My Daily Pause

Calling of the Apostles – 1481 – Domenico Ghirlandaio (1449–1494)

As incredible as Jesus’ miracles were, it is even more incredible that he had followers.

The Jewish establishment of the time had so many highly ranked detractors of Jesus, it was easy to convince people that what they saw was not important. It was easy to discourage them by insulting Jesus over and over again. In a previous post, we listed ten of those insults recorded in the gospels.

Not only was he insulted, they planted little seeds of doubt.

They made racial slurs.

They lied.

They even used their power and money to elevate themselves above him in the eyes of the people. Through that power and influence they were able to stem the flow of believers to Christ during his lifetime. In addition to the ten insults we looked at previously…

• They said that no prophet could come out of Galilee (John 7:52)
• They accused him of leading the multitude astray (John 7:12)
• They said that since Elijah had not risen from the dead, it was impossible for Jesus to be the Christ (Mark 9:11)
• They said he had an unclean spirit (Mark 3:30)
• They said, “He is beside himself” (Mark 3:21)
• They said he transgressed the tradition of the elders (Matthew 15:2)
• They said, “This man is not from God” (John 9:16)
• They said he forbade to give tribute to Caesar (Luke 23:2)
• They said that he made himself a king (Luke 23:2)
• They said he was an evildoer (John 18:30)
• They said that Jesus claimed he would destroy the temple of God and build it in three days (Matthew 26:61)

Disciples of Christ

We often refer to the events recorded in Luke 9:18-22 as “Peter’s Confession.”

During that meeting, Jesus tells them that he has to suffer and be rejected by those in power. All of the negative chatter must have come up along with the other speculations of who the people thought Jesus was.

Not much has changed now:

We still hear similar lies about the Lord…

His teachings are challenged at every turn in the news media…

They even make movies that change “what the Bible says” in people’s mind.

There are many that believe in Christ right now that do not defend him when they have an opportunity. It doesn’t really matter the reason, not defending that belief in Christ is as good as not having it.

As much as ever, he needs good solid disciples that are willing to talk about him despite his current low popularity.

Jesus’ meeting with the twelve ends with a discussion on how important that it is to make the sacrifice and keep following him. (Luke 9:23)

Question: Will you be one of those Jesus is ashamed of? (Luke 9:26)

When our light shines in a dark world we become very conspicuous!

I love the Bible’s light metaphor!

• Jesus said he is the light (John 8:12, 9:39)
• Jesus called his disciples (us) the light of the world (Matthew 5:14)
• Paul called us children of light (1 Thessalonians 5:5)
• John said “God is Light” (1 John 1:5)
• And the light is the only place to have fellowship with God (1 John 1:6-7)

When we consider that living like a Christian makes us conspicuous, we begin to understand the point Jesus was making about the lamp in Luke 8:16-17.

Jesus didn’t come to bring his gospel (literally, his good news) to us to have it hidden away. He has told us that would be as useful has lighting the underneath of our bed with the expectation of being able to see in the rest of the house. (Luke 8:16)

What does that mean for us?

We are expected to do all we can to make sure our light is shining.

• We do this with our lifestyle choices
• We do it with good deeds
• We make sure others are aware of why we do it

And we do this …

… so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. – Matthew 5:16

What will happen when I do?

One of two things might happen in the course of “shining our light”:

1. We will make others interested in why we are content
2. We will make others find excuses to not be like us

But don’t worry about #2. Jesus expects that and said as much in Luke 8:18.

We don’t even have to force it

It is very difficult to hide light. By simply living in a way that demonstrates that we have Jesus in us, we will find those who also want to be “in the light.” When that happens, we get to tell them more about Jesus. Once we have done our part, God takes care of the rest! (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:6)

Christ at Simon the Pharisee – 1620 – Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640)

“That person has done so much for me. I just love him!”

We remember those who have given us the most of themselves. Teachers, Coaches, Bosses – people who are in the position to give us something and stand out when they go above and beyond what was required.

When Jesus went to Simon the Pharisee’s house, the events played out to illustrate that part of our nature. (Luke 7:36-50) Esteeming people important to our success is fine, but here we have a warning of how we handle it as we mature past those needy times.

