Book Review: Look and Live

Title: Look and Live

Author: Matt Papa

Rating: 5/5

Age Recommendation: 12+

Plot: Matt Papa was a "professional Christian" in full-time ministry, ready and determined to change the world. All the while he was depressed, addicted to the approval of others, and enslaved to sin. But then everything changed. He encountered the glory of God.

  All of us live in the tension between where we are and where we ought to be. We try our best to bully our desires into submission. And all we know, this is exhausting.

   

  Are you tired? Stuck? Still fighting the same sin you've been fighting for years? The call in these pages is not to work or strive, but to lift your eyes. You don't need more willpower. You need a vision of greatness that sweeps you off you feet. You need to see glory. 

  Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Copied from the back of Look and Live

This book is centered on God's glory, and worshiping Him. It is about turning from your idols and false gods and worshiping the Glory that is so much better. Looking and then living.

Quality: I thought that this book was written in a very understandable way. I loved the blunt-gentleness in the way that Matt Papa gets his message across. He made sure you understood how despicable your sins were, but it didn't end there. He went on to describe the beauty of the cross and how despite our sins Jesus love us. He died for us. I really learned a lot from this book, and I highlighted it like crazy (which means it was awesome:)). Although the beginning was a little slow, I think it was mainly so because Matt was setting the foundation for the chapters to come.

My Thoughts: I don't know about you, but I am generally a "proper worshiper". Meaning when I worship, I don't really dance, lift my hands, or even close my eyes for fear of what other people will think about me. I sing in a quiet, un-passionate (yes that's a made up word, don't judge!) voice that just blends into the background. Don't get me wrong, I totally adore God and I really do enjoy worshiping Him, I just... keep it together. I don't loose control. I don't forget about what other people are thinking. I dwell on thoughts like this: "Well, I'd like to sing louder, but I have an awful singing voice and the person next to me is gonna be like 'man alive! she can;t sing a not can she?'" Or "I would lift my hands, but no one else is, and they might think I was weird if I did." But you know what? I really just need to think "This is for Jesus, dude! And Jesus is juts so beautiful and glorious, I can't help but sing loud and lift my hands!" This book really helped me see that Glory. The Glory so great that I can't help but forget about all my surroundings. It was beautiful. There are so many things I'd like to tell you about this book, and I just don't have time! All I can say is this: Read the book. It is totally worth it! The one thing that I would think you need to be aware of before purchasing Look and Live would be that in my personal opinion, each chapter was kind of like a great sermon. But like a sermon, it is best understood if you're able to read it (or listen to it) all in one setting. Meaning this wasn't really a book that you could just read a paragraph, then get up, come back and read another paragraph. And my life is a little busy (FYI, I wouldn't trade it for anything) so it's hard to get undisturbed time to read a whole chapter. Aside from that I say GO FOR IT. YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT. EVER. NEVER. EVER. :D

Disclaimer: I was sent a free copy of Look and Live from Bethany House Publishers for the purpose of this review. All opinions expressed above are my own.