One of the biggest mistakes a believer can make is to doubt the accuracy of the Bible. Here are some main reasons why:
1. First of all, Jesus warned that if anyone adds to or takes away from the words of this book, God will blot his name out of the book of life. No one has the authority to teach that any verse does not belong or is not true. Revelation 22:18-19 New King James Version For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. 2. 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 complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 3. Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 4. You cannot separate Jesus from the word of God, Jesus is the word. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. 5. Jesus quoted scripture at least 10 times by saying "it is written..." He did so because the written word matters and it would not matter if it could not be trusted. 6. If he can cause you to doubt one verse, he can cause you to doubt any verse cracking the foundation that our very faith stands on. If one verse can be disreguarded then the idea that your sins can be even be forgiven, or that you might recieve eternal life could be in question. It's all or nothing. 7. Satan attacks truth by casting doubt. Example: In the garden of Eden Satan said to Eve: Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” 8. The word of God is a rock not clay. We can't mold it to fit our feelings or changing times. It's not flexible. You can either fall on the rock and be changed/broken or let the rock fall on you and be destroyed. Matthew 21:44 "And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.” unlock mysteries All books of the Bible were inspired by God and written by 66 authors at different times in different places. Yet when placed together they fit perfectly, unlock mysteries, compliment each other and do not contradict. (Yes people do twist the word and change it's meaning, that's why it's better to just read it for yourself. It's not that long of a book, and that'll give proper context. Rather than basing your life choices on someone else's opinion.) The prophecies of this book have been unfolding in the nation of Israel for centuries with many on the horizon and yet to be fulfilled. For example, the Bible fortold that Israel would become a nation again hundreds of years before it happened in 1948. A future event that Jesus spoke of is the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, which could be at the doors right now. God gave the nation of Israel as a sign and proof to those who would believe, yet a stumbling block of offence to those who hate him. The choice is yours.
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One of the most important commands of the Bible is giving to those in need. It's a cornerstone that can't be ignored. According to Jesus, A lot of people will miss out on heaven because of selfishness. Even people who think they are saved.
God promises to look out for those who consider the poor, not only in this life but in the ages to come. According to Jesus, everything we give is recorded and will be rewarded. He said that when we give to others, we are literally storing up treasures in heaven. It's an investment that will pay back a hundredfold. I'm not talking about just giving to churches, although there's nothing wrong with that. But when I read the Bible I see that the main point is giving to the poor. Most Christians agree that we should "give" 10 percent of our income, based off the "tithe" of the Old Testament. I think that's a good starting place and I would never want to give less than that but Jesus also said, "He who has 2 tunics let him give one, and he who has food let him do likewise" which brings up the idea of giving more, depending on the resources you have. I think the best part about giving generously is knowing that God sees and is looking for an opportunity to repay me with blessings in return. It's worth it! *Proverbs 21:13 Whoever shuts his ears to the to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be heard. *Psalm 41:1-3 41 Blessed is he who considers the poor; The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. 2 The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, And he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. 3 The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness; You will sustain him on his sickbed. Proverbs 22:9 He who has a generous eye will be blessed, For he gives of his bread to the poor. Proverbs 28:27 He who gives to the poor will not lack, But he who hides his eyes will have many curses. Proverbs 29:7 The righteous considers the cause of the poor, But the wicked does not understand such knowledge. 1 John 3:17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? Matthew 6 19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 25 31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ 41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ 44 “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Luke 16 The Rich Man and Lazarus 19 “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 20 But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, 21 desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. 26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’ 27 “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ 29 Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ” Psalm 107
13 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses. 14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, And broke their chains in pieces. 15 Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! It’s sad to see someone who used to be in a dark place, then God helped them, and strengthened them and brought them out, but they don’t even give him the credit for it. Or they take the credit for themselves, and they say “I did this." Really? Are you Houdini? Did you break those chains in pieces? I wonder how many times this happens. Maybe they pray in desperation and then forget that prayer. And let doubt ruin any possibility of a relationship with God. They won’t even utter the name of Jesus in the presence of another person unless it be a curse word. Let alone confess that He is Lord. How many people die in this state, irreversibly separated from Him? No reconciliation. No relationship. There is no hope for the person who continues to deny the power of God. Because there is no other God who loves you. Matthew 10:32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven." Mark 8:38 "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” Life is like a video game that we've never played before.
