When I went back and counted, I realized I’d sent my brothers nine texts telling them I thought they should pre-order Jen Wilkin's latest, Ten Words To Live By. Normally, I’d just hand my brothers my book when we’re in the same city. Not this time. When it comes out, I want them to have their own copy to 1) read immediately, and 2) be able to pass onto their small groups, because Ten Words To Live By isn’t a book for women. It’s a book for the Church. And it's a GIFT.

“No more external obedience. Obedience that pleases God begins in the heart . . . The tablets given to Moses have long since crumbled to dust, but the beauty of their commands lives on from generation to generation in the hearts of God’s people . . . "

“Ten Words to put to death our sin. Ten Words to herald abundant life. Ten Words to steady and strengthen us on the narrow path that leads us home.”

The 10 Commandments. We’ve all heard them at some point. Jen Wilkin dives in to examine each one and what it meant in the context of the time and for our lives today. I love that her work is always a solid Biblical exposition of the text, however I found it to be incredibly boring. The only thing that propelled me to the end was my own personal reading goal. If you are a fan of Jen Wilkin or if you desire to study Exodus deeper, this may be a good choice for you.

I've walked through five of Jen Wilkin's Bible Studies but this is my first time reading one of her nonfiction titles. Taking something that could be overwhelming to some or a "yeah yeah, I know that already" to others, Jen walks readers through the Ten Commandments in a way that is approachable, informative, and interesting.

I grew up in the Church and have learned brand new things from this short book. 5 stars.

I was absolutely delighted to get an ARC of this new book by Jen Wilkin, having also just done her Exodus Study. Ten words to live by brings the 10 commandments before us and asks us to reflect on what they meant to the Israelites and what they mean to us today - as ever Jen highlights the challenge for us In God’s words and asks us to reflect on what these words mean to us, their purpose in shaping us as we dwell on them. I found Jen’s exploration of each commandment challenging, convicting and thought provoking and would recommend her book to all. Many thanks to Crossway and Netgalley for the ARC.

In Ten Words to Live By by Jen Wilken we are given an eye-opening look at the Ten Commandments. The book dissects each Commandment and thoroughly researches their meaning. Through the book, you learn that the Ten Commandments aren't just rules to live by outwardly, but they are rules for our heart and for our spiritual well-being. Ten Words to Live By will change the way you look at the Ten Commandments and you may get convicted on some things. (I sure did!) I highly recommend this book! Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read this book! I loved it! (This review is also on GoodReads.)

I have not picked up anything by Jen Wilkin, book or bible study. that I have not loved.
Ten Words to Live By is no exception. Jen has taken the 10 Commandments and made them feel new; fresh and relatable. She has reminded us that God's purpose in giving us these was to guide us, to bless us and encourage us to live the abundant life. She has such a wonderful way of teaching that is knowledgeable yet understandable. I was able to read this book through NetGalley and very happily give Ten Words to Live By
5 stars!!!

Jen Wilkin's Ten Words to Live By is a book that is poised to respond to our current cultural moment. Wilkin unpacks the Ten Commandments and poignantly connects Christians to their relevance in daily life today. Though our culture often tells us that these commandments are no longer relevant and are antiquated, Christians know that the Ten Commandments form the foundation for a life influenced by the way of Jesus. Wilkin points out that the Ten Commandments are not merely a list of "thou shalt nots," but are calls to the way of Jesus. In the language of do nots we also see the things that we are called to do. For example, when we are told not to steal, we are also called to provide for others. Wilkin draws numerous important connections between the commandments and a life lived for Jesus to the full. Following the Ten Commandments strengthens us to endure the trials and scars of this life to ultimately mold us into who God has called us to be as his image bearers.
I highly recommend this book! Look for it March 30, 2021 from your favorite bookseller. Many thanks to Crossway Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

The Ten Words to Live By refer to the Ten Commandments that many of us learned in Sunday school. This in depth look at these laws delves deeper into why Christ followers should take a look at our own realities in relation to these commands. Think you are doing ok on following these commands how you should? Maybe read each of these 10 chapters and then answer. We need to understand, and Jen Wilkins does a pretty good job of laying it out for us.
~Thank you to NetGalley and Publisher~

Jen Wilkin is a well-known and respected Christian author. In "Ten Words to Live By: Delighting In and Doing What God Commands", Wilkin discusses the Ten Commandments. I appreciated how Wilkin used separate chapters to fully explain each commandment and its practical applications today. Each chapter also ended with discussion questions, making it perfect for a group Bible study. If you're looking for a good book to further help your understanding of the Ten Commandments, this book is for you!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

"We should love the law because we love Jesus, and because Jesus loved the law . Contrary to common belief, the Pharisees were not lovers of the law; they were lovers of self."

