Liberating King: breaking Free from the Tyranny of Sin

This is not a how-to book on worship but rather he writes to answer the question, why worship. The simple answer is that it brings us closer to God, purifies us in the process, and is why we were designed.

In ten chapters he outlines the rewards or liberating factors of worship. His contention is that when we worship we are liberated from the bondage of lies, set free to suffer well, dont have to freak out about things, and have faith when our world is unraveling to name the subjects of the first four chapters. It is in worship that we find the Liberating King and freedom from the pressures of this world, life, society, and expectations.

Miller illustrates his points with personal experience. It is obvious that his life has not been a neat clean one without hiccups and hang-ups. He speaks from the pain and difficulty of married life and ministry. His stories add rich color and provide vivid illustrations of his points.

The book is not a hard read; the application can take some time and effort but is well worth it. Well worth the read.

Oh where to begin, Christians and are people and people need to be free, idealistically simple but so true. Freedom sets a precedence in ones life and giving over to Christ is probably the single most significant decision in any ones life. However, many do not give over to Christ and that needs to be first and foremost. Scary for some, but worthy of our lives. Liberating King: Breaking Free From the Tyranny of Sin by Stephen Miller is full of essential steps any Christian needs to instill in order to be the most selfless believer in Christ. My favorite theme has to be that Christ is with you every step of the way, you are not alone. This one had me nodding my head the entire time I read it. There are quite a few themes in this book all of which are relatable and worthy multiple reads. Highly recommend. I received a copy for this review from Baker Books and all opinions are my own.

"Liberating King" is about how worshiping God frees us. We all focus our hopes and desires on something or someone, but only Christ can fill those desires and set us free. The author examines how worship (through song, prayer, studying the Bible, action, etc.) reminds us of God's character, the truth about our worth, and the proper perspective of our life. Thus worshiping Christ frees us from lies, allows us to suffer well, calms our worries and anxieties, allows us to truly love others, act justly, break the cycle of sin, and sustain hope.

The author examines his theme of "worship frees us to..." from these different angles, and his points were easy to follow. If you enjoy worshiping God, you'll probably enjoy this book.

Over a year ago, I sustained an injury that has kept me from doing some basic things (like driving) and this has been very frustrating. I know why bad things happen, and that God is good, sovereign, and at work. I even realize my many blessings, but, oh, I still don't like this! Most books on suffering explain the basics and say "lean on God," and that's good. But the chapter on "worship frees us to suffer well" was what I really needed to hear. I appreciate the whole book as it's a good reminder of where our focus need to be, but I suspect each reader will find that some chapters speak to them more deeply than others.

I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.