Bible

REVELATION CHILD

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We live in a universe the dimensions of which are difficult for our limited minds to comprehend. Traveling at the speed of light (186,000 mps) it would take 8-10 billion years to travel from one end of the known universe to the other — the known universe. Astronomers don’t yet know what or how much is beyond that! We can’t even make a scale model of our universe it’s so big!

For instance:

  • If the earth were represented by a ball only one inch in diameter, the nearest star, Alpha Centauri, would have to be placed 51,000 miles away!
  • The sun is so big that if it was hollow it could contain over 1 million planets the size of earth!
  • There are stars in space so large that they could easily hold 500 million suns the size of ours!

One of the neat things about living up here in Oregon is the sky at night! The next time you’re in the desert — or mountains, look up into space at night and ponder this thought: You’re seeing as much of the universe as a protozoan would see of the ocean in which it drifts! That’s how immense our universe is! The Bible says in Genesis 1:1 — “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

I’ve laid a foundation here so I could pose this question: Can you fathom, at all, a Being who could create a universe like we’ve been describing? He is so far beyond us He had to take the initiative to reveal Himself to man because our limited minds could never comprehend Him; and He had to do this in ways that we could understand.

Think with me for a minute about revelation — God’s revelation of Himself to finite man:

  • Creation: We know God exists and is powerful, first of all, by observing what He has made. David writes, in Psalm 19:1 — “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.”
  • History: God has revealed Himself through history, particularly in His dealings with Israel and the surrounding nations.
  • Prophets: God’s revelation also came through the prophets who interpreted those events.
  • The Bible: Since billions of people, ourselves included, would never hear a Biblical prophet; never have the opportunity to personally see and hear Jesus Christ, an accurate, written record was needed, a trustworthy record of God and how to know Him. God has given this to us in the Bible!
  • Jesus Christ: The most tangible revelation of Himself came in the person of Jesus the Christ. We celebrate the advent (birth) of Jesus at Christmas!

This post is presented in the hope each and every reader will receive God’s gift of Jesus Christ: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16-17).

WHAT YOU BELIEVE MATTERS

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You’ve no doubt heard the expression: “It doesn’t really matter what you believe, just as long as you’re sincere.” In effect, this says sincerity is the criteria for truth.

As an airman in the United States Air Force, I had to drive 1,200 miles to get to Reese Air Force Base in Lubbock, Texas. Having seen what happens to guys who went AWOL (Absent Without Official Leave) or who show up late to their duty station, I very sincerely wanted to get there on time. So I prayed about it, got on the freeway, and just started driving, sure that my sincerity would get me there…You know better than that! I went to the Auto Club and had them mark out on a map exactly how to get to the base (this was before we had GPS!).

I followed their instructions precisely — and arrived promptly! It does matter what you believe. I followed that map and it got me there. No amount of sincerity could have done that!

“It doesn’t really matter what you believe, just as long as you’re sincere” reflects the thinking of our culture — and is a lie straight from hell! It does matter what you believe because the Bible says our choices determine our destiny.

SET FREE

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The Speaker at our Pine Summit (Big Bear, CA) Men’s Retreat in May, 2008, was René Schlaepfer [Schlep-fer], a pastor from Twin Lakes Church in the Monterey Bay area.

René shared how when he came to Twin Lakes Church he inherited a 2 million dollar debt. By the end of his first year he had led the church out of the 2 million debt — and into one for 3 million! Soon he found himself stricken with severe panic/anxiety-attacks — and admitted himself into the hospital.

Turned out that the physician treating him was a Christian. To assist René in getting his body stabilized, some meds were prescribed, but this physician suggested that the only real, permanent cure was truth as revealed in the Bible.

So pastor René began to comb the Scriptures, looking for verses that spoke to the fears which had brought on his anxiety attacks.

As he came across God’s promises he wrote them down on 3×5 cards which he went over morning, noon, and night, 5 times a day. In 30 days he was transformed, healed of his anxiety disorder!

When we went to the chapel for our first session on Friday evening, there was a stack of verses on each chair, some of them being the very ones God had used to set René free.

Jesus was not kidding or exaggerating when He said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” We find that truth in the Bible!

IF YOU WERE CHRIST’S ENEMY

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If you were an enemy of Christ, if you hated His people, what would you do to hinder the cause of Christ and discourage His people? The most effective way to do it would be to attack and destroy the source from which Christians get their instructions, guidance and encouragement: God’s Word, the Bible.

That is precisely what Satan has been doing from the beginning! Did he not say to Eve, “Did God really say…?” (Genesis 3:1).

He has consistently tried to get God’s people to doubt God’s Word; to ignore it; he has raised up enemies to destroy it.

Therefore, it is imperative that believers be unshakable in their trust and diligent reliance upon the Bible. The Bible that’s falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t! That is what the Scriptures promise to the diligent seeker of God and His will as revealed in the Bible: “If your law [instructions] had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget your precepts [commands], for by them you have preserved my life” Psalm 119:92.

Someone has said, “If you carry a Bible when you are young, it will carry you when you are old.”

Young or old, there will never be a better time to begin getting the Word into your life than right now! That’s because God’s Word is: “…a lamp to my feet and a light for my path” Psalm 119:105.

FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE AUTHOR

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A young lady purchased a book she thought might be interesting, but after reading a few pages said to herself, “This is the most boring book I’ve ever read!” and set it down. In the meantime, she met a young man with whom she fell in love. They were chatting one evening and she said, “It’s an interesting coincidence that I purchased a book written by a man with your exact same initials and name — and it’s the most boring book in my library! Funny, huh?”

“Well, not really? I wrote it!” he said.

That night she sat up until 2:00 in the morning re-reading the book. This time she found it fascinating, the most interesting book she’d ever read!

What made the difference? She knew and loved the author!

I think people sometimes find the Bible boring and uninteresting because they don’t know the Author — or if they do, they don’t know His heart! But when the Holy Spirit reveals the heart of God, the pages of Scripture become irresistible. They reveal a fatherly love, a kind-hearted Creator who delights in His children. The Bible is a Father’s letter to His loved children!