Few writers warm the heart and inspire the soul like Max Lucado. He’s proven time and again that he understands the human condition … and how the grace of God heals our deepest pains. But as his fans well know, Lucado is a prolific author. With so many titles to his name, it’s hard to keep up with what he’s written. The sheer number of publications might prove overwhelming for the newcomer wondering where to begin.
So we’ve provided an introductory guide to the very best of Max Lucado. The list you’ll find below contains 16 of Lucado’s most beloved works. And to help you figure out which ones might interest you the most, we’ve included a short, two-paragraph summary for each.
If you’re interested in learning more, you’ll find easy-to-read, 20-minute summaries of these books on HolyReads.com. Check out our summaries of hundreds of Christian bestsellers and spiritual classics in written, audiobook, and video formats. Read more from your favorite authors in less time.
1. Six Hours One Friday: Living the Power of the Cross
Jesus walked among His people for several years, though we know the most about His final three. He ministered, healed, taught, and served in many different realms, but He ultimately had a single goal: to go to the cross to die for our sins. He came to serve, and the calling was nothing short of the cross.
If that was Christ’s calling, what is our calling as followers? Our calling is the same: to serve others. And it continues until we reach the foot of the cross. The current study is designed to help each of Jesus’ followers on their journey to the foot of the cross.
2. 3:16: The Numbers of Hope
There are many words and promises made in the Bible about God and humanity’s relationship to Him. But the message of the forgiveness of God and obtaining an everlasting fellowship with Him can be summed up in the single verse of John 3:16.
Jesus spoke these words to Nicodemus, who was a true seeker after God. But he was also caught up in the legalism of the Pharisees, so Jesus made this declaration to help point him to how reconciliation with God comes about and how Nicodemus – and all people – can be assured of an eternity with Him.
3. He Chose the Nails: What God Did to Win Your Heart
We know the cross is a symbol of Christianity, but some may see it as a sign of torture and not understand why that would be chosen to represent a religion of love. The truth is that the cross is only part of the story. Every aspect of that day had meaning.
At any point, Jesus had the power to stop what was happening to Him, but He chose to be tortured and put to death to earn our trust and pay the price for our sins. He chose the nails so that we may have a life with Him in heaven.
4. He Still Moves Stones: Everyone Needs a Miracle
Life will never go completely the way that you plan, which means that you are going to collect bruises along the way. When bad circumstances happen to you, it takes your strength away from you and tests your faith. It’s easy to ask, “Where is God right now in my life?”
Yet the Bible shares many stories about a loving God who is full of compassion for the hurt and broken people of the earth. This is such a defining characteristic of God that it was even included in the Old Testament prophecy as a trait of the Messiah. God wants to do miracles in the lives of His children – including you too.
5. Jesus: The God Who Knows Your Name
The life of Jesus is often sold to us as ridiculously spectacular – the events of a sanguine person who never really laughed or had a good time or lived a normal life. But truthfully, Jesus was just like us in every way. We should pause to consider the childhood of Jesus, the laughter of Jesus, and the way Jesus interacted with people and carried Himself with those despised by society.
Jesus faced an average birth in the middle of nowhere. He faced the challenges and pressures of being a teenager. Then as an adult, He was variously accused of being too religious or too irreligious. He associated with the people who partied. He was suspect by association. He made friends, bringing the grace of God to everyone that He came in contact with. God incarnate lived a normal life and understands the life that we live.
6. In the Grip of Grace: Your Father Always Caught You. He Still Does.
God created humanity to live in a world free from sin. Sinful actions automatically create burdens for people that they were never meant to carry. God desires for people to live free from these burdens and extends an invitation of grace to provide an escape. Yet not everybody accepts this invitation. Whether outright rejection of God or getting caught up in a works-based religion, people often don’t accept grace.
But, for those who do, what difference does grace make? Grace sets free those stuck in destructive sin by offering them a new life. It encourages change by providing a gift that could never have been earned. Finally, grace causes us to extend forgiveness and love toward others.
7. A Love Worth Giving: Living in the Overflow of God’s Love
We have all heard that God is love and that we are to love one another, but how is this possible? Some people do not seem willing to accept love or are hard to love in their condition. In A Love Worth Giving, best-selling author Max Lucado reminds us that we were that way when we came to God.
Instead of walking away, God became flesh through His Son and taught us love by demonstrating it perfectly. Because of this sacrifice, we should never forget that love is worth giving, even to those who may not seem to deserve it. Let Christ be your guide in how to love.
8. Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World
Being anxious is a typical part of the human experience. There is truly no way to avoid it, but as Christians, we do not have to let it bombard our lives. We have the option to hand it over to God and let Him deal with the anxiety and storms in life. This does not mean we will always be trial- or stress-free, but that the anxiety does not have to bog us down. God is willing to help, but we must allow Him to do so.
We can and must take charge of our thoughts by paying attention to what thoughts we have and then turning them toward God through prayer, trusting in His promises. Chief in this regard are clinging to Christ and being thankful for all God does for us. In particular, we can vanquish anxiety by practicing C.A.L.M.: celebrate God’s goodness, ask for His help, leave your concerns with God, and meditate on good things.
