A 360 Degree Turn

Leave a comment

 One of my favorite verses is found in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” It truly is an amazing concept. From the moment of salvation we become completely different creatures. Old things are passed away and all things become new. I believe the Bible. I know many of you reading this make the same claim. We believe that God has opened our eyes, turned us from darkness to light, and made us sons and daughters of the Most High. Being crucified with Christ, we no longer serve sin but righteousness (Romans 6:6-18). We are not the same as before.

So tell me, how is it possible for a person who claims salvation to sit in church their entire life and never change? How is it that year after year they never spiritually grow? How can a person who was saved 20, 30, or 40 years ago not know more Scripture, Bible doctrine, or Christian principles than when they were first saved? How is it, that in some cases, they are actually worse off spiritually than before?

Time and time again I have seen this. The sad thing is that in some places it has become so commonplace that no one even recognizes it anymore. We have accepted the fact that “some Christians” will never change. I believe that if we would take a deep look at the message that we have been giving people for the last 50 years we would see the problem. It all begins with “Easy Believe-ism”. People have reduced the gospel down to…

“The ABC’s of salvation”

“Raise your hand if you want to go to heaven.”

“Sign this card and join our church”

Or…

“Repeat this sinner’s prayer after me.”

Perhaps at the moment of salvation you did one of these things. And you are thinking, “I know I’m saved.” However, true salvation was not because of this but in spite of it. Easy Believe-ism says that God loves you and wants you to live in Heaven with Him, so if you will just believe in your heart than you will be saved. But it takes more than belief. The devils believe and they tremble. “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble,” (James 2:19). I have seen people who claim salvation but have never shown any type of filial (reverential or holy) fear toward God.

You see, the problem with this belief is that it completely removes repentance from the equation. Without repentance there cannot be salvation. A friend shared with me about a little girl at her church that had recently been “saved.” Someone asked the little girl if she was happy that she would not have to spend eternity in hell. The little girl said, “I don’t know what you are talking about.” No one had told her about hell. They simply asked her if she wanted to go to Heaven and be with Jesus when she died. They told her to repeat a prayer and then declared her saved. When I heard this my heart broke; because the truth is that if this little girl did not know about hell, she knew nothing about judgment. And if she knew nothing about judgment, than she could not repent of her sins. And without repentance there is never salvation. Now this girl will go through life with a false sense of security. She is worse off than before. She will think she is saved but it will be impossible for her to grow spiritually. She is still in darkness.

Most people have very good intentions when they are trying to win someone to the Lord. But if we are not careful we will sell people a “bill of goods” and not present to them the whole gospel.   The whole gospel requires repentance.  The whole gospel creates completely new creatures.  The whole gospel presents Lordship.  In Luke 14 Jesus said a man should count the cost before becoming a disciple. Yes, salvation is offered free, but once a person is truly saved they will follow their Lord. And being a disciple of Christ will cost everything. “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple,” (Luke 14:33).

Many times this Easy Believe-ism leads to someone thinking they are saved and getting “on fire for the Lord” only to turn away after some time. It looks as though they have made a 180 degree turn in their life. They are faithful, they read their Bible, they do good works, and they might even witness. But all of a sudden the cares of this world enter in and choke out the word. They drop out of church and go back to their old lifestyle. Their 180 degree turn changes into a 360 degree turn. And they are worse off than before. Consider what II Peter 2:20-21 says, “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.”

I believe in the security of the believer. Once saved – always saved. It is just that there are many people who are deceived into believing they were once saved. They might sit in church their whole life and never change. Or, they might be faithful for a while. They make that 180 degree turn on their own only to keep on going until they are back around to 360 degrees. But it is important, for the sake of souls, that we understand that the latter end is worse than the beginning.

See The Light

Leave a comment

“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him,” (Col 1:16).

Every now and then, when I allow myself to slow down enough, I love to take a few minutes and just simply reflect on the wonder of creation. God created such a magnificent world. Can you imagine what it must have looked like before the fall of man? The world is a glorious masterpiece created by the Master Designer. And even more wonderful than the creation of this world is the creation of man. God made man as the pinnacle of all creation. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them,” (Eph 2:10).

