Surprised By The Fire - My Review

Shortly after meeting Tom Mills, he gave me a copy of his book, "Surprised By the Fire." He then provided several copies for us to give away to all of the families in our church.  I was not surprised when the reports came back with so much positive feedback for this book.

I remember reading 1 & 2 Peter as a teenager and, on one particular occasion, with highlighter in hand, marked up almost the entire texts of these short epistles.  Filled with practical, concise teaching and encouragement, these letters get right to the point.  So I was pleased to read a practical study and commentary written to those who need to get ready.

"Get ready for what?" you might ask.  For difficult times.  Don't worry, though.  The author is not a conspiracy theorist, predicting doom and gloom ahead, nor does he attempt to predict the return of Christ.  He merely acknowledges that many Christians around the world are persecuted for their faith and, if trends continue, American Christians are likely to experience increasing pressure and event persecution as well.  The solution?  Rather than fight the culture, the author suggests that we take seriously the teachings of 1 & 2 Peter.  If we do, will not only be ready for difficult, but will not be surprised when it comes.

The structure of the book and the style of writing simply follows the text found in the Biblical books of 1 & 2 Peter.  But so much more than a commentary, each chapter presents an exposition of the primary teaching and practical application of the text.  Within each section, we are invited to check ourselves to determine if we can really say "yes" to the affirmations of the book.  To do this, several Checkpoints are presented through the book.  At the end of each chapter, we find an empty box that waits for a check-mark.  And again the question is asked, "Am I living the life of an obedient child of God?"  "Am I living as a newborn baby - longing for the pure milk of God's Word?"

In the end, this is a great book for those looking for some guided study of God's Word, and for those looking for a penetrating evaluation of their spiritual maturity.  In this book we find both biblical study and personal formation, which is the goal of the entire Bible, by the way.  If this is what you are looking for, I encourage you to check it out!