The Doctrine of Repentance - Audio Book Review

This book was published in 1668 and written by Thomas Watson. When reading older books, I am always a bit hesitant in reading them because I am fearful that I will not understand some of the details because of the older English vernacular. Thankfully, this wasn't the case in this edition. 

It never ceases to amaze me just how much we still have in common with people throughout the generations. The spiritual struggles Christians had in the 1600's are the same ones that we have today. As an "old soul" I tend to think that people were nicer in previous generations, but I have found that people are people and there is nothing new under the sun. 

In this book, Mr. Watson is very organized. He makes out different lists on how to identify an unrepentant spirit, or how to apply repentance daily and even how to combat sin.  He also uses every day life to help the reader understand the point he is trying to make, and his word usage to compare and contrast is quote worthy. 

I also appreciated all the Bible citations he gave after many of his sentences. He made his case for what he was saying by going back to the Bible. The opinions and advise he gave were founded not on his own wisdom, but on Scripture. Many times, I remembered a citation and went back to read it and it was as he had said.

Because of so many citations and so many quote worthy sentences, I do not recommend this book to be listened to as an audio book. This book is meant to be read and highlighted. Maybe, from now on, I will only use Audible for fiction. Thankfully there is a "bookmark" link on Audible where if I hear something I like, I can "bookmark" it and then go back to it later.

Here are some of those compare and contrast quotes I was talking about:

The more regret we have first at our conversion, the less we'll feel afterwards.

Speaking about the Apostle Paul: He had persecuted saints to death before, now he preached sinners to life. 

Someone who can believe without doubting should suspect his faith, and someone who can repent without sorrowing should suspect his repentance.

On temptation: Is he not a fool who would believe a temptation and not a promise.

So as God has two places where He dwells - Heaven and a humble heart. So does Satan have two places where he dwells - Hell and a hard heart.

And here is a quote that explains repentance with word pictures:

Blessed repentance that has so much sugar at the bottom of the bitter cup!

 The key to personal awakening and revival is repentance and the elation of forgiveness. Believe it or not it is also the key to joy. For when I am truly repentant because I have offended God, I find joy in His forgiveness. When I am repentant I can't judge hypocritically, for I too am a sinner. I can't hate what is done to me, for I have done far worse to the most Holy One. I can't sit idly by and do nothing for my neighbor, for He has done so much for me to be able to grant me forgiveness. I can't hate, for I am loved. I can't complain, for I am grateful.

Thomas Watson

So much in my Christian walk would change if I would just practice repentance daily. This book has helped me to see that. Mr. Watson has so many illustrations and breaks down what he is trying to say so well. His examples of how to apply this and why we should apply repentance are so helpful and clear. He just makes logical sense throughout the whole book. I remember several times just being astounded when he made a point and then clarified it with a reasoned analogy. 

The book is actually about 128 pages, so it could be read in one day. And as I researched more I found he wrote several other small books about different topics.  If you would like a list of the books he has written click here.  

I recommend that every Christian read at least one book by Thomas Watson. This was a beautifully written book. His grasp on the English language and his thoughtfulness in regards to Scripture is profound. 

As I read more on him, I found out that he died suddenly while in private prayer. What a way to die! A thought that came to mind when I read that was that I don't even pray that much to be caught dead doing it. What are the odds of that for me, much less than Mr. Watson's or many other strong Christians?

The book is available free here.  Or you may also buy it here. 

 

Calvary Road - Book Review

This is a book I am going to keep in my purse and just be constantly reading. It is a book on how we can have continual revival as Christians and by default, in the church. This book has really changed a lot of my perspectives on peace, loving others and confession. Never in my Christian life had I thought about living constantly in a Spirit-filled state. Never! As many, I thought there were low times and high times, and according to this book, that is not the case.

The book focuses on what revival is and how the church can experience revival. The books says that revival begins individually and slowly spreads (sometimes quickly) from you to other believers in your church.

