Clutter-Free Christianity: What God Really Desires for You ~ A Book Review and Giveaway!

Clutter has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up in a home with 9 siblings and a mother who worked full time ever since I started school. It was just something I learned to live with. Don't get me wrong, (especially Mom if you're reading this), our house was never really filthy, it was just hard to avoid that "lived in" look with that many people living under one roof.

As a wife and mother myself, I've had a constant struggle with clutter all my life too...and that was true even before I met my husband Ray, who is the King of clutter, and brings home every stray item he finds, just to give it a home...or because he MIGHT need it some day.

Anyway, in "Clutter-Free Christianity", Dr. Jeffress is talking about a whole different kind of clutter. He shows us how to cut through the clutter of everything we may have heard about being a Christian and get back to the basics of what God really expects and wants from us.

I'm finding this book truly fascinating. For instance, he tells us that a "kingdom" simply implies the territory that is ruled over by a particular monarch. Therefore, the "Kingdom of God" not only refers to heaven, or some future time when there will be a new heaven and a new earth, but that the Kingdom of God exists right here and now and means "any place where God's will is being obeyed." That was a real eye-opener for me.

Here is a summary of the book:

When did the Christian life become so complicated?
Your greatest desire is to please God, but with each passing week, your spiritual to-do list grows longer. As you strive to fulfill a never-ending inventory of requirements for being a godly parent, spouse, voter, employee, and more, you feel increasingly disconnected from the God you’re trying to serve.
It’s time to cut through the clutter and get to the heart of what it means to please God. In this liberating look at the core principles of faith, Dr. Robert Jeffress reveals the truth about what God really wants from you–and what He wants to do for you.
Through solid biblical teaching and practical insights, Dr. Jeffress points you toward a revitalized faith centered on becoming more like Jesus in action, attitude, and affection. You’ll learn how to partner with God in the process of spiritual transformation as you choose to follow Christ in forgiveness, obedience, trust, contentment, service, and prayer.
Through a renewed focus on experiencing the kingdom of God right now, you’ll find your to-do list shrinking and your spiritual life deepening. It all comes with embracing Clutter-Free Christianity.Includes a Bible study guide for personal growth and group discussion.

Clutter-Free Christianity would make a great bible study for small groups too, since it includes a bible study guide section in the back of the book. The book is available from Random House Books for just $13.99.

I am also going to GIVE AWAY a copy of this excellent book. To get your name into the random drawing for this book, just leave a comment after this post. You can come back and leave a comment each day for more chances to win, just remember to leave me a valid e-mail address, so that I can contact you in the event that you are chosen as the winner. This contest is open to all residents of the continental U.S. A winner will be randomly drawn on April 18, 2009. Thanks! and Good Luck!

Dr. Robert Jeffress is the senior pastor of First Baptist Dallas, one of the most historic churches in the Southern Baptist Convention. The author of sixteen books, he is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary and Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary. In addition, live broadcasts of Dr. Jeffress’ weekly messages reach millions of listeners and viewers each week, while his daily sermon series airs on 1,100 television stations and cable systems nationwide. Dr. Jeffress and his wife, Amy, are the parents of two adult daughters.