Can't Judge a Book By Its Cover

Our handsome Aiden!

     During the Thanksgiving celebration at our home, I offered to read a classic book I had purchased for our grandchildren.  Four year old Aiden told me he didn't care to read that book because it looked boring and so did the illustrations.  His mother Bonnie overheard our conversation and gave him wise advice:  "You can't judge a book by its cover, Aiden."  Needless to say, this did not change the status of things so we never did open the book.  What a shame!  It is such a good story too.  However Aiden's response is not unlike others I hear from believers who feel the same way about the Bible.
     This past Sunday during worship service, our associate pastor asked how many of the congregation were taking the challenge to read the Bible through in a year.  The show of hands (at least in our service) revealed only a fourth of the gathered believers were committed to doing this.  It made me sad to see this response.  If only they would open the cover to see the treasures that lie within.  There is drama, intrigue, betrayal, action, tragedy, and ultimate victory in life all within the pages of this God-breathed book.  While our world is filled with lies, political correctness and half-truth, this book contains pure truth.  It is all we need for life and godliness, and it serves as a sword of protection against the deceit so rampant today.  There are many benefits to looking into God's Word which we will consider.
     First, the Bible describes itself as a sword.  Hebrews 4:12 reads:  "For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."  What the Bible does is to reveal our sins to us.  As we look into its pages, it shows us where we are falling short.  Furthermore, it is a powerful weapon in cutting down the lies and arguments that are raised up against God.  This book cannot only be used to keep us on the narrow path but it is also able to defeat the lies of our world system which come from the Enemy of our soul.  2 Corinthians 10:3-5 reads:  "For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.  For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.  We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ;"  In this passage, Paul refers to the weapons of our warfare which include prayer and the power of the preached Word of God.  This is how the enemy is defeated...by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God which is found in the Bible.  The description of scripture, then, is more than accurate when it likens itself to a sword.  Do we want to be effective ambassadors for Christ to a world that is lost?  Do we want to be able to keep our lives filled with the righteousness of Christ?  Then, we need to open the book and look into its pages.
     Secondly, within the pages of God's Word, we see His character.  If we want to behold the face of God, we need to read His Word and let it dwell richly within us.  When Moses stood upon Mount Sinai and met with the Lord, he would return to the people with a face that was transformed from being in the presence of God.  The Bible describes his face as radiant.  Spending time with God does change us.  If we will take the time to read and study His Word, I guarantee it will change us.   As we delve into the Word and make it a part of our lives routinely (not just once in a while), we will begin to "think God's thoughts after Him".  This is the goal of our Christian walk that we be conformed to the image of Christ so that others might be drawn to Him.
     Finally the Word brings us spiritual food and drink.  Just as our body needs regular meals each day to fuel us with the energy we need to do our work, so our spiritual life needs regular food and drink.  Today, we have many congregations across our land filled with malnourished believers.  No wonder they cannot fight off the enemy of their souls!  They have no strength to do so.  Dr. R.C. Sproul said in a recent poll done on new believers, only 20% read the Bible.  While this study applied to new believers, I wonder how many seasoned believers ever read and re-read the Bible each day.  Jesus said,
"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4b).  Our food is found in the Bible, and so is our drink.
     When Jesus encountered the woman at the well, He asked her for a drink.  During their discussion, He compared the temporary satisfaction of physical water with the eternal satisfaction of spiritual water:

The Word is like a sword.  These swords
were in "The Residence" in Munich, Germany

"Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.  The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:13-14).  Each time we open the Holy Bible to read it is like a refreshing drink on a hot, dusty day.  Our souls are washed and our minds are renewed.  Oh to drink the water and eat the bread of the Word daily!
     In our entertainment, electronic game playing, instant satisfaction society, the Bible might look like a boring book, and maybe, that is why so many Christians avoid reading it daily.  Yet, little do we realize that we neglect this book to our own peril.  This world with all its glittery distractions is passing away, but God's Word will never pass away.  Therefore, we owe it to ourselves and to our family to be a student of this book daily.  With prayer and faithful reading, we will grow into the likeness of our Lord whom we serve.  Don't judge this book by the cover because inside awaits the truth for which we hunger and thirst.  Selah!


I welcome your thoughts today.  How has God's Word changed your life?  What helps you get into the Bible each day?

Olive or Canola Oil?

A tantalizing dessert served at the Savoy Grill
in London, England

     Nearly every day, we can pick up a newspaper and read about another food that has been found to be detrimental to our health.  Sometimes it seems so discouraging,  and often I wonder what will be the next demon in my cabinet.  Just the other day, I read an article about olive oil not being as healthy for us as canola oil.  Yet, for years, we have all heard the praises of this oil as being a heart healthy addition to our diet.
     All this consideration of food and diet can be mind boggling, and some folks seem obsessed with eating just the right thing in order to maintain their health and peace of mind.  However, our existence is made up of more than issues like what we eat.
     In Mark 7:18b-23 (NAS), Jesus, who was speaking to His disciples, instructs them:  "Do you not see that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him; because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?  (Thus He declared all food clean) And He was saying, 'That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man.  For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts and fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness.  All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.'"
     This scripture points to the central issue we all must face.  What we harbor in our hearts is really what defiles us not what we eat on a daily basis.  Yes, we do need to watch out for our health.  Learning good nutrition habits and watching our diet can help to prolong our physical health.  But Jesus was concerned about our heart health....our spiritual heart health.
     Often, whether we want to admit it or not, we have thoughts which we know are not pleasing to the Lord; yet, we allow them to remain and eat away at our spiritual health.  No one else sees these secret sins but God does.  The only time our family or friends become aware of things which we hold in our thoughts or hearts is when we choose to act on them in direct disobedience to God.  This is what defiles us and hurts our relationship with others and with the Lord.  Our only recourse in redeeming our spiritual health is to quickly confess our sins to God and repent (I John 1:9).  By doing this, we are instantly restored to right standing with our Father in heaven.

