Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Storm by Jim Cymbala – A Good and Important Read



It was my privilege to read Jim Cymbala’s newest book Storm – Hearing Jesus for The Times We Live In, coauthored with Jennifer Schuchmann.  I’ve never read a Jim Cymbala book before, but after reading this one I look forward to reading more of his work.

In Storm, Jim Cymbala Pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle came across as humble, concerned and broken over some of the trends he’s seeing in today’s Christian church in America.  He also wielded authority as he spoke truth and warnings from scripture. 

This book was well balanced.  Too often I’ve read books in which Christians share their concerns about the church, but they seem judgmental and lack grace and mercy and aren’t speaking the truth in love.  Jim Cymbala came across as the man who after removing the log from his own eye, he gently helps the reader to remove the speck from their eye. 

Jim speaks, not only to Pastors and church leaders in this book, but also to congregants and challenges each of us to live in the light of Jesus soon return.  He knows the power of the Gospel to change hearts, minds and lives of those who truly repent and receive Christ as Lord and Savior.  He also conveys the importance of daily reading and studying God’s Word for yourself and being a prayer warrior dependent upon God. 

Jim shares warnings that there is a storm approaching and we need to beware of the tempest within the church and prayerlessness.  I especially appreciated the personal stories he shared about the radical transformation of some of the people in his church. 

I’m one who likes to underline and make notes in my books.  I did a lot of that in Storm.  I found myself convicted, challenged, corrected and encouraged. 

I highly recommend Storm by Jim Cymbala with Jennifer Schuchmann.  It’s a book you will want to read, reread and share with others.

I would like to thank the people at BookLook and Zondervan Publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.  I was under no obligation to give a favorable review. 

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