There are no secret formulas, no to-do lists or 5 point lessons. It is all quiet and personal. Here is a quote:

You and I full of the Holy Spirit all the time, loving others and concerned for their salvation. No struggling, no tarrying. Just simply giving Him each sin to cleanse in His precious blood and accepting from His hand the free gift of His fullness, and the allowing Him to do the work through us. . .  There is nothing spectacular about this life, no emotional experiences to sigh after and wait for. It is just plain day to day living the life the Lord intended us to live. This is real holiness. 

The book emphasizes that when we love God we cannot help but to love others. And these loves cannot be separated. It says that the outcome of loving God comes the natural outflow of love towards those made in His image. Mr. Hession goes on to say: Our relationship with our fellows and our relationship with God are so linked that we cannot disturb one without disturbing the other. 

The awareness of our sin and the confession of it, is also something the book speaks a lot of in order to have revival. According to the book, "sin is the only thing that hinders the revival of His Church". What a convicting statement! This book forced me to take time to sit and have the Holy Spirit help me look into my heart and purge the sin in my life. I spent a whole prayer session just confessing my sin to God. There was just so much there. Tears came to my face as I thought of my dastardly deeds. And peace soon came upon me as I placed my trust again on the Cross. Living in a constant state of peace also is an attainable goal. And the lack of peace in our lives, Hession states, is a very good indicator of unconfessed sin in our lives. He says: ". . . the sign of the Spirit's presence and fullness will be peace. This is indeed to be the test of our walk all the way along. Le the peace of God rule [arbitrate] in your hearts" (Col. 3:15) . . . if our peace is broken, then it can only be because of sin.

Our church is seeking revival and this book was recommended by my pastor. It has changed my Christian life and I hope it changes yours. I recommend this book to all Believers. It is a very short book also and can be read in one sitting. My version of the book was only 114 pages. Be sure to have a pen or highlighter near by though because there are a lot of sections that are very insightful. My husband bought about 10 of these books and gave them out as gifts. If you would like to purchase this book, I found a pretty good deal here.

The Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges - Book Review

It took me a while to finish this book simply because of the richness of the content. This is the second book by Jerry Bridges that I have read and I have loved every single one of them. Both of his books are full of passages I have underlined, margins I have written in and beautiful quotes I have highlighted. He is truly a gifted writer and I am glad that a pastor I was listening to mentioned him in a sermon.

While reading this book, Mr. Bridges passed away to be with our Lord and it gave me a sense of pleasure reading about his hope of Heaven knowing that he is presently with God. What a beautiful thought!

The book is not hard to read, but there is just so much good stuff in it that I couldn't help but pause and think about what I had just read. I didn't want to just skim through it. This book is a rich dessert or a full bodied aged wine that is meant to be enjoyed slowly. So if you want a fast read, don't read this book. But if you want a slow dance with words that help you understand the beauty of Grace and what this MOST HOLY GOD has done for His children and how we can live a more holy life, then by all means pick up this book.

The book emphasizes that we should preach the Gospel to ourselves on a daily basis. It also does prick the heart of those who have been stagnant in working on their sanctification (haven't we all?).  The last 5 chapters were very helpful, my favorite chapter being on conviction. Not the kind where I feel bad about something, but the kind that I have a strong belief. Here is an excerpt I underlined and "starred":

A conviction is a determinative belief: something you believe so strongly that it 

affects the way you live. Someone has observed that a belief is what you hold,

but a conviction is what holds you. You may live contrary to what you believe, but you 

cannot live contrary to your convictions. (This doesn't mean you never act contrary

to your convictions, but that you do not consistently violate them).

Isn't that just beautiful!! At moments while reading, I caught myself just exclaiming, "Yes! Amen! Preach it!" And at other moments, words like "I'm a wretch, I'm a sinner, Thank you for the cross!" came out! 

Mr. Bridges also asks a lot of questions through out the book which is why there were times when I just paused and stopped reading. Here are some questions:

What does your mind turn to when it is free to turn to anything?

The greatest sorrow and burden you can lay on the Father, . . . is not believe that He loves you. Does that sentence surprise  you?

To what degree does a belief that the Bible sets forth absolute truth determine the way we live?

As Christians, should we view ourselves as saints or sinners? 

