You might wish to get this book by Carol J. Ruvolo, if you want dig more deeply into God’s grace for the Christian life. Grace to Stand Firm, Grace to Grow is an excellent guide that can enrich your knowledge and heart about the beauties of Christ’s grace.
Philadelphia’s Tenth Presbyterian Church’s former pastor, Dr. James M. Boice (who has since gone to be with the Lord), endorsed this book as, “Deeply God-centered, theologically profound, and very, very practical.” Joni Eareckson Tada claims, “Carol Ruvolo’s studies on 1-2 Peter may read easy, but they run deep. If you desire to raise your level of trust and commitment in Christ, you will find these studies to be theologically sound, powerful and practical.”
This book is not a novel, though the lessons from Peter’s encounter with Jesus found in the Gospel novels are fleshed out here. This book is not a mystery, yet it opens up for us the mystery of Christ and his work in our lives. This book is not a romance, however, through it one comes to love more deeply the Savior who first loved us. This book is a study of 1 Peter and 2 Peter; a study that goes deep and wide. It was crafted to be used as a personal guide or by groups. As one statement in the introduction reflects,
“Always remember that effective Bible study equips you to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. You glorify God when you live in such a way that those around you can look at you and see an accurate reflection of God’s character and nature. You enjoy God when you are fully satisfied in His providential ordering of the circumstances in your life. When your life glorifies God and your joy is rooted in His providence, your impact on our fallen world will be tremendous.”
Here is an overview of the contents:
Part 1 Grace to Stand Firm
Lesson 1 The Hope of Salvation
Lesson 2 The Joy of Divine Testing
Lesson 3 The Shift from Doctrine to Practice
Lesson 4 The Attractiveness of God’s People
Lesson 5 The Appeal of Free Submission
Lesson 6 The Appeal of Free Submission (2)
Lesson 7 The Power of a Humble Witness
Lesson 8 The Cure for Short-Timer Syndrome
Lesson 9 The Team Concept of Humble Servants
Part 2 Grace to Grow
Lesson 10 The Key Weapon in the War on God’s Word
Lesson 11 The Reminder of Scripture’s Authority
Lesson 12 The Danger of Twisted Teaching
Lesson 13 The Certainty of God’s Promises
Grace to Stand Firm, Grace to Grow (ISBN: 98-0-87552-634-8) was first published in 2003. You can order this through most any good book retailers. And no, I do not get any advertising royalties from this endorsement :-)