Creativity is a wonderful character trait to have and to teach our children. I like to remind my children that God is the most creative of all. When we are creative, we are being like Him. I can show my children how to be creative in their writing and with problem solving. But when it comes to things like sketching, drawing, or painting, I have no artistic abilities. All I can do is encourage them. But I have learned as a homeschooling mom that if I am not skilled in a subject it doesn’t mean my children can’t be.

I have recently discovered a great tool for teaching children art. It is called See The Light Art Class. It is taught by Mater Artist Pat Knepley. The 9 volume DVD series contains 36 complete step-by-step tutoring lessons. Mrs. Knepley has a warm personality which captures your attention. In each easy to understand lesson she leads you through a successful drawing experience every time. Each lesson runs approximately 15 minutes and includes suggestions for follow-up activities. No workbooks are needed just basic art supplies. What I really like about the art class is that biblical truth is integrated into every lesson.

We were sent Volume 1 with art lessons 1 – 4 to review.

  • Lesson One – Tools of the Trade Learn the basics of what makes a drawing.
  • Lesson Two – It All Starts with a Line – The most fundamental element of all drawing is the line – but not all lines are alike.
  • Lesson Three – Contours & Composition – Train your eyes and hands to be synchronized!
  • Lesson Four – Draw What You See – You’ll take a common everyday item – a shoe – as your subject for a completed contour drawing.
  • Bonus Lesson – Chalk-It-Easy Chalk Art Lesson

Aaron is the artist in the family so I chose him to do these lessons. He enjoyed them and learned a few things but thought they were too short. I think he would be more challenged in some of the more advanced lessons. His favorite lesson was the bonus chalk lesson. We all agreed that it was rather cool.

You can purchase the entire 9 Volume DVD series with 36 lessons from See The Light for $99.99. But before you do, check out the website to watch some of the free art lessons. You can also request a free DVD of volume one, the same volume I reviewed.

To see what others are saying about this product click here.

Disclaimer: As a member of The Old Schoolhouse 2010-2011 Crew, I received See The Light Art Class Volume One in exchange for an honest product review. I do not receive any other form of compensation for the reviews posted on this blog.

Choose Life

4 Comments

We have all heard the adage, “You are what you eat.” And we would probably all agree that here is significant truth to the statement. But what about a deeper absolute truth, found in the Holy Scriptures? As believers, our body is the temple of God. “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s,” (1Corinthians 6:19-20).

This is a concept that I have been greatly convicted about over the past few years. When it comes to taking care of our body, there are deeper implications than just the physical. My quest for a healthier lifestyle began last year. I realized that our family did not get to the place we were overnight and that we would not be able to get back overnight either. So I started slow. I started buying whole wheat flour for baking. I replaced our salt with natural sea salt. I bought more fruits and encouraged our children to drink lots of water. At the first of the year I cut out sugar from my diet. And just this change alone has reduced my weight by 15 pounds. With the Lord’s help, I will continue to make changes for myself and my family one step at a time.

I was excited for the opportunity to review a family nutrition and health program called Nutrition 101: Choose Life by Growing Healthy Homes. “This is just what I need!” I thought after receiving the 448 page book in ebook format. I must admit that I have not read it all. To be honest, there is just too much information. It will take me months to accurately go through the program. But already I have learned so much valuable information. For example, those sugar substitutes that I had switched to are very harmful. I also thought I was doing well to drink cold water with my meals. I had been told that cold water would speed up your metabolism. While this may be true, it is not good to do this. When we consume ice cold drinks (even water) with our meals, fatty foods can congeal in our stomach making them harder to digest (gross, I know!). These are just a few of the things I have been learning and passing along to my family.

Nutrition 101: Choose Life! Is broken down into six units:

  • 1. The Brain and Nervous System
  • 2. Digestion and Elimination
  • 3. Respiration and Olfactory
  • 4. Muscular and Skeletal Systems
  • 5. Cardiovascular and Immune Systems
  • 6. Endocrine System and Emotions

It is filled with hands-on activities, science and art projects, family-friendly recipes, nutrition facts, charts, practical tips and an exhaustive index. It is truly a powerful resource for healthy living. You can purchase the beautiful, hardbound book from Growing Healthy Homes for $99.95. The CD ROM is available for $79.95 or you can purchase both for $129.95.

