This book was first published in 1975 and has gone through a number of editions. Its subtitle is ‘how to receive special favor with God and people’. It is a small book representative of many such ‘word of faith’ and ‘positive faith’ and ‘ positive thought’ writings. As such it reflects much that encourages. However, it is frustratingly simplistic, it only gives part of the picture. The fact of God’s heart of favor towards His people is basic to the whole thrust of the book and we have no desire to gainsay its truth. Included are stories of those who have experienced God’s favor. There is truth here, but also a narrowing of the meaning of God’s favor to emphasize material blessing in a multitude of ways. However, there is also encouragement of right attitudes towards all people, exhortation to us to reject all pessimistic thought patterns. The whole premise is that favor changes insecurity into self-confidence and that living in God’s favor will lead to changed homes, husbands, wives and children. It pursues the idea that we will receive God’s blessing and success in our circumstances and be living full and exuberant Christian lives. As I have said, there is a qualified amen in our hearts concerning what is written here, but there are things that need to be said to balance the picture. A whole genre of books is available to those desiring to pursue the promise and possibility proffered in the emphasis of this book. You can read it with a smile, finding encouragement, and yet a deep-seated reserve nags away in the inner man that this is not the whole story. Perhaps, it is best to read a little book like this now and again. Many would turn it into a method and doubtless some have done so and have found it has worked and as many have discovered it has not and have been disappointed. Where is God in all this? What is my relationship to Him? Does the quest to receive favor and success and its resulting bounty take on a life of its own or is it an outflow of daily fellowship with Him?
