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Passion for the Heart of God

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When I was first given Passion for the Heart of God, I wasn't much of a reader. However, I couldn't put this book down when I started reading it. It was easy to read and reproducible. John showed the simplicity of the message of the Bible in proving all the more that it is God's design to redeem all men back to Himself. God didn't just love Isreal in the Old Testament, but chosen them to be His ambassadors to make His name known among all peoples, just like He has chosen us as Gentiles and given us the commission to extend Christ's Kingdom to the far corners of the earth. I will never read my Bible the same again.

The title of this book is perfect--the passion from the very heart of God for the people He created. It's what the whole Bible is about, as Mr. Zumwalt shows in such an easy to read, entertaining at times and yet powerful way. This book will challenge you, so be careful. :) Sometimes if you see the beautiful passion of God, you'll be floored and humbled and find that passion in your own heart too. And that passion flowing in your heart may send you where you never thought you'd be...

John Zumwalt makes the case that the reason the church exists is because of the great commission. God loves people. It breaks God's heart that there are so many who have never heard his name. He yearns to be in relationship with the unreached people of the world. What grieves God ought to grieve us too.

Zumwalt argues that much of the problem with the Western church is that we have lost focus on what matters to God, and instead focus on ourselves. He argues that the Christian walk is not meant to be easy. Blessings that we receive aren't meant for us to be used selfishly, but are given so that God's name will be known among the nations. The same is true of the nation of Israel. Israel was chosen not just to be blessed, but instead to be used by God as part of his plan to reconcile every nation to him.

This is a challenging book. It is easy to understand, but it is not easy to apply.

You'll find a new lens to see throughout the whole Bible in a new different way. I never read the psalms or maybe any Old Testament scripture in such an evangelistic way.

Zumwalt gives you a solid biblical foundation to think different about your life now and how God intended it to be in respect to your neighbor, and the rest of the world. I wish there were more books like this, that make fire inside of you that you just can't wait to take to other people.

I was encouraged to read "Passion for the Heart of God" about six years ago, and it has changed the way that I view the Old Testament! Among this book's numerous insights is the well-laid-out explanation that the Nation of Israel was not (in my words, not Zumwalt's) "chosen by God to be His people", but rather "chosen from all of God's peoples (i.e. everyone) to be his Priests and Evangelists" - in other words, the Jews are a Light to the whole World that God loves and wants to save, just as the Levites are a "chosen" tribe within the Nation of Israel - they're not "better," they're just "different." If that doesn't make sense... read the book! :) That truth still gets me juiced, and has helped me to see in the O.T. that God LOVES the Egyptians, he LOVES the Assyrians... why wasn't this taught to me clearly when I was a kid?!