As a reader of this blog you get a chance to get the same discount you would at a homeschool conference.  Use the coupon code TOScrew11 for a 15% discount!

To see what others are saying about this product, click here.  

Growing Healthy Homes is more than a business. It is truly a ministry. Here is what they say:

We established Growing Healthy Homes LLC in 2007 to educate and train families regarding God’s plan to optimum health as outlined in the Bible. We are wives, mothers, researchers and teachers dedicated to reaching homes with a message of hope and healing. Our product line includes family-centered and health-infused books/e-books, as well as educational materials for user of pure therapeutic-grade essential oils. It is our mission to honor God by creating and distributing products that educate and empower His children to establish healthy, Christ-centered homes.

“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” (3 John 1:2)

Disclaimer: As a member of The Old Schoolhouse 2010-2011 Crew, I received Nutrition 101: Choose Life in exchange for an honest product review. I do not receive any other form of compensation for the reviews posted on this blog.

Dealing with Jesus

1 Comment

  We have set aside next Sunday to celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord. Our family does not refer to the day as Easter. Nor do we associate with bunnies and Easter eggs. A study on the background of the word and history would explain the reasons why. However, we have chosen to refer to the day as Resurrection Sunday. In fact, every Sunday should be a reminder of our Lord’s resurrection. But this day is set aside as a special day to commemorate this event. I will spend this week preparing my heart by reading the accounts from the gospels of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Will your family be celebrating the Resurrection of Christ this next week? If so, how are you preparing your hearts?

My husband’s sermon on Sunday really touched me. It was titled Dealing With Jesus. Taken from Luke 22:47-23:25, the question posed was, “How will you deal with Jesus?” We must all answer this question.

Will we be like Judas who DECEIVES Jesus? (Luke 22:47-48)

Will we be like Peter who DENIES Jesus? (Luke 22:54-62)

Will we be like the Counsel who DOUBTS Jesus? (Luke 22:63-71)

Will we be like Pilate who DELAYS his decision about Jesus? (Luke 23:1-7)

Will we be like Herod who DESIRES a performance from Jesus? (Luke 23:8-11)

Will we be like Pilate who DELIVERS Jesus to be destroyed? (Luke 23:13-25)

My first reaction (and maybe you can relate) was I’m not like any of these people. But after a deep look into my heart I had to acknowledge that at some point in my life I have been like all of these.

While my deception was not as sinister as Judas’, I have tried to deceive my Lord. It usually comes in the form of a prayer. And while my heart cries one thing, the Lord knows me much better than I even know myself. Therefore, it is impossible to deceive Him.

While my denial was not as blatant as Peter’s, I have denied my Lord in times past. This denial usually comes in the form of omission. There are times I should speak out in behalf of my Lord but I refuse. In that refusal I deny Him.

While my doubt is not as ominous as the Counsels, I have doubted my Lord. I have doubted His Word. I have doubted His provisions. I have doubted His faithfulness. This shows up when I worry and fret. When my faith is strong I do not doubt. But when my faith is weak, doubts arise in my heart.

While my delaying is not as much as a hindrance as Pilate’s, I have many times delayed decisions. The Spirit has spoken to my heart to do something. I have read in God’s Word and been convicted toward action. I have prayed and known what God would want me to do. Yet, I have procrastinated. I have delayed my decision. Sadly, we all know that a delayed decision is actually a decision against God. Sometimes, I come back to the will of God. But many times my delay results in missed opportunities and missed blessings.

While my desire to see a performance from God is not quite Herod’s mockery, I have selfishly desired things from Him. Our Heavenly Father does desire us to come to Him with our petitions and request, but how many times have I only come when I wanted something from Him? How many times I have cried out….

“Lord, help me.”

“Lord, bless me.”

“Lord, heal me.”

“Lord, show me.”

“Lord, give me.”

