Adamant - Book Review

One of my personal goals this year is to read more from like-minded authors. I believe it is important for iron to sharpen iron and allow the insights of trusted individuals to challenge our thoughts. Already, I have quite the list going! To kick-off the monthly book review challenge, I share my thoughts on Adamant, by Lisa Bevere. Adamant was just published and made available for order on April 17, 2018, but the Words have been constructed on the Rock for years. Please have a read and let me know if you have read or plan to read, by sharing in the comments.

The invitation to join the Adamant Launch Team came exactly one month ago, and my intrigue was piqued. I receive invitations frequently, to be a part of this thing or that. And I get it. There are a lot of people with different messages, moving forward with hopes to connect and share.

I tend to make assessments within a few seconds and at most a few minutes. Normally, I can tell when the motive is aligned with God’s vision and purpose in my life, and when it might not be the best fit.

I read the email. Read it again. Hmmm… I couldn’t discern as quickly as accustomed.

When Lisa Bevere shared she hoped to “build a team of bold believers who are committed to standing upon truth”, I couldn’t shake it. I had literally just gifted the finishing participants of the Rise Up Commitment with a charmed necklace adorned with the following verses:

Isaiah 60:1 “Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see. For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you.

Ephesians 3:17-18 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.

1 Corinthians 16:13 Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.

Isaiah 61:3 In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.
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RISE UP, FIRMLY ROOTED IN LOVE. We, Lisa Bevere and I, seemed to have the same hope and prayer – with unique taglines.

I gained access to the audio files of the book before the hardcopy arrived. I downloaded and began digging in while on spring break. The story of the adamant stone was intriguing. I was encouraged to be adamantly intimate with God. I was reminded God is constant, and because of His never changing character, I can trust Him to help me change and better reflect His character. Pause.
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​Reflecting the character of Christ was a central theme and exhortation throughout the Rise Up Commitment. The reminder we are adamant in Love echoed another point covered in the commitment. We are sealed in the Love of Christ by the Holy Spirit, but Lisa Bevere expands and adds the sevenfold seal she proposes is a divine affirmation of God’s promise to us. She advises it is not enough for us to be adamant in love, but that we are adamant that we love!

​Yes. Yes. Yes! Our Rise Up Community has been discussing the same thing! 

We must be believers first loving God and then loving others, not just in word, but in action also, as His Holy Spirit leads! From there Lisa discussed that it’s not enough to be adamant in love, but adamant in hate as well. This is where it could get quite sticky for some. But Lisa Bevere, in her simple yet profound way, shares that we must hate what God hates, which is anything that destabilizes love and our perception of God, and ultimately disgraces us (the apples of His eye). Lisa then breaks down seven things the Lord hates. It’s a challenging list that, if reading with the intent to have the speck removed from our own eye, and may have us weeping towards the prayer closet for repentance.

Lisa then moves into being adamant for Truth and dispels the notion that Truth is fluid, by contending that Truth is the Word of God. When she referenced John 17:17, the foundational Scripture for the Rise Up Commitment devotional, I’m pretty sure my socks would have been blown off – if I ever wore them! Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. Where exactly is the heading, Lord? You are speaking the same message to little ole me, as you are to the best-selling author, Lisa Bevere!

After being moved to be adamant for Truth, readers are cheered to be adamant in Word. This chapter is very timely, and needed for the era in which we find ourselves. Lisa largely focuses on how we should speak with our mouths and what we type and post on social media. Social media being the primary place that seems ungoverned by etiquette and loving discourse. One particular area spoke to my heart: virtual versus actual.

Lisa shares in the book, “Virtual communities can be good or bad, healthy or abusive. Healthy virtual communities encourage our engagement and relationships with our actual communities.” Bingo. This was one lesson learned from hosting a series of challenges. The conviction was applied throughout the Rise Up Commitment and was a game changer. Lisa even states, “it is far easier to invest in a virtual community than to cultivate an actual one.” We learned throughout the commitment, God and His Word at the center of a gathering and relationship, supernaturally provides all the water, light, and weeding necessary to yield a finely cared for community.

When I began the section on adamant transformation, I knew that I knew God is doing a deep work. A deep work in the lives of many, and He is calling for transformation in the Body of Christ. When Ms. Bevere began to tackle the topics of the reality of our God, our day, the cost of sin, and the reality of us by pointing to the book of Romans, socks were lost and jaw dropped with eyes bugging out a bit. Our Rise Up Community had just read through the sixteen chapters of Romans AND the first half is currently being covered in my church home. Lord, I’m listening.

​Lisa then leads us into being adamant in holiness. She scripturally describes (the whole book is chalk full of supporting scripture with a variety of translations) what holiness is, and that we are called to be holy in what we do and think. There is holiness in our obedience and building a life that honors God, as well as controlling our bodies and being truthful. One thing I learned in this chapter, and perhaps I can attribute to having not been raised in the church or being deeply ingrained in the politics of the local and national church body denominations, some camps of believers focus solely on justification (forgiveness), without paying homage to holiness (sanctification). She concludes, and I whole heartedly agree based on my own journey with the Lord over the past ten years and recent in depth studies, “Holiness involves both justification and sanctification, and the coupling of these brings wholeness.”

The end certainly confirmed the call and inspired me to declare, “I am adamant”. I sense those who will order this book and read it will certainly be moved and inspired. I pray it motivates fellow Sisters to press in to the Word of God and actively cooperate in the sanctification process, in an effort to truly live adamantly whole in Jesus Christ – spirit, soul and body.

If the words of Adamant wasn’t enough, God fully confirmed and persuaded me this morning Lisa truly has a message from God. She shared these words with gals participating in the online study group:

"I believe that in these last days God is raising up Women who are going to be standard bearers for Truth... I am already praying that God is gathering your women in strength and that we are going to RISE UP in such a beautiful day of Truth and splendor!"
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Amen and amen! Thank you Lisa Bevere for writing Adamant, and sharing God’s message with so many. I am adamant with you, Sister.

Rise Up Commitment is a ten week journey where participants intentionally focus their efforts on becoming whole in spirit, soul and body, by intentionally getting into God's word, eating whole foods, moving their body as needed, and nurturing relationships.

April's Book & Next Month's Book:

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