Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that, "All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." God breathed: how did God breathe the scriptures. I see two ways that God breathed scripture. First, God whispered into the ear of the writer. Well, maybe not literally. But there are passages of scripture where God told the author what to write. A couple of examples would be the book of Leviticus, the Ten Commandments, some of the Prophets, and the book of The Revelation. We see God interrupting the course of natural events to speak through one of his prophets. Second, God influences the pen of the author. I
t is not like God took control of the hand of the person writing, it is more like he influenced their life in such a way that their words were his words. God used history, poetry, and narrative to tell His story in an inspired fashion.Some would ask, "How do we know that the words we have today are even close to the words written so many years ago?" That is a good question. I don't know about you but I get e-mails that are not right and we have spell check. I have seen the same joke using doctors, lawyers, and preachers. if you read a texts, one word can be spelled in a variety of ways. Maybe the answer comes in understanding that God did not use these faulty levels of communication to instruct people in his word. Instead, he took studious individuals that were driven to perfection to copy his word. During my trip to Israel, I went to where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. I spent a little time learning about the Khirbet Qumram community. This group of avid followers of God were so precise at what they were doing. Hours with a pen and parchment in a small room preserving the word of God. It still amazes me that the text that had been copied for over a thousand years survived with such accuracy.
The point of this post is not to prove the accuracy of scripture or to expound on the historical reliability of God's word. If you don't believe the bible is God's word then just ignore these words and go back to surfing a world wide web full of inaccuracy, lies, and half truths. But, if you believe that the bible could be something more, then spend some time testing it for yourself. See if you find the words in the Good Book to be helpful in living a better life. And if you claim to be a follower of Christ, then study to show yourself approved. If the bible is the Good Book inspired for the human race then we as his followers should read it. So how about closing this blog down and pulling out a Good Book. Pick up that old bible you got for a wedding present or given to you by a Sunday school teacher and reading a portion of it. See what the Book of Psalms, the Gospel of John, or the Letter to the Corinthians has to say. And if you don't have a bible just click here and spend a little time with the Good Book.
I was taken to church by my Grandmother when I was young. My parents were always too busy. There were yards to mow, cars to wash, or the house to clean. Without fail, grandma was always there to be sure I was given an opportunity to establish a relationship with God through Jesus.
ReplyDeleteI spent many years reading in my bible; following the scriptures read in sunday school, then the ones used by our pastor during the sunday sermon. I even picked up my bible at home on occasion and read in seach of answers, but not normally unless I was troubled or found myself in trouble and not knowing where else to turn.
It was not until 2005 when my world came crashing down around me that I fell to my knees and knew that God was the only one who could lift me from the depths I had sunken.
I picked up my Bille and began to read. I opened to the Book of Matthew and began reading. Soon it was no longer my voice I heard in my head reading words in the Bible but rather, it was the voice of God speaking to me through the Book like he had spoken to Moses through the burning bush.
I stopped and began to pray. I asked God to give me the wisdom to understand the words and to receive the message he had intended when he gave the words to the author.
It became my obsession. All I wanted to do was go to work and return home to get back into my Bible. I would read chapter after chapter, and somtimes entire books at one time.
In 10 short months, I read the entire Bible cover to cover. Never before had these words moved me like they had when I read the entire Book.
God revealed to me the man, the father, and the husband he intended me to be. He spoke directly to my heart.
As I began to be able to link versus and get new meaning to the issues that affect my life I began to feel a closness to God that I had never felt before. Even today as I pick up the Word, I never fail to uncover some new answer to a mystery I've wondered about. The words continue to speak to me. Sometimes they have a new meaning. One that differes from the time I read them in the past. Perhaps thats why the call it the living Word.
My Bilble will always remain #1 on my list of suggested reading list!
Daily I will praise God for his Word!!
Amen