There are so much more sprinkled throughout the book!  Some he answers with Godly wisdom, others are left open for us to use to search our hearts and hopefully lead us to prayer. He corroborates all he says with Scripture and often times I had to stop and read the Scripture again because it was just so refreshing. I remember several times thinking: "That's in the Bible!?!" What sweet surprises!

If you are struggling with Grace, which most Christians do at some point in their lives, this is a great book to read. If you are in a time of darkness, hating your sin and/or yourself and seeming like you just can't get out of the mire; this book will help point you to the cross and also equip you in ways to combat the sin in your life. 

Mr Bridges eloquently balances the pain of sin, the joy of grace and the work of sanctification in this book. Obviously, I highly recommend it!

Although there are many quotes I underlined and wish I could share with you, I will not and allow you to dig up these treasures on your own. But here are a few I HAD to share:

Sin . . . creeps up on us little by little. What was once unthinkable become thinkable, then doable, and finally acceptable to society at large. Sin becomes respectable, and so Christians finally embrace it. It is my perception that Christians are no more than five to ten years behind the world in embracing most sinful practices.

We should not seek holiness in order to feel good about ourselves. . . Far too often our concern with sin arises from how it makes us feel. Sinful habits . .  cause us to feel defeated and we don't like to be defeated in anything.

Our greatest source of temptation dwells within us. 

The pursuit of holiness must be anchored in the grace of God; otherwise it is doomed to failure. 

We cannot serve God or pursue holiness with any vigor at all if we are dealing with a guilty conscience. 

Oh there are so many more! I know you will really grow in your faith in reading this book, but it is meaty and it does prick at our hearts and like all good things, it does take some time to finish.

You can buy this book here.

The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert - Book Review

Ever since I heard the testimony of Rosaria Butterfield, I just fell in love with her. I spent a couple of days looking her up on youtube and other sites and just listening to what she had to say. When I found out that Mrs. Butterfield wrote an autobiography, I just had to read it, so I added her book to my Christmas list and I got it. Needless to say, I read the book in two days!

On youtube and other sites, a lot of the focus of her testimony is that she was a lesbian, Marxist progressive and that she no longer is now. Although that is important, there is just so much more to her than her past lesbianism. In her book she does mention her life before Jesus, but she also speaks vulnerably about her transformation into a repenting Christian and even mentions her current sin issues and how horrible they are to a Holy God. Rosaria beautifully speaks of the struggles in the life of a Christian. My sins, the currents ones I am committing as I write, God hates; but because of the trust I have on the work of the Cross, I can boldly approach this Holy God and plead for forgiveness, and because He is faithful to forgive, I can jump for joy that He is a great God! She also reveals the Gospel in such a way that it just grabs me by the hand and takes me along for a journey in getting to know this forgiving God! Rosaria's story (like all Christians) doesn't stop once she converts!

I was also pleasantly surprised to learn that she also wrote about worshiping God through hospitality. She mentions the lack of hospitality among Christians and the plenitude of it among the LGBT. And I had to agree with her. Why are we quick to look the other way when someone needs attention or even just a hug? Why do we not open our doors enough to the wretched, the ugly or the lost? Why do I turn up my nose to the depressed, the emotionally needy, the poor, the pill poppers and the losers? What is the point of my candle light shining in an already lit room? Have I forgotten the mire of where I came from and where I still continue to go?

A specific sentence she wrote really captured my attention. On page 24 she says that looking back at pictures of herself, she no longer recognizes herself. Am I transforming in my Christian life that much that I too do not recognize myself? My life before my conversion was despicable. But am I continuing to change to become more and more like my Savior. Am I different from the person I was last year or even last month? Or do I still continue with my same sins, not caring about the monotony of my daily besetting transgressions?

I loved this book! And I recommend it to all Christians! I do not want you to think for a second that this book is only for those struggling with same-sex addictions or inclinations! It is not! It is for the Christian who struggles with hypocrisy (me). It is for the Christian who feels that God cannot heal him from a besetting sin (me also). It is for the Christian who is at peace with their holiness (the self-righteous). It is also for the lost. It is for all of us.

