A Good Read

    I'm not a bookie, bookworm, avid reader, whatever you may call it. I haven't touched a Twilight book in my life. I've dropped the Harry Potter series after getting through the first three years. The only books I've read were usually required by the school I attended. (I gotta admit, I am a fan of The Odyssey, Our Town and To Kill a Mockingbird) and quite frankly I'm happy that those books were required so I would be forced to read it. Those were all books which have stuck with me to this day. Other than that, I rarely read for leisure. A Max Lucado book, I would read every now and then, but otherwise, not much reading going on. That said, I occasionally rummage through the attic to find old junk that needs to be cleared away. In my search for junk I usually end up finding treasures from my childhood. This past expedition in my attic uncovered a deeply hidden treasure that must have been left untouched for over five years. I've never heard of it before but the title caught my attention- "The Pursuit of Holiness" by Jerry Bridges. I decided to peek inside and found a random page somewhere in the middle of the book. The book seemed interesting enough to me at first glace to bring it back down into my room. The book has received a permanent home on my nightstand right next to my bed. Once at the bottom of a pile of old junk, it has turned into one of my favorite books. I would like to share an excerpt from this book that really stood out to me and actually convicted my heart.
     The book is generally about the believer's struggle with sin and how to focus on pursuing a holy lifestyle. One point that the author spends quite some time on is the idea of convictions. If you have a certain conviction, it's your firm belief or a certain strong persuasion that governs the way you do certain things. For instance, if you are convicted that lying is wrong and displeasing to God, you will do your best to avoid lying. As a child of God, there are certain convictions that the Spirit of God will lay on your heart that helps govern the way you live your life as a christian. The key is staying true to the conviction that you have and believe. James 4:17 says "If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is sin for them." (NIV) But where I find myself having even more trouble is having any sort of conviction in the first place. Yes, I know the basic ten commandments and what is considered "sin" in that sense. But I realize that I have not searched the Scriptures to see how God would want me to live every moment of my daily life- even simple things like which movies I should watch or song I should listen to. I feel convicted that finding a conviction is the first step to developing a conviction. (Duh Jerry) Here is where this book that I'm reading has shed some light on the topic:

    "This is the way we develop conviction-- by bringing God's Word to bear on specific situations that arise in our lives and determining God's will in that situation from the Word. Many issues of life are clearly addressed in the Bible, and we would do well to memorize verses that speak to those issues. For example, God's will concerning honesty is plainly spelled out (Eph. 4:25,28) or abstinence (1 Thess. 4:3). These are clearly stated issues where we should have no difficulty developing convictions as to God's will--if we are willing to obey His Word. But what about issues that are not specifically mentioned in the Scriptures-- how do we determine God's will and develop conviction in those areas? Years ago a friend gave me what he called his "Formula: How to Know Right from Wrong' The formula asked four questions based on three verses in 1 Corinthians:

• "'Everything is permissible for me'-- but not everything is beneficial" (1 Corinthians 6:12). Question 1: Is it helpful-- physically, spiritually, and mentally?
• "'Everything is permissible for me' -- but I will not be mastered by anything" (1 Corinthians 6:12). Question 2: Does it bring me under its power?
• "'Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall" (1 Corinthians 8:13). Question 3: Does it hurt others?
• "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31). Question 4: Does it glorify God?

As simple as this formula may appear, it is powerful in developing conviction if we are willing to use it. These questions can get rather searching but must be asked if we are to pursue holiness as a total way of life." Excerpt taken from The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges
     
        As I'm getting towards the end of this book, it's really making me think about my lifestyle. Yes, I focus on not lying or committing adultery but do I focus on living a holy life? Do I view this command to live a holy life1 as making the heart of God glad rather than a mere victory in my christian life? A speaker at UCF (a christian gathering at my school) said a funny and ironic story of a guy who slapped his friend in the face. He immediately said sorry and asked his friend to forgive him. After the friend graciously forgave him, he slapped his friend again. I remember laughing while the speaker shared this story. It quickly turned into shame as I realized this is exactly what I do in my relationship with Christ. I hope and pray that as a christian, I can be convicted more of wrong things in my life by the daily reading of His Word. A song that I heard by Andy Mineo is called Every Word and there's this one line that says "Wanna know the fast track to lookin' stupid? Talk about obedience and never go do it." It's true, as a christian I always talk about what's right and wrong but I find myself never following through with it. I pray that I can shift my focus from the temporal things of this world to the eternal truths of God. I know I can only do so by setting aside time to search through God's word, let God's word convict me, and try to stay true to those convictions. I hope that the excerpt has encouraged anyone reading. I also encourage you to pick up a copy of this book! (and no I'm not being paid to say that haha)


For those who are interested- Andy Mineo Song: 

1 (Leviticus 11:44 and 1 Peter 1:16)
Till next time!