Don't Miss Out by Jeannie Cunnion

Most Christians, at least the non-charismatic ones, tend to ignore the Holy Spirit. It may not be intentional, Cunnion observes, just lack of knowledge. She says one of the things that compelled her to write a book about the Spirit was “recognizing that most Christians acknowledge the existence of the Holy Spirit but avoid any experience of Him...” (185) It set her on a spiritual journey and she shares her insights in this book.

This is a good book for Christians desiring to experience all God has for us. Cunnion shares how she realized Jesus said the Spirit's presence was better for the disciples than His own. (23) She writes about discovering how to recognize the power of the Spirit within and living by it. She says understanding the Spirit's work is important because “...whatever God wants to say to us is conveyed through His Spirit.” (124)

Cunnion's book is a good one for understanding how the Spirit guides, how we can practice His presence, how we can stop from filling our lives with lesser things and more. I was especially struck by her exploration of the difference between being productive and being spiritually fruitful and God-glorifying. Insights like that one make this a good book for Christians young and old. She has a good, insightful discussion on the baptism of the Spirit too, identifying it with a felt experience. (Nothing scary for non-charismatic Christians.)

I appreciate this book. It is well written, sensible and anchored in Scripture. She has added good questions for reflection and response at the end of each chapter so this book would be good for personal devotions and group discussion.

Food for thought: “The extent to which we are willing to engage with the Spirit of God is the extent to which we will encounter the fullness of God.” (18)

You can read an excerpt here.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Jeannie Cunnion is the author of several books on Christian living and is a frequent speaker at women's conferences and parenting events around the country. Her work has been featured in a number of media outlets. You can find out more at https://www.jeanniecunnion.com/. Photo © Meshali Mitchell

Bethany House, 240 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

Spiritual Intelligence by Kris Vallotton

We're familiar with IQ (intelligence quotient) and the newer EQ (emotional quotient) but SQ? Vallotton introduces us to the spiritual (intelligence) quotient. It deals with the divine connection, that part of us that has access to the mind and wisdom of Christ. We can learn to live from that source rather than just what we know in our minds.

I like Vallotton's example of a smart phone. Such a phone contains lots of information within itself, in its memory. Connect that phone to wi-fi and it has the ability to access almost unlimited information. We Christians experience something similar when we access the mind of Christ.

I like Vallotton's insight into actually hearing from God through the Spirit and understanding what is being said. It is hard, he says. Learning to be sensitive to the Spirit takes time. He experimented and became more confident, partly by missing it so many times. (53) He does give us some practical keys, suggestions for learning to understand the Spirit.

Here is another insight I think very clever. People would come up to him, saying they had a word from the Lord for him. The Lord had given him a special number years ago. If the person mentioned the number, Vallotton would know the message was truly from the Lord. (55)

Vallotton went a bit into a couple of areas I don't like, namely the give to get ten times back idea and the idea we can create reality with our faith. Other than that, I really appreciate this book. It is good for understanding Scripture such as 1 Cor. 2:16, indicating we have the mind of Christ. Vallotton helps us learn how to allow the Spirit to guide our lives. He has included a number of personal experiences to illustrate his teaching. The book has a charismatic, or spirit-filled basis and encourages tapping into spiritual gifts. This book is a good challenge to live Spirit led.

You can read an excerpt here.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Kris Vallotton is the senior associate leader of Bethel Church in Redding, California, and co-founder of Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry and Bethel Media. He is also the founder of Moral Revolution and Bethel School of Technology, as well as chairman of Advance Redding. He is a bestselling author, having written more than a dozen books and manuals. He is also an international conference speaker and leadership consultant. He and his wife live in Redding, have four children and nine grandchildren. You can find out more at https://www.krisvallotton.com/. Photo Credit: © Lucas Sankey

Chosen, 224 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

Getting to Know God's Voice by Jenny Randle

This is a good 31 day exploration of how God speaks to us. Randle helps us recognize the various ways God speaks, how to identify and overcome barriers to hearing and obeying God, and how we can respond to what God is telling us. I like the interactive nature of the book with places for readers to respond.