We don't know what each day will bring, but God knows exactly what's coming up next because He's the one that programmed it. We're not just wandering around on our own, fending for our self. We're moving through all the levels He planned for us to go through, before we even started. Hebrews 12:1 Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Psalm 119:32 I will run the course of Your commandments. Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. God is the giver of all good things in your life. James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights. and He is the keeper of every good thing in your life. He keeps it all in place. Psalm 121:5 The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand. He's the giver and the keeper. You exist because He wanted you to exist. You were His idea. Psalm 100:3 Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. If you're trusting Him to take care of you for eternity, you can trust Him to take care of you now. And if you let go and stop worrying about what you're going to have in the future, your world will not fall apart and He's not going to forget to bless you. Isaiah 46:4 Even to your old age, I am He, And even to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you. We'll never be independent of our Father. He created us to need Him. Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever. Scientists say that the earth appears to be at least 4 billion years old. Keyword- appears.
Two examples of creative miracles in the Bible, when God made something that appeared to be aged, on the first day it was made. 1. When God made Adam and Eve. You would think that an adult man and woman would have to be a certain age. But God is the beginning and the end. He lives outside of time. He can make an adult person in one day. 2. When Jesus turned water into wine. Wine making is a process that can't be rushed. The yeast that occurs naturally on the skin of the grapes has to multiply for weeks or months to produce alcohol. You can't make wine in one day, but Jesus did. If God can make mature people and wine in one day, He can also make a mature earth in one day, that appears to be old. How we are alike:
We all have freewill, a choice to serve God or rebel A large percentage of angels and people will not obey Him, and will not be saved. How we are different: 2/3 of angels have never sinned, All humans have sinned They are more advanced than us, physically and mentally They cannot be forgiven if they sin They cannot become children of God The Holy Spirit does not live in them Jesus didn't become one of them, but He became human to save us from our own sin. There was a time when 1/3 of the angels rebelled against God. They are cast out of heaven and called demons. Because of their superior intellect and the fact that they've seen God face to face, He didn't give them a second chance for forgiveness. Jesus didn't come to suffer and die for their sins, their choice was final. They'll be condemned to hell forever. They are all present with us in the spirit realm, working against each other, like darkness and light. Angels assigned to protect and preserve us, while demons are filled with rage because of the mercy and grace God gives us each day. Something they have been disqualified for. While we were made lower than the angels, we will some day be exalted far above them and judge them, because we are God's adopted children. Surely they wonder, why would God choose unintelligent sinners to become His children? Why would He honor us to become equal with Jesus? Why not choose the angels who didn't sin? Why would He favor us when we did nothing to deserve it? It really is amazing grace. Like the angels, a large percentage of mankind will continue to rebel against Him (since that is our natural state). If we don't make the choice to BE CONVERTED and FOLLOW HIS TEACHINGS we will DEFAULT to destruction. Once your life is over, your choice is final, eternity is permanent. If you never got around to giving your life to Jesus, then you won't be saved. And no one can say that it's not fair, because it's all up to you, your choice. That's why the Bible says, many are called, but few will be chosen. Wide is the way that leads to destruction and MANY go by it, but narrow is the road that leads to eternal life and there are FEW who find it. Our time here may seem meaningless, but is vital to determining our final state. The Bible says that God is the potter and we are the clay. He makes some to be vessels of honor and some will be vessels of wrath. It's bittersweet because fates are being sealed everyday. 1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. Romans 11 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, (Jews) He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. Romans 9 20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? 22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much long suffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory. 2 Timothy 2:21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. Everyone lives in danger of hell's fire because we've all sinned, but because God loves us He provided a fire escape, His only Son.
You might say, I don't want that fire escape, there should be multiple fire escapes, I don't even want there to be a fire, or any danger for that matter. Some say, that's not fair. That God would put us in that kind of danger, but it wasn't fair for Jesus to suffer the way he did. No one escapes the pain of human rebellion, not even God himself. If you have kids you know how hard it is to watch them suffer, to the point that you would take their place if you could. There is no other way to be saved. Jesus is the only way out. John 3:36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. |
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