Book Review: Dug Down Deep by Joshua Harris

I grew up in a Christian home where the Scriptures had been read & taught to me as far back as my memory will take me, yet it wasn’t until 10 years ago when my faith was shook to the core, did I begin to really know my God and apply that knowledge to my everyday life.

  Dug Down Deep is Joshua Harris story of how he discovered the relevance of the Scriptures, specifically, orthodoxy.  Joshua is transparent and brutally honest about his background and struggles.  His confession of pride and misunderstandings about the Word are refreshing and easy to relate to.  

Joshua’s passion for Christ is evident in this book; his passion to build his life on the truths of God, not ideas of man flowed freely through each chapter.  Joshua’s humorous and honest approach exudes grace and love to his readers.

By taking his readers’ on a journey through his own experiences, he explains theological terms in a way even the youngest of Believers could understand.  He covers doctrine such as; sanctification and justification in a way that makes his readers want to learn even more, because now they see what it looks like and how it should be lived out. He challenges you to dig down deep in the Word of God, thus coming into a deeper understanding of who God is and how much he loves you.  

This book will become one of our required reading books for our teenagers as we teach them the doctrine of the Scriptures.
One of the last paragraphs of the book, summed the message of Joshua’s book perfectly, I think.  He wrote,

“The message of Christian orthodoxy isn’t that I’m right and someone else is wrong.  It’s that I am wrong and yet God is filled with grace.  I am wrong, and yet God has made a way for me to be forgiven and accepted and loved for eternity.  I am wrong, and yet, God gave his Son, Jesus, to die in my place and receive my punishment.  I am wrong, but through faith in Jesus, I can be made right before a holy God.” (pg 213)

Dug Down Deep will be available for purchase, January 19th at Waterbook Multnomah.com

Read more about Josh Harris on his website-  JoshHarris.com

Read the first chapter of this book on his book blog

Looking for Jesus

Many years ago as the Lord continued to reveal truths to me that I could barely take in, I had this deep desire to share what I was learning with others.  That is when I began to blog.  It was the only way I knew how to express to others what I was learning about this amazing God that I was just beginning to really deeply know in a personal and intimate way.  I sat on my bed one day, penning various blog posts idea's and asked myself, "What did I really want others to learn from me?"  My answer was simple, yet has remained my purpose and source of inspiration. 

I just want others to learn to know and love my Jesus they way I do.

Every time I read the Word, something new takes my breath away.  Something that I know I have read many times before, but this time I see something I have never seen before.  I love it!  This is how I have come to know Jesus, by reading and studying and immersing myself in the Word of God.

I have a suggestion for you as you read & study your Bible this year.  Look for Jesus in every book of the Bible you read.  His name is whispered in every book that God inspired. 

My pastor, Chuck Swindoll writes in his Living Insights Study Bible,

If you make careful examination of the Scriptures, book by book, you will find the person of Christ enfolded into each in one form or another.

Then he gives a list that I found very interesting & wanted to share with you.

In Genesis, He is the woman's offspring (3:15)
In Exodus, He is the Passover lamb (12:1-14)
In Leviticus, He is the atoning sacrifice (17:11)
In Numbers, He is the bronze snake ( 21:8-9)
In Deuteronomy, He is the promised prophet
In Joshua, He is the commander of the Lord's army (5:13-15)
In Judges, He is our Deliverer
In Ruth, He is our heavenly kinsman-redeemer
In Samuel and Kings and Chronicles He is the promised king
In Ezra and Nehemiah, He is the restorer of the nation
In Esther, He is our advocate
In Job, He is our redeemer (19:25)
In Psalms, He is our all in all
In Proverbs, He is our pattern
In Ecclesiastes, He is our goal
In Song of Songs, He is our beloved
In the Prophets, He is the coming Prince of Peace
In Matthew, He is Christ: the King
In Mark, He is Christ: the Servant
In Luke, He is Christ: the Son of Man
In John, He is Christ: the Son of God
In Acts, He is Christ: risen, seated, sending
In the Letter, He is Christ: Indwelling, filling
In Revelation, He is Christ:returning, reigning

It isn't enough for us to understand with our minds that Jesus Christ is the central theme of Scripture.  He longs to be the central theme of our lives- every section of it, from the legal section to the casual section, from the intellectual section to the intimate section.  He wants to invade every area-the thought factory of our minds, our wills, our decisions, our businesses, our work, our play, our relationships, our home, our eyes, our hands and our hearts. ~ Chuck Swindoll

I hope that we you begin a new year, that you will come to a deeper understanding of who Jesus is, what he chose to do for you, and how deep his love for you is.  Believe me, the more I learn, the more incomprehensible it all really is!