The more our situation improves, the harder it is to stay humble and remember those we esteemed so highly.

Simon thought he was bringing Jesus in to be examined and found the situation turned around on him. Simon, like most of the Pharisees, thought he was in a saved state just because he was a Jew. This goes a long way toward explaining why they had such a hard time accepting the Messiah.

It reminds me a little of the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. (Luke 18:9-14) When we can admit our shortcomings, it is easier to humble ourselves and look for a way to correct them. Jesus said there that the “humble will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14)

In the same way Jesus lifted the sinful woman…

just like his praise for the honest publican…

our forgiveness will be most abundant when we are humble in attitude.

Here’s the warning:

We are more likely to forget to pray when things are going good for us –

• When we have plenty of money
• When we feel like we are living “right”
• When our relationships are going smoothly

These are the times we might look at others in a judgmental way.

These are the times when we forget how much we need a savior.

Here’s the prevention:

We need to picture ourselves in the same place as the sinful woman or the publican.

When we do, we will be more likely to remember to keep Jesus in his esteemed place as our savior. Therefore:

• We will remember to love him actively.
• We will remember to talk to God often.
• We will remember to be genuinely thankful.

Most importantly…

We will remember to say, “The Lord has done so much for me. I just love him!”

John Identifies the Christ – ~17th Century – Ottavio Vannini

Then:

“John is crazy!”

“Jesus is a drunk!”

The Pharisees rejected God’s righteousness no matter what form it came in. (Luke 7:31-35) John the Baptist was like a hermit and Jesus was very social.

Now:

“Those Christians are too exclusive! (or mean!)”

“Those Christians are hypocrites!”

If the Bible proves anything, it proves people need more than 2000 years to change. At least … they haven’t changed yet.

The Challenge:

It has become very difficult to speak negatively about a number of social issues. When one tries to show what the Bible says about a matter, he is called names. Even if we try to silently live a godly lifestyle and lead by example, there is disdain.

“You don’t drink any alcohol?”

“You don’t wear a bikini in public?”

Those trying to live like a Christian should expect to become conspicuous. They should also plan to be insulted when the time comes to take a stand. Even Jesus had to endure it!

Once again, the Master Teacher shows us how to live through his own life. No less than ten times we can read about how he dealt with insults and indignities:

• He was called a glutton (Luke 7:33-35)
• He was called a winebibber
• They said he cast out demons by the prince of demons (Matthew 9:34)
• They called him Beelzebul (Matthew 10:25)
• They called him a sinner (John 9:24)
• They said he had a demon (John 7:20)
• They said he was a Samaritan (John 8:48).
• They charged him with violating the Sabbath (Matthew 12:2)
• They referred to him as a “deceiver” (Matthew 27:63)
• They accused him of friendship with publicans and sinners (Luke 15:2)

In Luke 7:32, Jesus compared these kind of people to spoiled brats:

“This game is too happy! It’s not realistic.”

“This game is too sad! It’s no fun.”

Children only want what feels good, it takes an adult to want what is right.

What to do?

The bottom line is that people will not change until they want to. The best thing we can do (in fact all we are asked to do) is to show them God’s way and live it for ourselves.

Question: What is the worse confrontation you have had to face trying to live in a godly way? Was there any long term effect on how you live?

To bear good fruit, the whole tree has to be sound and well fed.

What do you think about?

If you turned off all of your video screens, sat in a chair and looked out a window, what would be the first thing to pop in your mind?

For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he – Proverbs 23:7a KJV

If I thought I could get away with it, I would write every day about the content of our thoughts. I would use Philippians 4:8 as the main verse and we would all have it memorized because we would have studied it so much.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. – Philippians 4:8 KJV

Paul knew the importance of the content of our thoughts, and he knew we had to practice good thoughts in order to produce good deeds.

Think on These Things

Jesus spent a lot of time with this idea as well. From his teachings we know that we sin as soon as we consider an unlawful act – actually carrying out the action is not required!

