Are you open-minded?

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If you read my blog regularly, you will know that I write to help people look beyond their present circumstances and think about the big questions about human existence. My advice and thoughts are all from the Bible. You may think that this is narrow-minded and restrictive, but I have discovered that God’s word, the Bible, ‘is truth’, and in reality, it has opened my mind more than it has ever closed it.

But please, don’t just take my word for it. See for yourself whether it makes sense. I believe that the Bible is not a book of theory but that it changes lives through faith in the author, God. The sacred writings, the Bible, state that they 'are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus,’ 2 Tim. 3. 15. Sadly, many people are afraid to read it because they don’t know what it is about or are anxious about the demands it might make on their lifestyle.
 
Think about it like this. What if everything you need for living this life and the next is in the Bible. At the end of the day, the only reason you will miss out is that you never got round to reading it and receiving the gift of life that was offered. Many people have been brainwashed into thinking that the Bible is irrelevant and outdated. As a Christian, I don’t believe that this is true.

I believe that the Bible is God’s message to humans. It reveals things that we could not have discovered through experience or investigation. Having said that, we need to be careful not to assume that the Bible is just a book of legendary tales that have been passed from generation to generation. The truthfulness of the Bible can be verified in many ways. History, archaeology, science, meteorology, and many other disciplines have all demonstrated that the Bible is a factually accurate book. Bear in mind that it was written when most of these areas of expertise were either in their infancy or were undefined disciplines. How did the Bible writers know that there were paths in the oceans, Psalm 8:8, or that all that is needed to sustain life is transported and regulated through blood, Leviticus 17:11? These are only two examples - there are many more! 

The information in the Bible about history, geography, health, the natural world, science, and medicine has to date always been proven to be accurate. This gives me the confidence to believe what it says when it talks about the beginning of life, the cause of evil, suffering and death and the provision that God has made for our individual salvation. Let me leave you with two sample texts – 
 
‘Through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men,’ Romans 5:12.
 
‘But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us,’ Romans 5:8.
 
In light of my comments, please read the Bible with an open mind. It was written ‘that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you might have life through his name,’ John 20:31.

What if life could be different for you?

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One of the most famous hymns must be “Amazing Grace” written by John Newton in 1772. It has been covered by dozens of famous singers over the years and has sold hundreds of thousands of copies, no doubt making many rich in the process.

Of far more value than all the riches it has made, is the richness of meaning within its words. It starts “Amazing grace how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.”

Grace is a wonderful word, it is the counter balance to mercy. Mercy is when we do not get what we deserve. Ephesians 2 states, that God is rich in mercy. God’s mercy means that we do not have to face the consequence of our sin, we can rest on God’s mercy and forgiveness. Just a few verses later we read of the exceeding riches of God’s grace.

Can we trust our leaders?

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We all know that politics can be a messy business and that far more goes on behind the scenes than we realise. Thankfully, in a representative democracy, the elected representatives (i.e., the MPs) are held accountable for their actions and decisions. Whether through investigative journalism, various select committees or a public inquiry, the aim is to hold the government accountable and give the general population confidence to trust them.

Is God brutal?

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Many people today think that God was brutal and ugly in the Old Testament and that thankfully, Jesus arrived on the scene in the New Testament to rescue His reputation. Getting our attitudes about God straight is very important. It is tough to love and follow a ruthless God with His power and abuse in His relationships. It is bad enough that some people have dads like that, let alone a Father in heaven who perpetuates the problem.

So, here is the good news. Take a deep breath. We do not need to feel that way about God anymore! When the real God stands up in the Old Testament, His actions and attitudes consistently exhibit an unusual depth of grace in the face of deep offences against Him and His law.

What will you read this weekend?

 

In Western culture, we almost take the ability to read for granted! Reading is such a basic requirement for life. 

The fact you understand what I am talking about in this article means that you can read! Essentially, it means that you can translate the squiggles and strokes on the page. If I am incapable of writing well or of expressing my ideas then you may read the words but have no idea what I'm trying to say. Therefore, reading with understanding is vital. 

Latin phrases

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Latin was obligatory when I was at school. It was one of the standard subjects on the curriculum. I actually quite enjoyed Latin despite the old adage we used to repeat under our breath:

Latins a dead language

As dead as dead can be 

First, it killed the Romans

And now, it’s killing me

It might have felt tough going at school, but it is actually beneficial to know some Latin as a lot of Latin motto’s can be found over the entrance of many listed buildings. For instance, the motto of the University of Oxford is ‘Dominus illuminatio mea’. These are the opening words of Psalm 27 (the Bible) meaning The Lord is my Light. One of the long-established independent schools on the Wirral has the motto ‘Beati Mundo Corde’. This means Blessed are the Pure in Heart, again a quotation taken out of the Bible (the Beatitudes). It is quite significant that public institutions saw the value of quoting the Bible. This book was once the backbone of our nation’s progress and development.

God does not deceive people

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 Scripture Reading

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked:

for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

Gal.6.7

I think it would be fair to say that no one likes to be deceived. We feel cheated and manipulated when someone has misled us and wilfully abused our trust. We know inertly in our hearts that this type of behaviour is unacceptable.

As a Christian, I am confident of this. God is absolutely trustworthy; He never deceives us. In our podcasts recently, we have been considering some of God's characteristics that make him dependable and worthy of our trust. He cannot lie, He does not break promises, and He can do everything except sin. 

