Christian Book Reviews

 "Is my faith radical enough? You've heard the message, 'If you really loved God, you would be totally committed - do something big, sell your belongings, maybe become a missionary.'  Matt Redmond has preached it himself.  But here he simply asks: What about the rest of us? through stories of pastors, plumbers, dental hygienists and stay-at-home mums, and smiles from strangers.   Matt finds grace and mercy in chicken fingers, classic films and smiles from strangers.  Ultimately he convicts us of what he has learned himself. There is a God of the mundane and our life is not about what he does for us." So read the back cover of this book - I had seen it reviewed on the internet and was interested enough to purchase a copy.  Straight away I realised this was going to be one of those books you could read very quickly and then read it again to be sure you caught everything.  130 pages in total, I was able to read it in one sitting and each page kept me...

Introduction The author sets out his agenda "I want people to love Jesus and his church - and to know how to love their church."  He wants us the reader to realise the significance of the church and what role they can play in it. Firstly he sets out what the church is - a family.  At present we experience true salvation but we await final and full salvation in the future with all God's people throughout all of time.  We show the world what our King is like, and what the kingdom to come will be like through our shared life and our mission of word and deed in the world.  We are situated outside of our homeland so our life and actions are different from others. 1 Timothy 4 verse 15 we are "the household of God which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth." Acts 20 verse 28 "Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with ...

This little book printed 49 years ago is full of challenge. Each chapter is a sermon in itself! In chapter 1 The source of Elijah's strength, Meyer looks at the background to 1 Kings chapter 17.  The very start of the chapter with the word "And" indicates that it is a continuation of what has gone before.  It is actually worth reading 1 Kings 16 because it really shows you that the land of Israel was in an awful state due to idolatory.  How had this happened?   "When men have done their worst, and finished, it is the time for God to begin.  And when God begins He is likely with one blow, to reverse all that has been done without Him and to write some pages of human history, which will be a lesson and an inspiration to all coming time." By this stage in the Bible the land of Israel was divided.  After Solomon died his kingdom split in 2.  The southern under Rehoboam his son and the northern under Jeroboam.  Jeroboam decided to set up 2 temples...