Preface: NO BOOK, has ever sold so many copies as the Bible--- and it keeps on selling! Nancy Canwell explains why it's so popular. P.37.
They are letters----love letters. And I've kept every one of them. A few months after I met my husband -to-be, I had to return to college to finish my senior year.
That meant we'd be separated by 400 miles. Without computers or cell phones for instant communications, we mostly relied on letter to get to know each other better.
Those letters taught me a lot about the young man I would later marry. They were his words, in place of his physical presence--words that showed me his character and were expressions of love.
The Holy Bible is a lot like that. Because God, isn't here in human form, He's given us the Bible---letters from Himself, as it were. And in that Book, we learn about His character and how much He loves each one of us. The Guinness Book of World Records states that "although it is impossible to obtain exact figures, there is little doubt that the Bible is the world's best-selling and most widely distributed book." And, according to the Gideons, more than six billion bibles have been printed.
Why is this? Why is the Bible still a best-seller? Because the Bible is relevant to every generation. It teaches us what God is like, it teaches us about salvation, as well as the future,. { (j.b.) something no other can do]
Marion never had believed that there was a God. The evolutionary theory was taught in her high school, [(j.b.) and taught as fact, even-though it is only just a theory] and she accepted it. But years latter when her husband began reading the Bible, she became curious. So at the age of 31, she picked up a Bible for the first time.
"Something kept drawing me back," she told me. And this was the text that helped her to discover what God is like.
2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
This woman, who had never picked up a Bible, now reads it through every year from Genesis to Revelation. So if YOU want to know what God is really like, read His 66 Love Letters to YOU His child! It is so full of text that speak to His character such as:
1 John 4:8. "God is love."
Psalms 103:8 "The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy"
Romans 5:8 "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
HOW SHOULD I LIVE? .
A pastor I know once told me, "I often have church members come and ask for my opinion on how they should live. They'll say 'Pastor, what do you think of couples living together before marriage'? or, Pastor, what your opinion on the kinds of movies I should watch"?
He replied, "I tell you my opinion doesn't matter, but I'll show you what God say, and then I open my Bible."
The Bible is full of instructions on how we should live, including the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20. And there are many other texts that direct us, such as.....
Philippians 4:8. "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
1 John 2:15-16. "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."
. Matthew 22:36-40. " Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. "
Note (j.b.) B I B L E means Basic Instructions before Leaving Earth read John 14:1-3 and last two -three chapters of Revelation.
WILL I BE SAVED?
"I CHOSE to accept Jesus Christ by faith. " Allen told me, "When I decided to give my life to Him, [(j.b.)it belongs to Him anyway, YOUR very next breath is at His mercy, PLUS He gave His life for YOUR sins, other wise all would be under Stan's ruler-ship, and humans, who where not his allies, would be extinct] I knew I wasn't worthy. I did not feel good enough to be saved, but the Bible gave me the assurance, and I chose to trust what it told me. The text that really got to me was ....
John 6:37. "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."
IF, you haven't given your life to Jesus and worry about whether you can be saved, go to God' s Word, it'll reassure you with texts like these....
John 3:15-17. "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."
Ephesians 2:8-9. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."
NOTE [(j.b.) one big denomination DOES teach that your salvation comes from this church and YOUR works! But what does the Bible teach?}
Romans 1:17. " For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith."
John 14:15. "If ye love me, keep my commandments." [all 10, not 9, or even 8 as billions do for they have not been taught the BIBLE"s TRUTH., but only the traditions of men.
John 15:12-15 "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you."
Note (j.b.) All shall face the Judgment, and Christ is this Judge, so think you it matters if He is also your friend? Get to know Him by the study of His Word, John 1:1-3, 14.
IS THERE ANY HOPE?
When Irene's son was dying from terminal cancer, it was the Bible that saw her through. She searched it for hope that see would, see her son again, and she underlined every text that promised she would. Her favorite passage was...
1 Corinthians 15:51-53. "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on in corruption, and this mortal must put on immortality."
John 14:1-3. "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."