Randle shares many of her own experiences to illustrate her teaching. She has incorporated a lesson and a challenge in each of the daily readings, as well as practices for us to complete. I like that she encourages us to have a buddy with whom we can interact as we work through the book. I like that she reminds us recognizing and correctly following God's voice is a process and we will probably make mistakes along the way. I like her extra suggestions at the end of the book, such as when we really missed it or when God seems silent.

Randle believes all the gifts of the Holy Spirit are available to us today. She believes in miracles and spiritual warfare. Her book may be more appreciated by Charismatic Christians but should not be ignored by any Christian.

This is a good book for new Christians as it includes good teaching and exercises on hearing from God. Seasoned Christians may not find anything new in this book but it would serve as a good refresher course.

You can see a preview of the interesting format of the book here.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Jenny Randle is a speaker, author, and Emmy-winning video editor. She has served in ministry and worked in the entertainment, publishing, and creative industries for more than fifteen years. She and her husband founded Freedom Creatives, empowering creatives in the art of living a transformed life in Christ. They live in upstate New York and have two children. You can find out more a www.jennyrandle.com.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

Fire and Wind by Stan Jantz

Jantz's father died at a young age. His mother remarried. It wasn't until just recently that Jantz went through a box containing his father's books. They were books by authors who wrote over a hundred years ago: Moody, Murray, Simpson, Torrey, and Tozer. The books were about the Holy Spirit. As Jantz read through his father's books, he was made aware of a new understanding of the person and work of the Spirit. He shares his insights with us.

Many Christians will be able to relate to Jantz's initial understanding of the Spirit, more doctrine than anything else. His understanding of God was intellectual and not experiential. He, like many evangelicals, thought of the Trinity as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Bible. Reading his father's books created in Jantz a hunger to know the Holy Spirit, to experience Him, to rely on Him for daily living.

This is a good book for evangelical Christians who have relegated the Holy Spirit to a place other than indwelling, directing, encouraging, enlightening, and empowering believers. You'll share Jantz's journey to knowing the Spirit is alive and well in believers today, can be experienced and desires to empower believers with gifts.

Food for thought: “A truly spiritual person is someone who is personally led by God through the Holy Spirit.” (Loc 228/1579)

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Stan Jantz is the president of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association and cofounder of ConversantLife.com. He is the coauthor of more than 50 books. He lives in Huntington Beach, California.

Harvest House, 176 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Jesus In Me by Anne Graham Lotz

When Lotz's husband died a few years ago, she found great comfort and strength from God through the Holy Spirit. She shares her spiritual experiences and adds stories from others and from the Bible. While there is some exploration of the character and work of the Holy Spirit, most of the book is a memoir of her path of learning to enjoy and trust the Spirit more and more.

Lotz's writing style is a pleasure to experience. She is open and honest about her experiences, sharing the good times and the troubling ones. Rarely will one admit the times when she thought she heard the Spirit but things did not turn out as expected. Most of her book, however, is about her knowing the Spirit as Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor, and Counselor.

Lotz includes a good bit of teaching too. She writes about how God strengthens us through hardship and how the Spirit convicts us of sin and disciples us. She also reviews the many roles the Holy Spirit has in our transformation to become more like Christ. “He is a divine necessity,” she writes. (3)

My favorite part of the book was the section on purpose, a great challenge. If we see our purpose as being physically fit or traveling or being a career success, what happens when we are diagnosed with a debilitating disease? If we make our life's purpose to glorify God, we can carry it out no matter our circumstances. (121)

Lotz has included good teaching in several appendixes. She helps us learn how to hear the Spirit by reviewing her Bible reading process. She also has good teaching on being filled with the Spirit and staying filled, a self-examination of sin, and the various gifts of the Spirit.

