‘Beyond Heaven's Door’ by Max Lucado

 Each sunrise seems to bring fresh reasons for fear.They're talking layoffs at work, slowdowns in the economy, flare-ups in the Middle East, turnovers at headquarters, downturns in the housing market, upswings in global warming. The plague of our day, terrorism, begins with the word terror. Fear, it seems, has taken up a hundred-year lease on the building next door and set up shop. Oversized and rude, fear herds us into a prison of unlocked doors. Wouldn't it be great to walk out?Imagine your life, wholly untouched by angst. What if faith, not fear, was your default reaction to threats? If you could hover a fear magnet over your heart and extract every last shaving of dread, insecurity, or doubt, what would remain? Envision a day, just one day, where you could trust more and fear less.Can you imagine your life without fear ~~Grace.~~We talk as though we understand the term. The bank gives us a grace period. The seedy politician falls from grace. Musicians speak of a grace note. We describe an actress as gracious, a dancer as graceful. We use the word for hospitals, baby girls, kings, and pre-meal prayers. We talk as though we know what grace means.But do we really understand it? Have we settled for wimpy grace? It politely occupies a phrase in a hymn, fits nicely on a church sign. Never causes trouble or demands a response. When asked, “Do you believe in grace?” who could say no?Max Lucado asks a deeper question: Have you been changed by grace? Shaped by grace? Strengthened by grace? Emboldened by grace? Softened by grace? Snatched by the nape of your neck and shaken to your senses by grace?God’s grace has a drenching about it. A wildness about it…a white-water, riptide, turn-you-upside-downness about it. Grace comes after you. It rewires you. From insecure to God secure. From regret riddled to better-because-of-it. From afraid to die to ready to fly.Grace is the voice that calls us to change and then gives us the power to pull it off. Let’s make certain grace gets you.  Thoughts of heaven can be unsettling.Life with no end?Space with no bounds?Are we supposed to feel good about these things?Bestselling author Max Lucado assures us that we can. There is much about heaven that we don't yet understand. And while thoughts on our final destiny may stir questions, they needn't stir our fears.In Beyond Heaven's Door Max takes us on a journey from finding certainty in our destination to God's great promises of the hereafter. Open the door and catch a glimpse of the joy that awaits you in heaven—and find hope for today in the process. View the list »
:...anticipating a journey all are destined to take..."

Western Religions newsletter

Max Lucado’s new gift book, Beyond Heaven’s Door released just in time for Easter with answers to common questions and concerns about heaven, death and dying. He uses Scripture and selections from work previously published in When Christ Comes to quiet collective doubts and fears about all three in twenty short chapters that foster understanding as well as faith and trust.

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Max, long considered a “golf addict, begins with a short golf story.” When pro-golfer, Scott Simpson invited him to “attend the Masters Golf Tournament” known as the “Holy Grail” of golfing, his excitement and anticipation were hard to contain. However, upon arrival he was refused entry to the one place he really wanted to see—the locker room where the “players hang out.”

He likens that rejection to fears many have about heaven. They either don’t believe or entertain doubts about going to heaven even though they are “God-fearing…church-attending” people. Yet, “according to the Bible, it is possible to ‘know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life (1 John 5:13 MSG)…”

One heavenly requirement is faith and belief in Jesus Christ, however, Max writes it also depends on the “clothing you wear…”

Readers learn:

· What the “clothing of Christ” is and why it’s significant.

· Why the color of your clothing is important.

· What seeds and harvest have to do with heaven?

· Where souls go when the body dies.

Although small in size, Max’s reassuring message offers scriptural comfort about a journey everyone is destined to take. It’s especially appropriate for Easter, a time when we remember Christ’s victory on the cross that ensures eternal life in heaven for those who accept and believe.

***Check out the “list” that headlines the review for other releases by this amazing author***

‘Beyond Heaven's Door’ by Max Lucado, Thomas Nelson, 2013, Hardcover, 978-0849948435, $14.99