In contrast, how many times I have gone to the Lord when I wanted nothing. How many times have I gone to Him just to praise His wonderful name? How many times have I come into His presence just to be near to Him? My God gives me so much. Blessings flow abundantly from Heaven. But, I had to ask myself, If God never did another thing for me, would I still praise His name? If He never blessed me again, would I still serve Him? If He never answered my prayers, would I still love Him with all my heart? Or, do I only desire a performance? These are hard questions.

 And, while I did not deliver Jesus to death like Pilate, there have been times that I have been guilty of killing the testimony of Christ. I claim to be a Christian. In that claim, I say to the world that I am Christ-like. Yet, when I do not live and act as Christ did I am killing the testimony of Christ.

Lord, you know my heart. My desire is to never deceive, deny, or doubt You. I do not want to delay in the things You would have me to do. And I pray that I lose all selfish desires and that my actions would never attempt to destroy Your name. Merciful Father, thank You for Your abundant grace. Your mercy endures forever!

Truth Be Told

Leave a comment

If the truth were to be told, there are many families out there who are tired of the trashy entertainment that fills the airwaves.  Our family had to finally resort to turning off the TV and sticking with family friendly movies that we could rent.  However, this past year, Family Movie Night has successfully reached millions of viewers all across America.  Movies like Change of Plans and A Walk in My Shoes offered families wholesome alternatives and teaching moments with their children.

 Now, the latest in the Family Movie Night series, Truth Be Told, is set to air this Saturday, April 16th, 2011 on FOX.  I previewed the movie this week and was once again pleasantly surprised.  Truth Be Told addresses the importance of honesty and personal integrity even when faced with great temptations.  The wisdom of the world is to compromise the truth in order to achieve your goals in life.  The movie highlights the consequences of such action and worldly thinking.  The moral is that honestly is always the best policy.  The movie was lighthearted and fun to watch and, like the other Family Movie Night films, it stressed the importance of family unity.

 Film Synopsis:

 According to Colorado’s leading marriage counselor Annie Morgan (Candace

Cameron Bure, Full House, Make It or Break It), honesty and love are the keys

to successful long-term relationships. Ironically, Annie has never been married

and doesn’t always follow her own advice. When an opportunity arises to

discuss hosting a relationship talk show with media mogul Alexander Bishop

(Ronny Cox, St. Elsewhere, Beverly Hills Cop), Annie jumps at the chance.

Through a misunderstanding, she receives an invitation for her and her spouse

to join Bishop at his New Mexico ranch. Fearful that being single will wreck

her big chance, Annie conspires with Mark Crane (David James Elliott, JAG),

an old college friend who is a retired professional football player and recent

widower, to pose as a married couple with their teenage kids for the weekend.

A series of comical misunderstandings mark the weekend, leaving Annie

emotionally involved with Mark and his two teenagers and battling with her own

conscience. Will she confess the truth about her marital status or the feelings

she’s developing for Mark? Telling the truth may have its consequences, but

ultimately it’s what opens our hearts and brings out the best in each other.

So make plans with your family to enjoy Truth Be Told this Saturday.  For a  preview of the trailer click here.

I Will Praise You

5 Comments

 I have always enjoyed the music of Rebecca St. James and was please to hear about her newest collection of worship songs that is scheduled to release on April 5, 2011.  I Will Praise You is her first studio project since 2005.

Grabbing I Will Praise You from the mailbox, my husband and son were the first to listen to it in the car on their way to town today.  My husband, who is always looking for great driving music, let me know that the CD was great.  So I was anxious for an opportunity to sit down and listen.

I must admit that I am probably more critical than most when it comes to music.  That is because I take it very seriously.  Music stirs the soul.  I have always said that  music will either stir your soul toward God or away from Him.   The songs on this album unquestionably stirred my soul toward God.

The first song, I Will Praise You, was beautifully written as a sacrifice of praise to God. 

Whatever the storm

Whatever is lost

Whatever it takes

Whatever the cost

I will praise you

A couple of songs on the CD were taken from Revelations.  I was instantly drawn to them.  In A Moment begins with “In a moment everyone falls silent, to hear the mighty trumpet, split the eastern sky, Just imagine the King of all Creation, riding through the heavens, returning for His bride.”  It is a very powerful song and beautifully delivered.  You Hold Me Now wonderfully visualizes when we will finally see our Lord face to face.  Another one of my favorites is You Make Everything Beautiful taken from Ecclesiastes 3:11.  Aaron’s favorite song on the CD is You Never Let Go – “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death Your perfect love is casting out fear….”

