OPEN BOOK TESTS

In school I always preferred "open book tests."  I used to freeze (be frozen with FEAR) at exam time!  I was terrified that I'd fail!  All semester I'd faithfully study (night-and-day)--going over-and-over the lesson material.  I hit-the-books hard!  But I didn't operate on FULL POWER because I was operating out of FEAR rather than FAITH!

Many years later, I took a demanding 3-week course (in order to qualify to be a teacher for home schooling.  I needed to pass this course in order to be permitted to home school my son).

The course consisted of 10 tests.  You could go at your own pace;  BUT--if you failed any one, you'd have to start all over again (from the very beginning).  For example:  If you failed Test #9, you'd have to go back to Test #1 and start all over!  I was terrified!!!  So what did I do?  I PRAYED...I cried out to God!  And guess what happened?  He performed a MIRACLE...I kid-you-not!

By the time I got to Test #10, I was exhausted...I was "brain-dead!"  (This was only the 3rd day of the 3-week course.  Somehow I was miraculously way ahead of schedule.)  With a shaky hand, I turned in my paper...and waited for the results.  I PASSED!    

I passed even a bigger test that day:  I died to my old FEAR-of-failure!  My love for my son overrode my fear of failure.  And, more importantly,  God's love for me had LIFTED me over the "Fence of Fear."

I John 4:18 has since become one of my life verses:   "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.  But he who fears has not been made perfect in love."   [God's love is perfect--ours had to be perfected!]

Final note:  I urge you to open the Bible and study His Word.  Someday you may have to take a test and remember what you'd learned from The Book!  Are you ready?  [See:  II Timothy 2:15]