I also want to tell you that the book is not graphic. There is nothing obscene or tasteless in the book, unless words like "drag queen" or "butch" offend you. Not once did I flinch, or think she had crossed a line. Rosaria does well writing her autobiography in a way that exalts her Savior, not her sins (past or present).

I leave you with several excerpts from her book:

Undisciplined taste will always lead to egregious sin - slowly and almost imperceptibly. (pg30)

 In regards to evangelism - The integrity of our relationships matters more than the boldness of our words. (pg. 48)

I felt and feel no solidarity with people who think their salvation makes them more worthy than others. (pg. 81)

People whose lives are riddled with unrestrained sin act like rebellious children. Sin, when unrestrained, infatilizes a person. (pg. 108)

We in the church tend to be more fearful of the (perceived) sin in the world than of the sin in our own hearts. Why is that? (pg. 115)

Our plans are not sacred. (pg. 126)

You can help, but only Jesus can heal. (pg. 146)

There is so much more in this book, but I want to leave it to you to discover on your own. You can buy this book here!

Counter Culture by Davit Platt

When we ask Christians what they think about ending sex trafficking or poverty or the helping the orphans, most will agree that these causes are worth fighting for. Most will voice their opinions about how we as Christians should do something about these things and most will not expect much rebuttal or disagreement. But why does the conversation get a little tense and the lines get a little blurry when those same Christians have a conversation about same sex marriage and/or abortion?

In his book Counter Culture,  David Platt challenges us to be passionate not only for the issues that are popular or where everyone is on the bandwagon, but also for those issues that may ostracize us from our friends and family and maybe even our church.

Mr. Platt starts off the book stating the obvious that we seem to forget when dealing with any sin and that is that we have a problem with a statement like: "There is a God who sustains, owns, defines, rules, and one day will judge you." (pg. 3) The natural man's reaction to this is to be offended by such a statement. Deep down we just want to do what we want and we will collaborate, manipulate, interpret, make excuses, etc just to be our own god and get our own way.

Mr. Platt speaks on all the issues (easy and difficult ones) and lovingly and respectfully explains using God's Word and other information where Christians need to start when dealing with them. Like all the books I have read by him, he uses examples to help the reader understand how important it is for the Christian not to idly stand by as so many evils are happening. At the end of every chapter he guides the reader on what to pray for, where to get more information and what he/she can do start doing something. He also includes eye-opening statistics that made me cringe some times.

Here are some excerpts I highlighted and wanted to share with you:

Regarding abortion he gave this statistic: an estimated 92% of all women who receive a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome choose to terminate their pregnancies.  (pg 67)

Regarding orphan, widow and foster care: "For we are not rescuers giving our lives and families to save orphans and widows in need; instead, we are the rescued whose lives have been transformed at our deepest point of need." (pg 104)

Regarding racism he cited this verse: "From one man (God) made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. Acts 17:26 NIV"

Regarding illegal and legal immigration he says: "The gospel compels us in our culture to decry any and all forms of oppression, exploitation, bigotry, or harassment of immigrants, regardless of their legal status. These are men and women for whom Christ died and their dignity is no greater or lesser than our own." (pg 205)

Regarding religious liberty. David Platt along with other religious leaders of different faiths (Judaism, Islam, Hinduism) signed a document expressing their convictions of religioius liberty. This is what part of the document said. While Mr. Platt strongly disagrees with them, he joined with them to protect our religious freedom. The end of the document these men signed says this:
"We will not . . . bend to any rule purporting to force us to bless immoral sexual partnerships, treat them as marriages or the equivalent, or refrain from proclaiming the truth, as we know it, about morality and immorality and marriage and the family. We will fully and ungrudgingly render to Caesar what is Caesar's. But under no circumstance will we render to Caesar what is God's." (pg. 222)

Regarding religious liberty: Tolerance implies disagreement. I have to disagree with you in order to tolerate you. (pg 225)

Life for the Christian living in the U.S. has changed. Mr. Platt warns: Gone are the days when it was socially beneficial to be in church at the beginning of the week. Gone are the days when it was publicly accepted to follow Christ every other day of the week. Here are the days when holding fast to the gospel, actually believing the Bible, and putting it into practice will mean risking your reputation, sacrificing your social status, disagreeing with your closest family and friends, jeopardizing your economic security and earthly stability, giving away your possessions, leaving behind the accolades of the world, and (depending on where and how God leads you) potentially losing your life. (pg240)

I strongly recommend this book!

