It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
Today's Wild Card author is:
and the book:
CrossBooks Publishing (August 24, 2011)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Visit the author's website.
SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Be the One! is a much needed, God-fearing and inspiring message to transform the hearts and minds of every individual in this nation. If the United States wants to overcome its current challenges and continue to be a global leader, we must turn from our unproductive ways and seek after God’s plan for our life. Be the One! challenges everyone to get right with God and to accept responsibility for their future, finances, physical health, relationships, and their nation. It not only inspires individuals towards personal victory, but it also provides a plan to restore our nation to preeminence and godliness.
List Price: $13.95
Paperback: 160 pages
Publisher: CrossBooks Publishing (August 24, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1462705561
ISBN-13: 978-1462705566:
AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:
BE THE ONE
God’s Plan to Change Your Future and the Nation!
The purpose of this book is to give you the knowledge, wisdom, and inspiration you need to conquer life’s problems and to turn your future around. Not only change your future, but also change the nation’s future, the world’s future, and the future of many generations to come. At every level, we have fallen from excellence, from righteousness, from the plans and purposes which God destined for His people. There is chaos, disorder, corruption, and all kinds of evil worldwide. The Kingdom of God suffers violence from sex trafficking, child slavery, AIDS, drug smuggling, pornography, immorality, greed, lust, and many other destructive behaviors. The global environment is short on natural resources and commodities, but the population and the amount of consumption continue to increase. The world’s banking system is short on cash deposits, but individuals and small business owners need more money. National and global unemployment is the highest it has been in many decades. The debt levels of many nations are excessive and the threat of national bankruptcy in some nations is very serious. The deficit in the United States is at all time high exceeding more than $10 trillion dollars. But it is not the institutions or the worldwide governments that are to blame for the downfall of our world system. It is all of us.
Chapter 1
Whether we have taken advantage of the system, participated in it, or allowed it to happen, we are each responsible. And it is up to each one of us to change our ways, confront our problems, and turn our nation around. Will you be the one to restore your future, nation, and the world system to where God’s glory and purposes are fulfilled? Will you be the one who inspires, confronts, teaches, edifies and loves others? Will you be the one who demands righteousness and promotes God’s will and godly living?
The issues and the problems in this world are complex and massive,but they are all based on sinful behavior. Sin occurs any time we miss the mark, fall short, or to fail obey God’s directive. Personal problems and the issues of this world will not be addressed or conquered until each one of us accepts responsibility for our words, actions, finances, health, relationships, and future. We cannot expect worldwide governments, legal institutions, or Mother Nature to fix our problems. We cannot run from our problems or ignore our responsibilities as many of us prefer to do. In fact, many of us do not see the character growth and God’s blessing in our lives because we fail to address our problems, bad habits, and human weaknesses. To grow strong individually or as a nation, we must pick up our cross; we must accept responsibility for our lifestyles, families, communities, and for the world system. We cannot blame others, the government, or our circumstances. By accepting responsibility, it will produce character, it will bring forth change, and it will bear fruit. In case you have not learned, it is all about bearing Godly fruit! “Be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28) was God’s instruction to Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden and it still equally applies today! We must be fruitful and we must help others to be fruitful. One by one until God says it is done.
It does not matter where you are in life. It does not matter what you have done. Your age, financial status, education, gender, nationality,religious beliefs, and even your criminal record do not matter. What matters is your future, the future of your nation, and how you respond to this book. What matters are the decisions you start making today. The time is now. It is time for you to rise up and to be the bright light God wants you to be. It is time to accept responsibility for your current financial and economic status. It is time to accept responsibility for your health, family, education, community and nation’s well-being. We all must play our part. Each one of us must confront our behaviors and shortcomings and rise up to fulfill the calling and the needs of this nation.
I know there are obstacles, hindrances, and many forces that will operate against you. Trust me, very few will wholeheartedly want you to succeed. Very few will help you along the way. But it is not God’s will for you to be broke, busted, discouraged, defeated or debilitated. It is not God’s will for millions to lose their homes or their jobs, for millions to die from AIDS, or for the nations to have tremendous debts. But it is not God’s fault either. Too many of us are just waiting on God, hoping for that miracle or that big payoff. Too many of us are not playing our part, being responsible, and changing lives. The truth is that God has already given you everything you need for success. And if you are successful, you will inspire others to be successful. Your success will lead to your family’s success, community’s success, nation’s success and the success of the world. But it must start with you. You must be the one. If God is going to do it in your life, He is going to have to do it through you. And God “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us” (Ephesians 3:20, NASB).
