Walking With Jesus

The Basis of Unity (Part 2)

“Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.” (Ephesians 4:3-4 NLT)

In yesterday’s post we looked at the basis of unity from practical aspects based on who we are as a person and the kinds of backgrounds in which we grew up. I believe it’s safe to say that no two people on the planet will agree 100% about everything. I love my wife with all my heart, but there are lots of things about which we disagree.

What does that prove? It proves you don’t have to be in 100% agreement about every detail of life in order to agree on the foundational teachings of Scripture related to salvation and walking in newness of life in Christ. The Bible doesn’t demand unanimity or uniformity in order to “keep yourselves united in the Spirit.”

Jesus is the basis of our unity, not denominational preferences. There are more than 50 language groups represented in my current church family, yet, when we’re worshipping together, we’re all in one accord. I’ve been a believer for a lot of years, so I’ve seen a lot of transitions in worship style and what I’d refer to as “religious fads.” Years ago, fundamental groups taught that men shouldn’t wear neckties and women shouldn’t wear makeup. My pastor, preaching at a Camp meeting in the south in the 60’s, told the women: “If the barn needs paintin’, paint it!”

Speaking in tongues was a big issue that divided a lot of people in the early years of my walk with the Lord. I found it’s easy to be against things if you’ve never had a conversation with someone who can explain what they believe and why they believe it. It’s not unlike racial prejudice or profiling. I didn’t have a black friend until I went to college, but now I don’t see “color,” I only see hearts.

The point is, once I understand what someone believes, I may still not agree with them, but we can agree to disagree and still love each other and support one another in our mission for Christ. There are points of doctrine, especially related to end times, that are unclear to me. I tend to lean toward what Alistair Begg said in a message I heard him preach regarding the millennium. He said: “There are a-millenniusts, pre-millenniuists, post-millenniusts, pro-millenniusts (those are the ones who believe whatever the Lord does, they’re for it). And then I tend to be in the camp of pan-millenniusts who believe it’s all going to pan out in the end.”

Being in the audience I can assure you he wasn’t making light of a very important doctrine, rather, I believe he was trying to help us see that where there is disagreement, we can still laugh together at ourselves because no one knows with certainty what the Lord’s going to do. Dogmatists will disagree, thus pushing people further away as they retreat to their separate camps, but whatever you believe about the millennium or other Biblical doctrines, must not stand between you and your brothers and sisters in Christ.

Christ came to seek and save the lost, so at its core, if the church to which I have pledged my allegiance doesn’t have a heart for the lost, I’m going to keep looking. By God’s grace, the church I currently attend exists to introduce people to Jesus and help them develop a mindset and lifestyle that will lead them to live the life of a Jesus follower, regardless of what they do or don’t believe about what I consider, non-critical to salvation teachings. As a result, I’m all in!

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

The Basis of Unity

“This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. (Ephesians 6:14 NLT)

What do you believe about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Bible, the Church, the world, sin, and on and on it goes. Do you realize that with very few exceptions, foundationally, our belief system is rooted in the beliefs held by our families of origin. That’s true about religion, politics, health care, personal habits, cleanliness, and much more.

Do you floss your teeth? Do you have a rug by the door for people to wipe their feet? Do you ask people to take off their shoes when they enter your house? How do you vote? Do you attend church? Where? What brand of car do you drive? Do you drink coffee? These and hundreds of other similar questions can be asked about the person you are today.

From where are the answers to most of these questions derived? Usually from our families of origin. And the irony is, we rarely, if ever, question them unless and until they’re challenged. What do you believe about end times? Eternal security? The Rapture? The Millennium? The Holy Spirit? Speaking in Tongues? Again, the list is long of the things we fight about in the Church.

Most of the foundational principles upon which we build our lives aren’t taught, they’re “caught.” We’re not taught what to believe, we’re indoctrinated into the belief systems of our family and close friends. And the tragedy is, we rarely question them, we simply continue to live in environments that support “our” views.