This is a good book for any Christian but particularly for those who have recently experienced the loss of a spouse or another loved one. Lotz wrote the book in the context of the loss of her husband and it is good encouragement that believers are never alone. The Holy Spirit is always our constant companion.

You can read a sample here.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Anne Graham Lotz is an international speaker and the best-selling, award-winning author of numerous books, including Just Give Me Jesus. Her Just Give Me Jesus revivals have been held in more than thirty cities in twelve different countries with hundreds of thousands attendees. She has been profiled on 60 Minutes and has appeared on programs such as Larry King Live, the Today show, and the Sean Hannity Show. Named one of the five most influential evangelists of her generation by the New York Times, she is the president of AnGel Ministries in Raleigh, North Carolina, and the former chairperson for the National Day of Prayer. You can find out more at https://www.annegrahamlotz.org/

Multnomah, 288 pages.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Understanding the Holy Spirit Today by Doris Wynbeek Rikkers

We know the Holy Spirit is living among us and in us but we often don't recognize nor understand His work. Rikkers suggests reading Bible stories of the Spirit at work will help us realize how He works today.

Rikkers retells the stories and then adds her insights about the Spirit working today. Most of the content of the book is the retold stories. This makes the book a good one for Christians with little knowledge of the Bible. I've read through the Bible many times yet still found insights because of Rikkers' great story telling ability.

I like how she handled a difficult topic, the Spirit physically transporting Ezekiel and Philip. She encouraged us to trust the Spirit when He does things we don't understand and can't explain. We can be assured the He can do whatever God wants to be done in our lives. I like the spiritual lessons she draws from the stories, such as Ezekiel and the bones. We can know that the Spirit renews and restores life.

This book is no theological treatise. It is not an investigation into whether the gifts of the Spirit are manifest today or not. This is a gentle exploration of how the Spirit has worked in Bible times and how that helps us understand how the Spirit works today.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Doris Wynbeek Rikkers has worked in Christian publishing for more than forty years and was managing editor of the team that originally published the New International Version of the Bible. She has written eight books for children. She is active in the Christian Reformed Church and has served on the board of trustees of Calvin Theological Seminary. She has a master's degree in Bible and theology. She lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

FaithWords, 208 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Three Spiritual Classics in One Volume, by A W Tozer

Tozer was concerned that the church no longer had right thinking toward God. Modern Christians had lost a sense of the majesty of God. He wrote The Knowledge of the Holy to help Christians know the character of God and His attributes. My favorite section was on the eternity of God. “[God] has no past and no future.” (73) “For Him everything that will happen has already happened.” (74) His explanation of the immutability of God was very understandable too. He also has a good chapter on living in light of God's attributes. (Originally published in 1961.)

Tozer saw a lack in the pulpits of his day. People were hungry for God Himself and preachers were not helping people in The Pursuit of God. Tozer identifies the paradox, seeking hard after God even after being found by Him. He encourages fervently seeking God. “Complacency is a deadly foe of all spiritual growth.” (225) He reminds us that this is a spiritual pursuit, not an intellectual one. God is ready to manifest Himself to us and we must have an inward habit of beholding His presence. This book is as applicable today as it was when published in 1948.

The third book in the collection, God's Pursuit of Man, is the one that impressed me the most. Tozer argues that true spirituality is essentially internal. Most Christians have settled for intellectual and emotional changes rather than a genuine encounter with God. He refers to 1 Thess. 1:5 and says some accept the word only but never experience the power. There is no internal change. He likens it to trimming a hedge but the hedge remains one of thorn bushes. (362) This section of the book helped me a great deal to understand the current state of Christianity in America. People have an intellectual and emotional change but do not experience that radical change becoming new creatures.

