You want to be more like Jesus, but sometimes it feels that you’re not growing much. Despite your best efforts, spiritual progress seems frustratingly slow.
Take heart! In We Will Be Changed, trusted Bible teacher Alistair Begg offers hope and reassurance that the Holy Spirit is working in and through you. He is shaping your heart, transforming your character and forming your life into a testimony.
As you read, you’ll discover…
Begg writes, “God saves us just as we are, but He is not content for us to remain just as we are". Be strengthened by the truth that you are partnering with the Holy Spirit as you seek spiritual growth. God is at work in you, and you will be changed.
(Review written for 'We Will Be Changed')
“The great secret of growth in true Christian character is to look far less at ourselves and far more at Christ as we depend less on ourselves and more on his Spirit.” Begg takes you through the nine inner glories of the fruit of the Spirit. Eight brief, yet thoughtful and soul-piercing, chapters take you through nonnegotiable love, inexplicable joy, unique peace, the posture of patient waiting, kindness and goodness, faithfulness, a spirit of gentleness and self-control.
This book also made me rethink the definitions of some of these words. It made me think more deeply about faithfulness and how it applies to marriage, parenting, and work. It also gives you practical ways in which you should be seeing the fruit of the Spirit working in your life. If you’re not seeing it, look to Jesus’s example, pray, read your Bible. If Paul can change, you can change.
We are in a continual battle against our flesh, and this book reminds you to fight it by “fixing the eyes of your heart on Christ.” Self-control and faithfulness are not popular words in today’s culture, so we must fight to not be of this world. “That is how you guard your heart: through having your emotions in check and your thoughts captive to Christ.” Alistair Begg makes it clear that his goal is not to make the reader walk away thinking they must work harder, but to aim to be more like Jesus. If you make it your goal to be more like Jesus, then you will see the fruit of the Spirit in your life.
(Review written for 'We Will Be Changed')
For those who have enjoyed the pastoral warmth and practical application of Alistair Begg’s highly popular “Truth For Life” daily devotionals, this is another must-read.
In “We Will Be Changed”, Begg explores the relationship between life in the Spirit (Romans 8:28-29) and the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) in the sanctification of the believer. Many Christians will hit a wall of discouragement as they don’t see any real spiritual transformation in their lives, and wonder why their spiritual progress ...seems so slow. This is where Alistair Begg writes with warmth, clarity and gentleness, to help the reader to see the true secret of Christian growth.
The book itself is divided up into eight short but compelling chapters, each exploring a different fruit of the Spirit and how the indwelling Holy Spirit works to develop a godly character in the Christian. Alistair Begg writes with his typical gift of applying the truths of Scripture with adept exposition and application, and his wide range of excellent illustrations.
I used this book for my own daily devotionals and was both encouraged and challenged in equal measure, as Begg’s reflections ministered deeply to my own soul. A couple of highlights for me was from the chapter on patience, and as someone who struggles with being impatient, I loved Begg’s illustration (building on an illustration by C.H. Spurgeon) of the stormy seas being the place where character is formed, rather than the tranquil harbour. (p59) I was also deeply encouraged by the chapter on faithfulness, where Begg helps the reader to see that whilst the world values success (as do many churches and ministries) the Spirit is at work in the believer to grow faithfulness to Christ. (p81)
In closing, this is a profoundly spiritual and practical book for every believer, young or mature in the faith.
*Disclaimer: TGBC very kindly provided me with a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
(Review written for 'We Will Be Changed')
My wife asked me "Do you know any books on finding your worth in God and not in what others think of you?"
This is the one. This will help you not focus on yourself but look to Christ. Couldn't put it down. Alistair Begg is one of my favourite preachers. The way he can expound the gospel is heart warming and soul encouraging, so it is with this book. He gentle encourages and challenges us in each of the fruit of the spirit to grow and become more like our Saviour. He encourages us to fix our eyes on ...Jesus rather than ourselves. One to read and reread.
