Book Review: Escape from the Island of Occupation

Escape from the Island of Occupation (Children Fiction)Escape from the Island of Occupation
By: Robert Plant

Set in the island of Jersey during the early days of World War II, the story centres around a plot to capture Hitler on his first visit to the island after the German occupation. A young lad called Jerry, and his female accomplice, learn of this and decide to inform the British authorities 100 miles away across the Channel in the hope of ending the misery of the war and its effects on the island – but how? Some older people are enlisted to help with a boat and its equipment, there is an old outboard motor involved which eventually fails, a shipwreck, and a near-fatal landing on a mined beach, followed by a journey to Whitehall to brief the top brass, then an anticlimax! At times it is breathtaking, and you want to read on!

The story is well written in a style suitable for 7-11 year olds, but perhaps it matches better the interests of early teens; indeed, adults too will find it an absorbing and enjoyable read. The author makes good use of his knowledge of the geography of Jersey and its people, but the best thing about this book, from a Christian viewpoint, is how the Gospel message is so effectively woven into the story, seamlessly and gradually. Starting from a base of unfamiliarity with the Bible and no awareness of God, the storyline introduces the need for salvation and how it can be found through faith in Christ alone.

~ Book review Originally Published by Believer’s Bookshelf (June 2017) and written by Bert Cargill

** Also available: Return to the Island of Occupation

2018 Missionary Prayer Handbook now here!

ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!

The 2018 Missionary Prayer Handbook 

The 2018 Missionary Prayer Handbook features 49 new missionaries, two new country listings and a new missionary section.

To facilitate fervent prayer and communication, this vital tool lists about 700 missionaries commended from U.S. and Canadian assemblies and includes a description of their ministries and contact information. A new Handbook is printed each year.

Only $6 USD or $8 CAD!

Gift Editions of One Day At A Time!

One Day At A Time by William MacDonald

Now available in Paperback and Hardcover!

Order as a gift or for yourself today!

That’s the way you have to live life – one day at a time. But it is how you live each day that makes all the difference. One way to ensure that our days on earth count for God is to fill our minds and hearts with the “engrafted Word” that we might grow by it. For this reason we take pleasure in issuing this book of invigorating meditations on the Word of God from the crisp, Christ-exalting writings of William MacDonald. And there’s no better way to start the day than with an encouraging portion from God’s Word. Each daily meditation is just a page long, but with each scripture presented in a fresh way, William MacDonald stirs your heart to practical devotedness to the Lord. These devotionals are not intended to replace the reading of the Word, but to stimulate your thinking on Scripture, and, by God’s grace, to help you apply the truth to your daily walk.

Year In Review

2017 Year In Review

Here at Gospel Folio Press, we are thankful for another busy year of printing and distributing great Christian material around the world!

Our book highlights this year were:

  • Reprinting One Day at a Time by William MacDonald
  • Reprinting Living Churches by John Williams 
  • Printing a new version of our beloved Choice Gleanings calendar, the Good News Edition!

Our highlights in the office were:

  • Chris working with us through the busy Christmas season
  • Stephanie returning to work after maternity leave
  • Sam stepping back into his managerial role

Please continue to pray for:

  • The board as they guide GFP
  • Day-to-day workings of GFP reflecting Christ

 

Video: The Bible: Myth or Divine Truth?

Can we really trust the Bible? In this 50 minute presentation, author and speaker Warren Henderson discusses the internal and external evidences that prove the Bible can be trusted.  We would encourage you to listen to this presentation.

For more information and his books that expand on these subjects, check out these titles by Warren Henderson:

The Bible: Myth or Divine Truth
Hiding God
In Search of God

Check out our full list of Warren Henderson titles here.

BOOK PREVIEW: 31 DAYS AT BETHLEHEM’S TREASURE VOL 2: DECEMBER 28

Book Preview: This is an excerpt from the book 31 Days at Bethlehem’s Treasure (Vol.2) written by Shane Johnson.

A great devotional to pick up in December!



December 28 – Night

“Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said,
Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I
had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark
of the covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of
our God, and had made ready for the building.”
1 Chronicles 28:2

What should be the attitude of our heart heading into the New Year? May I suggest we adopt the same attitude
as our spiritual father David, who had it in his heart to do something for the God he so loved? Many may have plans
for their finances, their homes or vocations in the coming year, but who among us has planned it in his heart to do
something big for God?

David had big plans for God. After having spent twenty or more years running around the Judean countryside trying to escape the fierce jealousy of Saul, after spending another half a dozen years consolidating the kingdom after Saul’s demise and defending it from imposters to the throne, David did not take up the easy life. He certainly could have. But instead he took up a new project for God and began making preparations for the Temple.

