AFA Staff
AFA Journal staff reviews movies, books and other resources
January-February 2020 – Turn to Me
For 2020, Turn to Me is a treasure of pithy daily devotions by Tennessee author Tom Reed who inspires and challenges readers who hunger and thirst after depth as they study the Word
of God.
In a creative literary device, Reed titles each daily reading with an ordinary word; for example, the February 26 reading is titled “Dirt.” It begins with, “Yes, we were made from dirt. … [then] God put us to work, back in the dirt.”
Clever phrasing opens each day’s entry, with single words such as heart, choice, hear, fad, etc. Reed reminds us first, that life in Christ permeates the ordinariness of life and second, that it also lifts us to extraordinary levels when we trust in Him.
Available at online booksellers. Caution: There are other books by the same title; be sure to find Tom Reed’s book.
Randall Murphree
Jezebel’s War with America
Jezebel’s War with America: The Plot to Destroy our Country and What We Can Do to Turn the Tide is about the demonic spirit that operated through Queen Jezebel in 9th century AD. She is considered by many the most wicked woman referenced in the Bible. She was “an idol-worshiping seductress who slaughtered God’s prophets, terrified His servants, had her enemies assassinated, and emasculated her husband, the King of Israel,” wrote author Michael Brown.
Brown succinctly connects Jezebel to today’s most contentious issues. Beginning with idolatry, the U.S. is ravaged by the evils of sexual seduction, baby killing, radical feminism, gender attacks, witchcraft, and forces determined to silence truth.
Jezebel is alive and well, actively working to seduce, deceive, and destroy the nation. However, the reader is not abandoned to hopelessness but is presented with step-by-step tools to identify and overcome Jezebel’s evil, both in one’s personal life and on a national level. Available online and at retail bookstores.
Anne Reed
The Seed Who Was Afraid to Be Planted
Anthony DeStefano authored The Seed Who Was Afraid to Be Planted, a rhyming children’s tale that teaches the transforming love of God and the importance of courage. It is a basic retelling of Jesus’s parables – from the perspective of a seed.
It allows children to understand that God is in control, no matter the situation. This book is wonderful for young readers (or listeners) who have the heart to learn. Available at online booksellers.
Hannah Harrison
Divine Mysteries
Jeffrey D. Johnson, biblical expositor, former pastor, and founder of Israel Today Ministries, tackles more than 40 of the Bible’s most intriguing mysteries in Divine Mysteries: Concise and Thoughtful Ancient Biblical Wisdom. By doing the work for the reader – using original language word studies, contextual understanding, cross references, and scholarly studies – Johnson brings insight and clarity to some of the profound mysteries of the text.
And he accomplishes it in less than 200 pages. Available at retail and online bookstores.
Anne Reed
We Too
Sexual abuse survivor Mary DeMuth addresses the issue of abuse in the evangelical church. In We Too: How the Church Can Respond to the Sexual Abuse Crisis, DeMuth calls the church to combat the problem with truth, Scripture, and practical applications churches and survivors can incorporate into daily life.
“My holy longing is that we can create such a haven for the sexually broken that they’ll be able to be loved, feel joy, and revel in relationships,” DeMuth said.
She explains why the abused are leaving the church, ways the church can protect them, and how Christians should treat victims with empathy as Christ did. Of all the books that have emerged from the evangelical abuse crisis, DeMuth’s is one of the most important. She is a true advocate for love, justice, and hope for the future. Available at online and retail bookstores.
Hannah Harrison