Even as believers we go to schools and read books that reinforce what we “believe” is right. And that’s all well and good if you’re in a Bible-based, genuinely Christian home structure. But what if you’re not? What if you grow up believing things that aren’t even Biblical, but are actually anti-Biblical? What if you come to Christ late in life and you’re ignorant of what the Bible teaches? What if there isn’t a “brand” of Christian church in the area where you now live?

What’s my point? Unity, regardless of what area of life, living, or belief you’re seeking to unify, must be based on common beliefs, whether it’s unifying teachers in a school, agencies in a government, or people in a church or denomination. And historically, we’d rather fight than unite, or ignore the whole subject.

Cole Brown wrote: “The basis of unity is not similarity. The basis of unity is Christ.” The word translated “unity” in the verse above means “agreement.” And honestly, it’s hard to get agreement even, perhaps especially, about Jesus. So, what’s the answer?

In this season of my life, the most important measure of unity I seek is with Jesus, my wife, and my own heart. To me, it’s vitally important that I know what I believe about Jesus, because thereon is built the life I now live. And where do I get the instructions about Jesus that will unify my heart and life? My blog articles, of course! NO! I’m joking! Careful study of the Bible is the basis of my conclusions about Jesus.

Who He is, what He came to do, what He taught and didn’t teach, how He lived and how He desires me to live? Do I have to believe exactly like everyone in my spiritual family? Not in every detail, but I believe it’s important that we have consensus on the major points of doctrine, leading to the major thrusts of the church of which I’m a part.

Let’s look at this from a little different angle in tomorrow’s post.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Our Quest for Intimate Communion

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14 KJV)

What’s the first word that comes to mind when you think of intimacy? Washing and waxing the car, right? Yeh, me too! No, seriously! Typically, the “S” word, right? If you’ve been around the church very long, as a rule, the only time you hear about sex in a sermon is when it’s used to tell you what not to do outside of marriage, which, of course, is well and good. But the Bible has a lot more to say about intimacy than don’t have sex outside the boundary of marriage.

Do you realize the word translated “communion” in the verse above is the word “koinonia” (koy-nohn-ee’-ah), which is commonly translated “fellowship.” It’s a multi-dimensional word that can also be translated “intercourse,” which doesn’t have direct reference to sex, but speaks to the value of togetherness, closeness, contributing to one another’s lives in a healthy way.

One interesting aspect of “koinonia” is “a gift jointly contributed, a contribution, as exhibiting an embodiment and proof of fellowship.” Having “fellowship” with one another in the Body of Christ is a critical avenue of intimacy, not only with one another, but with God.

If you’ve walked with the Lord for very long, you have met fellow believers who seem more like family than friends. And the remarkable thing about that, it’s true wherever you travel across the world. There is a bond of togetherness that is implicit within the Church, the Body of Christ, the Family of God.

Before coming to Christ, we typically buy the world’s definition of “intimacy” as sex with as many partners as possible. And, as per usual, the world is wrong – grossly and completely wrong! The best and most intimate sex anyone will ever experience is with their life’s partner, their spouse, the one to whom they’ve pledge their life – for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; for as long as we both shall live!

Why is that? Because “koinonia” is based on far more than emotion. Foundationally, true, God-inspired, Biblical intimacy is based on sacrifice, illustrated most vividly in the death of our Savior on the Cross. My English teacher in High School said in the context of a discussion about sex, “Marriage isn’t just one big bedroom scene.” In other words, the value of marriage isn’t simply defined by sex.

In the ideal world, sex between and a man and a woman committed to one another in marriage, gives expression to their commitment to one another and allows for the experience of genuine intimacy. But if that’s the only time we’re “intimate,” what happens to the relationship after sex is no longer an option for one or both? Is that the end of intimacy?

Certainly not! My intimacy with God isn’t dependent upon sex, so why should my intimacy with my wife and other important people in my life be? Intimacy, at least as the Bible speaks of it, is more about spiritual closeness, shared values, shared goals, shared service, shared love for Jesus and His Bride. The times I feel closest to my wife are when we’re worshipping, either together or in a corporate setting.

Intimate communion with God leads to intimacy with others, in your family of origin and your family of God. Communion with God and with others, especially in the Body of Christ, is the answer to loneliness. No one in the family of God should ever be lonely. A lonely believer in Jesus on a lot of levels is an oxymoron.

