CBM Book Reviews - A Must Read

A must read by Christian author Patrick Higgins.

Counting down to Christmas, an unannounced visitor, dubbed as a vagrant, with shabby, unkept clothes and appearance. This visitor (possibly an angel) was ushered away from the front seats of Lydia Jensen’s church to the back row. All eyes were on the man as he was ushered to the back. Lydia too looked and wondered with compassion upon the man. 

Finding out that he was put in the back because of the way he looked, gives way to Lydia speaking in first person of her ensuing encounters and changing heart. She wondered how her supposed brothers and sisters could act so unChristlike, and wondered how the godly couple, the Rainer’s, could possibly be so judgmental, after catching the elderly wife scowl at the poorly clothed man for taking their seats.

This book gives way to the issue of what it means to be Christlike, and displays Scripture in relevant ways as this visitor changes Lydia and her family’s lives for the good. God’s commands to His children is to not be partial, and to help the poor. 

The Unannounced Christmas Visitor sheds light on the modern-day Church and attitudes of the heart against the poor, the homeless and those who are less fortunate. The Bible reminds us that is not up to us to be the judge, that there is only one Judge. Still, this book displays another facet of some that those would call themselves Christians. Those who choose to look the other way, as many do, to a hurting world.

Displaying common attitudes and misguided faith about God in John (Lydia’s husband) the author has chosen to represent what may be more common happenings in marriages and families than one would like to think. Her husband John has become disconnected at age 42, and after his years at college and being indoctrinated with humanism (life without God), his faith has waned. So much so, he resents church and Lydia for wanting him to go. Their marriage, on the verge of divorce, with nothing but arguing day and night, represent how hard it is for couples just to be happy and the opposition that many families face. Lydia’s fight for her marriage and family is not an uncommon theme in our present day world.

Leading readers to a challenge to not only love the saved, but to love the lost – no matter what they look like, this book is inspiring, as it offers the hope in Jesus. One powerful comment that is made in the book by the homeless man sums up the book’s theme: “That’s because you’re doing a good thing. Most people do nice things hoping for the applause of others. But the select few do it more for the smile of God than anything else. I can assure you that your generosity has put a smile on our Maker’s face. How could you not feel good under such conditions?” This comment was made to Lydia, as she sat down to chat with the homeless man, whom she had fed (along with about 50 other homeless people).

A wonderful, heart-felt novel that will inspire one to look to God, follow His commands and to remember, God is Love – challenging all to look at themselves and ask, “What does love in action look like?” A fantastic read, reminding all of the true Gospel of faith in action. ~ CBM Christian Book Reviews.

The Unannounced Christmas Visitor

Patrick Higgins

ISBN #978-0-9658978-0-8

CBM Christian Book Reviews

10.0 out of 10.0 Stars

Get your copy of The Unannounced Christmas Visitor at Amazon 

or in Kindle as a download.

CBM Christian Book Review - The Forum

Ronald Winters releases The Forum: A Deadly Game of Wheat and Tares by that offers a riveting fictional account of “real world end time events, current day attitudes and directions of the spirit of the times in which we live.” 10.0 out of 10.0 stars

Barak Zonman, starts off this fast-paced thriller, blending elements of espionage with a religious and political polarization that affect the masses of population around the World. In the book, there is a conspiracy to bring all faiths into one large interfaith religion and Barak Zonman and his popular TV show – The Forum must be eliminated.

This begins with Zonman, the show’s founder. The Forum “is a faith oriented call-in TV show designed to let viewers question leading members of the clergy.” Controversial in nature, this show sparks debate – and hinders the worldwide current of leading all into one faith and world peace. This novel of the wheat and tares is an amazing book written to those that would seek truth in God and the true Christian faith.

Running for his life, Barak finds sanctuary in a church and finds himself radically changed by a baptism by water, followed by a baptism of the Spirit, as evidenced by the speaking in tongues. Highlighting this issue, the author speaks of the controversy between believers on being “born again” (either by just statement and belief and/or by receiving the infilling of the Spirit, as evidenced by speaking in tongues). This radical way of being born again and receiving the Spirit is what Apostle Paul spoke of, thus, the book sheds light on God’s way versus man’s way. Man’s way and God’s way are running a collision course to the End Times in this book that reveal an exciting plot of scenarios begun by two Prologues that concurrently blend modern-day questions and events that has been spoken of in Bible Prophecy. The author also notes that we are in the time of the Olivet Discourse that Jesus speaks of on the Mount of Olives, mentioning the time of Jesus return as near since the birth of Israel in May 1948.

In the back of the book the author offers his personal testimony, delivered instantly from prescription drug dependency when “he looked in the mirror” and repented of his ways. Holding fast to true repentance, the author advocates true Holy Ghost filled deliverances and that the modern-day believer should have them as a norm, instead of replaced by the Forum so to speak – the modern day church who compromises and duplicates the actual workings of the Holy Spirit by replacing them with good theology, programs and modern day mood alteration technology. He also offers observations on some relevant issues, two being backsliding and tithing.

This book comes highly recommended for those that look to fill the void inside, but are not sure what they are looking for. And for those that enjoy thrillers with the elements of religious and political overtones. Recommended either for a personal read or as a tool to reach the unbeliever, the book highlights the End Times and gives a faith-filled read that speaks of the true evidence found in an all-powerful God. Based on Barak’s faith-filled experience, the book offers challenging questions to believers and to non-believers (the wheat and the tares) as to the times that we are living in and gives a warning to the group of believers that call themselves, the Church.

Available in Kindle.