Ask the Author: James Collins
Answered Questions (11)
James Collins
Sure. I will mail you a book.
James Collins
Sure! You can find the book on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ here:
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James Collins
Gail, I am praying for God's healing touch in your life. Stay focused on Jesus. He is the Great Physician. Hopefully, you will be reading and reviewing again soon. God's blessings to you!
James Collins
I served in the U.S. Army for a total of 28 years.
James Collins
Joe lived his life by his own rules without Jesus Christ. He died, and went to hell where he will spend forever in agony.
James Collins
My next book has the working title of God Still Writes the Last Chapter. It is a study of the book of Ruth.
James Collins
Since I write Christian nonfiction, I will limit my advice to aspiring writers in the same genre. My purpose in life is to be an effective communicator of God’s Word. To be effective, I must write in a way that the average person can understand. Frankly, most theologians write books that read like a textbook. Many people have told me that my gift is to take complex theology and write it in such a way that anyone can understand it. Don’t water down the biblical truth, but write in a way that is readable.
James Collins
Writing lets my creativity shine. I think it was Faulkner who said, “Don’t be a writer; be writing.� That’s what I love � writing. Christianity owes a debt to the godly men and women of previous generations who took the time to write. Almost every week of my life, I read something by someone who is now in Heaven. Last week, I read a devotion by Oswald Chambers, a commentary by J.Vernon McGee, and a book by C.S. Lewis. Even though these three men have passed on, they have left behind their words. The Bible says in Hebrews 11:4 about faithful Abel, “He being dead yet speaketh.� Writing allows you to leave behind a spiritual endowment. Imagine, being able to win someone to Jesus or helping someone in their faith, all from your grave. That is what gives me the most personal satisfaction is knowing that I can have an influence on someone for Jesus through something I wrote even after I'm gone.
James Collins
I make it a habit to write something each day. Therefore, writing has become a routine. I usually don’t suffer from writer’s block. Still, there are times when I’m just not feeling creative. So, I go do something else such as take a walk, work on a home improvement project, pray, or read a book. When I come back to writing, I feel energized and motivated.
James Collins
My latest book is titled “The Nativity.� It is subtitled: “How The Story of Christmas Can Change Your Life.� It was actually inspired by a series of sermons that I preached. Over the years, I have preached hundreds of Christmas sermons. Everybody knows the story. Even non-Christians know the story of the birth of Jesus. Ask anyone and they can tell you about Caesar’s tax, Mary and Joseph’s trip to Bethlehem, Jesus being born in a stable. We have heard the story thousands of times.
The story of the birth of Jesus Christ as told in Luke Chapter 2 is the best-known story in the Bible. The best-known Chapter is the 23rd Psalm. The best-known Verse is John 3:16, but Luke Chapter 2 contains the best-known story. Sometimes, something so familiar can lose its impact on our lives. So, I wrote the Nativity to look at the Christmas story in a fresh new way � to see beyond the familiar to find the true spirit of Christmas.
The book is designed to be sort of a living Nativity scene. Each chapter looks at a different figure � Mary, Joseph, Angels, Shepherds, Wise Men, and of course the Christ child.
I combed through the Bible, archeological records, the cultural context, and historical documents, to look deeper into the story. If you read this book, you will never look at the Christmas story the same way again.
The story of the birth of Jesus Christ as told in Luke Chapter 2 is the best-known story in the Bible. The best-known Chapter is the 23rd Psalm. The best-known Verse is John 3:16, but Luke Chapter 2 contains the best-known story. Sometimes, something so familiar can lose its impact on our lives. So, I wrote the Nativity to look at the Christmas story in a fresh new way � to see beyond the familiar to find the true spirit of Christmas.
The book is designed to be sort of a living Nativity scene. Each chapter looks at a different figure � Mary, Joseph, Angels, Shepherds, Wise Men, and of course the Christ child.
I combed through the Bible, archeological records, the cultural context, and historical documents, to look deeper into the story. If you read this book, you will never look at the Christmas story the same way again.
James Collins
My inspiration comes from God. Several years ago, I was driving down a highway outside of Sacramento, California, and God spoke to the still, small voice inside of me. God told me that my purpose in life was to be an “effective communicator of God’s Word.� To fulfill that purpose, I will use any media necessary � a pulpit on Sunday, the radio, a weekly newspaper column, or a book.
I find inspiration for writing in everything. I am always looking for sermon illustrations and column ideas. I find the best stories come from everyday life. The truth is often funnier than fiction. Sometimes, I think God allows funny things to happen to me, so I have something to write.
I find inspiration for writing in everything. I am always looking for sermon illustrations and column ideas. I find the best stories come from everyday life. The truth is often funnier than fiction. Sometimes, I think God allows funny things to happen to me, so I have something to write.
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