I highly recommend this collection of Tozer's books. Modern readers might be put off by the KJV language but the truths contained make it worth working through the text. It was enlightening to read these books from a generation ago. Tozer's encouragement to pursue an internal spiritual transformation make today's Christian books look anemic and powerless. Tozer's books clearly point out the “present state of spiritual weakness.” (376) Reading this collection will certainly encourage readers to a more intimate experience with God and a more powerful Christian life and witness. It would be a great book for pastors and church leaders to read too.

My rating: 5/5 stars.

A. W. Tozer (1897-1963) began his lifelong pursuit of God after hearing a street preacher in Akron, Ohio, at the age of seventeen. The self-taught theologian committed his life to the ministry of God's Word as a pastor, teacher, and writer. He was a pastor in association with the Christian and Missionary Alliance, serving churches in West Virginia, Chicago, and Toronto, Canada.

Moody Publishers, 480 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Transforming Presence by Daniel Henderson

Henderson believes it is urgent that every Christian experience the person and power of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament reality. To help us, he looked at Scripture without preconceived ideas. Many of us, he concluded, are trying to live in the Old Testament. The Holy Spirit is now an indwelling transforming personal presence. “His personal power and presence pulsates in and through our lives.” (Loc 740/2297)

Henderson says that the failure to think of the Holy Spirit as a person, and the failure to emphasize His indwelling our hearts, “has created a mountain of mental mush” when we think about His presence. “We need a clear new covenant understanding of how the Holy Spirit works in our lives and in the church today.” (Loc 740/2297)

Henderson explores what the writer of Hebrews says about the old and new covenants. We can't go back, he says. “We must live fully in the power and privileges of all that He has accomplished for us in the new [covenant], including our understanding of how His Spirit now works in our lives and in His church.” (Loc 553/2297) Unlike the old covenant era, we are now being transformed from the inside out.

Many topics are covered in this book. I liked the section on worship. He makes a thought provoking distinction between “form” and “reality.” I like that Henderson reminds us that the work of the Holy Spirit is the glory of God through the magnification of Jesus. (Loc 310/2297) He has some penetrating comments about how we do church. 'I believe we need a serious re-evaluation of what we are really doing on weekends in this thing we call 'church.'" (Loc 1103/2297) I was especially struck by his definition of being filled with the Spirit. “To be filled with the Spirit means to exclude everything that hinders the Spirit's power.” (Loc 1249/2297)

I greatly appreciate this book. Henderson clarifies many misunderstandings about the Holy Spirit. He clears up the language that reflects the Old Testament experiences rather than the New Testament reality. This book challenged me to think more clearly and speak more biblically about the Holy Spirit. This is a good book for pastors, church leaders, and those desiring to develop a correct New Testament theology and practice of the Holy Spirit.

I do wish there had been more on how to actually experience the presence and power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Henderson does give us knowledge to rightly think about the Holy Spirit. We are pretty much on our own as to developing the spiritual practices and habits that help be sensitive to the Spirit.

You can watch a book trailer here. You can find additional resources for the book at http://www.strategicrenewal.com/transformingpresencebook/, coming live on the book's publication date, June 5.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Daniel Henderson, as a senior pastor for over two decades, brought prayer based revitalization to several mega-churches. Today he is dedicating his full time efforts to help congregations across the country experience renewal as he speaks to thousands each year at conferences and prayer events. He is President of Strategic Renewal, teaches part time at Liberty University, and is on the staff of Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia. His preaching ministry is featured on OnePlace.com.

Moody Publications, 240 pages. This book releases June 5.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

GodRunner by Will Hart

Hart shares his own stories of ministry and encourages us to let the Holy Spirit minister through us as well.

Becoming the man he is today was a process. Hart tells of his encounter with the Holy Spirit, his travels and the miraculous events he has experienced. He explains the anointing of the Holy Spirit and transferring it from one person to another. He encourages us to be obedient to the Holy Spirit's call. He reminds us that it will be outside of our comfort zone. God will provide what we need for the ministry. We are not to try to make sense of it. Just be a fearless risk-taker.