9. Before Amen: The Power of a Simple Prayer
Prayer is a vital part of a Christian’s life, but too often, we struggle with saying a few words to God while staying on track. If this sounds like you, no worries – there is hope! Even those who are considered prayer warriors sometimes get sidetracked or distracted. Thankfully, prayer is a skill we can build over time. Simply start with a “Pocket Prayer” and build from there. Once you learn how simple prayer is and the essential aspects of any prayer, then it becomes less challenging.
The most important parts of prayer are to focus on God, be grateful, and take the authority given to us by Jesus. It is only in Jesus’ name that we may pray for ourselves, thank God, and pray for others. We have been given access to the throne room of God by the authority of Jesus when He died for our sins.
10. Facing Your Giants: God Still Does the Impossible
When we face a giant in life, it may not be a tall, human opponent, but issues like pornography, addiction, worry, or debt may feel like a giant in our path each and every day. This can be defeating and discouraging, especially when this giant seems to pop up unexpectedly.
The Bible gives us an example of slaying a giant in the familiar story of David. But David further offers an example of what to do and what not to do with the giants in our lives as we follow God’s calling. From David, we learn how to defeat our personal giants.
11. Just Like Jesus: Learning to Have a Heart Like His
When we become believers, we begin a transformation process with God. We have always been and always will be His creations, but He wants to transform us from our sinful human selves to new creatures in Christ.
When we accept Christ, we are given a new heart that can be tuned into God. With this new heart, we are new creatures. We can learn to have not only the heart of Christ but the mind and face as well. It takes Bible reading, study, and prayer to build a relationship with Him, but it is all well worth it as we finish our faith race strong.
12. God Will Carry You Through: Lessons in Faith from the Life of Joseph
Max Lucado tells us the story of Joseph, encouraging us to trust God in the way that Joseph did. God Will Carry You Through chronicles the fall of Joseph as he is thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, and ends up deep in prison. But God uses Joseph’s faith and position to bring him before Pharaoh and set him up as the second in command over all of Egypt. From this position, Joseph can save many people from famine and reconcile himself to his own family, saving his own family from famine.
God can use any kind of pain, trial, or pit to work things together for good. God can use for good what other people and even our own family intend for evil. And that is why we should keep the faith and carry on, because we know that no matter how dark things get, God can still use our circumstances to bring us into positions where we can help others. God is working in our lives.
13. When God Whispers Your Name: Discover the Path to Hope
In God’s eyes, we are all precious and different. Our Shepherd recognizes us individually, not as a mob of people. God, the great Shepherd, knows our earthly names and has His name for us. He shows His love for us in the mundane and in the grand. He wages war for us when we pray. He pulls us from the abyss when our attention shifts to the storm and off Him.
A fact spoken of in Scripture remains true today: The believer cannot be satisfied in this world. Our hearts yearn for a home in heaven. When we have flashes of happiness and enjoyment on earth, they are but a shadow of that which is to come in glory.
14. God’s Story, Your Story: When His Becomes Yours
Do you know your family story? Did your grandparents tell you about their parents and family members when you were young? Knowing our family’s history is how we learn about ourselves. It shapes how we view what is happening to us.
God’s house is much the same way. God wants us to know His story because we are a part of it. And everything in your history looks different when you know the rest of your story as God has planned it. Our lives are, after all, a grand narrative written by God before we were even born. Let’s take a tour through the New Testament and use it as a map to locate our path on the long journey that we have embarked upon with our Savior. What you’ll see is that your story ends up being His as well.
15. The Applause of Heaven: A Truly Satisfying Life
We all want to live joyful lives that are full of blessings. In the Beatitudes, Jesus tells us who will receive a blessing, and we see how to become those people. Ultimately, we become blessed people by encountering the risen Savior.
Jesus has died on our behalf, giving us the freedom to live according to His will. We can live without fear of failure because we know that God only judges us according to what Jesus has done. We can live with eternal joy because we know that by conquering sin and death, Jesus has made way for us to live with Him eternally in a place where there is no sin or death. We can be bearers of peace because we know that God has defeated the one who brings chaos. We don’t have to worry about the future because we know that in the future, God will bring us home.
16. Grace: More Than We Deserve, Greater Than We Imagine
Grace is one of those words you often hear, especially in Christian settings. Though grace is often discussed, few understand what it is, and we will never fully comprehend its magnitude on this side of heaven.
God’s grace offers so much beyond our imagination. It sustains, guides, directs, accepts, and saves. This grace is freely and lovingly given the moment we are saved and never wavers but grows as we grow closer to God. The best news is that God’s grace does not wait for us to be perfect or good. It finds us where we are and draws us to Him.
Check out summaries of each of these important works by Max Lucado on HolyReads.com. We offer 20-minute summaries of hundreds of Christian bestsellers and spiritual classics in written, audiobook, and video formats. Master the essential arguments in a fraction of the time with Holy Reads.