Jesus further taught us to be careful about what is in our heart. He wants us to train our hearts to contain only the good things. He gave us his reasoning in Luke 6:43-45. Go ahead and read that for yourself, but in bullet pointed form he is saying:

• Good tree = Good fruit
• Bad Tree = Bad fruit
• A tree of one kind cannot produce another kind’s fruit

Therefore: A person’s actions, his speech, his attitude – everything he is – results from what is inside. Everything that is inside was developed from what he put in there.

Carefully Choose the Inputs

We have no lack of information. We can feed our minds from so many sources now. This isn’t a bad thing, we are becoming more productive and efficient from all of the great new technology.

By the same token, just like a cultivated field can be overrun with weeds and trees in a very short time from neglect, so will our thoughts and attention be refocused by poorly chosen entertainment and information.

Question: What are some ways we can immediately improve the content of our heart?

The Sermon on the Mount – Carl Heinrich Bloch (1834–1890)

If they hate you, do them a good deed.

If they curse you, bless them.

If they abuse you, pray for them.

If they strike, turn the other cheek.

If they steal from you, give it and more to them.

Luke 6:27-36 may be the most difficult teachings from Jesus. I don’t know of anyone that truly exemplifies the principles in every way. Even Paul got upset when he was popped in the mouth for his beliefs! (Acts 23:1-3)

I can’t even say that I’ve heard a sermon that didn’t hedge these teachings a bit. They are taught by making them conditional to the situation or softened by saying they are not absolute commands.

It does seem to me that if we could master them, there would be very little sport in abusing Christians.

As Christians, we need to address this passage just like any other – so where do we start?

Let’s Flip this Around

We can think about it another way.

What if we just started treating others better? (And those we like don’t count! Luke 6:32-33) We need to treat those we don’t care for so much a little better – especially fellow Christians and people close to us that we are trying to influence to be Christians.

Since it is the most used weapon, the logical place to start is with our speech. Look at these:

• The tongue is a small member that can cause big trouble – James 3:5
• Corrupt speech is sinful – Ephesians 4:29-31
• Mind your own business – 1 Thessalonians 4:11, 2 Thessalonians 3:11-12
• Babbling is ungodly – 2 Timothy 2:16
• Lay aside the evil thoughts – 1 Peter 2:1

If we all made an effort to prevent the other person from having to turn the other cheek, we would be rewarded with the same benefit.

Does that principle sound familiar? (Luke 6:31)

We can go a long way toward helping others obey the “Love Your Enemies” verses (Luke 6:27-36) by controlling ourselves. I am convinced that this is why Jesus spoke the golden rule (Luke 6:31) right in the middle of teaching us how to react to our enemies.

The Finding of the Saviour in the Temple – 1860 – William Holman Hunt (1827–1910)

This week’s study came from the first four chapters of Luke.

Even during his youth and the weeks we know about the formal start of his ministry, Jesus was influential. We can pick up at any point in his life and learn something from the Master Teacher.

It is a good thing John the Baptist was sent to prepare the way! Jesus had so much to teach, a teacher was needed to get everyone up to speed.

Study and Dedication

In the one little peek we get into Jesus’ youth, we see that he has begun a lifetime of dedication to God. He even snuck out of his parents traveling party to study and read with the men in the temple.

Following his example is how we get on the right path of obtaining as much perfection as we humanly can. Read along to see …

How Jesus Grew in Wisdom and Stature

The Need to Know the Full Gospel

John had to overcome a big problem trying to teach the Jews: They thought that their bloodline from Abraham was enough to save them.

He did his best to help them with that, but sadly human nature causes most people to hear only what they want to hear and not what they need to hear. They even go so far as to ignore some parts of the Bible on purpose! This is the same thing as …

Scoffing At the Truth

Spreading the Gospel in the Face of the Challenges

John showed us that material possessions and even food and clothing are the least of our worries. He took his job of making way for the savior very seriously. Through his example, we can know…

How to Be Steadfast like John

Facing Temptations

Before Jesus began his ministry in earnest, he spent at least forty days in the wilderness alone. In order to know us better, he subjected himself to the same physical challenges we have to face daily.

But –

What if Jesus Turned the Stone Into Bread?

Choose the Best

I am pretty sure that Zig Ziglar said in all of his presentations that he has…

… got to say ‘no’ to the good so I can say ‘yes’ to the best.

