The Grave Robber: How Jesus Can Make Your Impossible Possible

The Grave Robber is a thought-provoking, encouraging, hope-filled book, right up until Chapter 20. Then, citing John 9:2, Pastor Batterson preaches what every Calvinist and other faith-destroying doctrine has been doing for centuries: God sometimes hurts you or your loved ones terribly (including through injury, disease, blindness), so He can make Himself look good. It's a common misreading of the text, which basically should read "neither this man or his parents sinned FULL STOP - NEW TOPIC - But that the works of God might be displayed in Him...we must do the works of Him who sent me. "The effect is to read for 211 pages about all the incredible miracles of Christ, only to be told at the end it's entirely possible Christ also maimed you so He could glorify Himself in some way. This contradicts virtually everything else we see in the New Testament about the character of Christ, and totally undermines Batterson's message. The Grave Robber may work miracles in your life, or maybe He'll send you (or your children) to an early grave for some purpose that somehow makes Him look good.Yes, it's true that sometimes requests for miracles aren't answered, and that bad things still happen to good people. It's completely understandable to try and address this in a book about miracles. But going back to what should be a discredited doctrine that contradicts virtually the entirety of the book is not the way to do so. I hope Batterson is eventually able to see that it is never God's will for His children to be lame or sick (as evidenced by the world God first created before the Fall and the work's of Christ, among other things), but that sometimes God's will isn't accomplished or manifested in the immediate here and now, thanks to a number of things (the fall, man's free will, the works of Satan, etc.) Reverting to a doctrine of "total sovereignty" over all things is the quickest way to crush a believer's faith in the miraculous.What a discouragement.

This review is for Amazon's e-reader version not for the printed version of the book. If you want the entire book do not purchase the kindle version. The print book has 25 chapters and 266 pages. The kindle version has 18 chapters and only 159 pages. The first clue I had was when someone else reading the print book mentioned something about a gorilla. I did a search on the kindle & there was no mention of a gorilla so I started to compare the two versions. I soon discovered that there were many "missing" paragraphs, sections and chapters. I really feel cheated that over 100 pages are not included in the kindle version and I wanted to alert others of this deficiency.

There are so many profound statements in this book that my Kindle Highlight sheet is almost full. Here are but a few:If you want the starring role, you'll miss the miracle.If you're willing to be an ordinary extra, God will do something extraordinary.If you seek miracles, you probably won't find them. If you seek God, miracles will find you.You are one God idea away from changing history.Joy is not getting what you want. It's fully appreciating what you have.The right words spoken at the right time can echo for eternity.It was love that led Jesus to the cross. It was willpower that kept Him nailed there.God is so good at what He does that we take it for granted!Skepticism is a predisposition toward disbelief that is prejudiced by past experience.You are someone else's miracle!We put Scripture on the chopping block of human logic and end up with a neutered gospel.One of the truest tests of spiritual maturity is seeing the miraculous in the monotonous.This is a great book as is  Praying for the Prodigal

I have really become engrossed in reading each of Mark Batterson's books. This one was no different. So often we can think that miracles only happened in Bible times and not today. Jesus is still in the miracle business if we would only believe. The Grave Robber helps to bring this to light. I am thankful for Mark being faithful to his call to write and share truth

I have not finished this book yet, but I read a good section every day. Work through it. Look up the Bible passages. This book will affect you in a positive way.I found myself reading and then get to a passage and say out loud, "Yes, exactly. Wow, that makes sense. Here is a quote--one of many. "When you lose your way or lose your faith, you need to go back to the burning bushes in your life."

I have yet to finish this book, but man, oh man is it GOOD. I read it a chapter or two at a time then let it sink in. I basically want to highlight the entire book!God is still in the miracle business and Mark Batterson gives plenty of examples not only from the book of John, but throughout the whole Bible, real-life experiences, people he's connected to, and from history.Batterson's attention to detail is remarkable. I love how he pulls in interesting and detailed scientific and mathematical facts about the amazing God of the universe and sustainer of life. I love his captivating writing style, and after you hear a message or two of his, you definitely can hear his unique style of delivery as the words leap off the page and into your heart and mind. More than that, God speaks through this book loud and clear: Don't just seek miracles. Seek Jesus.

Like all of his books Mark starts to repeat the same stories again and again. I was really disappointed. Time to find a new author.

Learned a lot from this book its great for studying the true meaning of the miraculous and makes you see things more clearly that I had glossed over for so long

Thank you

Amazing book!

Soul searching and uplifting.