The Year of Revival and Reformation

This is the year. The year of Revival and Reformation.

In a day and age where anything goes, we need the Bible more than ever! In a time where post modernism says that there is no absolute truth, we need to find the truth in the Bible.

The cry of the Reformation was “Sola Scriptura.” Martin Luther began the protestant movement because he saw corruption in the church. He wanted the Bible to be held up as the only infallible source for Truth and Truth to be held up instead of Tradition. What has happened to our churches? Mainstream protestant churches today have forgotten their roots. Instead of proclaiming truth and being proud of their doctrines, churches today are seeking a more eucheminical atmosphere in their communities and around the world.

There is only one truth. God’s Truth. We don’t want to be like “children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.” Eph. 4:14. As followers of Christ it is our duty is to “fear God, and keep his commandments.” Eccl. 12:13. And as followers of Christ it should be our desire to be his disciple. Luke 6:40 tells us that “The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be [like] his master.” We are to be like Christ. Not sort of like Christ. Not a little like Christ or partly like Christ or like Christ when we are at church. We are to seek Him out, study Him, be like Him.

We need a radical change in our own hearts. We need a revival – a commitment to reading God’s Word, to developing our relationship with Christ, and a conversion of our spirits.

I am so excited to see people standing up for what they believe. As individuals we need to reject mediocrity when it comes to our faith. We need to know what we believe and why we believe it. We need to be Bereans and search the Scriptures for what is true. Amen?

You can read this continuing series here.

The Book of Revelation Study

1. Revival, Reformation, and Revelation
2. Symbols in the Book of Revelation
3. Jesus in the Book of Revelation
4. The Messiah Foretold
5. War in Heaven
6. The Father of Deception
7. The Everlasting Gospel
8. Jesus Our Savior

Are you committed to revival in your home this year?

A Year of Family Worship: Scripture Memory

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” Psalm 119:11

Family worship is a perfect time to work on Scripture Memory as a family. I remember the very first verse I ever committed to memory. It was Romans 6:23 and I was just 9 years old. It has stuck with me all these years. Teaching our children to commit God’s Word to their hearts is something powerful that will stay with them all the days of their lives.

Perhaps as a mom, you have never really committed very many Scripture verses to memory. That’s okay! It is never to late to start. When we have God’s Word hidden in our hearts, in a time of need we can pull up those words and they will comfort us and remind us of God’s faithfulness.

Here in America we are very blessed to have the right to worship God however and whenever we choose. We can purchase a Bible or even obtain one for free if we need. What would happen if there came a time when you could not access God’s Word? Would you remember what He said? Would your children?

As your read your Bible and come across verses that really speak to you, write them down in your family worship journal so that you can come back to them, one by one! Children are like sponges and they soak up God’s Word so much easier that we adults do!  Use this precious time to instill the goodness of His Word in their hearts.

Here are some resources you may enjoy using:

• Free Memory Verse Cards
• Memory Crosses
• Charlotte Mason Scripture Memory System

* * * * *

If you would like to take part in A Year of Family Worship, add your blog to the Mr. Linky below. If you don’t have a blog, you can add your comments in the comment section! You can read about A Year of Family Worship here. And you can see the 52 Weeks of Family Worship here.

Each Wednesday, we will add a new post for A Year of Family Worship and you can do the same. Share your goals, experiences, and ideas for family worship with the rest of us!

• You can grab a button for A Year of Family Worship to add to your own blog here.

If you do not have a blog… you can either post your ideas here in the comments or even join our Proverbs 31 Sisters Network and get a free blog that way!

When you add your link below with the Mr.Linky… please add the link directly to your post on Family Worship – not to your main blog. This way, folks don’t have to go searching for the Family Worship post!

Twelve Extraordinary Women – Book Review

Twelve Extraordinary Women
How God Shaped Women of the BibleAnd What He Wants to Do with You
by John MacArthur

Published by Nelson Books

Written as a sequel to the best selling book “Twelve Ordinary Men”, John MacArthur’s character study formats deal with the lives of 12 principal women of Scripture.He states that it was a hard decision to decided which women to include in his character study, finally he chose what he feels are 12 women who are critical to the story of redemption.
As the journey begins into each of their lives, you’ll discover spiritual lessons that have been taken directly from the trials of Jesus followers and relatives.The lives of Eve, the mother of all, Sarah, Rahab, Ruth, Hannah, Mary, The Samaritan woman, Mary and Martha, Mary Magdalene and Lydia are revealed in brief character studies.From each o­ne of these women lives we see the ordinary, common and in some cases low o­n the social scale lifestyles, yet each of them were made extraordinary by a life-changing encounter with God.These women are woman we can relate to as we see aspects of our own character in their personalities, short comings, struggles, failures and most of all their deep seated desire to be everything Christ wants them to be.
It will fill you with hope as you see these ordinary women transformed into the extraordinary, not because of any of their own natural qualities or traits, but because the o­ne true God refined them like silver.As their lives unfolded between the pages in a way I’ve never imagined before, I discovered new and exciting aspects of myself in each person.It is the type of book that will draw you in and cause you to see your own personal traits that Christ wants to refine.These women stand as a reminder of both our faithfulness and our potential.
John MacArthur brings out the unique feature of the Bible in that it exalts women.It is his hope as you meet these women in Scripture and get to know them o­n a personal level, they will challenge, motivate you and encourage you with love for God in whom they trusted and served.
Review by Melissa Waters