Let me talk to you for a moment about self-deception. It is possible to deceive yourself. Our verse today warns us of this possibility. We could ‘stick our head in the sand’ and try to pretend that we can do what we like and get away with it. However, this verse states that this would amount to deceiving ourselves, and the end result would be personally damaging. There is a principle at work here - you reap what you sow! This principle works in all spheres in life. The gap between sowing and reaping may vary depending on the situation. It is most vividly seen in the agricultural world. However, it is also true in relationships, in business and financial matters. Why then would it not be true in the spiritual world? If we give time to God, invest in things that are of spiritual value, give priority to our spiritual health, then we will reap the benefits in the long term. 

Invest your life in the things of God for His glory, and you will reap the results. If not in this life, in eternity. What a wonderful person our God is. We should praise and give glory to His name!

God cannot lie!

 

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                                    Scripture Reading

 

Titus 1.2

 

‘In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began’

 

 

What a bizarre statement from a human perspective. I lie, you lie, and we all do so why assume that God would be any different. There is a core issue that we are facing here as we look at the topic of God’s total truthfulness. The issue is that God is everything that we are not. He is pure, He is perfect, He always acts within his character and He is unique compared to you and me.

 

If you like to compare versions of the bible you will see that when translating this verse some of the more modern versions say, ‘God does not lie’ (NET, LITV, NIV). Interestingly the older versions usually say he ‘cannot lie’ (RV, Darby, Wuest, Rotherham). Which is correct you might be asking. Have a look at a Strong’s Concordance’ on your phone or laptop to see what Mr Strong says about this phrase. He says that the word for a lie has a negative particle in front of it to indicate that God is not capable of lying. If you look up ‘Robertson’s Word Pictures’, he tells us that the statement really means that God is the ‘non-lying God’. God is not in the business of lying; it is out of character for Him and he just does not do it.

What does this mean for me? I can trust everything he has ever said! You’ll have a good day after thinking this one through.

Snow Forecast

In some areas of the world this time of year brings with it the possibility of snowfall.  Recently there has been exceptionally heavy snow in the Alps with over 10 feet of snowfall in just 15 days in some resorts in Austria. Snow on the roofs of buildings has brought danger to the structure of many dwellings.  Avalanches have taken the lives of skiers and people in isolated places.  At least 27 people have been killed across the Alps.  The Telegraph newspaper reported that “Many died after defying official warnings and venturing off piste despite the risk of avalanches, and nine current and former skiing stars on Tuesday issued an appeal to people to heed the warnings”.

Why I trust the Bible!

I believe that the Bible is the verbally inspired Word of God, and that God gave it as the only guide for salvation and for churches and individuals to live by (2 Timothy 3:16–17).

Surprisingly, this is not the case with all Christians or religious groups. Many would be taken aback to learn that their preachers, if pressured, would admit they do not believe the Bible to be the inerrant word of God.

Some doubt the creation account (Genesis 1–3), saying that Adam and Eve are invented characters.

Some deny that Noah built a literal ark to survive a global flood (Genesis 6–9).

Moses parting the Red Sea? Only an overexcited writer embellishing a boring exodus account (Exodus 14:21–30). 

Jonah and the fish? A fish fairy tale.

Prophecies foretelling events in Jesus’ life? Just coincidences!

Feeding five thousand? Just a boy’s generosity inspiring people to share what they had hoarded (John 6:1–14). 

Walking on water? He knew where the rocks were (Mark 6:48).

Virgin-born (Matthew 1) and third-day resurrected? (Matthew 28). Just legends.

There is no middle ground when it comes to the Bible: Either it is a fraud and should all be rejected, or it is from God and should all be accepted. It claims inspiration (2 Peter 1:21); it claims perfection (Psalm 19:7). Strong evidence supports it, such as fulfilled prophecies, prescientific statements, freedom from contradictions, honest portrayal of heroes, brevity of expression, and archeological/manuscript evidence.

We cannot choose what we deem acceptable. That puts man over Scripture instead of Scripture over man. Augustine said, “If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.”

Since the Bible has not changed—and must all be preached (Acts 20:26–27)—we should still speak against such sins as abortion (Proverbs 6:17), adultery (Romans 13:9), animal cruelty (Deuteronomy 25:4; Proverbs 12:10), child abuse (Matthew 18:6; Titus 2:4), civil disobedience (Romans 13:1–6), cursing (Colossians 3:8), fornication (Colossians 3:5), hatred (Proverbs 10:12), homosexuality (Romans 1:18–32), hypocrisy (Luke 12:1), immodest dress (1 Timothy 2:9), judging (Matthew 7:1), lying (Colossians 3:9), poor stewardship (money, environment) (1 Corinthians 4:2), pornography (Matthew 5:8, 28), pride (Proverbs 6:16–17), racism (Acts 10:34), rape (Deuteronomy 22:25), self-righteousness (Matthew 5:20), and social drinking (Proverbs 20:1; Ephesians 5:18).

Christians and churches should have a vision to preach God's word and to carry the gospel to the whole world?

Filled with aspiration and longing for heaven, Christian churches have the true hope to share with others. World evangelism has always been the church’s major task and joy (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:15). 

God is so kind and gracious. He wants to bless us. He wants to save us. He does not want a single person to be lost (1 Timothy 2:4). He gave His word to bring salvation through His Son to us.

Please consider this a personal invitation to you from God. 

A significant amount of the content this blog has been gleaned from resources on the Internet. The writer believes that these quotes are based on the word of God (i.e. the Bible)

For more information check out our webpage www.seekthetruth.org.uk