It turns out that this is a key concept of many ultra-successful people. Guess who else was teaching this during his ministry?

How Do We Decide What is Better?

For Next Week

Beginning today, the New Testament portion of the My Daily Pause reading plan takes us through Luke 5 – 8. Join me in reading the passages (Linked at the top of the web page and updated automatically every day) and spending a little time with God.

Christ in the House of Mary and Martha – 1618 – Diego Velázquez (1599–1660)

Learn to say ‘no’ to the good so you can say ‘yes’ to the best. – John C. Maxwell

I’ve got to say ‘no’ to the good so I can say ‘yes’ to the best. – Zig Ziglar

John Maxwell and Zig Ziglar, experts on leadership and motivation, both use(d) this quote extensively. Many others can be cited using the same idea with Google and a little time.

The basic idea is that most wildly successful people achieved extraordinary things because they were able to say the simple word ‘no’ on a routine basis. It doesn’t seem very intuitive, but the concept is simple:

There is not enough time to address most, much less all, of the worthy needs that request our attention throughout our life.

In Luke 4:42-44, we see Jesus having to make the same kind of decision:

Lots of people wanted Jesus to stay in Capernaum to teach and heal them. (We also know that many there did not accept him – Matthew 11:23-24) It would have been easy for Jesus to stay right there until all were healed and he had won over all the nonbelievers.

Certainly there was disappointment whenever Jesus moved on, but the best use of his short time demanded that he …

…must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also – Luke 4:43

A little Later in the Gospel of Luke, (Luke 10:38-42) we see Jesus demonstrating this again with Mary and Martha. Martha was busy with “the good”, Mary chose “the best.”

It is a very common mistake, especially in the context of our church participation, to get caught up in the programs. There are programs to feed the poor, care for the elderly, visit the sick – all excellent ideas – helpful and loving ideas. But we see Jesus often stop short of being helpful and loving in favor of teaching.

He pointed out sins …

He informed the lost of their condition …

Sometimes he passed through towns without healing anybody …

Using Jesus’ example, we know we need to get to work – but choose wisely!

Doing good work is a key part of our faith, (James 2:26) but our primary and first instruction is to teach and save the lost. (Matthew 28:18-20) This is the assessment we should make every time we are asked to commit to something “good.”

Jesus Tempted in the Wilderness – ca. 1890 – James Tissot (1836–1902)

I’m glad he didn’t –

He would be a completely different kind of savior if he had.

Every time I read through the account of Jesus’ temptations, (Luke 4:1-12) I have to think back through the reasons Jesus did not turn the stones into bread. It seems like such a simple and harmless act – plus his fasting period was coming to an end.

Speaking of fasting …

Fasting is one of those biblical ideas taken to its extremes by the various denominations. It is a rather simple exercise intended to bring the person closer to God, but it has been exploited to the point of being meaningless to most people. That, and the lack of a New Testament requirement for it, has caused the original intent of fasting to become obscure.

Fasting is a period of sacrifice to the point of discomfort to remind us of our humanity and our need for God.

So what would be different if Jesus had turned the stone into bread?

He would have been turning away from God

If fasting is intended to be a time of drawing nearer to God, then Jesus was doing everything he could to show God he needed him. Using his ability to perform miracles for a selfish purpose voids that dependence.

We often do that when we allow worry and fear to drive our response to challenges.

He would have understood us less

Jesus came to the earth in the flesh so God would know exactly what our lives are like. He suffered physical discomforts. He was tempted to sin. He had to learn how to survive.

Turning that stone into bread is something a person could never do. Jesus would never know what human suffering is by taking advantage of such an easy solution.

When we are trying to be helpful, we often risk diminishing others’ suffering by saying we understand what they are feeling. We should be careful when we do not share a similar experience.

His humanity would have suffered from doubt

The devil tempted Jesus by saying, “If you are the Son of God…” (Luke 4:3 my emphasis.) In other words, “prove to us both that you can really do it!”

If Jesus had allowed himself to be manipulated in such a way, imagine all of the other events in his ministry that lose their impact with the introduction of a little doubt!

This is what happens to us when we respond to false criticism and irrelevant detractions. We lose our influence and our power to lead.

