Have you ever read a book and thought, "Wow! This book has changed my life!"? Or thought after you read it, since it had such an impact your life you simply had to share it with other people... Book Clubs are full of this very thing. We read books each and every month, that are publicized under the pretense of being "life-changing" and so phenomenal that you simply cannot go on living without adding this book to your own personal library. Let me ask you something: can a book really do all that? Back in my single days, it seemed that my life revolved around how to get a man or fix the one I currently had...and wouldn't you know, there were scores of books written just for me as to how to accomplish that goal. These books were said to be life-changing. It seems (looking back) that I must've bought every one of them. I read books on how to fix men...and when that didn't work, I moved on to the books that showed me how to fix me. The problem with all of this? Well, I was putting an awful lot of stock...and time....and money...and faith into a book that had no power at all.
One of the songs we sang in church this past Sunday was entitled "Ancient Words" and as I looked at the words of the song, I was reminded of all the books of my past that I just had to have. Books that were supposed to be "life-changing". But, in reality there is only one Book, that has the power to change anything. Come with me to the Bible, and into the book of John. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1 Now, travel with me a bit deeper into the New Testament into the book of 2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." Now let me try and break this down for us. Before anything was--there was God and His Word. He sent His Word down to us in the form of His Son, Jesus Christ to teach us, to love us, to die for us. In the whole council of the Bible, Jesus and the Father through the power of the Holy Spirit (as they are all three, one) have given us Holy and powerful God-breathed instructions and promises written throughout the pages of the Bibles we carry in our hands. The Words on the pages on not simply words on a page, they are the breath of God. This Book is alive and active and just as true and just as relevant today as the day it was first spoken. Though the Words on these pages may be ancient, they ring with more truth and power than even the most gifted author of all time because these Words were crafted with love and written in the Holy blood of Christ.
This Book will change your life. The Words housed within its pages are speaking straight to you. They were written specifically for you. As God directed His Spirit over the men who penned these Words to paper, Sweet One, it was your face He saw. Christ conquered the grave for you and for me. I encourage you today to read the Words that were written with you in mind. I promise you, they can and will change your life. Have a blessed week.
"Ancient Words ever true,
Changing me, changing you
O let the ancient words impart
A moving, quick incisive dart."
Michael W. Smith
great work Dallas....love it, and so true.
Posted by: Carolyn Rohrer | 08/04/2010 at 09:19 AM