Hart's life is a great example for us. He has had no special educations, no formal training. He is just passionate about the things of the kingdom and has been used mightily by God. His example shows us that we do not have to be in some remote location to be used of God. If we are listening to the Spirit, we can be used by God in the local hardware store.

Hart is the COO of Iris Global, the ministry of Rolland and Heidi Baker. They chose him for that position because they saw his passion and tenacious spirit when it comes to things of God. You'll be encouraged by this book as you read how God has worked through Hart, knowing that God is ready to work through you too.

Food for thought: “You were created to be loved by Him. Therefore, you worship Him; you give love back to Him. Then you freely give it away to others. You keep His love flowing.” (122)

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Will Hart has traveled in the jungles of the Congo and the streets of Thailand. He has ministered in conferences across the U.S. He always expects the Holy Spirit to show up in power. He traveled three years with Randy Clark and then moved, with his wife, to Mozambique to minister with the Bakers. After returning to the U.S., he ministered closely with Randy Clark's Global Awakening. In 2016, be became COO of Iris Global. He and his wife have three children and live in Glendale, California.

Whitaker House, 192 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through The Book Club Network. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Everyday Supernatural by Mike Pilavachi and Andy Croft

It is possible for all followers of Jesus to see God's supernatural power at work everyday, the authors write. We often miss out because we don't understand that much of what God does comes in the ordinary events of each day.

The authors are convinced it should be normal for believers to hear God speak, exercise spiritual gifts, and see the Holy Spirit at work. They have given us biblical teaching and practical guidelines in this book to help make those experiences every day.

I like their emphasis on the glory of God as why we would pursue the supernatural. We are to be looking for a revelation of God's love, not something spectacular. It is God's goodness, mercy, and compassion that is in evidence as He cares for people. We are reminded that love is always to be our aim. I like their emphasis on having a relationship with Jesus rather than having power from Jesus. Recognizing and living in God's presence is essential. It is what distinguishes us in the world.

The authors write about what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit, how to pray in the spirit, how to hear God speak, the importance of obedience, seeing God work in our weakness, the role of faith, and understanding and using the gifts of the Spirit.

One strong point of this book is the experiences the authors' share. Their spiritual encounters with the Holy Spirit and His gifts are very different. That's really encouraging to readers who think their experience must match some ideal. There are also illustrations from Bible characters included.

The authors point out that the Bible shows that the Holy Spirit indwells all believers. They help us understand how to maintain a fullness of the Spirit. They write about the necessity of stilling our hearts, giving practical suggestions. I appreciate that the authors end their book with a chapter on perseverance. They include good suggestions for when we might feel like quitting.

This is a good book for Christians who want to understand more about the Holy Spirit and His role in our lives. Yes, the authors write about speaking in tongues and the other gifts of the Spirit. Their emphasis is very much on the glory of God as the end result of our ministry. Even those hesitant about spiritual gifts will find sensible and inspiring teaching here. I highly recommend this book.

My rating: 5/5 stars.

Mike Pilavachi is the founder and public face of the UK's biggest Christian youth event, Soul Survivor, and senior pastor of the Soul Survivor church in Watford, North London. He is a popular international speaker and the author of several books.

Andy Croft is a twenty-something with a first class theology degree from Cambridge University. He's associate director of Soul Survivor Ministries and spends much of his time exploring the Bible with young people.

David C Cook, 240 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.

Hearing God by Mark and Patti Virkler

Christianity is unique among religions in that it offers a personal relationship with God, the Creator of the universe. We can actually communicate and interact with God.

But saying communication is possible and experiencing it are two very different things. The Virklers have written this book as an interactive journey in hearing God. They share some principles and then give readers opportunity to practice hearing from God through journaling.

They begin with general principles of hearing from God, giving four foundational building block in communicating with God. The next section is on meditation on His Word, giving foundational principles and then a seven step process. The last section is on hearing God through dreams, why they are important and then the process of recording and interpreting them.

