David: A Man of Passion and Destiny

I didn't order a study book, but that's what I got.

Very good book id like to know do you have this book with a cover on it

I ordered this book but instead of the book I received a study guide. This book is David a man of passion and destiny but I received David a man after God’s own heart study book.

I bought this book because I wanted to know the legendary King David more intimately since I've adopted "David" as both my baptism and confirmation name. What attracted me most to him was his "human-ness" - he was certainly not a perfect man but he was humble and God-fearing. The one most powerful lesson that I've learnt here is that no matter how good we are, we are still weak humans, prone to stupid and grievous mistakes; King David was Israel's greatest king and a "man after God's heart" but he still committed adultery and murder! Hence, we must always be on our spiritual guard, always relying on the grace of God to overcome life's challenges and temptations...

I was able to complete David during a two week vacation a few years ago. This book was the first book release from the Great Lives from God's Word Series and was a birthday gift from my wife. I have also read Swindoll's biographies on Moses, Joseph, Job, Paul, and Jesus. Like in Swindoll's Paul: A Man of Grace and Grit, we are reminded how a man can become great when he places himself at the Lord's disposal. We can all live "great" lives by submitting to our Father. My only knock against this book is the rather elementary artwork on the cover. I don't feel very manly carrying this book around. :-) Despite that, I'm really glad my wife purchased this book for me. It has resulted in me warmly welcoming other books from this multi-volume series into our library.

I love biographys but Biblical ones are not something I would normaly choose. I heard on National Public Radio (NPR)a while back a review (or was it a brief discussion?) about this book that was very positive. I didn't really know what to expect "style-wise" but it was a comfortable, easy read. I would say it was more like a relaxed "sermon" (which I mean only in the most positive light). For readers not particularly familiar with David's life, there were "reminders" of people and actions that happened earlier in the book. These reminders would help the reader to keep track of characters and/or significant events that happened in an earlier section of the book. I learned several things I did not know about David's life that could be applied to today's life. The author took the time to research several words or phrases (Greek sources and/or other authors) that more completely explained an interpretation and meaning of a phrase. The analisys of the "lessons we would learn" from David's life were interesting and informative whether you view the Bible/Old Testament as a literal interpretation or a parable. It's nothing radical, just a thought provoking discussion/concepts interesting to ponder.

Mr. Swindoll gives you a complete account of David's life. Not only does he accurately depict the greatness of David, the anointing by Samuel, the victory over Goliath, and the courage of Daivd, but he also vividly portrays the human side of greatness. That is the fleshly side. For so long we have to come to highly esteem our Biblical brothers and sisters just for the good side and great accomplishments. Mr. Swindoll takes you into every aspect of David' s human side (David's sin and faults). He expounds on David's lack of discipline toward his children, his inability to provide a functional home, his quick temper with Nabal the husband of Abigail, his issues with Bathsheba that we all know about along with his murderous plot of Uriah, his pride in numbering the people of God, and the rashness (quick judgment) of his counsel as when he was instructed by the Prophet Nathan to build God a house. This was not God's will for David but he was instructed as so. I don't want to dwell on the negatives, I just want to commend Dr. Swindoll for covering the whole aspect of the life of David and not just the good. Every human being, even Bible great ones as David, have two sides. We ought to learn from both. Take the good side of the great ones and model it. Then take the faulty human side in order to learn how not to make the same mistakes. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Romans 15:4. I commend Dr. Swindoll for doing a wonderful job of covering every side of the life of David. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking to take the lives of the Bible Patriots as a modeling tool and as a studying tool. This book was recommended to me by a friend. and I do the same to any interested party

Chuck Swindoll has done us all a favor with this series on great lives from the scriptures. I think "David" is his best one from this series, and I highly reccomend. Thought-provoking, well-presented. Interesting and informative. Fun. Theologically well-grounded. Profound and insightful, too. I liked it! :)