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In the movie entitled "Patton", General Patton is portrayed as excitedly saying to himself concerning a successful tank battle that he had read the opposing German Field Marshal’s book! He thus attributed his success to having read the Field Marshal’s tactics, and therefore knew what he would do in advance. This would provide a great advantage to say the least! Other leaders have written of their plans in advance - some notorious, some almost unknown. Our Creator God has also written His plan for His creation in His Book. He has also written His tactics and strategy. He has even written the outcome. In fact, He has apparently been writing from long, long ago. He continues writing. Much of it is about His children - this includes you and me, if we are His children. Some is about those who are not His, and/or refuse to become His. We, also, as General Patton, may know His tactics. We can know even more than General Patton. We can know the outcome - in advance.

Knowing events in advance can be exciting and fill us with hope and expectation, or they can be just the opposite. From the Bible we learn that being mentioned in His book (and "books") is very important to us. It was very important to those who have preceded us. God has written - and is writing more than the one Book. He is writing, and has written down through the ages books according to His plans and purposes, writing and making entries from time to time in them (Daniel 12:1). He does not always reveal the exact purpose or reasons for all the entries, but we may learn much about the intensity of His interest, providence, and His love for us from what He has had recorded in The Book...

Very early in God’s recorded Word, a book is mentioned (Genesis 5:1), and later Moses was commanded by God to write a book of "memorial" as to what He was about to do and give it to Joshua, because without it there would not be even a memory of the enemy! That memorial has become part of God’s larger memorial, the Bible. Beginning in Exodus we see reference of names being recorded by God in a "book", along with His statement that He will erase those names if they sin (Exodus 32:31-33). In one of the most memorable verses of the Bible, David reveals the tender and compassionate heart of God as He writes something entirely different in another book: "You number and record my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle--are they not in Your book?" (Psalm 56:8)

In one of the most striking statements about just how interested God is in us as His creation, we again look in a Psalm: "Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them." (Psalm 139:16) God knew everything - everything! - about us while we were being created in the womb.

There are other books for various purposes that are referred to in the Bible. However, there are at least two others of very special interest to you and me. A most intriguing one being written by God is referred to in the book of Malachi. This can certainly be applied to our times now: "And now we consider the proud and arrogant to be happy and favored; evildoers are exalted and prosper; yes, and when they test God, they escape [unpunished]. Then those who feared the Lord talked often one to another; and the Lord listened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who reverenced and worshipfully feared the Lord and who thought on His name. And they shall be Mine, says the Lord of hosts, in that day when I publicly recognize and openly declare them to be My jewels (My special possession, My peculiar treasure). And I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him. Then shall you return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God and him who does not serve Him." (Malachi 3:15-18) Please notice something that at first is easy to miss. Notice that "the Lord listened and heard...". The Lord listens and hears our WORDS! He listens and hears in our private moments, our "private"(we think) thoughts, and especially our words and conversations between each other. He is "ease dropping" all the time.

The lives of everyone who has ever lived or ever will live will be in a book (Revelation 20:11-14). We are all being "recorded" for a future event - our thoughts, our words, and our actions. There will come a time for judgment for condemnation for those whose names are not in the right book. What went around will have finally come around. For those whose names are in the Book Of Life, an everlasting life is awaiting. There is no way we cannot be heard by our ever-present and loving Father. He is especially touched and endeared to those who communicate often with each other, care about and for each other, in conversation, and expressions of proper fear of God, and worship of Him. It would seem that this could be applied to the end times. The phraseology and sequences in the passage in Malachi indicate this, as does the fact that this section also ends the book of Malachi. Does it also indicate this may be the last "book" to be written by God? We do not know. But it would seem fitting.

There was once a TV show entitled "This Is Your Life", in which a surprised individual was brought on stage and shown in various ways and mediums their entire life history. Included were surprise appearances of individuals who were a part of the life of the one being portrayed. It was very interesting, moving, sometimes joyous, sometimes sad. Your life and mine are being scripted for a "this is your life" appearance before an audience with Jesus Christ. A "this is your life" record is being written of all of our lives. All our lives will be played back. Yes, an autobiography of our lives is in the making - some in the composition stage, some ready for the printer. It will have a distribution list of One...

As wonderful as it would be to have our names written by God in His "Book Of Remembrance", there is another, marvelous, and beyond our words to express. In the book of Daniel (Daniel 7:10) is a prophecy apparently referring to the same event in Revelation 20:12 This book has a most descriptive title. It is simply: "The Book Of Life". Those who belong to Jesus Christ will not come into time of judgment for condemnation, because their names are in the Book Of Life. Some of the references to "books" already mentioned may be referring to this book also. However, in the Old Testament, the reference is always to "book" or "books", or "your book". It is significant that the term "book of life" is confined to the New Testament. It is no coincidence. Jesus brought life - eternal life.He and He only, is The Way, The Truth, and -The Life.Having your name in this book is worth giving your life for. That is the price of the inclusion of your name and mine in "The Book Of Life" of the Lamb of God. If we will exchange our life for His, He will write our names in the book of life. We can then have our names in at least two books. The best two. The book with the list of God’s Special Jewels and -The Book Of Life.

Is your name there...?

Some day, you will hear: " (your name) , this is your life!"- I pray that you will also hear, "enter into the joys of your Lord!" (Matthew 25:21)

["Book Of Life" References: Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12,15; 21:27; 22:19; Hebrews 12:23; Psalm 69:28; Luke 10:20; Psalm 139:3]

"Voice of Inspiration" from Andy Castro

Pretzel Love-Psalms 91:14