The book is set up so readers can read a short chapter a day and then record their responses in the generous space given. Here is a sample question to stimulate writing: “Write down what you envision a lifestyle of abiding in Christ looks like in your life.” (74)

One of the keys to hearing God that was a challenge was, “Become still so you can sense God's flow of thoughts.” The exercise on waiting was difficult but enlightening. I really appreciated the suggestion to use a quiet worship song. Some good ideas were given, with exercises, to overcome distractions too.

This is a good book for any Christian desiring to hear and recognize God's voice. The technique of giving a short teaching and then an actual exercise really worked well. And the authors included some very encouraging testimonies of people who have successfully heard from God and acted on it. This book is written from a charismatic perspective and includes a short section at the end on hearing God for healing.

Mark Virkler, Ph.D., and Patti Virkler, D.Min., have authored more than fifty books in the areas of hearing God's voice and spiritual growth. They are the founders of Communion with God Ministries (www.CWGMinistries.org) and Christian Leadership University (www.CLUonline.com). They recently created a fully electronic “School of the Spirit” with downloadable training modules (www.cluschoolofthespirit.com).

Destiny Image, 192 pages.

I received a complimentary galley of this book through The Book Club Network for the purpose of an independent and honest review.

River Dwellers by Rob Reimer

Every Christian can live in the fullness of the Spirit, dwelling in the River of Life (John 7:37-38). If we Christians want to have a culture changing impact on the world today, being a River Dweller is essential. This book is an excellent study and encouragement to that end.

Reimer explores what it means to be baptized in the Spirit. He writes about the evidence of that baptism and the elements of receiving it. He shows how we become more sensitive to hearing God speak, the norm for people living in the fullness of the Spirit. He covers six ways God speaks to us, giving examples of each and how to handle what is received. He helps us, in general, understand how to live in the River, dwelling in His presence. He writes of cultivating that experience by using the spiritual disciplines, developing a spiritual desire and increased sensitivity to the Spirit. He also covers the kinds of actions that take us out of the River and the Spirit's presence and shows us how to notice the warning signs and walk in the light.

This is an excellent study on living the Spirit filled life. Reimer does a very good job of explaining it all to us. He writes from his own experience of being raised in a CMA church and later being introduced to the Spirit filled life. (He is currently the pastor of a CMA church.) This book is based on practice, not just theory. His section on quenching the Spirit is really convicting. His teaching on battling disappointments is encouraging.

I really like his illustration of the River. Just like a river rafting trip, there will be some fast exciting times and some slow restful times. There may be times when there is a bend in the river and we can't see what is coming. Reimer has found that staying in the River, all of its parts have shaped him and brought him to where God wants him to be today.

If you want to be sensitive to the Spirit's presence and leading, this book will help you on that journey. If you want to be a River Dweller, the information and encouragement in this book is for you. The reflection questions at the end of each chapter are great too. I highly recommend this book.

Rev. Dr. Rob Reimer is the Founding and Lead Pastor of South Shore Community Church, a church of the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Brockton, Massachusetts. He is also a Field Pastor for the CMA Field in Senegal, where he speaks and ministers to missionaries on a regular basis. He also equips Christian leaders as Global Leadership Associate. He is also an Adjunct Professor at Alliance Theological Seminary in Nyack, NY. He has a Doctorate in Preaching from Gordon-Conwell theological Seminar. He and his family lives in Bridgewater, MA. You can find out more at www.DrRobReimer.com.

Carpenter's Son Publishing, 176 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through the Book Club Network for the purpose of an independent and honest review. 

Hosting the Presence Every Day by Bill Johnson

About the book:

Johnson wants Christians to encounter God on a daily basis. Though all believers have the Holy Spirit within them, Johnson says there is more that enables Christians to be overflowing with God's presence. He has readers prophets and kings from the Old Testament who were people God communed with and worked through. Johnson encourages readers to pursue God's presence above all else.

