Great Book!

A friend of mine recommended a book to me recently and I'm about 3/4 of the way through it. I wanted to share it because I think it is right on track. It's actually two books in one. It's called Fresh Wind Fresh Fire and the second book is Fresh Faith by Pastor Jim Cymbala of Brooklyn Tabernacle. It's also got a study guide in the back for Fresh Faith. The subtitles are what Happens When God's Spirit Invades the Hearts of His People and What Happens When Real Faith Ignites God's People.

There's so much I'd love to share, but will just share what's on the back cover to give you an idea of the power in this book.

Starting from a handful of believers whose survival as a church hung literally on prayer, The Brooklyn Tabernacle has grown into an inner-city beacon of hope for people from every walk of life. Here, in two powerful bestsellers, are stories to inspire you-and biblical insights to transform you.

The Brooklyn Tabernacle was once a struggling congregation of twenty. Then they began to pray...God began to move...and street-hardened lives by the hundreds were changed by the love of Christ.

The story of what happened to this broken-down church in one of America's toughest neighborhoods points the way to new spiritual vitality in the church and in our own lives. Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire shows that the Holy Spirit can do when we set aside our own agendas, take him at his word, and listen for his voice.

Jim Cymbala calls us back to a fiery, passionate preoccupation with God that will restore our first love for Jesus, our zeal, our troubled children, our wounded marriages, our broken and divided churches. Cymbala writes, "Real faith is produced when our hears draw near to God himself and receive his promises deep within." That kind of faith can transform your life - starting today.

Jim Cymbala has been the pastor of The Brooklyn Tabernacle for more than twenty-five years. He is also the author of the bestselling titles Fresh Power; Breakthrough Prayer; The Life God blesses; The Church God Blesses and The Promise of God's Power. He lives in New York City with his wife, Carol Cymbala, who directs the Grammy Award-winning Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir.

If you want to jump start your faith this is the book to do it. I think back to the first five years when I was a new believer and remember the fire that burned within me. It was a fire that God could and would do anything, a fire that fueled my faith to pray because the Holy Spirit within me had power, a fire that made me fearless, a fire that made me serve like crazy and was baffled as to why others around me weren't doing the same. Somewhere since then my faith became more complacent, watered-down, even cynical at times. With the challenges that lie ahead as we plant a church in an area that has deep-seated problems, that fire is being rekindled and it's a great feeling. I encourage you to read this book. It will change you, it will change the way you think about church, the Holy Spirit, and the power of prayer.

Blessings to you on this wonderful Wednesday.