A Beautiful Book

I have been dining on a beautiful book called, The Beautiful Fight, by Gary Thomas.  Some books can be gobbled up and digested quickly, like an In-N-Out burger.  Other books need to be savored and consumed slowly.  This book has been a fine meal of impactful illustrations, thoughtful biblical teaching, and piercing life-challenge. 

The vision of this book is to help believers discover the power and reality of Christ as the ascended one.  So often we fixate on the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus...these are all very important.  But Thomas suggests that we have not given enough attention to the ascension.  The question is, what is Jesus doing NOW.  And, as we discover who Jesus is and what He is doing, we begin to experience new levels of transformation. 

As we walk with the ascended Christ, we see with new clarity, we speak with healed lips, we hear God in new ways (because He is still speaking), we think in categories and ways we never dreamed, we serve and love like never before.

In many circles, discussion of holiness (both God's and ours) have all but ceased.  Gary Thomas opens up a great conversation we could all stand to enter.  If you are looking for a light and fluffy read, look elsewhere.  But, if you want to go deep into the heart of God and be challenged to see the Spirit of God take you to places of authentic growth and God-honoring action...this book will hit the spot.