Jesus already commanded all the devil had to offer

When we really look closely at the temptation of Jesus (Luke 4:1-12) we see that Jesus was never tempted with anything that he did not already possess.

In a spiritual sense, the same is true with us!

When faced with temptations and challenges, remember what Jesus showed us is possible.

And be glad he didn’t turn the stone into bread…

The beheading of John the Baptist – 1608 – Caravaggio (1573–1610)

John the Baptist went to prison for telling Herod what he needed to hear. (Luke 3:19-20)

It is nothing new to see God’s word challenged in the government. Men have a terrible habit of letting power go to their heads.

Right now, we see laws based on morality changed or challenged every week. It is not hard to understand why: Allowing the country to slide further and further into an amoral atmosphere is exciting! We are liberated!

And … anyone that points out God’s way gets the same treatment as John. Maybe not physically, but certainly verbally.

The lesson for us to take away from the life of John is one of steadfastness in the face of outside challenges. We are not excused from teaching God’s word just because things are getting challenging.

Jesus praised John for his steadfastness. (Matthew 11:7-19) He did that to reassure us that it is definitely worth it to stick with God. In the end, we want Jesus to include us in that praise when he introduces us to the Father.

The key to growing steadfast is:

• remain committed
• show consistency when we apply God’s word
• teach as many as are willing to hear.

Work hard now – the reward comes at the end.

But, Compared to what John went through – we don’t really have it that bad do we? We’ve got this!

Question: When was the last time you were beaten or thrown in jail for teaching what the Bible says?

The Sermon of John the Baptist – 1566 – Pieter Brueghel the Elder (1526/1530–1569)

I know I am heaven bound because I _____.

We are not stretching the truth too much if we say that most Christians can confidently finish that sentence. It is human nature to hear what one wants to hear and call it a day. By that I mean that many have heard just enough to believe they are saved and then quit pursuing salvation.

Sometimes they even scoff at the need to study farther.

John the Baptist gave us a great example in Luke 3:8. The Jews generally did not feel the need to repent because they were children of Abraham. This is a key reason for John’s mission to prepare the way for Christ. He needed to begin breaking through that human nature and get people thinking rightly about their salvation. They scoffed at the idea that there was more.

This is still a problem right now.

Many hear bits and pieces of the truth and quit listening. We are a people that want everything fast and easy. Our easy access to information encourages this by allowing us to find answers on demand rather than encouraging study.

Ignoring some of what God teaches us in his word makes us as much a scofflaw as parking in a handicap spot using someone else’s tags. We might be showing the sign, but we haven’t met the qualifications.

John, Jesus, the Apostles, Paul – they all taught us to obey everything God commanded.

• It is to only way show God we love him
• It is the only way to demonstrate our faith
• It is the only way to help others find Christ

I know I am heaven bound because I _____.

Whenever we have the opportunity to finish that sentence, it is good to be confident of the answer. It is better to know that confidence is based on the full word of God.

The Finding of the Saviour in the Temple – 1860 – William Holman Hunt (1827–1910)

Study.

He did it through study.

After being discovered in the temple studying and talking with the teachers, (Luke 2:46-49) he went home submissive to his earthly parents and…

… Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man. – Luke 2:52

The implication is that Jesus, in becoming a man, had to go through all of the growth and phases of becoming an adult. He studied with the teachers and earned their respect as he learned. He grew into manhood just as any child would, by following his father’s lead.

Jesus, the ultimate example and master teacher, even showed us the way to grow in stature in God’s eyes. His expectation for us is to be perfect (Matthew 5:48) and he showed us the path to get there.

Just because people are not perfect and will never be sinless does not excuse us from trying. Depending on your Bible version, 2 Timothy 2:15 says to study (KJV), or to be diligent (NKJV), or do your best (ESV), to be approved by God.

As we work our way down the path toward perfection, we can be encouraged in knowing that Jesus went down the same path, and did the same work!

Baby in the womb at 17 weeks sucking his thumb and waving

It’s a baby.

Through his inspired writers, the Holy Spirit gave us the exact words to indicate how God feels about things. In Luke 1:41 and Luke 1:44, he calls a child in the womb “the baby.”