Twitter: @GailWelborn

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  •  Thoughts of heaven can be unsettling.Life with no end?Space with no bounds?Are we supposed to feel good about these things?Bestselling author Max Lucado assures us that we can. There is much about heaven that we don't yet understand. And while thoughts on our final destiny may stir questions, they needn't stir our fears.In Beyond Heaven's Door Max takes us on a journey from finding certainty in our destination to God's great promises of the hereafter. Open the door and catch a glimpse of the joy that awaits you in heaven—and find hope for today in the process. 
  •  ~~Grace.~~We talk as though we understand the term. The bank gives us a grace period. The seedy politician falls from grace. Musicians speak of a grace note. We describe an actress as gracious, a dancer as graceful. We use the word for hospitals, baby girls, kings, and pre-meal prayers. We talk as though we know what grace means.But do we really understand it? Have we settled for wimpy grace? It politely occupies a phrase in a hymn, fits nicely on a church sign. Never causes trouble or demands a response. When asked, “Do you believe in grace?” who could say no?Max Lucado asks a deeper question: Have you been changed by grace? Shaped by grace? Strengthened by grace? Emboldened by grace? Softened by grace? Snatched by the nape of your neck and shaken to your senses by grace?God’s grace has a drenching about it. A wildness about it…a white-water, riptide, turn-you-upside-downness about it. Grace comes after you. It rewires you. From insecure to God secure. From regret riddled to better-because-of-it. From afraid to die to ready to fly.Grace is the voice that calls us to change and then gives us the power to pull it off. Let’s make certain grace gets you. 
  •  Each sunrise seems to bring fresh reasons for fear.They're talking layoffs at work, slowdowns in the economy, flare-ups in the Middle East, turnovers at headquarters, downturns in the housing market, upswings in global warming. The plague of our day, terrorism, begins with the word terror. Fear, it seems, has taken up a hundred-year lease on the building next door and set up shop. Oversized and rude, fear herds us into a prison of unlocked doors. Wouldn't it be great to walk out?Imagine your life, wholly untouched by angst. What if faith, not fear, was your default reaction to threats? If you could hover a fear magnet over your heart and extract every last shaving of dread, insecurity, or doubt, what would remain? Envision a day, just one day, where you could trust more and fear less.Can you imagine your life without fear
  •  Dear Friend,May I share a story that is very dear to my heart?It's a story of hillbillies and simple folk, net casters and tax collectors. A story of a movement that exploded like a just-opened fire hydrant out of Jerusalem and spilled into the ends of the earth: into the streets of Paris, the districts of Rome, and the ports of Athens, Istanbul, Shanghai, and Buenos Aires. A story so mighty, controversial, head spinning, and life changing that two millennia later we wonder:Might it happen again?Heaven knows we hope so. These are devastating times: 1.75 billion people are desperately poor; one billion are hungry. Lonely hearts indwell our neighborhoods and attend our schools. In the midst of it all, here we stand: you, me, and our one-of-a-kind lives. We are given a choice ... an opportunity to make a big difference during a difficult time. What if we did? What if we rocked the world with hope?Worth a try, don't you think?- Max Lucado 
  •  Are you ready to hope again? Are you ready to let go of doubt and sorrow? Just listen carefully. God is whispering your name.Somewhere, between the pages of this book and the pages of your heart, God is speaking. And He is calling you by name.Maybe that's hard to believe. Maybe you just can't imagine that the One who made it all thinks of you that personally -- that He keeps your name on His heart and lips.But it's true. In the Bible and in the circumstances of your life, He whispers your name lovingly. Tenderly. Patiently but persistently. Let these stories remind you of the God who knows your name.Some of the stories are from the Bible. Some are drawn from everyday life. Most are about people who are lost ... or weary ... or discouraged -- just like you may be. If you let them, they will tell the story of your life. And the story of a God who speaks into your situation.So listen closely as you turn these pages. Listen for the Father's gentle whisper that can erase your doubt, your sorrow, your weariness, your despair.It really is your name that you hear, and the Voice that calls is more loving that your ever dared dream. Listen. And learn to hope again. 
  •  Discover the life-enriching biblical application you're searching for in The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible. With more than 1,000 "Life Lessons" offering insights straight from Max, the message of God's Word will be more meaningful and impactful than ever.This beautifully designed Bible contains practical application drawn from Max Lucado's entire career—from his first book to his latest release, Outlive Your Life. For the first time, all the devotional material in this fully-revised edition of The Inspirational Study Bible is from Max Lucado and uses the popular and reliable New King James Version® (NKJV) translation!Features include: ·         Two-color design throughout·         More than 1,000 insightful Life Lessons·         Christ through the Bible sidebars·         Topical Index·         New King James Version text·         A perfect companion for Max Lucado's Outlive Your Life DVD-Based Study (9781418543945). 
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, Seattle Christian Book Review Examiner

Gail's articles and book reviews appear in a variety of national and local publications and on the Internet. She loves to read, and believes God teaches and instructs her in which way to go, according to Jeremiah 29:11. She and her husband live beside the Skagit River in Washington state.

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