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Jan. 3rd, 2009 05:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
verity83BOOK ONE!!!!1
Steps to Christ, by Ellen White - if you hadn't already gathered by now. 94 pages, and how are those pages packed. I'm a fast reader, and Ellen White forces me to slow down. There's simply a mass of information and inspiration in there that I know even trying to slow down I didn't get it all.
The beginning was a bit of a slow start for me because she's talking about how to become saved. Which, for anyone who has been a Christian for any period of time, you generally know a fair amount about that. But it's good that it's there for those who are not saved yet and are reading the book.
My favourite part was definitely the last two-thirds or so, when she moves on to the Christian walk and talks about things like developing a Christlike character, our prayer lives, and so forth.
The last chapter, about rejoicing in the Lord, was definitely a slam-bang finish. I know people who wallow in pessimism and I know I have a tendency to do the same. Probably we all do... but the Bible tells us to rejoice! She points out that if we allow ourselves to appear despondent and our conversations and interaction with others causes the unsaved to assume Christ brings no joy, then we are bearing false witness to God. That's... pretty serious. It definitely made me think I need to be more careful not to whine, not to complain, not to inflict my pity parties on anyone else. She says the place for our complaints and struggles is in our prayer closet, something to be kept between us and God only, and He will remove our troubles from us so we can face the world with a cheerful face and heart.
Quite a big order, that - and yet God does not ask us to do anything beyond our ability. Surely with God we can do even what seems impossible.
A good first book to make my list for this year, and I definitely recommend it to everyone.
Steps to Christ, by Ellen White - if you hadn't already gathered by now. 94 pages, and how are those pages packed. I'm a fast reader, and Ellen White forces me to slow down. There's simply a mass of information and inspiration in there that I know even trying to slow down I didn't get it all.
The beginning was a bit of a slow start for me because she's talking about how to become saved. Which, for anyone who has been a Christian for any period of time, you generally know a fair amount about that. But it's good that it's there for those who are not saved yet and are reading the book.
My favourite part was definitely the last two-thirds or so, when she moves on to the Christian walk and talks about things like developing a Christlike character, our prayer lives, and so forth.
The last chapter, about rejoicing in the Lord, was definitely a slam-bang finish. I know people who wallow in pessimism and I know I have a tendency to do the same. Probably we all do... but the Bible tells us to rejoice! She points out that if we allow ourselves to appear despondent and our conversations and interaction with others causes the unsaved to assume Christ brings no joy, then we are bearing false witness to God. That's... pretty serious. It definitely made me think I need to be more careful not to whine, not to complain, not to inflict my pity parties on anyone else. She says the place for our complaints and struggles is in our prayer closet, something to be kept between us and God only, and He will remove our troubles from us so we can face the world with a cheerful face and heart.
Quite a big order, that - and yet God does not ask us to do anything beyond our ability. Surely with God we can do even what seems impossible.
A good first book to make my list for this year, and I definitely recommend it to everyone.
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Date: 2009-01-04 06:02 am (UTC)My first book of 2009 will be The Great Controversy... I'm starting it tonight. =)
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Date: 2009-01-04 06:04 am (UTC)It is the newest addition to the Amazing Facts' "Truth" project. (SabbathTruth.com, HellTruth.com, TruthAboutDeath.com, among others.)
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Date: 2009-01-04 07:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-04 07:38 am (UTC)I don't know about you, but the beginning of "The Great Controversy" just astounded me. The entire first chapter was so eloquent and heartwrenching and I felt like I was really there experiencing it. There is no way anyone can convince me that she was just making up this stuff. She had to have experienced it first-hand, if only in vision, to be able to portray it so vividly.