In our neighborhood, and I suspect in yours, in October the kids put on costumes and go trick-or-treating. Most kids wear the mask of their favorite comic book hero to hide their identity and hopefully get a treat.

The sad thing is that many of us adults do the same type of thing. We put on the mask of a pious Christian. We go to church on Sunday. We say all the right things. We pretend to be faithful. We pretend to be a “good Christian.”

The apostle Paul attacked this imitation of Christian living. In 2 Corinthians, he says that “unlike so many, we do not peddle the Word of God. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity like men (and women) sent from God.” Paul is telling us to take off our masks. To stop trying to deceive others. To stop trying to cover up our sins.

God can see through the masquerade that keeps us from walking openly with Him. It’s only when we open our hearts and allow Christ to make us the kind of people He wants us to be that we can stop pretending to be someone we’re not and truly let the world see Christ through us.

This week we’ve talked about the importance of knowing God’s Word as you step out in faith to reach your world. We learned that you don’t have to be a scholar to witness, but God’s word will give you a passion for the lost, power in your speech, joy in your life, and a standard to live by. The last thing I want to tell you about the Bible is that in reading it, and getting to know it well, you will find great blessing.

Psalm 1 says, “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.”

Reading the Bible is not a chore. It’s not something you are forced to do either. It’s something we are privileged to do- and it is a joy. If we meditate on God’s word often, we will be blessed. It’s not we might be blessed, the scriptures say we will be blessed.

And if the Bible says something will happen, you can count on it. I’ve found this to be true in my own life, and I know you will too. Read your Bible today, and as you’re blessed, go out and bless others.

You know, these days, it seems nothing is absolute anymore. Malcolm Muggeridge said that the greatest problem of our day is not political or economic but it is “the loss of a sense of moral order.” It is so exciting to me, that as followers of Jesus we have an absolute standard to live by.

This absolute standard is God’s Word to mankind- the Bible. The Bible is without error. You can trust it 100%. It is the inspired Word of God. If we don’t think God is big enough to create a book without error, then we serve too small a god. God absolutely can create a perfect book and He did.

The Bible says of itself in Second Timothy that “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Isn’t this exciting? The more we read the Bible, the better equipped we are to reach our world. When we live our lives in light of the scriptures, we live based on unchanging, absolute truth.

You know, many times people feel they cannot share the Good News because they haven’t been believers very long. But, one of the best ways to learn more is by sharing. The more you share, the more you will grow. Shortly before Jesus went back to Heaven he told his disciples to go and make disciples of all the nations. He also comforted them saying, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Do not be held back by your lack of experience- the Lord is with you always. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians, “Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has God not made foolish the wisdom of this world?”

God has different standards than this world- and your humility is something that God can work with. A theology degree doesn’t necessarily equip you to be effective for the Lord… though education is important, but without an attitude of humility and love for other people, all the education in the world is useless. God looks at the heart first.

So, don’t be held back by being new to the faith or by feelings of inadequacy. Depend on God and His Holy Word when you’re sharing the Good News, and the Lord will be with you every step of the way.