A Message Within It's Words
by Paul Mason
BookVenture Publishing


"Therefore, it doesn’t matter what’s going on in a person’s life, God is there waiting for His children to call…"

Mason is a man on a mission. His stated concern for both those he knows and those he does not is what has driven him to offer his meditations to the world; his passion is to see as many people as possible become truly aware of what is happening in their lives and to realize that with God on their side they can thrive. Structuring his book in a way that it can be read as a daily devotional, with each page comprising one topic, he presents hope and encouragement to all who care to read his words.

The author’s selections occasionally take the form of prayers but most often consist of advice aimed at an issue that his audience might be facing. For instance, in “Watch for the Road Blocks,” he encourages us to realize that the roadblocks we face in life may be put there by God to direct us along a better path. At other times, he explores a social problem from a spiritual perspective. For example, in “The Devil Never Quit at His Job,” Mason discusses how there is too much hate in the world. We can deflect this hate when it is directed at us by modeling Christ, a person who refused to hate others or let their negative influence and opinions affect what he knew to be true about himself. He goes on to argue that “the devil and his recruiters” are the biggest haters of all, having first hated God for not giving the devil equal power, and then later hating Jesus Christ for following his father’s will in directing people toward God.

Each one of the author’s brief meditations is filled with small nuggets of encouragement for life’s journey. Ideas such as the importance of never giving up, avoiding negativity, being grateful, seeing yourself in God’s eyes and not as others might wrongly view you, etc. are found on every page. The shortness of each passage is also ideal for those who want an inspiring thought for the day ahead but who do not have a lot of time to spend reading before beginning it. In this respect, Mason’s book follows in a long line of similar works such as Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost for His Highest or Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening. The overall positive tone of the book, though, reminds one more of a devotional by Joel Osteen or Max Lucado than of one by the early masters of this style of literature.

Although Mason's love for his fellow man comes across clearly in his book, insufficient editing often blunts the excellent points he is trying to convey. Still, the author’s heart is readily visible in his writing, and the encouragement that one can glean from his words provide a positive boost for either the start of the day or as a final thought before bedtime. Thought-provoking, inspiring, and in a format that fits in well with our fast-paced lifestyles, Mason’s book has much to offer those seeking a quick, spiritual pick-me-up.

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