Be Authentic is Dr. Warren Wierbes commentary on Genesis 25-50, covering the lives of Isaac, Jacob & Joseph. I was especially intrigued by the chapters covering the life of Joseph (Genesis 39-50). He has always struck me as one of the most amazing people in the Bible. I'm grateful for Dr. Wiersbes insights on Egypt at the time Joseph lived there:The Egypt in which Joseph found himself was primarily a land of small villages inhabited by peasants who worked the land and raised grain and vegetables. Thanks to their system of irrigation, the annual flooding of the Nile River supplied ample water for both the crops and the cattle. There were some large cities such as On (Hieropolis), where Ra the sun god was honored, and Memphis, devoted to Apis, the sacred bull, but most of the population lived in the small villages. (p. 107)Joseph seemed to never be bitter and said one of my favorite passages in the Bible: You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives (Genesis 50:20). Here Dr. Wiersbe makes a comparison of Josephs life with another person in the Bible:Joseph didnt minimize their sins, but he said, You intended to harm me (Gen. 50:20 NIV). He knew that there had been evil in their hearts, but he also knew that God had overruled their evil deeds to accomplish His good purposes. This reminds us of what happened on the cross. Peter said Him [Jesus], being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up (Acts 2:23-24 NKJV). Out of the greatest sin ever committed ever committed to humankind, God brought the greatest blessing than even came to humankind. (p. 184) This book was provided by the B&B Media Group, Inc. for review purposes. Reviewed by Andrea Schultz Ponderings by Andrea http://andrealschultz.blogspot.com

I LOVE Warren Wiersbe's Bible study books. This "BE" series has been so eye-opening an enlightening, this one probably being my favorite. Focusing on Genesis 25-50, the author really dives deep into Jacob, Isaac, and Joseph's stories and tries to teach us the way to be truly authentic in our own faith. Each of these men had serious problems throughout their lives, showcased in the thirteen chapters, and their growth in authentic faith through God.The study questions at the end of each chapter are perfect for a group setting, but worked well as just an individual study as well. I did it myself, but can see how each question can really open up a big discussion within a Bible study group. The scriptural study is immensely helpful in truly understanding God's word and I've found myself referencing back to previous "BE" books when doing other Bible studies.I've also reviewed Be Hopeful and read several others. These are definitely worth your time.

Be Authentic by Warren W. Wiersbe is part of his magnificent Be series that covers each book of the Bible. This volume focuses on Genesis 25-50 with the stories of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Wiersbe manages to take these age old stories that everyone has heard hundreds of times brand new. His writing is so full of insight and wisdom, I found myself regularly jotting down notes in my journal. Wiersbe takes the lives of the patriarchs and explains how God used each of these authentic sinners for His own purposes, but what He required of them was that they follow Him and be real. The chapters are easily read in about fifteen minutes daily and will offer readers a deeper, richer read of the Bible. The writing style is conversational and intelligent without being dry or boring. I'm a big fan of this series and look forward to reading more in the future.

very helpful in studying for my Bible study

We have been in a small group for about 4 years. The BE series is excellent. We are finishing up Be Authentic and we all really learned a lot. The reading is easy to understand and the questions make you think. I am sure we will continue with this series. Wish we would have discovered it years ago.