We should love our enemies, we should bless those that persecute us, but we should not dilute the truth that ALL OF US are in need of Savior. That ALL have sinned and fall short. That ALL struggle with sins that are heinous to a HOLY God. And that the Gospel IS GOOD NEWS.

Mr. Platt does make an interesting statement towards the end of his book. He speaks about the overflowing amount of Bible knowledge that the U.S. has and how even with so many Bibles, so many seminaries, so many churches, we seem to be more blind and more deaf to the Gospel. He speaks that maybe it is because we need to go OUT of the U.S. and into other countries where the Gospel seed will land on fertile soil. I couldn't help but ask myself if God is allowing us to wallow in our sin and has hardened the hearts of many?

The last sentence of the book is this: He (God) has called you to himself, he has saved you by his Son, he has filled you with his Spirit, he has captured you with his love, and he is compelling you by his Word to counter our culture by proclaiming his Kingdom, not worried about what it will cost you because you are confident that God himself is your great reward. (pg. 254)

There is so much more in this book that I could share! Like every other book of his, I was challenged to do something with my faith. This book will not make you feel good, or will not help someone with  low self-esteems or make you richer. It doesn't give you advice on how to make friends. On the contrary, it challenges you to go against the grain, to counter the culture that has normalized so many things God calls sin.You will lose friends, you will not be popular, you will "lose" money. But what do those things matter, it was never about you (me) anyway.

You can buy this book here

Love to Eat Hate to Eat - Book Review

What the back of the book says:

After years of futile dieting, you know there's more to weight control

than what you eat. Having discovered the power that food has over

our lives, Elyse Fitzpatrick helps you:

* identify your destructive eating habits *

* surrender your desire for control *

* break the vicious cycle of emotional eating *

*develop a flexible plan suited to your unique situation *

God knows everything about you . . . where you've been and where

you're going. Because He knows you so well, He can deeply

transform  you, giving you the contentment you long for. 

This is the first book I have ever read by Elyse Fitzpatrick. I have heard some of her talks and she is a woman that continuously brings everything back to the Gospel. I . . . LOVE . . . THAT! This book is no different in her technique. All our problems in our life go back to the truth that we are in a fallen world marred by sin. We are weak, futile beings that cannot save ourselves from these besetting sins. Can I will myself to follow a diet? Of course, but if I am honest with myself the reason for the desire to lose weight is always ego-centric. How I will look. How much better I will feel. How healthy I will be. How I will be loved more, admired more etc. All of these thoughts have me in the center and is a form of idolatry. Elyse, speaks on the gift of food and that God provided us with this blessing, but like many things, we have come to worship and rely on food instead of its Creator. 

There is no diet plan in this book, so if you are looking for that, this isn't your book. She uses an acronym DISCIPLINE to help identify what sin is leading you to trust in food instead of on God. She encourages a food journal, something I have begun doing and rest assured, I eat a lot more than I thought I did! She also uses lots of Scripture, which a Christian should use, to battle sin. She points to the Holy Spirit as a helper in the struggle of gluttony. 

The main point, I believe, that this book is trying to get across is to love God with all your heart. This might sound too simple, but that is the key to breaking the chains of bondage to ANY sin. Bask in His glory, in His redemptive love then food will look like a mud pie compared to the ecstasy of knowing you are loved by the Creator of the universe so much that He poured His wrath on His Son instead of on you!

It is very tempting to want a list of what to eat and what not to eat. But that would be falling back into "laws" that I must follow. That would be falling back into feeling disappointed in myself because when I fail, I must now punish myself and starve or work out more. That would put me back into the cycle that I have been avoiding and has destroyed me and has led to a life where I am the center. 

