Eye-Opening! 'Favor' - by Greg Gilbert

About the book:

Many Christians are under the mistaken impression that while God's grace may be a gift, his favor is something we must earn. This misunderstanding leads ultimately to lives that feel unfulfilled and inadequate. Pastor Greg Gilbert puts favor back in its rightful place, as God's gift through Jesus Christ. He shows how the favor Jesus earned through his perfect life and sacrificial death becomes ours the moment we believe. Knowing we already have God's favor frees us to live joyous lives no matter our physical or material circumstances.

If you've felt beaten down by the burden of trying to earn God's blessings, this book will provide you with a strong start on a life of confidence in God.

My review:

This was a eye-opening book that was a great reminder of who I am in Christ.  First, Gilbert explains what the Bible says favor really is and what it isn't.  He reminds us that Jesus went through hardship, he was poor, he was mocked, so why should we expect our life to look any different?  We may or may not get physical blessings but our focus should be on our relationship with God, not on what we can get.  Then he points out that we have to be worthy, but only Jesus is truly worthy.  He really explained well how far we are from being acceptable.  It's easy sometimes to justify our behavior by saying I'm not doing something as bad as this other person, so we can feel pretty good about ourselves.  But when you compare yourself to a holy God, suddenly that's a different story.  It's not just about actions or thoughts; it's about our motives and reasons.  So Jesus took our curse on himself and died but then conquered death by rising again.  He took our sin; we get His righteousness, which means we get God's favor! 

Then he talked about having peace with God and how you shouldn't let shame or guilt keep you enslaved to sin when you've been set free and are forgiven.  God looks at us and sees Jesus.  I liked the examples he told of Martin Luther and Louie Zamperini, the man in Unbroken, about how they found peace with God.  Finally, he encourages us in our battle against sin, strategies and reminders for the fight.  I liked how he used a lot of Scripture to explain his points; it was also pretty easy to read.  It helped me understand better how God actually views me and was a great reminder that I am a daughter of the King!

I received this book free from Baker Books in exchange for an honest review.

 The Author

1. 

   Greg Gilbert

   Greg Gilbert (MDiv, Southern Seminary) is senior pastor of Third Avenue Baptist Church in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. He lives in Kentucky with his wife, Moriah, and their three children, where he enjoys basketball, coffee, and Thai food.
   

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