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Jim Hatchet: An amazing story of Jesus teaching his Disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane. Would recommend to anyone seeking inspiration. 2022-09-04

My review for this book is very similar to that of "The Prayer of Jabez." I read both around the same time, and both Protestant commentaries/studies in the "Prosperity Theology" line of thinking. I don't read many non-Catholic devotionals. But I am more familiar with this one since it was greatly popular among Protestants in the years before I became Catholic. I didn't read it until recently. My parents, who are Baptist, have it at their house for decoration, so I decided to read it.

Books like this are popular among adherents to the so-called Prosperity Gospel, which seems to be more popular during strong economic times. The idea is this: God is waiting to give us all sorts of material blessings (health, wealth, land, etc.) if we would only ask him. If we don't ask him, we won't get these things.

As a Catholic, I felt that Wilkinson had many important insights with relating how grape vines grow and how that connects with Jesus' sermon in John 15. Further, Wilkinson espouses some sort of theology of merit (which Protestants have always rejected), but it falls short of the orthodox, Catholic view. In short, Wilkinson's beliefs expressed in this book are that if you do have X, Y, Z, you lack faith or you are not praying properly. Conventional Christian wisdom (both Catholic and Protestant) says, "God will give you what you ask for if and only if it is in conformity with the will of God" but Wilkinson's message says, "God will give you what you ask for if and only if you ask for it." The Catholic belief about merit is more that God gives us sanctifying grace through the sacraments and actual grace through various good works, prayers, etc. It is sanctifying grace that is redemptive, but actual grace, through good acts, that makes us holier.

I think that in some sense Wilkinson is trying to restore the concept of merit, but it has no place in Protestantism, largely due to once-saved-always-saved and salvation through faith alone, which, though is rejected in the Bible, is accepted by Wilkinson and almost all Protestants. I give the book 1 1/2 stars because of it's insights that I mentioned above, but essentially the prosperity gospel is deficient, so any book that presumes it will be deficient as well. ( )

Similar to Wilkinson's previous book "The Prayer of Jabez," this book ("Secrets of the Vine") is short and to the point. Reading the entire book in one sitting, I felt it read like a sermon -- a study on the text and its application on John 15.

Throughout the book, Wilkinson presents clearly on how to achieve an abundant life as taught by Jesus. The author talks frankly and shares his (and others') life experiences. Indeed, God deals with his children progressively based on the season of the child's life. I believe the book is theologically sound with a strong sense of evangelicalism.

If you are "chart" person, you will probably find the chart in chapter 5 (compare and contrast of disciplining and pruning) is surprisingly helpful. ( )

I was truly blessed by my aunt when she gave me this book as a gift; has helped me look at God in a whole new light and finally got me to look at myself in a better light ( )