If you’re lonely, speak to the Lord about what’s going on, delve into His Word, then let Him lead you to a thriving Christian fellowship where you can find like-minded, Scripture-oriented, Christ-loving, and Christ-honoring people who will gladly walk with you into spiritual health and intimacy. If you’re already a part of a fellowship like that, call someone!

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

What’s the Basis of Your Happiness?

“The hopes of the godly result in happiness, but the expectations of the wicked come to nothing.” (Proverbs 10:28 NLT)

Happiness, according to The Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is defined as “a state of well-being and contentment; a pleasurable satisfaction.” It’s interesting to me that the word in the verse above that is translated “expectations“ means: “the thing that I long for.” Many today are selling their soul for what they believe will satisfy their longings, only to be disappointed. How do I know that?

Two ways. First, because that’s what God’s Word says: “the expectations of the wicked come to nothing.” And second, because ultimately the only thing that offers lasting satisfaction, thus happiness, is Jesus. C.S. Lewis wrote: “Do not let your happiness depend on something you may lose.”

A good rule of thumb is: “If you can see it with your physical eyes, you’re going to lose it.” It’s going to wear out, burn out, rust out, or die. Earthly things are all temporary. But that’s not to say that we can’t and/or won’t enjoy or be happy about the good things God provides us while we’re here.

Every day I thank the Lord for my family, friends, and brothers and sisters in Christ I’ve met across the years. I’m grateful for friendships with men and women whom I’ve met that have for me embodied the Spirit and life of my Savior. I’ve been able to see Jesus more clearly for having spent time in their presence.

The hope of heaven, to finally see Jesus’ face, and to be reunited with family and dear friends who have loved Jesus and have preceded me in death, is the longing of my heart in this season of my life. Solomon wrote: “The hopes of the godly result in happiness…” In my mind hope isn’t simply something for which we long, it’s a present reality affirmed in and through our relationship with Jesus.

For me, He isn’t just a “coming King,” He’s my constant companion and guide in this life. His presence is as real to me today as the voice of my dear wife calling me to dinner. Material things are a blessing to me that make my life so much easier, but if a tornado swept my every earthly possession away, I’d still be happy in Jesus, knowing that everything I have or will ever need is derived from my walk with Him.

He’s my Provider. He may use the government or other sources to provide the money I need to live, but ultimately, it’s from Him. Foundationally, Jesus is the basis of my happiness. How about you? What’s the basis of your happiness? On what are you casting your longings to meet the need of your heart and life?

Are you bitter from the loss of someone or some thing you were counting on to meet your happiness quota? Was your life drastically challenged by a physical illness or injury, so much so you’re concerned that life will never be the same for you?

When I was new to ministry, I visited a young man in the hospital who had been shot in the face. Having very little experience with hospital visits, I asked him how he was doing. He said: “I’ve been shot in the face; how do think I’m doing?” I didn’t know how to respond then, but if I had that visit to do over, I’d say something like: “I’d think you’d be grateful you’re alive. If the bullet had been an inch or so in another direction, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.” This life is so fragile.

We have no assurance of the next breath, but it’s like we think God owes us an explanation for everything that happens in our life. If our “happiness cart” is upset, or our “world” is affected by something that changes our routine, we’re livid. Why can’t we see the disruptions to our schedules as an opportunity to see the Lord and our lives from a healthier perspective? We’d sure be a lot happier if we did.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Living As People of Light

“For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.” (Ephesians 5:8-9 NLT)

Have you ever been where the sun never shines? My son and I toured a massive cave together. The tour guide took us to a huge open area and turned off her light. Total darkness! Though I don’t remember what it was called, the guide told us about a species that lived in the cave that originally had eyes, but after several generations, having never seen light, they began being born without eyes.

It caused me to think of generations of people who live without any knowledge of Jesus, or who willingly choose to be ignorant of Him. It’s as if over time their soul becomes blind to who He is.