When David’s persecutions were over, when all the running and fighting was done and God had given him rest from
all his enemies, what did David do? Did he relax and enjoy the newly established peace of his kingdom? Did he take a
long sunny vacation or pursue some hobby like hunting or fishing? No, as soon as David’s trials were over, he immediately began the work of building the Temple of God. In one sense, David had already done enough. God had called him to be a king, and that promise, twenty years later, had come to pass. To sit on the throne of Israel was a major accomplishment of faith in and of itself. If anyone had a “right” to sit around and take it easy, it was David.

Even though David was not allowed to build the Temple (for that honour was to be given to his son, Solomon), he
still did not stop making preparations for the building of the Temple. Some of us may be called to be missionaries in
foreign lands. Some of us may be called to be shepherds of churches. Some may be called to be teachers. But that should not stop each and every one of us from making preparations to do the same. Study the Word of God as if you were going to be a teacher or preacher. Sanctify yourself, above  reproach, as if you were called to be a shepherd of the flock. And dedicate yourself with all your heart, soul and mind, as if you were going to leave your homeland to be a missionary in a foreign field in the coming year.

Be ready and prepared for what God may call you to do. Seek to live on a higher plane with God. Live simply, and be
ready to relinquish all you own in order to live as a missionary in a foreign land. Be eager, like David, to do something
great for God, not to make a name for ourselves, but to see His name exalted and honoured among the nations.

Build a temple, for God, build a tower,
Each day yield, a brick, a mortared hour
That all who see, the Temple, see
We serve with all our mind, love, power.

BOOK PREVIEW: 31 DAYS AT BETHLEHEM’S TREASURE VOL 2: DECEMBER 21

Book Preview: This is an excerpt from the book 31 Days at Bethlehem’s Treasure (Vol.2) written by Shane Johnson.

A great devotional to pick up in December!



December 21 – Morning

“Glory to God in the highest…” Luke 2:14

Three little words: “…in the highest.” What do they mean? Upon reflection we discover they are not little words at all, but lofty ones and full of meaning. In exchange for His abject lowliness we ought to give Him the highest, fullest, greatest praise we can muster.

There are three ways we can understand the words “in the highest.” First, it might mean that God received glory in
the highest realm, the heavenly realm, as opposed to the earthly, on that night of His coming into the world. Note
that “a multitude of the heavenly host” (Luke 2:13), not just a few, but a multitude, arrived to give Him glory that first
Christmas night. Cherubim, seraphim, angels, archangels, principalities, powers, all were in attendance to witness and announce the incarnation of the Christ. In every neighbourhood, down every street, in every abode, the birth of Christ was heralded in the heavens. With a little imagination we can hear over the intercom throughout the golden street the announcement resounding: “Hallelujah! Christ is born in the city of David tonight! Go quickly! Tell the shepherds, redemption has begun!” Up to that point, the pinnacle of all angelic experience was to witness the birth of Christ. If they sang at creation (Job 38:7), surely they must have danced with joy over the incarnation.

Yet the angelic proclamation could be taken in another sense. The idea could be bound up in the degree of glory the
Lord achieved through the Incarnation, which was the highest. Never before in the history of earth, nor in the history of angels, had God so humbled Himself. The furthest He had gone in humbling Himself was “to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!” (Ps. 113:6). If it was humbling to the Lord to concern Himself with the events of heaven and earth, how much more humbling must it have been to become one of its citizens?

Imagine what it would be like to be the CEO of a global company. It would be an act of humiliation just to visit and
oversee the workers who swept the floors of the factories of your corporation. Now imagine yourself becoming that
sweeper! Imagine cleaning the floors and ministering in the lunchroom to the tired, aching workers, and at the same time being treated with contempt. Such is the story of Christmas. Men and angels, let us marvel at the One who crouched so low! “Let loving hearts enthrone Him” (What Child is This, William C. Dix).

But perhaps we are to understand the angelic proclamation in yet another sense. Perhaps the idea is “Glory to God to
the highest degree.” In this sense, the angels are commanding all mankind to give God their “utmost for His highest”
(to borrow a phrase from Oswald Chambers). Yet, in the light of the humble circumstances of our Saviour’s birth, perhaps we should give our “utmost for His lowest.” Loud should be our singing. With all our might we should serve Him. Generous should be our giving. Droplets of praise are a poor exchange for rivers of blessing. Likewise, crumbs of gratitude, dispensed on Sundays only in the form of singing, are an insult to the One who daily spreads a feast for us.

Glory to God in the highest means God should get every ounce of praise due to His name. Fully God gave Himself to us; fully we should give ourselves to Him.

Let the cherubim and the flies
Let all the earth and purple skies
Let all creation’s symphony
Peacock the glory of God.

Book Preview: 31 Days at Bethlehem’s Manger: December 14 (Morning)

Book Preview: This is an excerpt from the book 31 Days at Bethlehem’s Manger, written by Shane Johnson.

A great devotional to pick up for December!


December 14 – Morning

“And when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11

Christmas, for the world, has so much to do with receiving; but Christmas, for the Christian, has everything to do with giving. “When they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts unto Him,” the Scripture records. “What am I giving for Christmas this year,” should be the first question on our hearts, not, “What am I getting?”

