Reservoirs of Strength: Lessons from the Book of James

by Gerald M Bilkes, James the Just

The epistle of James opens with a command to count it all joy when we face life's trials. But how can we speak of joy when difficulties bring so much sadness? In Reservoirs of Strength , Gerald M. Bilkes surveys James's letter and directs us to eight quiet streams that can strengthen us when things get the truth of God, the lordship of Christ, the friendship of God, the wisdom of God, the grace of God, the will of God, the justice of God, and the ear of God. If the weight of the world has worn you down, come study the book of James and find an inspired map to reservoirs of strength in testing times. Equipped with questions for individual or group reflection at the end of each chapter, this volume makes an ideal Bible study tool. Table of
Introducing James, A Shepherd of Souls
Reservoir 1: The Truth of God
Reservoir 2: The Lordship of Christ
Reservoir 3: The Friendship of God
Reservoir 4: The Wisdom of God
Reservoir 5: The Grace of God
Reservoir 6: The Will of God
Reservoir 7: The Justice of God
Reservoir 8: The Ear of God

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2017

Reviews

[Patience · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Great little book on James. I am really happy I own this one because I want to reread!
I liked one of the ending sentiments about prayer being a means to closeness with God…sometimes we pray and things don’t feel like they are changing, but the act of prayer, communing with God, can change how we feel about the thing we are praying for — WE CHANGE which perhaps is what God wants.
I thought that was really interesting and I realized that I have noticed this to be true about prayer in my own life!

Knocked 1/2 a star off because I wasn’t sure about how I felt about one area of the teaching…next time I read it I want to further look onto bible references for the topic. :)

💛 Ending paragraph:
“The Good Shepard will go ahead of his flock, leading him again and again to reservoirs of strength. All the reservoirs of God are full of strength - His truth, His Lordship, His friendship, His wisdom, His grace, His will, His justice, and His ear. Sometimes we need one of these reservoirs in another times another - but God leads his people to the fullness that is in him.
He knows us all by name and will lead us, through trials and dark valleys, to green pastures. Pray that God will guide you too, and that you will not walk astray but follow him closely every day of your life. Then the promises that He gives will accompany you on the way and will give you all you need. You will lack nothing.”

[Cilas Menezes · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars, to me, means a good book.
4 stars would be excellent
5 stars would be a must-read.

”Reservoirs” is a pretty basic yet faithful book. It seems to be a sort of writing that is useful as a study guide for a meeting to start a conversation about the lessons one may draw from the book of James.

I must confess that I was disappointed. I thought this would be a 4-star book.

Still, if you’re looking for a quick overview or a fundamental and practical study on James, this would be a book to consider.

[angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gentle, faithful read for those facing trials. I read and prayed through this book twice during my morning devotions. It reminded me of God’s character, who He is, when I was struggling with darkness and bitterness. I very strongly recommend this book for any weary souls looking for encouragement.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish the version of Scripture used for this devotional / commentary had been a little more accessible. Other than that, I liked this book.