Johnson helps readers:

• Pay attention to the Holy Spirit and respond to Him.
• Recognize how the Holy Spirit manifests Himself.
• Encounter biblical figures who were hungry for more of God's Spirit and learned to host Him.
• Read stories about Presence-filled revivalists and personal encounters with the Holy Spirit.

My review:

I really like having a daily encouragement to experience the Holy Spirit on a personal level. The devotions are inspiring. Johnson has included a Scripture reference and a prayer for each day. (The last half of December has no Scripture as these are accounts of recent people and their encounters with the Holy Spirit.)

This is a great devotional for, but not limited to, Charismatic Christians. While Johnson does write about the gifts of the Spirit, he does not make them a particular focal point. I was glad to see he writes about the importance of worship and the value of experience. He writes with a view to seeing Christians transform their world. That takes the direction, power and presence of the Holy Spirit.

I have not read through the entire devotional yet but I am looking forward to doing so in the coming year. The devotionals I have read are very informative and encouraging. They are a good reminder each morning to be aware of the Holy Spirit and rely on His presence to live out the day.

Bill Johnson is a fifth-generation pastor with a rich heritage in the Holy Spirit. Bill and his wife serve a growing number of churches across denominational lines that have partnered for revival. They are the senior pastors of Bethel Church, Redding, California.

Destiny Image, 370 pages.

I received a complimentary galley of this book through The Book Club Network for the purpose of an independent and honest review.

Holy Fire by R. T. Kendall

Kendall embraces Reformed theology (after growing up Nazarene). He also believes the gifts of the Holy Spirit are operative today. This may be a surprise because he was trained and ordained in a theological setting that taught him to resist charismatic teaching and experience.

I really like Kendall's book (perhaps because I am Reformed and charismatic). He has written it to (re)introduce us to the Holy Spirit, to show the inconsistency of the teaching of some evangelicals, and to warn of strange fire.

He notes that some Christians emphasize the Word and other the Holy Spirit. He says both are right but the problem is that neither will learn from the other. He desires to see a combination of sound biblical teaching and the encouragement of a greater measure of the Holy Spirit.

Kendall is not naive. He admits there is the counterfeit, “strange fire.” He identifies the pitfalls in the charismatic/pentecostal movement and warns against them, such as a defective view of God. He does the same for the Reformed camp, such as cessationism (the idea that miracles ceased when the canon was completed).

He explores what every Christian should know about the Holy Spirit (21 truths). He also writes about Dr. Lloyd-Jones (his predecessor at Westminster Chapel), how to recognize strange fire and what lies behind it, the sensitive nature of the Holy Spirit, his own testimony, cessationism and its consequences, and evidence of the Holy Spirit.

Kendall is open and honest in this book. It is a good look at who the Holy Spirit is, how He is active today, and how that activity is sometimes misunderstood and misused. Any of Reformed theology will find a balanced perspective in this book.

R. T. Kendall was the pastor of Westminster Chapel in London for 25 years. Born in Ashland, Kentucky, he was educated at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Oxford University. He is the author of more than 45 books.

Charisma House, 256 pages.

The Age of the Spirit by Phyllis Tickle with Jon Sweeney

Tickle writes that there are two major reasons for us to understand the Holy Spirit – well, at least understand as much as we can. First, early Islam had roots, in part, in the furor over the Trinity and what it is. Second, the fastest growing segment of Christianity is Pentecostalism with its emphasis on the Holy Spirit.

It is important, she argues, for us to know how we Christians have envisioned, engaged, and too often tried to engineer the Holy Spirit over the millennia. She reviews history, what people have written, decisions councils have made, etc. She explores particular topics, such as modalism.

Hers is a very readable overview of the subject. She understands that the reality of the Holy Spirit makes us uneasy. He is a mystery that unnerves us – that has been the case for centuries.