Throughout Luke 1, Elizabeth’s unborn child was able to be selected by God, be filled with the Spirit, and was aware when the unborn Jesus came into the room.

Who in history do we know that might have been more inconvenienced by an unplanned pregnancy than Mary – especially in her place and time? What if she decided to exercise her “rights” over her body?

In addition to this one event, there are a few more scriptures that reinforce that the only difference between an unborn life and a born life being that one is in the womb and one is not.

Take a look at these with me (as always, you can hover over the references to read the passage):

• Galatians 1:15 – Paul was set apart even before his birth
• Jeremiah 1:4-5 – Jeremiah was known by God even before he was “in the womb.”
• Isaiah 49:1 – Isaiah was called “from the womb.”
• Psalm 139:11-16 – we are wonderfully made!
• Proverbs 6:17 – A few things God hates

It is challenging to go against the noisy crowd in these moral issues, but Christians have to keep trying. God’s word is not subject to change based on popularity.

Zacharias Writes Down the Name of his Son – 1486-90 – Ghirlandaio

Oooops.

In Luke 1, Zachariah heard some extraordinary news and it was definitely hard to believe. He was a priest carrying out his duties at the altar when the angel appeared and identified himself. (Luke 1:18) This should have been good enough for a man of God, but he let doubt rule the day.

Since he questioned the angel’s message, Zechariah was muted until he gave his new son the name John. (Read all about the birth of John the Baptist.)

Zechariah wasn’t the first one to ever doubt God. If we are honest with ourselves, we know he wasn’t the last. It is something that every Christian struggles with.

God doesn’t want us to be worried. He hates when we have doubt.

And He has told us that a lot.

Today, take your Bible out and look at all the ways that God let us know he wants us to put ourselves in his care and trust him:

• James 4:7 – Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you
• Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding…
• Romans 15:13 – May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope
• Psalms 118:9 – It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes
• Matthew 24:35 – Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away
• John 14:1 – Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.
• And the big one: Matthew 6:25-34 – Do not be anxious for tomorrow, God will take care of you…

Feelings of doubt, weakened trust, and worry are all dealt with through prayer and spending time in God’s word. (Romans 10:17) Some times are harder than others, but this is always the proper course of action.

Make it a priority to do this more!

How you present yourself online can last for a looooong time!

Social media is becoming so ubiquitous in our day to day that it is no longer wise to go head first into it without a few ground rules.

One thing to remember as free users of the social sites: we are the product being packaged and sold. We are not the site’s customer. As one who promotes a blog and Facebook page for daily Bible reading, I can tell you first hand that they are doing everything they can for me. I occasionally spend a few dollars to get just the right audience to pitch my page. That makes businesses and others like me the customer.

For those of us that are trying to live a Christian lifestyle (or may want to in the future,) it is vitally important to control what we post about ourselves on the Internet. Once it is out there, it is out there forever. Since we are the product, the effect is compounded because our data is being actively collected and indexed.

We need some ground rules for posting. We need to discipline ourselves and teach our children how to protect ourselves. This involves our reputations, trust and credibility for the rest of our lives.

Anyone that doesn’t believe this is true can just look at any election cycle. Remember all those candidates that had to drop out because of indiscretions that happened years ago? There were some great people among them that just couldn’t overcome the stigma of their sins.

What Would Jesus Post addresses these concerns. In seven essays, Brian D. Wassom lays out with Biblical principles how to act when we are online. In reality, these principles apply to how we act in any venue, not just social media. Since this book is easily read in one sitting, one could conceivably put these principles into action tonight.

I will not be recommending this book to anyone though. Ironically, in the chapter called Don’t Be A Stumbling Block, the author actually breaks his own rule. He tells us that the Bible teaches us that it is okay to drink alcohol socially, and then goes into all the reasons he hides the fact that he does. These are the exact reasons the Bible teaches us that intoxicating beverages should not be consumed. I do not want others to think I believe otherwise by endorsing this book.

That chapter aside, the rest of the book holds up as a good baseline for how to present ourselves via social media. Especially the idea of being true to yourself, and not trying to be someone you are not.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”