Book Report - The Making of a Man of God by Alan Redpath (8-27-14)

The Making of a Man of God by Alan Redpath (8-27-14)

This book is a study of the life of David. I really appreciate how the author, Alan Redpath, uses the happenings of David's life to relate to how Christ works in our lives. I was convicted, challenged and encouraged as I read. God used this book at multiple points - one was when I taught a Bible study on a passage in John. Here are a few quotes that assisted in my teaching - "It is one thing to believe that something is true, and something to made your stand openly for it. Faith must lead to action. ", "Your heart has only to miss a half a dozen beats and you will end up in hell - with all your good intentions, resolves, professions of faith and sound theology." and "If Christ is not the King then Satan remains on the throne and you are a lost soul. But if Christ is in supreme authority, then He will drive out every one of your enemies."

Another way He used it was to humble me and see what life should look like as I follow Him whole-heartedly. "One who believes with the head only, without evidencing grace, love, gentleness, humility, or other token of the indwelling Christ, has no right to say he is a Christian. God's choice is contrary to all human reason, and is based upon the response of a man's heart." I thought I have been saved since 12, but He revealed to me that I only recently became His follower. As this quote says, I had no right to say I was a believer because there was no evidence in my life of fruit. On the outside, I said I was submitted to Christ - however, on the inside, I was stubborn and not willing to surrender at all. 

Something that amazes me about the life of David is that he was a man after God's own heart. David was a sinner just like everyone else - he committed adultery and murder but he also waited on God and accepted the result of his actions. All throughout his life I see evidence of the Spirit's hand on him. Speaking about this, Redpath says "Do you go to the house of God for comfort, and the realize that the Spirit has found you out? He knows why you are like that, but He wants you to tell Him. He wants you to confess that you have feared and panicked, that you have questioned His purpose and plan for your life." I really admire the fact that David was the rightful king for a while, but he waited on God to remove Saul from the throne. God is definitely giving me patience - slowly but surely!

David was on the run for his life multiple times, but he trusted God to take care of him. I am encouraged by this - there have been times in my life when I had no idea what was going to happen. "God has brought you to this place just to teach you what it is to take your stand at Calvary and to wait: to be still and know that He is God. In fact, that is all you CAN do. The decision is out of your control; you can only wait for Him to guide." I've had to learn to trust Him, and He has proven His faithfulness over and over again. When I have nothing else to rely on - "We have nothing except - and what a glorious exception - the Word of God, the power of the His Spirit, the anointing of the Holy Ghost upon a life which has surrendered all confidence in the flesh."

For the longest time, I was afraid of what was going to happen when I surrendered to Christ. It has been a painful yet joyous experience! "You know what is involved in going onward with Him, being poured from vessel to vessel until every prop is stripped from you and you have nothing and nobody whom you can depend, except God and His promises." It's a painful process to be empty, weak and broken - but God uses these times of discomfort and agony to fill me with His Spirit, strengthen me with His love and to shape me into the person He designed me to be. I've been learning that He WANTS me to rely fully on Him - not on anyone or anything else. 

I love this quote. "Do not be too busy about other things, with your hands so full attempting to meet the pressure in your own strength that when the ship comes with grace, patience, and love, you are not there. Wait and watch as a man watches for the morning; and so shall your waiting become the praise of a genuine conviction that this cloud is the mercy of God, and it has taken the pressure of it to drive you for shelter on the wounded side of a crucified Savior." All this striving to be closer to God and to plead Him is pointless. I need to need Jesus. The whole point of belonging to Christ is to agree with Him about our need of His salvation, and to accept His gift of grace.