I was highlighting this book from the second page. I appreciate so much Jen's solid Bible teaching. Our generation so badly need the Jen Wilkins who point us back to Scripture and away from mantras and catchphrases.

Ten Words unpacks the Ten Commandments and shows how we can go beyond minimal obedience (or more popularly, no obedience) to EXPANSIVE obedience of the law. There's much confusion about the law in the Church and so many women who claim to be "living free" while living as slaves to their passions and despising the law that their Savior loved so much. Why would we want to follow the law even MORE expansively when we live in what's commonly believed to be an age of grace? Well, expansive obedience is what Jesus Christ taught; going beyond rote service to the very heart. And what we find at our heart over and over is an addiction to self and sin. Guess what- that is the way of Satan, not of Jesus. By walking the path of obedience, we are able to see these things more clearly- they're in our line of vision - and allow Jesus to root them up and get them out. Following Jesus is not leaving our selfishness and sin in there and doing whatever we want. Jen shows us that expansive obedience over time trains our hearts more and more to desire and be like our Lord. Honestly, it was so refreshing to be challenged in this way. Meat is good for our souls, folks.

For each ten of the commandments (or, words), she challenges us in ways to go beyond the "don't do"s to the "do this instead"s. Don't just "not hate" - love actively. Because it's what Jesus did. Because it's good for the community and for ourselves. She asks probing questions at the end of each chapter and gives a prayer to start us on the path of asking God to reform our hearts in that way. I could see already how God would take me beyond what Jen said to ways that my own heart rebels against the commandments.
This book was very readable, with chapter lengths that were doable, not daunting. It's a little book that packs a punch. I think it would be great for book club discussions.

I read an advance copy which I received from Netgalley and the publisher but I was not compensated in any way or required to leave a positive review. All opinions are my own.

I am thankful for the wise and insightful work on the Ten Commandments. These ten “words” are too often talked about rather than obeyed and this book helps address that mistake.

An insightful read! The author presented a fresh perspective on the ten commandents and how can they be applied to our lives today. The writing felt a bit repetitive to me, but it's something I can look past!

Each time Jen Wilkin writes a new book, I don't think it will be as good as the others, I'm so glad I'm wrong. Jen talks about scripture with such a deep love and appreciation that stirs those emotions in your own heart. She's managed to write about the ten commandments in a new way that caused me to love them and appreciate them.

Oh, man, where do I start? Jen Wilkin is a treasure! She’s one of those gems who can communicate beautifully in written and spoken word alike! She loves God and it’s obvious. She cares about making the Word of God, rightly divided, easily accessible to each reader and calling all of us in closer to see more of the heart and voice of God. And I am grateful. From the first lines, I was hooked, reading page after page. I’m teaching through her Women of the Word book right now and I can see her putting her own teaching into practice beautifully in these pages, bringing the text alive and asking the right questions to bring it home. It was hard to put this book down as night approached.

Jen's turns of phrase and observations, bringing out the depth of the meaning of each word, calling us to changed hearts, not just simple moralism, are beautiful. She gives us a vision for a future where “the things we have exalted will be cast down to the level of their real worth,” – and a call to place them there now, giving “undivided allegiance to the God of our costly deliverance.” But we don’t have to wait to cast off the idols of our hearts. “Why wait until the next life to esteem what God esteems? Jen calls us to put off the idols of our hearts and to worship God with single-minded allegiance, to see the building of the commandments, all stemming from the first call to worship God alone. This book is a practical call to love God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength; to love the law that helps us see Him better and be transformed into His likeness; to love the law He has so graciously given to us; and to love our neighbors as ourselves - as He has so kindly loved us.

Each chapter ends with a reflection question and a call to prayer. It's so good! I highly recommend picking up a copy of this book today!

Ten Words to Live By is about the ten commandments and how they apply to Christians today. It was a pretty decent book, I learned quite a bit in the first half, but then the second half seemed to be a rehash of what I already know. But I still appreciated how Jen Wilkin takes readers through each commandment, breaks it down, and then shows how we can apply it in our daily lives. I also loved that she emphasized that while certain sins can be viewed as "personal" sins, they still have an affect on the community as a whole (especially the Christian community). She also emphasizes the importance of knowing the Lord in able to be one of His followers and strive to follow His commands. I recommend it for those who are interested in learning more about the then commandments and their applicability today, and for fans of Jen Wilkin's previous works.

Forget the 12 rules for life penned by a certain popular author. For peace on earth, we all need to follow the 10 Commandments written on stone by our Creator!

I admit I've never thought about the commandments beyond the obvious, so this book was really thought-provoking for me. I like how the author so skilfully expands on each of the commandment – truly insightful, convicting, and soul-searching! As I read, I couldn't help but be thankful for the grace and mercy of God! I was also glad to be reminded that, in heaven, nobody will be breaking any of those rules!