“Solstice” “Used by permission, © Ray Majoran, GlimpseOfInfinity.com”

Ray Majoran is a photographer who has taken some breathtaking photos of nature. Each day I receive another photo with a prayer and Scripture that Ray uses as he describes his photo. A few weeks ago, he prayed: “Father God, yesterday in the northern hemisphere, we witnessed the miracle of the winter solstice. For a moment, the earth was tilted at 23.5 degrees so that the sun appeared directly over the Tropic of Capricorn, representing the darkest day in the northern hemisphere. In fact, for those in the Arctic Circle, the sun did not rise.” Then he added: “It’s hard to imagine a day without the sun’s light, but it’s even harder to imagine a day without Jesus — the Light of the World.”

The irony for us as believers is that we can walk past people every day who have eyes but are blind to the Truth of who Jesus is and to what He has accomplished for us and for them on the Cross. In some cases, their blindness is self-inflicted because they’ve closed their heart and soul to any consideration of God or a god. Does that make them a “bad” person? Not necessarily, but it does make them lost and without hope for a home in heaven.

On some levels it’s as if their soul has experienced a solstice and their view of the “Son” has been blocked or impaired. Death of a loved one, a severe loss, despair, depression, disappointment, there are many things the enemy uses to cause us to lose sight of the light of the Savior’s love. But the irony is, sometimes it only takes a kind word, a thoughtful gesture, a caring call, or an intentional effort on our part to give them a glimpse of the Light.

Living as a person of light means we must allow the light of God’s loving kindness to shine on more than ourselves. Yes, of course, our lives should reflect the love of God in very practical ways, but we can’t allow ourselves to believe our life alone will show someone the way to Jesus. Kindness must be coupled with thoughtful, helpful words that not only inform, but invite someone to yield their lives to the Savior.

Being a person of the Light of life is a privilege that bears responsibility. We must be students of the Word of God and pursuers of the Lamb of God, for it’s through Jesus and His Word that we are equipped to share the life He’s given us with others.

Paul wrote in the verse above that “So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.” We’re so prone to forget that we once walked in darkness and the Lord sent someone to us to show us the way to the Light of life.

“Lord of heavens armies, please enable us, by Your Spirit, to be sensitive to those in our spheres of influence. Help our lives to be a beacon of hope for those who are struggling. Enable us to be You to those who are desperate for a touch from You. Grant that we might not block the light of Your life from healing and helping others to see You clearly. In Jesus holy name I pray.

Blessings, Ed 😊

A Changed Life

“Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.” (John 3:6 NLT)

What does it mean to have a “changed life?” There are life-changing events and experiences that may have nothing to do with a person meeting Jesus or having a heart-change for God. Someone can win the lottery, get married, have a baby, move to another country, or have a lung transplant and their life will change dramatically, yet they may still be just as carnal as they ever were.

There’s not necessarily anything “spiritual” about a changed life. Change, in and of itself, isn’t good or bad, it’s what that change leads to. One person can go to prison and come out a new creation in Christ Jesus, while another can come out bitter, angry, and hardened against any concept of a god.

There are innumerable events or circumstances that can and often do change our lives, some of which turn people to Christ, while others can experience the same crisis and be turned away from Him. Ironically, some, even within the church, have the mindset that if they can only change for the better or “get their act together,” or get free of their addiction, God will love them and accept them.

Christine Caine said: “Christianity is not about behavior modification it’s about heart transformation.” Turning over the proverbial “new leaf” isn’t what God desires. We are wayward and fickle, unreliable, and sinful beings. We can profess love for God and still swindle our family member in a business deal. What’s my point? Simply this, spiritually speaking, we’re incapable of changing ourselves.

A life of honor, respect for God and others, and dependence upon God in every avenue of our lives isn’t attained through our own goodness or any human ability, it’s a gift from God. We are helpless and hopeless to change ourselves, “to make something of ourselves” in a spiritual sense. A genuinely changed life, at least a life evidenced by a sincere heart for God, can’t be counterfeited or faked long term.

