IE: FEARLESS: Imagine Your Life Without Fear [Paperback]

 

 

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Finally got around to reading the above book. A very good read by Max Lucado as was expected. As far as fear goes, he reminds us to put all of our fears into our 'Trust in God'. Those who pray and trust in God should not fear nor worry. Those who worry and fear should not pray otherwise we upset God in our 'lack of trust'. A good study for those anxious souls out there. Max's writing style is easy-to-read and entices you to finish rather than to push through.

Can you imagine your life without fear? In 15 chapters over 180 easy-to-read pages, Max Lucado focuses on making faith our default response to any threat. Using enchanting descriptions, Lucado takes us through logical thought process and scripture to show how we can live beyond our common fears and unspeakable terrors.

Lucado's personal transparency is disarming. He uses illustrations from his life, including the death of his brother and the serious doubt he faced one Easter morning. It helps me remember that I am reading something from a flesh and blood person. He's an absolute master with simile and metaphor, pertinent anecdotes, illuminating illustrations and apropos quotes, yet he lives life in the same trenches and faces the same reality as I.

What I appreciate most sre the lists of scripture verses that speak God's truth over the fear-inducing lies we believe. These verses we can quote with authority, knowing that God is greater than any storm, any need, any danger, any lack. We can keep our eyes on Him, trust and not be afraid.

"Fearless" is timely, insightful, encouraging and incredibly practical. I look forward to studying it in-depth. It includes a discussion guide as a resource for individuals and groups to go deeper into the concepts of each chapter by examining fear (discussion questions), exposing fear (scripture study) and battling fear (practical application).

This will be on the top of my gift-giving list. Rating: 5 out of 5.

[...]

"Gem's in the Last Chapter"

Book Review - Fearless
Author: Max Lucado
Reviewer: Conrade Yap
Date: 8 September 2009
Lucado weaves together another tapestry of hope. Using stories and vivid images, he makes the words come alive in our minds as he deals with the topic of fear. As Lucado knits each fear, we are led to confront the many types of worries that can alarm us and render ourselves powerless or helpless. He turns over many stones that hide our innermost trepidations. Things like lack of self-worth, not meeting up to God's expectations, unable to be a good parent, afraid of physical harm, overly concerned about the future and so on. While the reader may think that the way ahead is to flush fears off our system, Lucado gently leads us to something far better than spiritual machete. After shining a light to reveal the different kinds of fears we face in the world, he exposes our heart's deepest need: Christ.

'This is the fear of the Lord. Most of our fears are poisonous. They steal sleep and pillage peace. But this fear is different. 'From a biblical perspective, there is nothing neurotic about fearing God. The neurotic thing is not to be afraid, or to be afraid of the wrong thing. That is why God chooses to be known to us, so that we may stop being afraid of the wrong thing. When God is fully revealed to us and we 'get it,' then we experience the conversion of our fear. . . 'Fear of the Lord' is the deeply sane recognition that we are not God.'' (169)

Truly, chapter 14 is worth the price of the book. Upon reading this portion of the book, I am even more convinced that the way to fight fear is not with guns or therapy, physical or psychological weapons. Remember the Apostle Paul's reminder that our enemies are 'spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm?' Lucado drives home the way to fight fear, not in terms of decreasing our paranoia over created things or thoughts, but to increase our faith in God, who is love.

'The longer we live in him, the greater he becomes in us.' (170)

There are two irritations I have with the book. Firstly, the book presupposes that the fears described in the book exist in our lives. I understand that Lucado writes for a general audience. Yet, is it not possible that for some, such fears are irrelevant? I know that for cancer patients, some of the worries mentioned in the book are of the least concern. At some point, I feel like someone receiving a box of anti-fear gadgets, to fight even the non-existent fears. Secondly, Lucado takes too long to come to this important point. For instance, his PEACEFUL plan to rid fear appears like another self-help book. If readers stop here, the author may even be accused of using God like aspirin to banish fear, like using Christ as a means to our own ends. That is not what this book is about.

In conclusion, we need to read the whole book to discover Lucado's important point. It is not the fleeing or fighting of fear that render us fearless. It is in embracing Christ, that fears will flee from us instead.

A Thomas Nelson Book Reviewer

Conrade Yap

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3.0 out of 5 stars Light, encouraging read.
I finally read Fearless by Max Lucado, after it sat on my little e-book shelf for probably a year. I accidentally requested to review it for Booksneeze, and it took me so long to... Read more

Published 9 months ago by Chelsey

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing. Mostly fiction. LIttle substance.
What are we afraid of? I believe we're afraid of things we can't fully control. For example, we can't control if our children hang out with bad kids at school, and then experiment... Read more

Published 13 months ago by Michael A. Robson

4.0 out of 5 stars My mom enjoys the book
I recently purchased FEARLESS and my mom has enjoyed this book by Max Lucado. Also, I was very pleased with the good purchase I was able to find indirectly from Amazon.com.

Published 19 months ago by Scott Collins

4.0 out of 5 stars Fearless is a great read for anyone struggling with fears!
A must read for anyone struggling with fears, no matter what they are! You'll see yourself in these pages. Read more

Published on Oct 19 2009 by Troy Saddler

4.0 out of 5 stars Fearless
This was a great read. It was short and to the point. What I saw as a theme was to come back to God in prayer as the solution to most of the different adversities that he covers... Read more

Published on Sep 8 2009 by S. Nelson

4.0 out of 5 stars awaken your desire to fear less or to be fearless
Max Lucado's latest book, Fearless is a book that will help you put your fears into perspective. After having mine revealed through his book like an open heart surgeon, he... Read more

Published on Sep 8 2009 by Kevin Sam

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read!
In "Fearless" Max Lucado tackles the important subject of our fears. Each day seems to bring new reasons for fear i.e. Read more

Published on Sep 8 2009 by Kevin Martineau

5.0 out of 5 stars Fearless by Max Lucado
In Fearless, Max Lucado tackles the issue of fear head-on. Balancing Scriptural, spiritual and relational insight with a conversational tone, Fearless is easy to read, hard to put... Read more

Published on Sep 8 2009 by M. Bennett

5.0 out of 5 stars A book for our fear-filled times
Imagine your life without fear" and "What if faith, not fear, was your default reaction to threats?" These two phrases alone would be worth the price of the book. Read more

Published on Sep 8 2009 by S. Morehouse

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recomended
The world is a fear-filled place. Everywhere we look, we have reason for fear. Max Lucado takes us on a journey through the common fears of man and helps us put those fears back... Read more

Published on Sep 8 2009 by Christina Banks

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