St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland

     Watching our diet and being good stewards of the physical bodies which He has given to us is indeed important, but Jesus wants us to pay attention to the thoughts which we allow into our hearts.  He wants us to watch the words and actions that flow forth out of our lives.  Do these match with the life of one committed to Jesus Christ?  If they do not, it should be a "red flag" to us that we need to spend some time on our knees before the Father in serious prayer.  May our inner person of the heart reflect God's holiness in all that we do for this is the key issue to the abundant life in Christ.  Selah!


I welcome your thoughts here.  I read each one and find myself blessed.  Please feel free to comment and share encouragement with others.

From Anxiety to Trust

     Heading to worship this past Sunday, I felt the old gnawing sensation creeping up my back and sending my stomach churning once again.  I knew only too well the old enemy of my soul was stirring up those feelings of insecurity and anxiety that have dogged my footsteps for many years.   Having experienced a panic attack, no one would ever want to have another one; so the fear of the "fear" is what paralyzes me.   I never have thought of myself as a worrier, but that is exactly what God showed me during the service.  We have been planning a trip to Europe to celebrate our wedding anniversary, and with so many unknowns,  I allowed my concern to grow.  By the time we arrived at church, I was inwardly battling old emotional responses to stress.
     As we settled in our pew, I began a slow breathing exercise to calm my anxiety.  It helped, but not nearly as much as the Word being preached and the worship that filled the sanctuary.  Both lifted me out of myself so that I could hear what the Lord had to say.  What began with anxiety that morning, ended with a prayer of gratitude for God's goodness in revealing to me my sin and its remedy.
     Our pastor has been preaching a series on the Songs of Ascent in the Psalms.  Psalm 127 and 128 were to focus this past Sunday.  The first few verses of Psalm 127 are what began to open my mind and heart releasing them from the icy prison of anxiety.  These words of Solomon are so rich with wisdom:  "Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.  Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.  It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for He gives to His beloved sleep."

     These words pried open the door shut hard against the fear I was feeling.  It was a revelation though I had heard these verses many times before.  Yet, this time was different.  The Holy Spirit helped me see that God is in control.   He is the one that builds the house, guards the city, provides for our needs, and leads the way.  When we take it upon ourselves to do these things, we bring only anxiety and stress into our lives.  We demonstrate to God that we do not trust Him.
     Jesus said it well:  "Therefore do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body what you will put on.....And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? " (Matthew 6:25a; 27).  Jesus goes on to describe how God takes care of the flowers of the field and the birds of the air.  Being even more valuable than these creatures, God will also take care of us.  He already knows what we need.  While I have read these verses a zillion times, somehow they didn't register until now.  It became clear to me that worry was a sin.  My anxiety resulted from lack of trust in God who watches over all the affairs of my life.
     Amazing, isn't it?  We can be given a precious gift (like time with my husband on a special trip) and yet, we begin to worry about all the "what ifs" that may never occur.  Even if they do occur, what is the worst thing that can happen that God cannot deal with?  I had a counselor point that out to me years ago.  She told me that even if we suffer a bout of depression, a panic attack, or some other problem, does that mean our life is over and God is not present to help lift us up?  Admittedly, the answer is "no".  Since nothing can separate us from His love, we have no reason to fear and all the more reason to trust.

     All our worries, anxiety and fear cannot accomplish anything.  It can cause us to have an upset stomach, tingling in our fingertips, and a sense of impending doom.  However, trusting in the God who builds the house, keeps the city safe and watches over us, brings peace as we yield to His sovereignty.
     I left church fully blessed.  I repented of the sin of worry and committed my heart to greater trust in God.  Let no one ever say that God does not speak through His Word when it is faithfully preached in the assembly of believers.  When we come expecting to hear from the Lord, He will never disappoint us.  I am grateful to our faithful pastors who study and share from God's Word each week.  Most importantly, I am grateful to God for setting me free from the bondage of anxiety.
     Are you faithfully attending church each week?  There is a wealth of fellowship, teaching, and prayer that can help you face the trials and circumstances of your life.  You may not suffer from anxiety, but there is no problem to big or small which the Lord cannot touch.  God dwells in the middle of His people when they come together in worship before Him.  Do not miss out on His blessings.  Answers to life's dilemmas come when we seek first His kingdom.  He will add just what we need when we need it.   Selah!


How has God been speaking to you this week?  What Scriptures come to your mind as you face each day?  I welcome your thoughts and insights here as well as your encouragement.