The Wall

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“What a dear old wall that is that runs along by the river there! I never pass it without feeling better for the sight of it. Such a mellow, bright, sweet old wall; what a charming picture it would make, with the lichen creeping here, and the moss growing there, a shy young vine peeping over the top at this spot, to see what is going on upon the busy river, and the sober old ivy clustering a little farther down! There are fifty shades and tints and hues in every ten yards of that old wall. . . . It looks so peaceful and so quiet, and it is such a dear old place to ramble round in the early morning before many people are about.” Jerome K. Jerome, “Three Men In A Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog)” Ch. 6 (1889)

Book Review: "Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire" by Jim Cymbala

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Cymbala, Jim. “Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire.” Michigan: Zondervan, 1997

 [I read old books because they are there]

This short anecdotal book is required reading. Rationale: there is as much prayer in churches as in public schools.

Godly men and women call on the name of the Lord. This is the main teaching Pastor Cymbala’s book, built on the root principle found in Genesis 4. God’s people identified early in scripture as being “those who call on the name of the Lord.” The ungodly do not call on the name of the Lord (Psalm 14:4).

Prayer defines who are as as obedient children of God. Prayer shows that we take God seriously, believing Him. Prayer is central to our worship, the hallmark of the place in which we worship; but, we have become complacent with much, much less. The church is missing the spiritual connection and needs to get plugged back into the power source.

Cymbala’s scriptural applications both admonishes and encourages to stretch our hands and call out to God, who will respond to those who call on Him. Satan is not resisted if we are not pursuing hard after God. Prayerlessness is not God’s plan for His people and we cannot grow unless we go deeper with Him. Prayerfulness reminds us of our increasing need for Him. We cannot be Christian without prayer.

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