Thoughts
“The Bible is the only Book whose Author is always present when it is read…to make its influence felt.”
“Bibles that are falling apart usually belong to people who aren’t.”
“If you value eternity, make good use of time.”
THE BIBLE
The influence of the Bible is worldwide. Its mighty power has affected every aspect of human activity. The contents of the Scriptures have supplied themes for the greatest poets, artists and musicians and have been the mightiest factor of all in shaping the moral progress of the human race.
Destroy the countless hymns that have drawn their inspiration from the Scriptures and we would have little else worth singing.
Take down from off the walls of our best art galleries those pictures that portray scenes and incidents in the history of Israel and the life of our Lord and you will have removed some to the richest gems.
Take the books from our libraries that inspire our hearts and encourage us to “go on” and you’ve taken from us that which cannot be valued in dollars and cents.
In Hebrews 4:12 we read
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
The Bible is the only absolutely reliable Book ever written because it is the very Word of God. It is correct in History, accurate in Science.
Other books pass out of date, but the Bible is never out of date. The Bible fits all men of all ages. It is the only perfect Book ever written.
What a treasure we have, a revelation of God making clear the will of God, making clear the way of salvation, the way of fellowship with God, opening wide the gate of Heaven to sinners, offering limitless wisdom to the unlearned, offering peace to the troubled and pardon for all who sin. We all sin!
Prophets who wrote the Old Testament did not themselves make the decision that they would write the books they wrote. They did not decide what to write. The Word of God did not come by the will of man. Instead, “holy men” of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit.
We read in 2 Peter 1:21
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
God working through human agents wrote the Bible.
When Jesus faced Satan in the wilderness temptation, after fasting forty days and forty nights, being hungry and when the tempter came to him suggesting that he turn stones into bread, Jesus said in
Matthew 4:4 (Jesus speaking)
It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
THE BOOK OF BOOKS, THE BIBLE
Why did God give us this Book we call the Eternal Word of God…penned by some 40 men over a period of almost 1600 years, from different vocations in life, from 3 different continents? Though even written some 1600 years ago, there are no inconsistencies, no contradictions whatsoever.
This Book contains one central theme from Genesis to Revelation, is absolutely inexhaustible in its depth of meaning and absolutely indestructible and always on the best seller’s list, no matter what.
Why did God give us this Book we call the Holy Bible?
Behind everything that God does there is a Divine purpose. Sometimes those purposes are very clear and sometimes they leave us feeling hopeless, sometimes mysterious, and we might question, “Lord, what are you up to in my life?”
There is one thing that God has made very clear in the Bible as to why He gave us this Book. Here it is: There is a plan of redemption for the soul, yours and mine.
The Bible, the Word of God, comes in all kinds of versions and yet, in essence, it is the living Word of God.
We read in 2 Timothy 3:13-14, the apostle writing to young Timothy, and you will recall that one of the major problems that the apostle Paul had was that deceivers, evil workers, would slip in and teach all kinds of false doctrine.
2 Timothy 3:13-14
13But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived. 14But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.
How did he know them?
2 Timothy 1:5
When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother, Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.
2 Timothy 2:15, 16
15Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
2 Timothy 3:16, 17
16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Notice the apostle Paul said the Word of God is profitable. That word, profitable, gets people’s attention because “profitable” means that I am going to gain something from it. I’m going to benefit from it.
Let’s see what Luke says.
Luke 11:28 (Jesus speaking)
But he said, Yea, rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
Turn to Revelation 1:3 and read with me.
Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things, which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
Not just read, but heed! Then in
1 Thessalonians 2:13
For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
He says that when you and I read and study it, it performs its work in us. That’s the power of His Word!
Isaiah 55:10-12 (GOD speaking)
10For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 12For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Jesus tells us to hear the Word and obey it, reverence it, and heed it, but we must also unite it with faith. Owning a Bible does not mean that we profit from it and neither by carrying it with you does not mean that you profit from it. In fact, you could have a whole stack of Bibles, but unless you read it, believe it and obey it, you will not profit from it.
There are some very definite reasons why God gave us His Holy Word. This is the story of God’s Redeeming Love for mankind, and this, the history of how He has done that.
The first reason He gave us His Word is to lead us into salvation. Let’s think about this: Without the Scriptures, you and I would never have discovered that we were sinners, separated from God.
Romans 3:23
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
In Romans 6:23 we read
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Hebrews 9:27, 28
27And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
We would not know of our sinfulness if it were not for the Word of God, the Bible. We would not know that God’s desire is to save us and give us Heaven as a home were it not for God’s Word. It is God’s desire that all repent and come to the knowledge of His saving grace.
How would I know that I am absolutely helpless to save myself? The answer is in
Titus 3:5
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Ephesians 2:9
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Salvation is by the grace of God. Ask for forgiveness of your sins, right now, and you will receive the gift of salvation! It’s that simple when your prayer is sincere. God hears when you pray. God responds to a sincere prayer. Did you know that when one soul is saved, redeemed, that the angels in heaven rejoice?
It is written in Romans 10:9, 10
9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
How would I know what this Book, The Bible, contains unless I read it? Read it and apply it daily.
Jesus said in John 10:16 and John 10:27, 28
16And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
How would I know these precious promises, apart from God’s Word?
We are to read it, believe it and rest upon His Divine Word. We should tremble when we read This Book. We should reverence This Book because it is the Living Word of the Living God. This Book is the Source and the Revelation of knowledge of God. It is a textbook of Divine Truth. It guides us to life eternal and it works in the life of anyone who will let it.
We should tremble and stand in awe of God’s Word because this is the revelation and the record of the expression of the mind and heart of the Eternal God, who created this earth and who came to live in the person of Jesus Christ here on earth.
Another reason to tremble at This Book is because of the very structure of its 66 books in all. This Book is unusual for lots of reasons. It was written by men with different backgrounds and with different personalities. For example, there is Moses who was a political leader who wrote the first 5 books of the Bible. There is Joshua who was a military leader; there is David who was a shepherd and Daniel who was a Prime Minister; Matthew was a tax collector and Luke was a medical doctor, Paul who was a Rabbi and Peter who was a fisherman. These are the kind of men God chose in order to write what you and I know to be the Living Word of God. Some chapters were written in prison, some letters from Paul, some in the desert by Moses…all, experiencing different circumstances in life. God has given us His awesome Word…tremble!
This Book is ancient, but it is also up-to-date because not only does it tell us what has happened “yesterday”… not only can we understand what is happening “today”… but if we read it, we will know what is going to happen “tomorrow,” for the God who wrote this makes no mistakes, and He has told us exactly what to expect in the future…in the prophetic writings of This Book, The Bible.
God wrote the Bible. No man would have written THIS Book if he could have, and could not, if he would have, because of the TRUTH in it. It is the revelation of God. No man would have written THIS Book because it condemns mankind. THIS Book says that man is a sinner and it tells us that man cannot be saved by good works.
This is THE Book that comforts me in times of testings and hardships, a Book that strengthens me in times of weakness. The message in THIS Book is the message that encourages my heart when I am tempted to be discouraged.
This is THE Book that I can come to and be reminded again and again that my sins have been forgiven through the blood of Jesus Christ and a Book that I can come to and know that whatever happens in a given day, if God should take my life or take your life, we know this, because we have asked forgiveness of our sins, because we are redeemed by the blood of Jesus, WE KNOW: “Absent from the body, present with the Lord!”
How would I ever know that, except in THIS Book, the HOLY Bible!