She writes, “...the most profound change theologically and conceptually in Christianity in our era has been and is the shift toward emphasis on God, the Holy Spirit.” (147) Considering Pentecostal and Charismatic Christians, about one quarter of all Christians today emphasize the Holy Spirit. This is the Age of the Spirit, Tickle says. She helps us struggle with the questions of Who the Holy Spirit is and how we live and worship in this era.

This is not an academic work. This is a very readable exploration of the Holy Spirit and how He has been understood and experienced. If you feel you have ignored the person of the Holy Spirit in your Christian life, this would be a good book to introduce you to writings about Him. If you want, there are plenty of footnotes and Appendixes for further study.

Phyllis Tickle is the founding editor of the religion department at Publishers Weekly. She has written over twenty four books and is a lector and lay eucharistic minister in the Episcopal Church. She is a senior fellow of the Cathedral College of Washington National Cathedral. You can find out more at www.phyllistickle.com.

Baker Books, 192 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.

One Year Alone With God by Ava Pennington

This is a very nice daily devotional that goes through the names and attributes of God. She starts out with the Hebrew names such as Adonai, El Roi, Yahweh Jireh, etc. She then writes about God's character traits. She has included Consuming Fire, Exalted, Holy, Immutable, Just, Merciful, and many more. She also covers the names and character traits of Jesus: Cornerstone, King, Light, Servant, The Way, and more. Lastly she writes about the Holy Spirit: Advocate, Counselor, Transformer, etc.

These are not deep theological devotions on the various names and attributes of God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. A new Christian would find good food for thought here, however. And seasoned Christian will also be pleased to be reminded of God's character as revealed through His names and attributes. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Topical and Scripture indexes have been included at the back of the book.

This book is out of print but it looks like it has been reissued with a new title, Daily Reflections on the Names of God. You can find out more about the book and the author at her website.

Ava Pennington is a contributing author to many books,including a number of Chicken Soup and A Cup pf Comfort books, and has written for several magazines. This is her first solo project. She lives in Florida.

Amaze Us, O God! by Dr. Mark Hanby and Roger Roth, Sr.

Like a house with doors and windows, heaven can be accessed by various entrance points, Hanby says. He calls these portals and he details a number of them in this book. His intent is to help us find spiritual portals so we can enter and experiences God's amazing, miraculous power. He has been teaching these principles of divine connection for fifty years, helping many to discover the access points into the heavenly dimension.

He shares many stories that are testimonies to God's power and love. He adds insights to help us understand and apply keys for accessing the portals. He also gives an application to help us internalize God's promises.

Hanby admits that he does not know why God does what He does. He assures us that what he is presenting is not some formula. He wants to help us get to the place where the perfection and power of heaven can be manifested in our lives on earth. He encourages us to pay attention and look for the hand of God in our lives. He explores the difference between belief and faith. He writes about trusting God when He does not heal, the relationship of faith and hope, recognizing divine appointments, having spiritual awareness and compassion, and the role of prayer.

There are some amazing stories included in this book. Reading it is certainly an encouragement, knowing that God is active in the lives of believers today.

Hanby is honest and practical. He makes no promises. He addresses the issue of continuing to trust God when there is no miracle. His desire is to show us how we can place ourselves before that portal where God might intervene.

Note: Hanby is Charismatic (or Pentecostal). He talks about the baptism in the Holy Spirit but not in the sense that it is necessary to access the spiritual portals.

Dr. Mark Hanby accepted the pastorate of a small church in Fort Worth, Texas, and under his direction saw it grow to become Truth Church, one of the first mega-churches in the nation and the largest of its denomination. He speaks internationally on church governance and spiritual order, ministering in over seventy countries around the world.

Roger Roth, Sr., has partnered with Dr. Hanby in his writing and ministry for many years. Together they oversee Mark Hanby Ministries/Fathers Heart Ministries, a teaching and resource center.

Howard Books (a division of Simon and Schuster), 195 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.