This morning on Facebook the JC Ryle page posted this quote:

"The person who can take deep interest in politics, or sports, or money-making, but none in the conversion of souls, is no true Christian. They are 'dead' and must be made 'alive'. They are 'lost' and must be 'found'. ~ J.C. Ryle

Someone commented: "There's nothing wrong with deep interests in polotics, sports, money-making, or anything else as long as our relationship with our Lord and our commitment to the command of the Great Commission is above all else."

To which a reply came: "You can't take a deep interest in other things if your treasure truly is Christ."

I'm starting, more and more, to agree with the latter comment. Although I'm not really into sports at all, I have found a bit of an addiction to things politic these days and unfortunately, thinking about money-making, home businesses, etc., seems to consume way too much of my time on most days. (not actually making the money mind you, just thinking about it!)

When I've spoken to a couple of friends about it I've used the term "hypocritical" about myself. I say that Christ is the most important part of my life. I say that I desire to put Christ first when it comes to interacting with my girls, etc. I say that our driving verses for our lives are Deuteronomy 6:6-9:

And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:  And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.  And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.  And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

But do I do it? Do I really live that way? Not really. More often than not "these words" are lost in the shuffle of the urgent of the moment - so much so that we can go for hours - or dare I say days - without talking about them at all.

Hence the hypocrite title. Isn't a hypocrite someone who says one thing but does another?

Book Title: The Quotable Chesterton 

By: Kevin Belmonte
Published by Thomas Nelson

Book Description:

The Quotable Chesterton is a comprehensive, accessible survey of Chesterton’s greatest ideas and writings.

With more than 850 passages showcasing his brilliance and masterful writing style, it covers topics from Academia to Painting, Politics to Architecture, Jane Austen to John Bunyan, Jesus to Fairy Tales.

Fans and first-time readers of Chesterton will discover topics that dominated thought and life throughout the 20th century and have influenced our own time . . . all from the view of a man the New York Times hailed as a “brilliant English essayist” and who George Bernard Shaw called a “colossal genius.”

Chesterton created a bulwark in his own day to defend Christian faith and assert a Christian view throughout culture. As readers encounter the breadth of his genius, they will find compelling reasons to emulate his unceasing fight for truth and beauty.

My Review:

I’ve never met a Chesterton quote I didn’t like.  That said, I haven’t read that many Chesterton quotes. Until now.  This book is full of golden nuggets of wit and wisdom.

Since I’m always looking for quotes to send off in emails or written letters, this book is a treasure to keep close by.  It’s well ordered so it’s easy to find a quote that’s suited to your topic/letter, etc., plus all the information that the author fills in with Chesterton history is enjoyable.

I’d definitely recommend this book to others.

I received this book for free in return for a review from Booksneeze.com.  I was not required to give a positive review.

The fact of the matter is, family worship is a great investment. In fact, it is a no-brainer. It pays such high dividends that it is – to use the modern vernacular – like stealing money. In fact, I cannot think of many things in life that pay greater dividends than the ordinary practice of daily family worship. Let me quote Presbyterian minister Terry Johnson to give you an idea of what I mean:

If your children are in your home for 18 years, you have [over 5,600] occasions (figuring a 6 day week) for family worship. 

If you learn a new Psalm or hymn each month, they will be exposed to 216 in those 18 years. If you read a chapter a day, you will complete the Bible 4.5 times in 18 years. Every day they will affirm a creed or recite the law. Every day they will confess their sins and plead for mercy. Every day they will intercede on behalf of others. 

Think in terms of the long view. What is the cumulative impact of just 15 minutes of this each day, day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, for 18 years? At the rate of 6 days a week (excluding Sunday), one spends an hour and a half a week in family worship (about the length of a home Bible study), 78 hours a year (about the length of two weekend retreats), and 1,404 hours over the course of 18 years (about the length of eight week-long summer camps). 

When you establish your priorities, think in terms of the cumulative effect of this upon your children. Think of the cumulative effect of this upon you, after 40 or 60 or 80 years of daily family worship. All this without having to drive anywhere.