TODAY'S QUOTE

"If I could turn back time and do those thirty years over

again, I would spend even more time meditating in the 

Bible and less time reading other Christian books."  

-Jack Deere in

Surprised by the Voice of God.

SEARCHING FOR TRUTH

Images courtesy of: www.Pixabay.com  

TWO WAYS TO FIND THE TRUTH.

The above method can take a life time -

and still miss the truth.

The one below is quick and to the point.

I MADE A MISTAKE

My mistake is, I have too many books

about THE BOOK.

These are some of the books about THE BOOK.

One version of "THE BOOK" is below.

But the promise is not in reading books about the book.

But in reading THE BOOK.

More books about THE BOOK.

The promise say's;

"Blessed is he who reads and those who hear 

the words of the prophecy, and heed the things

which are written in it; for the time is near."

(Revelation 1:3 NASB)

More books about THE BOOK

See those cobwebs in the lower left corner.

They are right and proper, i.e., if the time was spent

reading THE BOOK instead of books about THE BOOK.

Jesus said,

"It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON 

BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD

THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD."

(Matthew 4:4 NASB)

This is one of my old shop buildings.  The small 

window in the back is my office.

If today's publishers had their way.  I would fill that

whole shop full of books about THE BOOK.

And read them instead of THE BOOK.

If fact, the Devil himself would approve of it,

if it draws me away from THE BOOK.

My mistake is, I bought and spent time with 

too many books about THE BOOK -

instead of time in THE BOOK.

If I were to recommend just one book -

about THE BOOK - it would be an

old book by James M. Gray.

It's title is,

HOW TO MASTER THE ENGLISH BIBLE.

If you can find a copy, get it.

It will drive you to THE BOOK.

"How sweet are Thy words to my taste!

Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"

(Psalms 119:103 NASB)

BOOKS AND MORE BOOKS

"But as for you,

Christ has poured out his Spirit on you.

As long as his Spirit remains in you,

you do not need anyone to teach you.

For his Spirit teaches you about everything,

and what he teaches is true, not false.

Obey the Spirit's teaching, then

and remain in union with Christ."

(1 John 1:27 GNB)

Books, books and more books.

I LOVE BOOKS.

Over the years there have been two things I could not pass up.

Books and tools.

I have had hundreds of books.

Most of these books have been either spiritual in content,

or instructional.

[You think I should have read more of them.  I probably should have!]

One of these books - EXPERIENCING THE DEPTHS OF 

JESUS CHRIST - by Jeanne Guyon

has a thought I want to look into more deeply

and pass on to you.

One of her chapters is written for illiterates, 

people who cannot read.

That's right.  She wrote a chapter for people who cannot read.

She intended that someone who could read, would read it to 

someone who could not read.

The essence of that chapter is, 

you do not need to suffer spiritually because you cannot read.

On page fifteen she says,

"The first thing you must learn, dear friend,

is that 'the kingdom of God is within you.'

(Luke 17:21)

"Never look for the kingdom anywhere but there,

within.  Once you have realized that the kingdom of God is

within you and can be found there, just come to the Lord."

The apostle Paul seems to concur with this,

that is, if you are a "real" Christian and 

the Spirit of God is in you.

"But you do not live as your human nature tells you to:

instead, you live as the Spirit tells you to -

if, in fact, God's Spirit lives in you.

Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ

 does not belong to him."

(Romans 8:9 GNB)

"Surely you know that you are God's temple

and that God's Spirit lives in you!

.... For God's" temple is holy, and you

yourselves are his temple."

(1 Corinthians 3:16, 17 GNB)

"Don't you know that your body is the temple

of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you

and who was given to you by God?"

(1 Corinthians 6:19 GNB)

Is it possible that those of us who love books

may be looking the wrong place for our guidance.

That is, other people rather than the "Spirit" that 

is within us.

Of course, if it is not God's Spirit in us,

we are in trouble anyway and would only

be mislead further.

Books are good.

But are books causing us to miss the best?

"My child, there is something else to watch out for.

There is no end to the writing of books,

and too much study will wear you out."

(Ecclesiastes 12:12 GNB)