holy Word so that you might be set free from sin and obtain the free gift of God’s saving grace.

Please know that I am here for you in whatever capacity I may serve to bring glory and honor to God our Heavenly Father!

With blessings in Christ, Kelly

P.S. Much of the information shared above originates from the Living Waters website, please visit for more information about living a joy-filled life in service to the King!

P.S.S. I highly recommend the book “Getting It Right: The Real Problem and God’s Perfect Solution.” This helpful book thoroughly explores the biblical gospel, from God’s diagnoses of the universal human problem, to the great lengths God has gone to solve it. Simply click on the photo of the book for details.

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Filed Under: Encouragement, Sharing the Good News ·

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My New Cookbook is Here!

Welcome to The Nourishing Home!

I’m so glad you’re here and want you to feel right at home! My heart in creating this blog is to help you by sharing helpful meal planning strategies and nourishing GF recipes that are healthy, easy and delicious with thanksgiving to God! [Read More …]







All content (recipes, photos, posts, etc.) on this site is the creative property of Kelly Smith. You are welcome to share a photo via social media, as long as it contains a link back to the corresponding recipe or post from this site. However, you may not republish a recipe in its entirety in any form. For questions, or for permission to use a photo or recipe, please contact me via email at [email protected]. Thank you!

Please Note: All content (recipes, photos, text, etc.) on this site is the creative property of Kelly Smith of The Nourishing Home. You are welcome to share a photo via social media, as long as it contains a link back to the corresponding recipe from this site. However, re-publishing a recipe in any form is strictly prohibited. Additionally, please refrain from adapting recipes without properly linking back to the original recipe, and keep in mind that simple substitutions do not constitute an adapted or original recipe. For details regarding recipe copyright law, please visit the Food Blog Alliance.
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