2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV)
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
Why believe in and turn to God’s Word? Most people in our current society say it is irrelevant. It was written thousands of years ago. How could it apply to our lives today? If the Bible was just a nice story, why would it include the failures and imperfections of its people? Wouldn’t you make them all perfect and the story nice? In the first few chapters, we see disobedience and jealousy rear their ugly heads.
Firstly, we must address the authenticity of the Bible. Can we believe it is the inerrant Word of God? I do! I am not skilled in apologetics. Apologetics is the branch of Christianity that deals with the defense and establishment of the Christian faith. I just feel it in my bones. Peter told us (1 Peter 3:15) we should always be ready to defend our faith so here goes. The Bible was written (recorded) by 40 different people from diverse areas over 1500 years. They all wrote in their own way but recorded exactly what God intended. The message is the same even though recorded by 40 different people over 15 centuries. Moses told the story of Creation. How? He was not there. He recorded what God revealed to him. Everything lines up without contradiction. One challenge to this is the different genealogies in Matthew 1 and Luke 3. It is believed that the Luke genealogy is that of Mary, Jesus Mother, showing both sides of Jesus line are through David. Have you ever played a game called telephone where each person whispers a phrase to the next person in the circle? Then, you compare the last person’s take on the phrase to the first usually with hilarious results. If the Bible was not God-breathed, it would be like that game. Also, if it were purely a story, the authors would not have revealed all the faults of their characters. Archeology confirms the existence of many of the characters included in the Bible. Science again proves faith.
To read God’s Word is to begin to understand the character of His heart. He walked with Adam and Eve in the garden that He had created for them. Everything they needed was contained there. Right from the beginning, God showed His kindness, grace and compassion. He told them not to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil because He knew what would happen to them; they would surely die (spiritually). God chose to lead by example. He walked with them in the Garden showing the proper way to go but they chose disobedience. He walked with mankind again in Galilee and tried to get people back on track with the Spirit of the Law rather than the letter of the Law. That ended badly; or did it? For those of us who believed in Him, it gave us back what was lost in the garden. God’s glory was returned to us by the carpenter from Nazareth. We now have access to the Tree of Life! He has given us the right to become Children of God!
I call this Encouragement Daily so how should this be encouraging to you? If you read the Bible, you see, time and time again, mankind falling down in sin. You also see God picking them up each time, reviewing the lesson they should have learned and helping them to try again. My Dad must have learned that from God. I am from the “wait ‘til your father gets home” generation. When I messed up as a kid, Dad’s response would be “you’ll do better next time.” He verbally picked me up, dusted me off and said try again. That is what I would like you to see in the Bible. Your Heavenly Father always waiting to help you succeed wildly or do better next time. Failure is not fatal. He loves you beyond all you can imagine. (“For God so loved the world….”) If you delve into the Bible, you will learn God’s heart. If you follow it, all will go well with you. Remember, you will still have difficulties but God will lead you through the valley (of the shadow of death) to the table He has prepared for you on the other side. The Bible and its truth can be the source of your strength. Dig into His Word and when you know Him, share Him with others!
Into Your Word we’re digging deep to know out Father’s heart.
Into the world we’re reaching out, To show them who You are. Thrive by Casting Crowns
Thank You Lord that You have given us Your Word to lead and guide us in the best way for us. Thank You that You redeem us and bid us, try again. Thank You for Your love, grace, compassion and mercy which surround us like a shield. In Your name we pray and give You praise!