Saturday, May 4, 2013

These Are the Days of Elijah by R. T. Kendall

Elijah was a great prophet. Yet he was also human, with moments of elation
and times of doubt and fear. He was extraordinary yet ordinary. His life is an encouragement for, if God could use Elijah, He can use us.

R. T. draws parallels between the culture of Elijah's day and our own. There was an atmosphere of degeneration. He notes that God spoke through Elijah, despite his weaknesses. But first, God had to prepare him.

There are many lessons R. T. reveals in the life of Elijah. Here are some of them. Never underestimate how God might supply your need. Even when God uses you mightily, there will still be more training. You will probably feel deserted by God at some point in your ministry. You will have to go outside your comfort zone. You will probably be misunderstood. You will be tempted to self righteousness. God will chose your successor, not you. You are not promised instant vindication. You might have the Elijah complex (you feel you are the only one standing for the truth). There is a divine strategy behind all that happens to you. The devil will attack you when you are on top.

This is a good book for relatively new Christians who feel that God wants to use them. This book will give insight into God's ways of preparation, what kinds of experiences to expect along the way. The Bible passages are included in the text so this book could be read anywhere, anytime.

R. T. pretty much retells the story of Elijah, adding his own insights. Seasoned Christians may not find much they did not already know. There are no discussion questions included.

Dr. R. T. Kendall was born in Kentucky, has degrees from Trevecca Nazarene University, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, the University of Louisville, and Oxford University. Before he and his family moved to England, he pastored churches in Tennessee, Ohio, Florida, and Indiana. He became the minister of Westminster Chapel in 1977 (succeeding G. Campbell Morgan and D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones), and was there for 25 years. He retired in 2002. He is the author of more than 50 books. He and his wife currently live on Hickory Lake in Hendersonville, Tennessee.

Chosen Books, 192 pages.

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

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