The frankincense brought by the wise men from the East was an act of worship, an acknowledgement of His deity. Frankincense in ancient times was offered on altars in worship to the gods. The fact that these men had brought incense to the Babe indicates that, in their minds, He was the divine One.

Incense in the Old Testament was intricately involved with the offerings of the altar. The holy incense of the Tabernacle, which was not permitted for private use, was concocted by the perfumer and reserved for the sole purpose of worship (Ex. 30:37). Anyone who dared to use it for themselves was cut off from the people.

Likewise, in Leviticus, it was written that if anyone offered a grain offering to the Lord “…[he shall] put frankincense thereon” (Lev. 2:1). Had these wise men from the East unwittingly laid frankincense upon the sacrifice? Mary and Joseph, who were familiar with the Old Testament offerings, may have faintly understood these things.

Indeed, the infant would ultimately give Himself for us, “an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour” (Eph. 5:2). That incense would be burned at the cross and would ascend into the throne room of God, bringing pleasure to His nostrils. Like Noah’s altar of old, after the Flood, God would smell a soothing aroma arising from the cross, causing Him to say in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake…” (Gen. 8:21). The ultimate fulfillment of Noah’s offering found its counterpart at the cross. Let us send up offerings of
incense this Christmas through the praises of our lips to the One who came down to die.

The cross was cruel and bleak and dark
Beneath that flood of rage,
But Thy dear cross became our Ark
And brought us through unscathed.

We were like Cain, lost fugitives,
Young rebel Absaloms.
Thou gave Thy soul that we might live
In New Jerusalem.

Jesus, Thy great vast love sublime
Swells our poor paltry hearts.
In all Thy ways Thy beauty shines.
How good, how kind Thou art


“If you want to seriously meditate on the great truths of what really happened just over 2000 years ago, and how it shook both heaven and earth, forever, you will not be disappointed with any page of this fresh and rich devotional book written by a man I have come to respect very much.

Shane Johnson has provided us with two meditations for each day of December, predominantly with a focus on the Incarnation – God becoming a man, in real though sinless human flesh – to help us not only understand the plan of God, but to motivate us to worship and serve Him. The last few days in the book shift the focus away from the “Christmas” theme, as Shane points to a new year of putting this renewal of adoration into practice, by first addressing what we really believe.” – From the Introduction by Peter Bolton

 

Book Preview: 31 Days at Bethlehem’s Manger: December 8 (Night)

Book Preview: This is an excerpt from the book 31 Days at Bethlehem’s Manger, written by Shane Johnson.

A great devotional to pick up for December!


December 8 – Night

“Unto us a Son is given…” Isaiah 9:6

Bethlehem was not His beginning. The Eternal Son had no beginning. “In the beginning was the Word” is a truth that precedes Genesis 1:1, though written long after (John 1:1). Isaiah wrote “unto us a child is born” to mark His entrance into time as the humble babe of Bethlehem, but the balance of this verse is “unto us a Son is given,” which indicates that He was ever the Eternal Son. He was indeed born but He was never created.

Hebrews chapter 1 celebrates the truth that the Son always was. To the Son He says, “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever,” and “Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of Thine hands” (Heb. 1:8,10). The Son always was, always is, and always will be. As long as there has been a Father, there has been a Son.

That the Son of God would be a Child, now that was something new. Just think of it: the Eternal Son assumes the rags of our humanity for a time, becoming weaker and lower than the angels He created, in order to clothe us with His own immortality in His own righteousness. Hallelujah! Praise be to the Eternal Son! He had not given this kind of aid to angels, but He did give aid to the seed of Abraham (Heb. 2:17). He did not become an angel in order to die for angels. “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man” (Heb. 2:9).

To us that Son was given. To us that child was born. Which of the angels can say, “He died for me?” “Redemption,”
“forgiveness,” and “propitiation” are words angels do not understand. To be an ambassador of God is a privilege an
archangel might envy. Let us fully rejoice in the gift of the Son this Christmas season.

Mighty Eternal Son
You breached space-time, entered a womb,
then buried Your steel into our flesh,
to suit Yourself in our costume.

Tissued, weakly Son of Man
You ambushed death inside a tomb.
Dead, You budded with new life
waiting there until You bloomed.


“If you want to seriously meditate on the great truths of what really happened just over 2000 years ago, and how it shook both heaven and earth, forever, you will not be disappointed with any page of this fresh and rich devotional book written by a man I have come to respect very much.

Shane Johnson has provided us with two meditations for each day of December, predominantly with a focus on the Incarnation – God becoming a man, in real though sinless human flesh – to help us not only understand the plan of God, but to motivate us to worship and serve Him. The last few days in the book shift the focus away from the “Christmas” theme, as Shane points to a new year of putting this renewal of adoration into practice, by first addressing what we really believe.” – From the Introduction by Peter Bolton