Ultimately, our true colors are going to show, but even if we could fool everyone for our whole life, we still have to stand before the God who knows us better than we know ourselves, so why try? True repentance doesn’t happen except through the intervention of a holy God. We can develop God honoring habits that are empowered and made possible by the Holy Spirit, but we can’t take credit for any life change that results from our efforts. It’s a partnership between us and God.

Tim Keller wrote: “God’s salvation doesn’t come in response to a changed life. A changed life naturally comes in response to salvation.” When we yield our life and allegiance to Jesus, the Holy Spirit moves in and takes over, but only to the extent we allow. At first, it’s cumbersome and it takes time for us to adapt to having Someone else call the shots in our life, but the closer we get to Jesus the more of Himself He’ll reveal to us.

In this season of my life there’s nothing more important or meaningful to me than the presence of God in my life. I’m finally learning that I can literally do nothing apart from Him. James L. Snyder wrote: “Throughout the history of humanity, there have been great discoveries. I am not sure which one we could point to and say, ‘That is the greatest discovery in the world.’ But for the hungry heart, there is but one discovery that satisfies it: the discovery of the manifest, conscious presence of God.”

A changed life is valueless unless and until it reflects the presence of God in how a person thinks, acts, and lives. The words of Paul in Philippians 1:21 resonate with my spirit in this season of my life: “For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.”

Blessings, Ed 😊

Is Your Theology Defective?

“Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with Himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law.” (Romans 10:1-3 NLT)

In the above verses the Apostle Paul revealed his heart for his people, the Jews, to be saved. When you read his description of why they’re so reluctant to come to Christ, it sounds a lot like the people I pray for every day. “…misdirected zeal. For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with Himself.”

Grace is a hard concept for self-righteous people. When someone believes they’re good enough to get to heaven without Jesus, without the grace of God, they’re living a lie. When you boil it all down, our theology is what we believe about God: who He is, what He’s done or not done, how He relates to us as human beings, what He expects of us.

As I think of my own theological position, there are at least three critical elements that must be included. First, a healthy view of grace. Paul writes in Ephesians 2:8-9: “God saved you be His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.”

Photo by Porapak Apichodilok on Pexels.com

Being in a right relationship with God is all God and none of us. “Whoa,” you may object, “what about MY belief? Isn’t that my part?” The KJV translates verse 8: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” Even the faith we need to be saved is a grace gift from God. The only thing we bring to the table is ourselves and an openness to allow God to do what only He can do in cleansing us and filling us with His Spirit.

So, a healthy view of grace realizes salvation is a gift from God, but it also includes a correct view of sin. The goal of salvation is for us to become a new creation in Christ. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:17: “The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” Does this mean we’ll never sin again? No, but that’s our goal.

John 2:1 says: “My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous.” A theology that believes we can continue to sin as a matter of habit is a defective theology. Sin is our enemy with whom we’ll do battle as long as we’re in these bodies of clay, but the longer we live, the more like Jesus we should become, thus, the less we should be sinning.

The second critical element in my theology is a healthy view of myself. I’m a sinner saved by grace, which means I must constantly, in an ever-increasing degree, rely on God’s Spirit to enable me to walk in newness of life. That means I will always be fully dependent upon the Spirit of God to guide, equip, and enable me to do what pleases God, not me.

If my theology encourages me to follow the dictates of my own heart, that’s a problem. Baptism by immersion illustrates that we die to ourselves and rise to new life in Jesus (Romans 6). To rely on my fickle heart to make spiritually healthy decisions is an oxymoron.

Thirdly, Danny Akin writes: “The bottom line is, if your theology is not breaking your heart for lost souls, you have a bad, defective theology.” To love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength and not have a heart for the lost in our spheres of influence is a huge red flag. The more we grow in our likeness of Jesus, the greater our burden should become for those who are lost.

Jesus cared enough for the souls of mankind to die! How much do you care?

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Are You a Gospel Paramedic?

“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” (Proverbs 4:23 NLT)

How do you see your life? As you inspect your own heart, what do you see? How about when you view the lives of those around you? Does your heart flow with love, grace, mercy, kindness, gentleness, and compassion? Or does what you see in others result in anger, frustration, impatience, and unkindness?

