God on Fire by Fred A. Hartley III

Comment

As the subtitle suggests, this book is all about what the author calls “the manifest presence of Christ.” This is the first time I’ve read an entire book on this subject. As I progressed through the book, I was slightly annoyed by the author’s (to me) failed attempts to use what I call modern lingo in order to appeal to a younger generation. However, by the end of the book, I was used to it and it didn’t bother me any more (either that, or the author toned it down a bit). The main thesis of the book is that God is everywhere present by virtue of his omnipresence, but his manifest presence (“God on fire”) can only be experienced under certain conditions. I really liked chapter 9 where he talked about fear and how the wrong kind of fear can hinder our sense of God’s manifest presence. I also liked the final chapter where he wrapped everything up and gave some practical pointers on how we can begin to experience God on fire in our day and generation. Hartley quotes from many spiritual writers and revivalists of the past; most of which have endnotes, which is very helpful for further reading on the topics raised. In this way, he introduced me to a number of writers and book titles I had not previously encountered. It’s a five-star book and I recommend it heartily.

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