More Than His God Card: What Jesus Wants You to Know About Him as Revealed in His Miracles by Brian Onken

About this book: (from the publisher) Many readers of the Bible assume that when Jesus did a miracle it was, fundamentally, to prove that He was God Jesus was pulling out His God Card. What is startling is that Jesus never made the case that this was the primary purpose of His miracles.

What if Jesus was intending to reveal something different, something more, something beyond merely proving His identity? Seeing as Jesus miracles were such a significant part of His ministry, if we miss what His miracles do reveal, we may be missing out on great insights into the One who loves us and came to rescue us.

Like the restoration of a great Old Master’s painting, Brian leads his readers to a fresh vision of what is conveyed in the Gospel accounts of Jesus miracles. Uncovering what is there, in the text, we see the miracles in a reinvigorated, vibrant way. You will never read about the miracles in the same way . . . and you will catch a renewed and compelling glimpse of Jesus.

About the author: Brian Onken is a Bible teacher, first and foremost. He is committed to helping others encounter Jesus, as He is presented in the Scriptures, for their ever-increasing joy in Him. With over thirty years of pastoral and teaching experience and holding advanced degrees in both New Testament studies and Theology, Brian brings a scholar’s vision and a disciple’s passion to this study of Jesus’ miracles.

Genre: Non-fiction/Spiritual growth

Reminds me of: The Feminine Soul: Surprising Ways God Speaks to Women by Janet Davis

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Reflection: This book increased my joy in Jesus the same way The Feminine Soul increased my trust in God’s tender heart for women. How? By allowing me to really see in biblical stories the truth that has been there all along.

While the title is a mouthful and the cover unassuming (quite honestly, it doesn’t begin to do it justice), More Than His God Card turned out to be exactly what I needed in the weeks following the holidays. In fact, though I had a stack of spiritual formation books to chose from, I picked this one because after grandly celebrating Jesus’ birth, I sought simplicity. I wanted to extricate from the glittering trappings and focus on Jesus Himself. Just Jesus. And that’s precisely what this book allowed me to do.

Ah, my spirit expands and uplifts even as I remember the refreshment I found here.

Brian’s style is both personal and personable. I got the impression he writes in much the same way that he speaks, with colloquial expressions and simple terminology, rendering his ideas accessible to even laymen like me. His book is friendly. Which is so appropriate because that’s a theme he often returns to, a truth Jesus’ miracles reveal (once you know how to see it)–that is He is our good Friend.

Brian devotes each chapter to one miracle (or in one case, two), and in each I gleaned new insights to familiar passages, fresh illumination, life-giving perspective. Throughout the day, I found myself reflecting on what I had learned–always a good sign that a book is hitting its mark. His dissection of well-known stories made sense, prompting me to make changes in attitudes and actions. Though I’d never before viewed Jesus’ miracles as practical, under Brian’s tutelage, I found them amazingly relevant–applicable to my life and decisions and activities. It helped sate my thirst for Jesus. I felt quenched, hopeful, closer to  Him.

One other note, the Personal Reflection questions at the end of each chapter are actually interesting! If these are included in personal study books, I tend to skip past them, but here, they aren’t rote but worthy of reflection. Added to these are Group Discussion questions, making this an ideal study for small groups or classes.

Not every book I read earns a spot on my keeper-shelf, but this one does. It wouldn’t surprise me if it ends up on yours too.

Thanks to the author for providing me a free copy to review. All opinions are mine.

After words: What book has transformed your thinking about the person of Jesus?