Live Greater What’s the good word?

Sep 1, 2008

Your words are spirit and life O Lord…

One of my favorite past times is visiting the local bookstore. I enjoy checking out all the new books and seeing the hot topic of the day. You can tell a lot about our culture by the popular at Barnes & Noble or Borders. I am most amazed at all the self help books that are popular. Do you know what I mean by self help? These are the books written by different people who have some advice or ten-step program to make our lives better. It seems quite superficial, but these are the most popular kinds of books! Most of the authors have their faces on the front of the book, smiling real big, revealing to all of us, “Just do what I tell you to do and your life can be like mine!” Next time you are in a book store just check the self help section out. It is quite the experience!

I don’t want to write off people who are trying to give wisdom and help others - many people have a lot of good things to say and good advice to give - but I wonder if there is more, if there is a better book to help others. So often we look to professionals, motivational speakers, or politicians to see what we need to do in our lives.  We often forget about one book that has all the answers.

I wonder if a new edition of the Bible came out tomorrow in the book stores that had an attractive picture of Jesus on it, looking like He is the next best thing in self helps books. It’s not going to happen, but what will it take for us to realize what the Word of God in the Bible is truly about? The Holy Scriptures is the first and best self help book ever written!

“The Bible was inscribed over a period of 2000 years, in times of war and days of peace, by kings, tax collectors, farmers, fishermen, singers, and shepherds. The marvel is that a library so perfectly conducive could have been produced by such a large crowd, over a period of time that stagers the imagination. Jesus is a great subject, our good is designed, and the glory of God is its end!” – Lyrics, Casting Crowns

My friends, if you’re looking for a story, advice, or anointed words to give you direction and inspire your life, the Bible is what you are looking for. If you are looking for words to pray because you can’t come up with your own, the psalms in the Bible are ancient prayers of those who desired to reach God.  If you are looking for evidence of God’s healing love when you are sick, the Bible is full of men and women receiving the healing miracles of Jesus. If you want to read about God’s mercy and forgiveness, the Gospels are full of Jesus bringing mercy to the disciples and people of his time. If you want better friendships turn to the story David and Jonathan in the book of Kings and see their depth of friendship. If you want to find your call in life, turn to the Acts of the Apostles and Paul’s letters to see how he responds to Jesus’ call for him to save the Gentiles. Most importantly if you are looking for a role model, turn to the passion narratives in the Gospels to learn about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and how He gave His life for us on the cross. If you hopeless, turn to the resurrection of Jesus and have faith in Him!

What a great book! There are so many stores that can truly change our lives, only if we let them. Maybe it is time to pick up the Word of God and put those other books aside. Dive into the words and stories that the Lord has given us to guide us and teach us about what life is truly about.

And if you want to, put a picture of Jesus on the front, you know…to fit in with all the rest of the self help books.

Happy Reading!

God Bless You,

Rusty