Our heart is a fickle friend. Sometimes we’re the “Good Samaritan,” but at other times we’re the Pharisee praying at the Temple, outlining how good we are and how despicable everyone else is. Why is that? Why the sometimes drastic, almost opposite responses to others?

On some levels, at least as I look at my own heart, it’s the proverbial “barometer” of where my life is headed. Thankfully I’m not as volatile emotionally as I used to be, but there have been times, even seasons, when I’ve believed everyone was going to heaven, then other times I can’t believe anyone is going to heaven.

Yes, I’m exaggerating to make a point, but the point is this: we can’t trust our hearts, thus the reason we must guard it with all diligence. If we simply follow our heart, it’s like driving 80 mph down a steep, winding road, blindfolded. It may be fun for a minute, until we miss a curve and go sailing over the edge. Regardless of how we feel about it, it’s not going to end well.

The only safe and reliable guide in finding our way is to yield to the Holy Spirit’s leading, trusting Him without reservation, being anchored in God’s Word. Jim Thomas wrote: “May we Bible believing Christians act less like moral policemen, more like Gospel paramedics, and never at all like we’re the final judge.”

Our mission as Jesus followers is to love God and to love others as ourselves. A paramedic is defined as “a person trained to give emergency medical care to people who are injured or ill, typically in a setting outside of a hospital.” How might that translate for us as believers in Jesus? In my understanding, paramedics aren’t typically physicians or surgeons, they’re role is to keep people alive long enough to get them to someone who can more fully address their concerns.

What if we saw our role more like that? Not to “fix” people, but to offer them loving support as they find their way to the Lord, who is the “Healer.” Like us, they don’t need to “clean up their lives” before they can come to Him, they only need to be willing to open their heart and mind to Him and let Him do the cleaning.

We don’t have to “police” others for Jesus. We only need to pray and direct them to the Lord. None of us have it all together and we never will this side of eternity. I’m not going to lie, sometimes it frustrates me to see someone who professes to love Jesus, speak, and act like the devil. But unless and until the Lord appoints me to work on His holy Police Force, I have my hands full dealing with the guy looking back at me from the mirror.

By God’s grace, let’s be a part of the solution, not add to the problem. Let’s be sensitive to those around us who need a touch from the Lord or a kind word that might encourage them on their way to finding newness of life in Jesus. Sometimes the most helpful thing we can do for someone is to listen to them. We almost always learn more by listening than we do when we’re talking. I know that’s true when I’m talking.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Can You Trust the Bible?

“Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.” (2 Peter 2:20-21 NLT)

C.S. Lewis wrote: “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen, not only because I see it but because by it, I see everything else.”

When I was a teen, newly saved and new to the Bible, my youth Pastor asked me to share during a Wednesday evening service what the Bible meant to me. Today I could bore you to death, but then I was petrified, and my mind literally was blank. All I could think of was an idea he gave me when he asked me to speak: “The Bible is like a roadmap that shows me the paths my life should take.” I repeated that about ten times until he finally realized I was in way over my head.

What does the Bible mean to you? Have you made reading and studying the Bible a regular part of your day? If not, why not? If you profess faith in Christ, why wouldn’t you want to read everything you can get your hands on to learn more about Him and what it means to be His follower. But beyond that, why wouldn’t you want to read the Book He authored?

What does that mean? It means His inspiration, the leadership of His Spirit, guided the human authors in writing what we can now hold in our hands and read for ourselves. The single theme of the Bible is Jesus. Jesus is the living Word of God who was the Author of creation. He is the Light of the world that the darkness can never extinguish (John 1:1-5).

And the most amazing part of the Bible to me is that it’s still being written, in my life and yours. The Bible is alive and active. That’s why you can read it over and over and continue to see things you’ve missed, because the Spirit is alive in us, speaking, teaching, encouraging, uplifting, challenging, guiding, blessing, informing, and on and on!

Voltaire, the French philosopher, was a brilliant atheist who made a statement about the Bible. He said: “One hundred years from today, the Bible will be a forgotten book.” Today the Bible is still the best selling book in the world, having sold more than 5 billion copies.

