Book Review

Title: A Life Of An Enthusiastic Worship Author: Daniel Owino Ogweno Publisher: Xulon Press Publish Date: 2005 ISBN: 1-597810-77-0 Genre: Worship Book Size: 234 pages Reviewer: Linda Germain Available Through: i) Xulon Press (http://bit.ly/uMbsUK ) ii) Amazon.com (http://bit.ly/HEjq2C ) iii) E-book at Smashwords (http://bit.ly/NyLVlD )

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD. Psalm 150:6 Some books are akin to fast food: predictable, consumed in one sitting, and very little real meat. A Life of an Enthusiastic Worship is not one of those books. The author reveals what he calls the eleven steps to a fulfilling worship experience. In the preface, he encourages us to realize our most important mission is not merely to read for the sake of reading, but to do something with the information. Worshipping God is: 1. Giving Him time so that we can meditate on His precepts; 2. Telling Him we worship Him and calling His attention to His promises; 3. Giving Him the glory and ascribing greatness to Him;

4. Living a life of integrity and dedicating it to Him; 5. Acknowledging the mighty works of His hands; 6. Being single-mindedly devoted to His goodness; 7. Exalting Him above all names; 8. To make our hearts an altarnot allowing anything else to compete; 9. To tell Him that He is perfect and righteous in all that He does; 10. Taking the responsibility to appreciate the things He has put in our custody and to treat His name with reverence at all times; and 11. To identify with Him and glorify Him by our behavior in obeying His will. In Chapter 1, we learn how the secret to true worship of our God is to begin at the only possible starting pointwhich is offering ourselves to Him wholly and without reservation. That makes us a living sacrifice. In the New Testament where we are called upon to offer ourselves as the sacrifices living sacrificeswe are not just to offer ourselves in any way. We must be washed by the Blood of the Lamb of God and have our sins forgiven A serious hindrance to true worship is what the author calls our indifference to Gods purpose of creation. Equally significant, he says, is the precedence of our personal priorities and interests which take over the clear will of God. The sponge-water relationship is a good way to picture the ideal response that would glorify our Maker. Picture God as water and His people as sponges. If we are thoroughly soaked, His presence would be manifest in what we do, and whether we are squeezed under pressure or if we swing with pleasure, we would produce love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-controlall the fruits of the Spirit. We were created to have a fellowship with God. After we obey in surrendering completely to Him, we can express our worship in countless ways by our speech and music and behavior. Just as we cant wait to breathe, so we shouldnt wait to breathe out praises unto God. The preface to A Life of an Enthusiastic Worship may seem a tad ponderous to some in explaining the conception of how the author was led to share these wonderful lessons. However, once you arrive at the first chapter and read, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO WORSHIP GOD? you are in for a precious time of study and enlightenment. At the end of each section, under the title, REFLECTIONS, there are thought provoking questions to help us invest in some serious self-examination. This would make an excellent group study, as it certainly lends itself to sharing. At the same time, I would encourage a daily dose of personal reading in order to absorb and implement new

understandings of just who we are, and more important, who our Father is, and what true worship means. There is so much wonderful material between the pages of this inspirational book it would be impossible to give more than a glimpse in a short review. Again, it does not offer a snack for a quick boost, but rather a life-infusing feast to be savored as the author serves up nourishment for your mind and spirit that will sustain you for eternity.