Jen Wilkin's books are a must-buy for me (I have two of her other titles) so I feel so blessed to have a review copy for this one. I do plan on buying a copy of the church library. This is definitely a book every Christian should read.

Remember to delight in the Lord ~ 1 John 5:3 “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

Ten Words To Live By is Jen Wilkin’s newest book covering the 10 commandments. This book is about the lase of God in all of its life-giving beauty, Ten Words also known as the Ten Commandments, which result in life and blessing. This is not the first book of Wilkin’s I have read, so I knew it would be good. I highly recommend it!

Each chapter provides a study of the ten commandments, along with verses for mediation related to the chapter and questions for reflection, which would be great for small group and prayer prompts.

I read through and worked through this book myself, but this is one I hope to do with a small group in the near future!

Here are some highlights from the book I made:

~The God of the Old Testament and the God of the New have been placed in opposition, when in fact, they are one and the same. God does not change. His justice and compassion have always coexisted, and so have His law and His grace.

~Christianity is about relationships with God and others, and because this statement is true, Christianity is also unapolgetically about rules, for rules show us how to live in those relationships.

~Without rules, our hopes of healthy relationships vanish in short order. Jesus did not put rules against relationship. It was He who said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”.

~The very definition of sin is rejection of law. Lawfulness is Christ likeness. To obey the law is to look like Jesus Christ. While legalism builds righteousness. Obedience to the law is the means of sanctification for the believer.

~Obeying the second word is more than just remembering truth and denying false teaching. It is also living in truth.

~When God’s name is hallowed on our lips and in our living, we rightly reflect Him to a profane world. We shine like stars amid a crooked generation.

~God has ordained regular rhythms of rest for those who worship Him. How might I practice Sabbath in broader and deeper ways?

~The only argument more defeating than, because I said so is because God said so!

There is so much I could share, but you really just need to read the book!

Perhaps you think you are a pretty good person. The Ten Commandments? Check. You don’t take God’s name in vain, you don’t lie, and you certainly haven’t murdered anyone. Ditto for the other seven. And then you read Jen Wilkin’s Ten Words to Live By. Using Scripture to interpret Scripture, Wilkin unpacks each of the Ten Commandments. She views them through the lens of Jesus’ teachings—teachings that show God’s desire for His people to reflect His character not just in outward behavior, but in the heart.

Wilkin shows that these ten “Words” give us a glimpse of what heaven will be like. She argues that the Ten Commandments allow us to experience kingdom living in the here and now. Wilkin writes, “Ten Words to show us the pattern of Christlikeness and to stir in us a longing for the kingdom to come.” Ten Words that show us how to live in relationship with our Heavenly Father and all who bear His image.

This book is bound to lead to rich discussion in a group setting. Verses for meditation, reflection questions, and prayer prompts extend the teaching on each commandment.

Ten Words to Live By is a study of the Ten Commandments. (The Torah and the rabbis called the Ten Commandments the Ten Words) Each chapter looks at the historical context of the command from the Old Testament perspective, takes a look at the commandment from a New Testament angle, provides some verses for meditation and questions for reflection. This is a book meant to be read slowly and pondered. It's not a read-in-one-sitting kind of a book! This would be a good study for a friend group or book club to read and discuss.

First sentence: This is a book about the law of God in all of its life-giving beauty. In the church today there exists a great forgetfulness about the role of the law in the life of the believer. This book is an exercise in remembrance.

Jen Wilkin's newest book, Ten Words to Live By, focuses on the Ten Commandments. It might be easy to think, well, I don't need to read (more) about the Ten Commandments. I know the Ten Commandments. I know all I need to know about the Ten Commandments. And do the Ten Commandments even have any relevance for a believer's life?! (I'm supposing this last one). But Wilkin's book IS relevant and timeless.

I read Ten Words to Live By devotionally--one chapter per day. Though I don't believer this one is being marketed as a "devotional" book, I think it makes an excellent one. Each chapter ends with verses for meditation, questions for reflection, and an invitation to prayer.

Wilkin writes in a way to challenge believers to think, reflect, consider. This is obvious in the types of questions she asks readers at the end of each chapter!

From chapter one:

1. Before reading this chapter, how would you have rated your obedience to the first commandment? After reading it, how would you rate yourself? What insight accounts for the change in your diagnosis?
2. What idol are you most tempted to worship alongside God? What are you hoping to control or avoid by this dual allegiance?
3. What current sinful behavior can you trace to worshiping something alongside God? How does forgetfulness of your costly deliverance factor into the way you respond to temptation?
4. In the introduction, it was noted that laws help us live in community. How does the first word help the children of God to live in community with one another? How does doublemindedness harm Christian community?