She admits that this process is slow but steady. It is not a fad, it is not a twelve-step secret formula, and you will most likely lose weight slowly; but losing weight is not the point. The point is to grow in our sanctification (grow holier). The point is to grow closer to Him. The point is to bring Him glory in all we do, including how we eat. The point is to be used as a witness for the world to see His power and His love. 

If gluttony is one of the sins you struggle with, I HIGHLY recommend this book. I also recommend that you buy a notebook specifically for this book and to start your food journal. 

You can buy this book here!

Book Review - Life Inside The "Thin" Cage

I first heard about this book at the .mom conference in Birmingham, Alabama.

This book was great!

I have decided to include an excerpt of the book that really impacted me while I was reading it. This is when it hit me that the way I was looking at my eating habits and the way I was putting myself down were not healthy. Seeing someone else write the same things I was thinking really put things in perspective.

In chapter 17 Constance Rhodes, the author, mentions something called the "message tapes". She says that these message tapes play in our heads constantly and never give us rest. These tapes play over and over in our minds regarding food, what it is to be attractive, how we mess up regarding our food intake and so on. 

These are the "message sound bites" a lady shared with Constance. It can be found on page 147 of the book:




If  you eat this, everyone will think you're a pig

If you eat this, you are childish and unhealthy.

If you eat this, you will show weakness.

If you eat this, you will cancel out any exercise you've done this week.

If you eat this, you have no self-control.

If you get fat, you will not be respected at work.

If you get fat, you won't have any physical beauty.

If you eat this, people will think, "No wonder she is overweight"

If you eat this, you will disappoint God.

If you eat this, God won't love you as much.

If you eat this, God and everyone at the table will know what  a bad person you are.

If you eat this, people will think you're ignorant.

If you eat this, you won't be special because of your size.

If you eat this, you will have to pay for it for the rest of the week by not eating breakfast or lunch.

If your clothes fit too tightly, it means you are a horrible person who should have known better than to eat too much.

If you eat dessert, you may as well give up on having any self-control ever again.

If you start to get fat, you will not be able to stop. You will lose control.

Any unhealthy food is like poison in your system that you will never get rid of.

Does this sound familiar? It did for me. I couldn't believe someone else thought like me! And seeing it in black and white and on paper, I realized how demented this way of thinking was. What a horrible way to live. This book helps a lot in finding peace. The world has really twisted what the true image of beauty is. It puts things in a perspective that makes you want to snatch any little girl and tell her what real beauty is all about. 

If you hear any of these "messages" when you eat, then this book is going to help you. There is no secret formula or diet to follow. On the contrary you get to enjoy your life and not live in slavery of the latest diet craze.

One thing I didn't like about the book though is that it recommends seeking therapy or counseling. I am not really into that too much. Prayer seems to work best for me and taking my questions, fears, concerns and everything else to God - I believe - is the best help I can get. The Holy Spirit you usually guides me in what steps to take to better myself and of course, God's Word guides my path.

I read the book in about a week. There are steps to take to help you cease with the "message tapes". Frankly I haven't lost any weight since reading the book, but neither have I gained any. BUT!!! I have enjoyed foods that before were off limits. I have cooked my favorite recipes and have enjoyed them with my family. I cook more for them and they actually love  my food. I don't berate my kids or my husband in not eating this or that. If my clothes feel snug because of my period, I don't panic and go on a starvation-binge cycle. Eventually, the water retention goes away and I feel fine again. Before I would have lost maybe  1 to 5 pounds then would have binged and starved and not enjoyed anything and would have ended up at the same weight. This time, I didn't have the roller coaster of emotions, and I am still at the same weight. Go figure!

I recommend this book to any woman struggling to be comfortable in her own skin. To the woman who hurts her own feelings all the time. To the woman with negative "message tapes". To the woman caught in the "thin cage".

I give this book 8 out of 10 stars
Total pages: 227

How not to pray

I saw this today in a clip on Wretched Radio Clip. I couldn't help but laugh a bit because I know that I have prayed like this several times. I think the people at Acts 17 really helped in identifying some of prayer time traditions. They also did a great job in helping us see that a lot times we pray with our own biases and not according how God's Word says we should pray like. 

