You Can Change

This is a great book! I've mentioned it in previous postings, but now I've finished it, I'm happy to recommend it to you.

It's subtitled, 'God's transforming power for our sinful behaviour and negative emotions'. Now if a book has the word, 'power' in the title, I'll normally give it a wide berth because it's probably promising something that God himself doesn't promise. But this book is different.

Some books I've read about holiness have talked about severe discipline - like getting up early to read the Bible and pray for 3 hours - and I don't have that sort of discipline. Others have given anecdotes of people who have suddenly been freed from sin and now live a life of permanent holiness, joy and perfection. But I've never met anyone like that, and it's not what the Bible teaches.

This book is realistic. Realistic about the reality and persistence of sin, and realistic about the reality and persistence of grace. It shows how the Bible teaches us that change is possible, and how change is possible. No quick or cheap fixes, but a healthy dose of biblical realism.

One warning. The opening paragraph is really quite surprising - shocking for some. I've emailed the publishers, and they're planning to change it in the next edition.

Tim Chester, 'You can Change' (IVP 2008)

Available from Tonbridge Christian Book Centre and Amazon