In The Bookcase: Book Review: Count It All Joy

Count It All Joy by David Jeremiah (5 star review)

Count It All Joy

written by David Jeremiah

320 pages // published in 2016 // Christian non-fiction

My Review...

David Jeremiah returns with a powerful study on the book of Philippians.
And it's all about JOY!

Essentially, he dissects Philippians into small segments, groups of a few verses, and brings out the central theme of that passage. (This is the same setup he used on the book of James in 'What to Do When You Don't Know What to Do', which I thoroughly enjoyed as well!)

The 12 chapter topics of Count It All Joy include:

The Joy of Community
The Joy of Adversity
The Joy of Integrity
The Joy of Unity
The Joy of Responsibility
The Joy of Ministry
The Joy of Humility
The Joy of Victory
The Joy of Maturity
The Joy of Harmony
The Joy of Security
The Joy of Serenity

So much of Paul's letter to the people of Philippi stresses on points that we as Christians should be paying attention to with our whole hearts. It becomes clear that the theme of his writing is indeed "joy". It doesn't matter how bad Paul had tortured up to that point, how he suffered, and was confined in a jail cell. He still felt joy in Christ and could happily spread the good word through his writing. His life is truly amazing.

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 4:4-7

Dr. Jeremiah offers real-life stories to illustrate impacting thoughts. I liked how he brought in a variety of people's story like this -- whether the person is someone famous we know today, or someone from the history books. It was interesting how he brought into focus obscure stories and created a spiritual analogy out of it.

A lot of Dr. Jeremiah's writing is complemented with the work of other religious leaders, and I like the steadfast effect this creates. He doesn't just rely on his own answers, but the life-long discoveries and truths that other leaders like him have succeeded in finding.

*Also included in the back are chapter questions for personal application or group study.

This is a great Bible study on Philippians!

"Paul saw life and death as equally desirable. If he continued to live, he would come to know and love and serve the Lord more fully. If he died, he would completely and finally and perfectly know Him." -David Jeremiah, Count It All Joy

Thanks to the author and Netgalley for the free review copy & for the opportunity to express my honest opinions.

Count It All Joy is available on Amazon in hardcover, audio, and e-book format.