The Ultimate Comeback: How to Turn a Bad Night Into a Good Day [Hardcover]

Tommy Tenney (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2, 2007

Using biblical examples of how focusing on the wrong direction leads only to heartbreak, Tommy Tenney reveals that obedience alone brings true restoration of the soul, and then he explains how to make right choices.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Tenney, author of the God Chasers series, which has sold more than two million products, attempts to help people chase away the bad and replace it with good in his newest book. Readers, however, will find themselves chasing their tails trying to catch what he's saying through the book's repetition, digressions and overenthusiastic storytelling. Tenney's message is a worthy one: "God's presence can transform life's greatest failures into our greatest triumphs." He offers numerous examples from the Christian Bible, focusing most clearly on Gehazi, a servant of the Old Testament prophet Elisha. Gehazi fell from grace with Elisha's curse of leprosy, yet seven years later Gehazi was counselor to Israel's king. Tenney's speculative interpretation of the events in between may cause consternation among biblical scholars, but his point is that Gehazi learned from the "gift of failure." "If He can do it for Gehazi, He can do it for anybody—including you," stresses Tenney. Tenney's followers will find more of his trademark style here, but newcomers could be confused by the gushing repetitiveness and annoyed at the occasional triteness. (Jan.)
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About the Author

Tommy Tenney, a world citizen, has ministered in more than 72 countries. Three generations of ministry in his family heritage have given Tenny a unique perspective on how to share the Gospel today. He spent 10 years pastoring and has spent over 20 years in itinerant ministry. Tenney and his wife, Jeannie, reside in Louisiana with their three daughters and two Yorkies.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: FaithWords (January 2, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446578320
• ISBN-13: 978-0446578325
• Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 0.8 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #832,782 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Tommy Tenney is the author of multi-million selling The God Chasers series. He has written more than thirty books, with eight best-selling titles to date. Tommy has books in over forty languages, traveled into more than seventy-two countries and television broadcast into one hundred twenty nations. Tommy spent ten years pastoring and has spent over twenty years in itinerant ministry. His two passions are leading others to seek the presence of God and encouraging unity in the body of Christ. He is the founder of GodChasers.network, a mission's ministry organized to assist pastors globally, and distribute Tommy's teachings through various media. Three generations of ministry in his family heritage, and three daughters, have given Tommy a unique perspective on ministry. The Tenneys reside in Louisiana with their three daughters, their son-in-law, four grandchildren and two Yorkies.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All about forgiveness, April 11, 2007

By 

Armchair Interviews (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ultimate Comeback: How to Turn a Bad Night Into a Good Day (Hardcover)

Many times people believe that they have gone too far to be forgiven. In The Ultimate Comeback, Tommy Tenney masterfully weaves Biblical stories to show that there is not only hope for forgiveness, but also that your life, ministry, or marriage can be fully restored in time.

In the first three chapters, Tenney gives the reader a foundation that the Lord is very much in control on the situation, even when it doesn't seem like it. The first work that master storyteller Tenney weaves is a tale of what life must have seemed like for the almond branch that became Aaron's staff. One can fully identify with this poor branch that only wanted to grow up and produce almonds, and has instead been cut off, dried, and stripped of its bark. But the Lord had other plans for it. In the end the Lord's plans were so much more fulfilling than just producing almonds.

If the reader is not aware of the biblical story of Gehazi, the servant of the prophet Elisha, Tenney spends the bulk of the book recounting it: how greed got the best of Gehazi and how, because of that sin, the curse of leprosy clung to his family. Thankfully though, Gehazi's history doesn't end there, but mysteriously he is restored and given a new position in the king's court! How does that come about? Tenney draws upon many sources to come up with some logical conclusions.

Follwing are a few quotes from the book that are indicative of Mr. Tenney's ability to paint a word picture:

-- "Sometimes our ego can write a check that our character cannot cash."

-- "Anytime you "take" anything out of God's hands He will let you have it."

--"....failure is often the womb of success."

Armchair Interviews says: If you have questions about how much a loving God cares about you and your situation, this book is for you. This is truly a 5-star read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ULIMATE COMEBACK, October 2, 2007

By 

Maxine Fuller (Holly, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Ultimate Comeback: How to Turn a Bad Night Into a Good Day (Hardcover)

This book was so good I ordered one for my daughter recovering from a marriage hurt. The most rememberal was the comparison of the preparation of Arons rod.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Most telling statements for today's Christian is to make sure to pass the test when it comes around a second time, June 5, 2007

By 

FaithfulReader.com (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ultimate Comeback: How to Turn a Bad Night Into a Good Day (Hardcover)

Author and speaker Tommy Tenney invites readers to believe God to accomplish the impossible in their lives. Specifically, Tenney asserts that God can and will afford believers the chance for the ultimate comeback. It doesn't matter what setbacks a Christian is facing down; with God's enablement nothing is too dark, distressing or disabling for Him to prevail over.

Tenney forms much of his text around the biblical story of Elisha's servant, Gehazi, whose deliberate disobedience and greed ushered in the most hideous punishment of that day: leprosy. Ironically, this affliction was the very disease from which the wealthy Naaman (and from whom Gehazi illicitly stole) was just healed: "Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and your descendants forever." Writes Tenney, "...one error in judgment, one bad decision, and life as he (Gehazi) knew it was over." While Elisha pronounced judgment on his erring servant, God allows careful readers to watch as the drama of Gehazi's life unfolds over the coming years. Tenney continually challenges believers not to count Gehazi down and out, for God eventually turns the table and gives Gehazi another opportunity to redeem himself.

Tenney skillfully depicts the surrounding climate of the times and fills in the blanks so that interested readers can see how mistakes in error and judgment can snowball into a series of pain and suffering. While Gehazi failed at the outset, Tenney tells today's believer to obey God in all areas of life. Gehazi coveted the "blessings" of the good life but was willing to compromise truth to obtain it. Likewise, he exhorts readers to obey God, and thereby give God an excuse to bless. Lest some think that Tenney is pitching a formulaic, no-fail guide to "getting from God," the remainder of the text details how those who walk toward God will suffer along the way.

Asserting that God does His best work in secret throughout scripture, Tenney shares the unlikely coinciding events of Esther's strategic placement in the palace, Samson's inward character flaws and John Mark's inability to withstand the rigors of being a traveling evangelist. Yet God worked through these unlikely people, despite their fears and failings, and He made up the difference in every situation. Similarly, God used Gehazi's years as a leper to change and refine his character. Placed in yet another "tempting" position to profit by another's loss, Gehazi makes the right choice and God heals him.

In sum, Tenney shares that part of the process of making an ultimate comeback from financial woes, ill health or relational breakdowns is embracing the supposition that the "gift of failure" is one of the best learning tools in life. Writes Tenney, "failure is often the womb of success." He provides a detailed look at one of the most overlooked biblical characters and offers a fresh take on this man's mistakes, pain and eventual redemption. One of Tenney's most telling statements for today's Christian is to make sure to pass the test when it comes around a second time.

--- Reviewed by Michele Howe