You can be the one that turns your future around one day at a time. One decision at a time. Life is all about decisions. Decisions about finances, relationships, time management, employment, and physical health. Every decision is a spiritual decision because your decisions are based on your beliefs, affect stewardship of God’s resources, and determine your destiny. They also influence and affect the destinies of others.
True repentance is a change in lifestyle, a change in
The goal of this book is to give you God’s timeless truth so that you will be empowered to take control of your life and your future, and achieve all the great things that God has destined for you. Whether it is your finances, physical health, relationships, or career, God has a plan and the wisdom you need for success. But it is up to you. You must learn it, believe it, and then apply it. Failure to apply God’s truth to any area of your life can prevent God’s blessing and glory from being manifested in that area. Failure to submit to God’s ways can result in further spiritual and economic decline. Over the past six thousand years, every great move of God has required His people to get in agreement with His plan. Whether it was the children of Israel, the people of Nineveh, the Jews, the Pilgrims, or the people of the United States, God always had a plan to deliver His people from bondage, corruption, and poverty. And the plan always requires His people to repent toward God. True repentance is a change in lifestyle, a change in perspective, and a change in behavior. It is not simply feeling sorry about our sins, but requires confessing and forsaking them. If we truly forsake our sins and submit to God’s ways, He can restore our nation to righteousness, godliness, and pre-eminence. Consider the following Scriptures:
“He that covers his sins shall not prosper: but whoever confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13 AKJV).
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1st John 1:9 NASB).
If we do our part, God will be faithful to do His. It was faith that established this great nation. And faithfulness is the only thing that can restore it. Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Without faith, we are left to the resources and wisdom of men. It was a lack of faithfulness that destroyed our homes, businesses, jobs, and prosperity. And if it continues, we will bankrupt our nation, be subject to foreigners, and destine our children to a godless world.
The battle is not over and for some of us, the battle has just begun. You can make a difference. You can represent God’s army and God’s government on this earth. He wants people to stand up and declare what is right. He wants people to prosper and to preserve our country from destruction spiritually, financially, and physically. You can be the one to fight poverty, ignorance, laziness, sickness, and unrighteousness. You can be the one to stand strong for God, for your future, your family, and for your nation. As you confront and conquer what is wrong in your life, God will give you the wisdom and the resources to help others. Do not let anyone or anything stop you – including yourself. Be the one who God uses to conquer your problems. Be the one who God uses to strengthen your family and your employer. Be the one who God uses to inspire your community and your coworkers to higher levels of righteousness and excellence. Be the one who God uses to restore His nation to godliness and pre-eminence. Be the one…
Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people. (Proverbs 14:34, NASB)
For Further Reflection:
1. What are my goals (personal, academic, spiritual, financial)?
2. What is my purpose in life?
3. What are my responsibilities?
4. Are there any sins that I am continuously repeating in my life?
5. Do I typically confront my problems?
6. Am I allowing God to work through me?
My Thoughts:
Charles R. Ambroselli pens an interesting and very informative book that focuses on how we (as individuals) can change our future as well as the future of the United States. Unlike other books I have read on this subject, Mr. Ambroselli focuses on changing ourselves and our situation before tackling the larger national problems. It makes me think of the saying my mother quoted many times: "You must clean up your own back yard before criticizing someone else's".
His ideas are solid and can be very beneficial to improve the quality of one's life. He discusses health, finances, knowledge and relationships with others and God, just to name a few. After each short and very readable chapter, he ends with questions for the reader to think about.
Don't expect this to be a long and bogged down how-to book with step-by-step instructions. Mr. Ambroselli gives the solutions and he will touch on things to help, but the decisions and path taken to arrive to the solution is up to the reader. I find this refreshing, as there is no one right way that works for everyone.
Scripture references/quotes used in this book are taken from 9 different versions of the Bible.
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