If you would like to hear a preview of the CD, check out Rebecca’s LISTENING PARTY here.  Be sure and share the link with your family and friends.  And be sure to pick up a copy of this great new CD available on April 5th. 

*I will be giving away a copy of I Will Praise You to one of my readers.  (Sorry, it won’t be my copy.  We’re keeping this one close by.)  Just leave a comment to enter and I’ll draw a winner on April 5th  and send you your own copy.  For additional entries subscribe to my blog, post about this, or share on facebook.  Just leave a separate entry for each.

“By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”

-Hebrews 13:15-

Disclaimer:  I received I Will Praise You CD for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog.  Regardless, I only recommend products I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Teaching Latin – Really? Why? How?

3 Comments

Why would a parent want to teach their child Latin?  Isn’t it just a “dead” language?  Can it really be that helpful?  The answer might surprise some.  Over two-thirds of our English words come from Latin roots.  You have probably heard Latin phrases like carpe diem (seize the day), vice versa (the order being reversed), or tempus fugit (time flies).   

Many abbreviations come from Latin words. 

For example:

  • anno domini (abbreviated AD),  in the year of the Lord.
  • et cetera (abbreviated etc.),   and so on.
  • exempli gratia (abbreviated e.g.),   for example.

Latin not only reveals a great deal about English but it enhances expression.  It develops understanding and appreciation for literature and the classical impact on our modern culture.  And learning other foreign languages comes easier to a child who has learned Latin – French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Romanian are all derived from Latin.

As we can see there are many good reasons to teach Latin. So what is it that holds parents back?  I cannot speak for all, but I can speak for myself.  Learning a new language is time consuming.  There are days that I do well to get everything taught.  In addition, it is hard to teach what you do not know. 

I was recently given an opportunity to review a Latin program from Classical Academic Press with Andrew.  Due to my concerns for teaching a different language, I was anxious to give it a try.  And I am glad I did!  Song School Latin is a gentle introduction to Latin for children in kindergarten through 3rd grade.   What I love about the program is the music CD with over 30 songs.  Andrew and I spent about 15 minutes a day learning new words, reviewing the songs, and working in the activity book.  He really enjoyed the coloring pages as well.  When we finish the program Andrew will have learned over 100 everyday Latin vocabulary words.

You can purchase the Song School Latin student book with CD for $22.95.  The teacher’s edition is an additional $22.95.  They also have available the Latin Monkey Match Flashcard Game for $24.95.  Or, you can buy them together and save money by purchasing the bundle for $64.95.

Visit the Classical Academic Press website for more information.  To see what others are saying about this product you can click here.

Disclaimer:  As a member of The Old Schoolhouse 2010-2011 Crew, I received Song School Latin in exchange for an honest product review.   I do not receive any other form of compensation for the reviews posted on this blog.

The Best Birthday Gift EVER!

1 Comment

Twelve years ago today I received the best birthday gift ever!  My Heavenly Father gave me my daughter, Abigail.  She was born a little after 1 a.m. on my 25th birthday.  Her name means “father’s joy” and while she is certainly that, she also brings joy to her mother and all those around her.

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Abigail, I thank the Lord for you.  I love you so much and truly want God’s best for your life.  I celebrate the day you were born because it is special.  It is special to your family but also to your Heavenly Father.  He created you for a purpose.  That purpose is to glorify Him in all you do.  I pray that God will bless you today.  That He will continue to mold and shape you into the beautiful young lady you are becoming.  I pray that He will bless your hands throughout your entire life.  That everything you do will point others to our Lord.  I pray that God will continue to create in you a clean heart and that you always love Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.  I pray that God will give you a pure love for others and that you spend your life serving those around you in a selfless way.

Be careful precious child that you do not fall into the trap of vain beauty.  It is especially easy for young ladies your age.  The world tells you that you must look beautiful on the outside.  But this is not true.  You are a beautiful young lady but always keep in mind what God’s Word says about beauty.  “Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised,” (Proverbs 31:30)

A young lady, no matter how beautiful she is on the outside, who does not have virtue and honor, will become a disgrace.  “As a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion,” (Proverbs 11:22).

