Thank you so very much for sending us your top ten list of books that each of us should have and pass down to future generations! It was really a lot of fun to go through the lists, and I am actually ordering some of the titles for myself.
The Bible, without a doubt, should be first and foremost on any believer’s list. One person clarified their list by calling it the “Top 10 Human Books.” I liked that! This person knew the importance of the properly translated Word of God.
Foxe’s Book of Martyrs was included on many of the lists, which shows kind of the impact this book has had on believers throughout the years. This book also reminds us that in our day and age, society is much more tolerant of Christianity than in previous centuries, although that tolerance is rapidly changing.
I noticed that the names of certain authors kept popping up on many of the lists, from Francis Schaefer to Randy Alcorn to Henry Morris to Dave Hunt. Creation science and apologetics were common themes amongst the book titles.
Beware of Leaven
What really surprised me were the books that many would consider to be outside of orthodox Christianity. They were basically books that included false teachings. I think it is crucial for all of us today, me included, to spruce up our discernment. If just a little bit of leaven gets inside of us, it can then spread to those around us. We need to remember that God has put people in our lives to impact them in a Christ-like way and not in a false-teaching way.
Matthew 16:11,12
How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?
Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
Promoting Truth
Several of you included some of my books on your lists, which was humbling. I’m not sure if you did that to make me feel good or if these are, for sure, books that you would pass on to others. Either way, it did make me feel good! Thanks for the encouragement. But it struck me how people chose different titles of mine, including delving into the realm of fiction with Paradise and even the booklet, One Second After You…
One person wrote the following:
It occurs to my wife and me that there should be a “Top 10 of Outstanding Biographies,” in which we would offer such luminaries (Daniel 12:3) as Gladys Aylward, D. L. Moody, James Stewart, Adoniram Judson, and others.
And, of course, any of your literature that may further prompt our scriptural marching orders and related urgency.
Solid, biblical biographies are good books to pass on as well.
Hymnals
Two people said,
Old-fashion, good, hymn book.
Great idea!
Secular Books
One thing I was looking for in these lists was how many people would mention a book that was not Christian per se. There weren’t many of them on anyone’s list.
Would you pass down any secular books to your kids and grandkids?
A few secular fiction books did show up, like, To Kill a Mockingbird and 1984. I kind of thought there would be more secular books on people’s lists.
There were some books about nutrition that were included in the lists. Other folks included books about government conspiracies, probably because they didn’t want future generations to blindly believe their governments. I thought there might be more books on capitalism and definitely some titles warning about Communism, Socialism, or Marxism. Some folks did include these on their list.
You want physical copies of these books.
One man named Wayne said,
I plan for at least these 10 to be required reading for all my descendants and especially required reading prior to their 18th birthday.
I like that!
Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Controlling the Content
One of the main reasons you want to have physical copies of these books is so they can’t be deleted or altered like electronic books can. If Amazon can sell you an eBook, they can take it back. But did you know that they can electronically change the content of an eBook, even after you have ordered it from them?
Then think about the global warming alarmists. You have to know the day is coming when they will say, “If we are going to save the planet, then we can’t cut down any more trees.” They are literally that nutty.
You want to get physical copies of these books.
And once you throw in ChatGPT and AI, all bets are off. The publishing world will be a mess. People are going to write their “own” Bibles and try to pass off those woke creations to the masses.
https://youtube.com/shorts/9axvLN9P4Ss?feature=share
You want physical copies of these books.
Passing Them On
One thing I learned from this exercise is that a top-ten list isn’t enough for most of us! We probably need a top-twenty list or more.
Here is my homework assignment for you: Take some of your funds and purchase physical copies of these books. Put a box together with your top ten or twenty books and give them to your kids, or have them set aside to give to your grandkids one day. These books will be very valuable resources in the days to come. And don’t forget to include a Bible!
You really, really want physical copies of these books.
And any books that you would give to lost souls as you are witnessing to them, those are books you will want to have physical copies of as well, stored up and ready to use.
Remember, guards up. Guard your heart against any of the false teachings that can be found in so many books and churches out there. Keep in mind that you can only be guarded up if you continually read and intimately know the Word of God.
Exodus 24:7
And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient.
Until the nets are full,
P.S. One gentleman, Dave, actually posted an article on his website called “The Lost Art of Reading.” I encourage you to check it out at the link below.
http://truthreallymatters.com/wordpress/?page_id=4047
P.P.S.