BUT. . . ARE THESE TEXTS STILL RELEVANT TODAY?
(J.B.) NONE has EVER found any hint of any EXPIRATION DATE on God's Word, and none shall!
The following are but a small sample of what's awaiting your heart and eyes.....
Does Jesus care that I am hurting?
Psalms 34:17-19. "The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all."
Does God actually listen when I talk to Him?
Psalms 34:18-19. "The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all."
Will Jesus actually forgive me when I sin and repent of it?
1 John 1:8-9. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
I left God years ago, will He now take me back?
Isaiah 44:22. "I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee."
Is there hope for better life than this one?
Revelation 21:3-5. "And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful."
Psalms 119:105. "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."
His Word, those 66 love letters He caused to be written FOR YOU! They are His words, in His physical absence--- until the day when (at Resurrection Morn) He will again, as with Adam and eve, communicate with us face to face! AMEN?
BIBLE DISCOVERY with Errol Webster.
A recent survey from the Barna Group, commissioned by the American Bible Society, found that 88% of Americans own a Bible, including 79% of Millennials [ people 18-28]. Eighty percent identify the Bible as a sacred Book. An interesting surprise is that a large percentage of Millenials are interested in the Bible' s wisdom on how to deal with illness and death, dating and relationships and parenting.
The BIBLE as a sacred Book.
2 Timothy 3:16-17. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."
The word "Inspiration," in the Greek is "breathed", thus breathed by God, via the Holy Spirit, therefore stresses both the Divine origin and Authority of the Holy Bible. [(j.b.). the King James Version Revised is the most accurate of all, however none printed to date, will by its study rob you of salvation, I F and only if YOU are willing to surrender self unto Christ, in loving obedience, and prayers for wisdom.
2 Timothy 3:1"And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."
How did God communicate what is written in the Bible?
2 Peter 1:19-21 " We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 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. "
Plus we have this promise:
Amos 3:7 "Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets."
Prophets are persons God called to speak and write for Him.
IT'S ALL ABOUT JESUS.
WHY WAS THE BIBLE WRITTEN?
John 20:29-31 "Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name."
The whole Bible's all about Jesus and God's plan for humanity' s salvation to everlasting life. Thus rescuing all who have chosen Jesus from sin and death and evils.HE is the Promised Messiah of the Old Book [Genesis 3:15 the 1st] John 5:39-40 "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. " Luke 24:44-46 "And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:"
What has Christ done for us?
Romans 5:6-8 "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
What did Jesus say would never pass away?
Matthew 24:35 "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away."
The distribution of the Bible world-wide is growing. According to the United Bible Societies, in 2011 there were 32.1 million Bibles printed distributed across the world- an increase of 11.2 % over 2010. A "Google" search for "Bible" produced 350 million hits.
What can the Bible do for YOU?
What did Jesus say He wants us to have?
John 10:10 "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."
If we lack wisdom what should we do?
James 1:5 " If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."
Whom did Jesus say will guide us in life?
John 14:26-27 "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
The Holy Spirit is the 3rd Member of the Godhead, The Father, the son and the Holy Spirit remember? One of His names is Counselor meaning "One along side to help."
In the above survey, 61 % of people responding said they would like to read the Bible more. Know that it says this.....
Psalms 34:8 " O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him."
Note: (j.b.) The proof my friends is in the tasting, so prove the "pudding" of God is good, for your self, read it, find the answers to life's complexities and relief for your hurts. Accept Christ's love with your your own love, and by love with which you desire to surrender your self unto Him. Then at His return you also shall be with Him and the Father forever and ever, and travel with Him through His creation in utter joy, comfort and peace.
Many thanks to to Sigs of the Times magazine Jan.2014 pp.37-41 and the authors Nancy Canwell and Errol Webster.
Wish to know more?
Visit your Seventh day Adventist Church, any Saturday/Sabbath @ 9:15 A.M. You just may be very glad that you did.
Comments?.........................Questions?
www.servant@frontier.com
Thank YOU dear reader, for your time
John B.
www.blbn.org
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