Remember sweet Daughter, that the world can be awful cruel and that people can be mean.  But you are not of this world.  You are set apart.  You are special.  You are a child of the King.  So, set your affections on things above and not on things below.  When all those around you are worldly minded make sure you are spiritually minded.  When people around you make poor choices remember who you are.  Do what is right, never forgetting that “the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him,” (2 Chronicles 16:9).

You are surrounded by people who love you.  You have grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins who love you dearly. Never forget how much your family loves you.   Never forget that your father and I will always be here for you.  Never forget that you have brothers that will protect and defend you.  Never forget that God loves you with an everlasting love. 

Happy 12th Birthday Abigail!   

Love, Mom

FACE the BOOK

2 Comments

My husband is preaching revival this week at a church down the road from us. Tuesday night’s message was called “Redeeming the Time” taken from Ephesians 5. He preached on how we are to live and walk in this world because the days are evil. After the message and a moving invitation, several men spoke out. One man shared from his heart about how God’s Word had really touched him. One of the comments he made was that he needed to look at his own life, not those around him, and make sure that he was a “doer of the word” not a hearer only.

You know, it is very easy to point fingers at others and say what they should be doing. It is very easy to spot the sin in other’s lives and ignore the sin in our lives. It is very easy to compare ourselves to others and in pride be lifted up. It is very easy to use others as the standard in which we live. While it is easy to do, it is not wise. “For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise,” 2 Corinthians 10:12. In fact, it is rather foolish. But how many people do exactly this? How many times have I done this very thing?

 “At least I don’t do (fill in the blank)…..!”

“I’m just as good as that person….”

“I might live like this but at least I don’t live like so-and-so.”

“I’m at church much more than……”

And so on… If it is foolish to compare our lives to others, by what standard do we compare our lives? If we are children of God our standard is God’s Word. The Bible is a mirror. We hold it up and look in it. It reveals to us the truth. Sometimes we do not like what we see. Let me rephrase that statement. Many times we do not like what we see.

 Ladies, how many mornings have you woke up and looked into the bathroom mirror and been completely satisfied with how you look for the day? That probably does not happen very often. Most of the time we need to brush our teeth, wash our face, comb our hair, put on some makeup, etc. On those mornings when the mirror reveals that a change needs to take place do you find yourself getting made at the mirror? Have you ever said, “I can’t believe that the mirror makes me look so bad! I hate this mirror! I will never look into it again!” Probably not. Why then do we treat the mirror of God’s Word like this? Why do we get mad at the message? (Or the messenger?) Why don’t we just look at ourselves and make the changes that are necessary?

 When I hear God’s Word and it reveals to me my sinful condition I have two options. I can deceive myself and pretend like nothing is wrong. Or I can be a hearer and doer of the Word and be blessed by God. Listen to what James says,

“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed,” James 1:22-25.

 It’s time God’s children FACE the BOOK. It’s time we take a good hard look at our lives through His Holy Word. Studies show that the past two generations are the most illiterate when it comes to knowing God’s Word. We have more Bibles, Bible studies, helps, and technology but each generation knows less and less of the Bible than the generation before. Why is that? Could it be that the reason we know less and less of the Bible is because we are reading it less and less? Could it be that our ears are stopped and we are hearing it less and less? Could it be that sin has blinded our eyes are we are seeing the Truth less and less? How many hours does the average Christian spend reading the paper or other books a week? How many hours does the average Christian spend on Facebook each week? How many hours will we do things that please our flesh this week? Let’s ask another question. Let’s answer it honestly. How many hours will we spend this week FACING the Book of life?

 The reason so many people do not read their Bible is because they do not like what it says and they don’t want to be accountable to it. But dear Christian, you are already accountable. It is your standard in which you will be judged. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad,” 2Corinthians 5:10. If our works are going to be judged by God’s Word, don’t you think we should read it, study it, know it, and apply it to our lives?

It’s time to FACE the BOOK.