by Mike Gray

The good folks at Nordskog Publishing are offering publications that confirm the real reason for the season. Here are several commendable books for Christians and non-Christians alike.

God’s Ten Commandments: Yesterday, Today, Forever
Nordskog – 2007
by Francis Nigel Lee
ISBN 978-0-9796736-2-7

I do not intend here to undertake a detailed analysis of how people—consciously or unconsciously—undermine the Decalogue in general or the Sabbath in particular. Undermining either the Decalogue or the Sabbath betrays the amateur, naive, and untheological influence of apostate religion and is the basic motive of Antinomianism—at least at a secondary or tertiary level.

Rather I present the view of the infallible written Word of God—the sixty-six book Bible, the final rule on all matters of faith and conduct …. It clearly teaches that all men, of all religions, of all cultures, and for all time, are obligated to follow the Ten Commandments.

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The Fear of God: A Forgotten Doctrine
Nordskog – 2008
2nd Edition
by Arnold L. Frank
ISBN 978-0-9796736-5-8

The Fear of God is a major theme in the Bible. The expression is found in the Old Testament and the New Testament. Its New Testament appearances are spread evenly throughout, in the Gospels, the Acts, and in the Epistles, with a major emphasis in the book of Revelation. On three occasions in Revelation, the worship that will prevail in the New Heaven and the New Earth is characterized as being in the fear of God.

In spite of the prominence of that expression, its presence in contemporary Christian worship, preaching, and publications is conspicuous by its absence to a significant degree. Modern translations of the Bible regularly translate the original words for “fear” as “reverence” or “awesome,” terms sufficiently broad to lose the vital sense of what the “fear of God” is meant to convey.

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Died He for Me: A Physician’s View of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ
Nordskog – 2008
by Mark A. Marinella, M.D., FACP
ISBN 978-0-9796736-6-5

As a Christian physician, I have marveled at not only the spiritual ramifications of Christ’s death, but also at the physical and physiological aspects. For instance, Pilate’s flogging of Jesus probably left him in critical condition due to massive blood loss, tissue injury, and great distress. Based on the physical response to the severe beatings, lack of food and sleep, and great spiritual anguish, I believe Jesus’ body was in shock and already nearing death as He was nailed to the cross. To present this, I have compiled a succinct overview of Jesus’ death from a physical and medical perspective that, I hope, both lay and medical people can appreciate and understand.

My desire is that when we contemplate the crucifixion so often casually taken for granted, we will not forget the physical suffering and sacrifice Christ underwent in a purely voluntary manner, simply because of His love for each one of us. We need to digest and understand that “Jesus was a naked, humiliated, exposed God on the cross who allowed us to get close to Him” … and that He would have died for each of us, even if we were the only person to ever live.

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Truth Standing on Its Head: Insight for An Extraordinary Christian Walk from The Sermon on the Mount
Nordskog – 2009
by John N. Day
ISBN 978-0-9824929-3-2

“Paradox is Truth standing on her head to attract attention.” — G. K. Chesterton

Almost anyone you ask might say sermons are boring. This can be hard news to hear if you are a preacher. It is doubly hard if you find yourself studying this book on our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount, which is essentially a series of sermons about a sermon found in Matthew chapters 5-7. But the Sermon on the Mount is far from boring. Many of those who love our Lord’s teachings tend to love it most. Whether one is a Christian or not, there is much to be both honored and emulated, for Jesus cuts straight to the heart. He confronts our human tendency toward “image religion” that is based on outward show and selfish attitudes. Jesus crushes our idols, especially those stubborn ones of entitlement and hypocrisy. In doing so, He demonstrates that a genuine relationship with God shows itself in selfless and humble-hearted obedience. It can be a mind-expanding and life-transforming sermon if we will take the time to truly hear.

Nordskog’s homepage is here.