How Not to Pray - adapted by Wretched Radio

1. The Gossip
           Lord, please forgive Larry here for cheating on his lovely wife, she must be heartbroken

2. The Theologian
          Lord, you are immutable, omniscient, triune . . .

3. The Bore
          Lord, I just pray for my stamp collection. Please help me find my lost  . . .

4. The Lecturer
         Lord, forgive this congregation for failing to meet the offering budget again.

5. The Sons of Thunder
         Lord, smite that woman who cut me off on the way here with your scorching rebuke

6. The KJV Only Prayerer
         We beseech Thee in Thine tabernacle to forgiveth the bowels of our iniquity

7. Praying Without Ceasing
         You don't want this guy praying before dinner!

8. The Satanist
          Satan, I take authority over you and bind you

9. Reverse Humility Guy
           Lord, thank You for not letting me get too puffed up about being so good looking.

10. The Accuser of our Brethren
           Lord, forgive the leaders of our church for their laziness and ignorance

11. The Announcement Prayer
           Lord please be with our next Sunday potluck which will be held at the Anderson home at 3744 Ridgewood Way. That little cap cod house with the blue trimming. And please let all those with last names beginning with A-L remember that they bring a main dish and those beginning with K-Z remember to bring a side dish.

There are more types of prayerers at the Acts 17 website.

Are you really a Christian Examination

This is a list I got from one of the clips from wretched radio program. Click on the link for other great studies and commentary on Christianity, doctrine and religious information. 


If you are not sure that you are a true repentant Christian, sealed by the blood of Jesus and bound for Glory, then click on the link above and on the right hand side there is a clip called "Are you really a Christian?". Click there for a good spiritual shake up!


Here is the questionnaire to examine yourself if you are truly a Christian. Next to the questions is a reference verse to look up and know where they got the question they are asking.


The Bible says:
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? ~ 2 Corinthians 13:5-6


1. Do you like hanging out with Christians. (1 John 1:3) - Or do real Christians get on your nerves.


2. Do you recognize that you have an abominable heart. If anyone knew what was in your heart you would feel shame. You know that you are wretch. (1 John 1:8)  - Knowledge that you are undeserving helps you rely on Jesus not on your own actions. You don't get to Heaven because you are good, you get to Heaven because you are bad and have a good Savior!


3. Do you strive to keep the ten commandments. (1 John 2:3)


4. Do you love the world? If the world would end, would you be sad? (1 John 2:15) - What identifies you? What do you enjoy more than Jesus?


5. Do you know who Jesus is? (I John 2:23)


6. Can you wait to see God? Are you anxious to be with Him in Heaven? (I John 3:2) - You are not anxious to go to Heaven because you are tired of this world, but because  you are excited to be with your Savior.


7. Are you continuously sinning? It's not about perfection, but it is about direction. We should be holier than we were last year. Ask your family. Is there a difference? Is change (regeneration) happening? (I John 3:8)


8. Do we dote on our Christian brothers and sisters? (I John 3:14) - Do you help out other Christians in need?


9. Do you love to hear preaching, teaching and hearing the Word? Can you just not get enough of it!?
 (I John 4:16)


10. Do you proclaim Jesus Christ? Do you do it intentionally? (I John 4:15) Do you share your faith with others? Does the fact that many people are going to Hell move you to tell others of Jesus' salvation?


How did you do? Let the Holy Spirit guide you into what you need God to help you in. Talk with your pastor or a spiritually mature Christian to walk through some struggling points with you.


Many might look at this test and say that it is legalistic or it is emphasizing salvation through works. It is not. You can tell what a tree is by its fruit. The same is with a Christian. If a Christian walks like a heathen, talks like a heathen, dresses like a heathen and is very happy being a heathen, then he's not a Christian. Jesus in Matthew 25 separates the sheep from the goats based on what they DID. James tells us that faith without works is dead. The apostles and many Christian brothers and sisters were not martyred because they did nothing, but because they were doing something! 


It is true that you are not saved by works, but you are so grateful to Jesus for choosing you that you can't help but to work.


Blessings,
Anna