Glory Days by Max Lucado

I really, really like Max Lucado's books.  They are filled with stories, lighter reading, but deep truths. I like how he will often emphasize points with multiple one liner sentences like: "When you lost your job...When your marriage went south. When your business went broke." etc.  His writings get me every time and this book was no exception.

The premise of the book is: are we living in glory days?  He uses Canaan is our metaphor for a victorious Christian life.  The Israelites got to Canaan and had entered their Promised Land, not heaven, but the land of victory.  I was only going to quote from about one chapter, but let me add a few things from the first chapter to let you get a feel for where the book is taking you.  It's basically a book study on the Book of Joshua.

"Our Promised Land isn't a physical territory; it is a spiritual reality. It's not real estate but a real state of the heart and mind.

" A Promised Land life in which 'we are more than conquerors through [Christ] who loved us'
"A life in which 'we do not lose heart'.
"A life in which '[Christ's] love has the first and last word in everything we do'."

"Canaan is a life defined by grace, refined by challenge, and aligned with a heavenly call. In God's plan, in God's land, we win more often than we lose, forgive as quickly as we are offended, and give as abundantly as we receive.  We served out of our giftedness and delight in our assignments. We may stumble, but we do not collapse. We may struggle, but we defy despair. We boast only in Christ, trust only in God, lean wholly on his power. We enjoy abundant fruit and increasing faith."

This is what I want, this is who I want to be.  This is how I want to live.

The chapter that spoke to me (actually they all had good stuff in them, but this one made me get out my pen and paper and write more down)  was called "The God-Drenched Mind". Really, do I need to say anything more?  Caleb relied fully on God to help him take his mountain, the mountain Moses had promised him way back after the 12 spies went to spy out the land. He had filled his mind with God; he says "but I wholly followed the Lord my God."  You can only say that if you are filled with God and His Word.  When something is drenched, you think of soaking wet, unable to soak in anything more.  How far I have to go.  Listen to some excerpts.

We all have problems. "But not all people see problems the same way. Some people are overcome by problems. Others overcome problems. Some people are left bitter. Others are left better. Some people face their challenges with fears. Others with faith.

"If you marinate your mind in your problems, they will eventually corrode and corrupt your thoughts. But thoughts of God will preserve and refresh your attitudes.

"Troubles pounce on us like rain in a thunderstorm. Finding God amid the billows will demand every bit of discipline you can muster. But the result is worth the strain. Besides, do you really want to meditate on your  misery? Will reciting your problems turn you into a better person? No. But changing your mindset will.

"Maybe the reason your problems feels so great is because your cause is too small. Perhaps you need to set your mind on a holy cause."

I have been spending a lot of time obsessing over something lately.  I know I need to pray more and talk less, etc. etc.  But this hit home.  Do I want to marinate in my problems, in my life? Or do I want to get outside of myself and take on a cause that will keep my mind busy?  This is my goal.

Max also has a nice study guide in the back of his book written David Drury. I didn't read the whole  thing or use it as I was reading the book, but I think it would make a nice accompaniment and part of me wishes I had used it when I was reading it chapter by chapter.

I really liked this book and would highly recommend it to anyone wanted to live in the Glory Days of victorious Christian living.

This book was given me by Book Look Bloggers for the purpose of reading and writing a review about it.  All opinions expressed are my own.