The Bible has been criticized for not being “scientific,” which, of course, it isn’t. But I love what Pastor Rick Warren wrote in a recent devotional: “The Bible wasn’t meant to be a scientific textbook. You don’t study the Bible to build a rocket. And the Bible doesn’t use scientific language. But the Bible never gives bad science! In fact, it’s always ahead of science.

For example:

For thousands of years, people believed that the Earth was flat. But God said 2,600 years ago in Isaiah 40:22 that God is enthroned above the sphere of the Earth.
For thousands of years, people believed something held the Earth up. Hindus believed huge elephants did it. The Greeks believed Atlas did it. The Egyptians believed five columns held the Earth up. But the Bible never says that anything is holding the planet up.
For thousands of years, people believed that the number of stars were finite. But Jeremiah 33:22 says the number of stars can’t be counted.

The Bible says, “Praise Him, you highest heaven and the water above the sky. Let them praise the name of the LORD because they were created by His command. He set them in their places forever and ever. He made it a law that no one can break” (Psalm 148:4-6 GW).

The laws of science don’t work one day and then stop working the next. Each and every one of them always works—because they are true and made by God. And truth doesn’t change.”

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Humanity’s Instruction Manual

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT)

There are so many issues with which we struggle, the answers for which can be found in the Bible. When we need an attorney, accountant, repairman for any number of problems, we often take the word of a loved one or friend who recommends someone they have used and whom they trust. Why can’t we follow the same principle when it comes to the Bible?

Pastor Rick Warren wrote: “When Jesus talked about the Bible, he would often base his argument about the truth of the Bible on a single sentence or even a single word from the Bible. He believed every single sentence, every single word of Scripture. So if you trust Jesus, why wouldn’t you trust the Bible?” Pastor Rick goes on to say: “Jesus believed in some of the most disputed stories in the Bible, particularly Noah, Adam and Eve, Sodom and Gomorrah, and Jonah. People who think that the Bible is mostly good stories that didn’t really happen always point to those four stories. If Jesus really believed in Jonah, then you should too. I don’t know how God created a fish that could swallow a guy, but it’s in the Bible, so he did. I trust in the Bible because Jesus trusted in it. You should too.”

In my experience some of the fiercest critics of the Bible have never read it, or at most have picked out “proof texts” to seek to discredit its message. One of my Seminary Professors said: “A text taken out of context becomes a pretext.” That basically means we can make the Bible say most anything we want it to say if we remove it from its original context.

For example, in Matthew 27:5 the Bible says Judas “went out and hanged himself.” And in Luke 10:37 Jesus said: “Yes, now go and do the same.” That’s what the Bible says in two separate and distinct contexts, but to pull them out of their original contexts and put them together, you get something the Bible never said. False prophets have done a similar thing in pulling texts out of their original context to lead many very good people down some very wrong paths.

Recently, I was introduced to a wonderful resource written by Greg Stier, tying love and the truth of God’s Word together to address a very current issue. Please click on his name and check it out, especially if you have a child or grandchild in your life.

Greg wrote: “The Bible is His (God’s) primary way of explaining to His creation—to all humanity—who He is, who we are, and how the world works. Since the whole universe can be considered God’s ‘house,’ His rules—as outlined in the Bible—apply to everyone. In other words, the Bible is humanity’s instruction manual. And it’s clear on issues of identity and sexuality. We’re all born as slaves to our flesh—which encompasses our genetics, hormones, natural instincts, and sinful desires—and into a sinful, fallen environment—which includes abuse, unbiblical ideologies, and more. But the amazing news of the Gospel is that when we trust Christ, His Spirit frees us from that slavery and enables us to live in God’s ways—no matter what caused our sin to begin with.”

If you profess to be a child of God and haven’t yet begun to read and study the Bible regularly and in earnest, how do you ever expect to grow into a mature believer? The Bible is nourishment for your soul as food is for your body. To profess faith in Christ and not love His Word is a contradiction. The Bible is our primary instruction manual in learning who Jesus is, why He came to earth, and what plans He has for us as His followers.

To discard the Bible as outdated or unimportant is to miss our most valuable resource for Christian health and living.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