March's Best Books

It's so hard to believe that March is over! It seems like I was just posting about the best books I read in February... time sure does fly!

I don't know how many of you are fans of L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables Series,or have seen the film, but the Best Fiction book I read this past month was Chronicles of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery. (It was a first edition copy, too!)

And I've been having a hard time trying to decide the Best Non-Fiction book I read in March. I finally got it narrowed down to two books, and so I'll just tell you about both. They were The Sermons of Robert Murray M'Cheyne (All those quotes didn't give me away did they?!) and Leading Little Ones to God by Marian M. Schoolland.

I had never heard of R.M. M'Cheyne before I read the book of some of his sermons, but he was a truly amazing and inspiring man! Although he was only 29 when he died, he had great insight and wisdom into the Word of God.

The other book was, as the subtitle called it, was "A Child's Book of Bible Teachings". It explained in simple language some basic points of Christianity (such as salvation, baptism, etc.), without being "dumbed-down".

Have any of you read any of these books? If so, what were your thoughts on them? Anyway, I'd love to hear about what ya'll have been reading!

R.M. M'Cheyne on the Believer's Life

I thought this was a wonderful, thought-provoking passage from the pen of R.M. M'Cheyne:

"A Believer is to be known not only by his peace and joy, but by his warfare and distress. His peace is peculiar: it flows from Christ; it is heavenly, it is holy peace. His warfare is peculiar: it is deep-seated, agonising, and ceases not until death...Coming to Christ takes away your fear of the law; but it is the Holy Spirit coming into your heart that makes you love the law. The Holy Spirit is no longer frightened away from your heart; He comes and softens it; He takes out the stony heart and puts in a heart of flesh; and there He writes the holy, holy, holy law of God... the law of God is sweet to that soul... Oh that all the world but knew that holiness and happiness are one! Oh that all the world were one holy family, joyfully coming under the pure rules of the gospel! Try yourselves by this. Can you say, "I delight", etc? Do you remember when you hated the law of God? Do you love it now? Do you long for the time when you shall live fully under it- holy as God is holy, pure as Christ is pure?"

Robert Murray M'Cheyne

Praise God

"Believers should praise God for what He is in Himself. Those that have never seen the Lord cannot praise Him. Those who have not come to Christ have never seen the King in His beauty. An unconverted man sees no loveliness in God. He sees a beauty in the blue sky- in the glorious sun- in the green earth- in the sparkling stars- in the lily of the field; but he sees no beauty in God. He has not seen Him, neither known Him; therefore there is no melody of praise in that heart. When a sinner is brought to Christ, he is brought to the Father. Jesus gave Himself for us, "that He might bring us to God." Oh! What a sight breaks in upon the soul- the infinite, eternal, unchangeable God...Oh! Praise Him then for what He is. Praise Him for His pure, lovely holiness...Praise Him for His infinite wisdom that He knows the end from the beginning. In Him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Praise Him for His power- that all matter, all mind, is in His Hand."

Robert Murray M'Cheyne

As I read this, it made me think, "Do I praise God 'for what He is'?" Too often, I don't. It's easy to praise God for the beauty He has created in the world around us, but it's not always so easy to praise God simply 'for what He is'. To be truthful, I don't usually give much consideration to God's holiness or wisdom. But I should. I really like what Michael Billings had to say about this-

"Did you notice that the seraphim don't just say that God is 'Holy'? Nor are they content to say that God is 'Holy, Holy.' But the heavenly song that celebrates the character of God declares that He is 'Holy, Holy, Holy'- the superlative degree. Nowhere else in Scripture is any other attribute elevated to the third degree. The Bible does not say that GOd is 'Love, Love, Love'; or 'Mercy, Mercy, Mercy'; or 'Justice, Justice, Justice'; but that He is 'Holy, Holy, Holy'. This is a dimension of God that consumes His very essence."

WOW!

Quote from R.M. M'Cheyne

"Every one of you have your work to do for Christ where you are… The smallest twinkling star is as much a servant of God as the mid-day sun. Only live for Christ where you are.”

-Robert Murray M'Cheyne

Quote taken from Sermons of Robert Murray M'Cheyne, a book I read recently. A great reminder to be content right where I am, and to joyfully serve Christ the way He's called me to! :)