Book Review-Downpour by James MacDonald

Ok, gals, I must admit this book review is several weeks over due.
There are two reasons:

1) In addition to reading Downpour, I also read Tim Tebow's (Christian and football player for the Denver Broncos) autobiography, Through My Eyes, last month. It was an encouraging story of a young man (who was, by the way, homeschooled) with a very detailed commentary on his college football career and 1st season with the Broncos. He caught my attention several years ago after seeing Scripture references on his eye black and seeing him and his mom in the pro-life Super Bowl commercial. Seems like a great guy. I would highly recommend this book for the men in your life, if they enjoy football. Okay, that was a freebie and this month is a two-fer (two for one)! Now... for the good stuff!Open-mouth smile

2) I started reading this month's book with someone else in mind and once I got into it realized that God intended the message for ME!

Downpour-God's best when you need Him most by James MacDonald is a book on personal revival. I have owned this book for sometime and knew bits and pieces of the message, but picked it more for information purposes rather than personal reasons. Funny how God works, He'll use anything to get our attention! I'll just be honest with you and admit that I had allowed some "cooling off" in my relationship with the LORD recently, but didn't realize how far I had gotten off the path until I read this! I had recently been convicted of ungodliness, but... it had become complacency.

I don't really know where to begin, but he defines revival as: a renewed interest after a period of indifference or decline. His key verses are found in Hosea 6:1-3 which I will admit I have not read in a while.

Hosea 6
A Call to Repentance 
1 Come, let us return to the Lord. For He has torn us, and He will heal us; He has wounded us, and He will bind up our wounds.
2 He will revive us after two days, and on the third day He will raise us up so we can live in His presence.
3 Let us strive to know the Lord. His appearance is as sure as the dawn. He will come to us like the rain, like the spring showers that water the land.

His commentary on verse 1 included:
1) Turning to the LORD is recognizing
2) Turning to the LORD is repenting
3) Turning to the LORD is actually re-turning
And he recommends that there is a regular interval of turning and returning to the Lord where "the cords of commitment that binds our hearts to His are tightened up again." He describes returning as a "thousand refinements" that take place as we move toward a deeper understanding of who God is.
He also reminds us that God is passionate in His pursuit of us and His will is sanctification (1 Thess 4:3).

So... I'm asking do YOU need a personal revival? Do you long for the "times of refreshing" that Paul mentions in Acts 3:19?

In a dream that James had, God's spirit was bringing revival and repentance not only to him personally, but to his church (Harvest Bible Chapel) and to the USA. Immediately following the dream, he wrote these five things down:

God on the Throne: a picture of holiness Isaiah 6:1-4
Sin in the Mirror: a picture of brokenness Romans 1:18-21
Self in the Dirt: a picture of repentance 2 Cor 7:8-11
Christ on the Cross: a picture of grace Galatians 6:14
Spirit in Control: a picture of power Galatians 2:20/Ephesians 5:18/Romans 8:9-11

Which he feels they are a biblical pathway to personal revival. But don't take my word for it, I encourage you to read it yourself!
This is the second book that I have read by James MacDonald and I have to say I prefer his preaching, but that is just me!
And I know this was not coincidence, but he just taught this on Walk in the Word last month!

That's all for now folks. I hope you enjoyed it and were encouraged by it! Love you all.
In Christ and for His glory,
sarah

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