Why Believe the Bible? Joshua 1:7-9

We study the Bible, read the Bible and know what it says about how we are to live and relate to God. But one real question we seldom ask is why we believe in the Bible. 1 Peter 3:15 says “but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you;”.

The Bible is not one book but is a collection of 66 books written over a period of 1500 years by many different writers. 33 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books. The name “The Bible” comes from the Greek name of a town where papyrus plants were made to form the first paper that was bound like a book. The name they gave this new item was “Book”. The collection of the 66 books of scripture together became “The Book” or in Greek “The Bible”

Before Jesus lived on earth the Jewish people collected the 33 Old Testament books and used them in worship. Jesus refers to these collected books as Scripture in John 10:35, meaning Holy Books”. In Matthew 5:17 Jesus says, “do not think I came to abolish the law or the Prophets.” In Matthew 4:4 Jesus says that these words of Scripture are “words breathed by the mouth of God. Therefore, we include them in our Bible today.

The 27 Books of the New Testament are the writings of people who saw the events and listened to what Jesus said. Matthew and John were two of the twelve Disciples, John was one of Jesus’ closest friends. John says in John 20:30 – 31 “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name”

Mark and Luke wrote down their gospels based on the teaching of Peter and Paul. The rest of the New Testament are books that the church could trace back to the Disciples. Peter attest to the validity of Paul’s teaching in 2 Peter 3:14 & 18 14 Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.   15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.    “You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability.  But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”

So, what we have in our New Testament is an accurate presentation of What Jesus said and did, written by people who were there. There are many other way to prove the Bible is true and reliable.

 

 

Archeology;

Eden and the Land of Cush

Joseph's tomb in Hebron and Shechem

The exodus from Egypt

Abrahams tax records in Ur

Two Jericho's

Prophetic proof:

Daniel’s prediction of when Jesus would minister and be crucified.

The description of the crucifixion found in Isaiah and psalms.

Jesus’ prediction of the destruction of Jerusalem, the siege of Jerusalem and the defilement of the temple.

Personal experience;

I have personally found what it teaches me to be true.

I do not believe the Bible because someone told me I should, I believe it because I have carefully considered its content and have found it to be true.

 

 

 

 

Matthew 6:25-34 Pursue Holiness

Matthew 6:25-34 Pursue Holiness

I am not a holy man, A good man I hope but not Holy, 1 John 1:8 tells us “that if we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” We will never be Holy, until the day you meet Jesus face to face in heaven. Yet Jesus tells us in Matthew 6 to “Seek first the Kingdom of God” More than food, water, clothing or shelter, we are to seek the Kingdom of God. We are called to pursue holiness.

But if we are honest our pursuit of holiness is a frustrating endeavor. We think we have the holy living thing all worked out and then we sin and it all falls apart. Sometimes pursuing holiness is like trying to herd a group of cats. So why pursue holiness at all? Why not as 1 Corinthians 15:21 says “eat and drink for tomorrow we die” Jesus pays the price of our sin, so why not party on and make the most of it?

Today I want to look at why pursue holiness. What promise except frustration is there for us in pursuing holiness?

Our passage we started with Matthew 6:25-34 says if we “seek first the kingdom of God, all these things will be added unto you.” Notice Jesus did not say obtain, He said seek, pursue the Kingdom of God. As we pursue holiness the other things will take care of themselves. When we get the first priority right the others will fall in line. But if you fail in the first priority the rest will never be taken care of no matter how much you have to eat, drink, how well you dress and no matter where you live.

1 John 1:5-7 says “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

If we walk in darkness, the oppose of pursuing holiness, there are things we will be lacking.

Truth, The only way to know what is true is to walk in the light, pursue holiness. All around the world there are people living in deception, like cattle in the stock yard thinking they are safe. We can see it in places like North Korea, where their leader passes himself off as God, living in luxury while the people starve.

Truth even evades us in the United Sates, people’s minds are feed fake news, and fake science, many people no longer know who or what to believe. But in pursuing holiness you will know the truth, the real truth.

Another thing is fellowship with God and with each other. 2 Corinthians 6:14-16 “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?   What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?   What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,”

When we stop pursuing holiness our fellowship with other believers falls apart. Our support group our source of encouragement fails us and we are alone. The people of the world do not accept us fully because they know we do not belong. The people of God cannot have fellowship because we no longer seek the same things. We become miserable people to be around.

1 John 1:5 “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

If we walk in darkness not only is our fellowship with other Christians hindered but so is our fellowship with God. “we do not walk in truth.” “What part can God have with evil?” none.

If we pursue holiness, we have this promise. “The blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Though I know I never will be a Holy Man, I will pursue holiness. Though I will not achieve it apart from Christ forgiveness I will seek it. For the blessing comes from seeking. The good things of life, the truth of God and all the rest will come as a result of the pursuit for holiness.

“Seek first the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Finishing well

Finishing well

Philippians 3:13-14  “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,  I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

 

 

I was watching a football game, the runner is way out in front as he reaches the goal, so he stops running the walks backwards over the goal line. My first thought is I’d like to see him blindsided by the defender he had missed. My second thought is that this is a great time for some forgotten rule to disqualify you and your run.

In baseball it’s the missed bag on a run. For instance; you are on first and fly ball is hit, you’re watching the ball drop in, in your excitement you round second but fail to touch it on your way to third. The Ball gets thrown to second and now you are out. This is so common that we have a saying, “Touch all the bases”.

In Nascar it’s running out of gas with two laps to go.

As we near the finish line of it is important to remember to finish well, because God looks at the whole race. In the middle of our lives it is important remember many who have been disqualified for a step out of bounds in the middle of the race.

This brings up the question of goals in our life. “If you aim at nothing you will be certain of hitting it.” This is why Paul writes to the Philippians “I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.” Paul has no intention of coasting in using past momentum.

We may be in a place where we think we cannot offer any great work for God. We might not be able to do some great thing that will be noticed, but finishing well matters just as much as the rest of our race.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 9:26 & 27
“²⁶So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.   ²⁷But I discipline my body and keep it under control,  lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”

Philippians 2:12

^P12Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,   ¹³for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

It is important for us to finish well.

Not only should we plan to finish well, but we should be prepared to help outers around us finish well. On the news they showed a video. At the end of a High School cross   country race a runner collapses near the finish, a competitor stops and helps her up and across the finish line.

What are our intentions? What are we aiming at? “If you aim at nothing you are sure to hit it.” Are you pressing on toward the finish line or just trying to coast it in?

Secretariat, won the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont in 1973 with times that still stand as records for the fastest times. But what he is known for is his finish in the Belmont. In that race he would win by the longest margin in history 31 lengths. The horse could have let up and coasted in, but pressing on he was lengthening his lead to the very end.

How are your brothers and sisters in Christ doing? Do they need your help? Do they need the strength of your faith to help the up and across the finish line?

“if you aim at nothing you are sure to hit it.” Press on to the finish line of life. Make it your goal to finish well.

 

Matthew 6:14&15 Forgiving

Matthew 6:14&15 Forgiving

More than being righteous and sinless the heart of the church should be forgiveness. Yet even more difficult that our efforts not to sin, are our efforts to forgive. Some never even make an effort to forgive. It is not a lack of righteousness that is destroying our nation, it is a lack of forgiveness.

Why should we forgive?
Jesus demands that we forgive.

Matthew 6:14-15
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. 

Luke 17:3-4
3 So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them.  4 Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.” 

Ephesians 4:31-32
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.  32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. 

This is not advice it is a condition of forgiveness, if want to be forgiven for your sin you must forgive others of their sin.

Beyond this a lack of forgiveness causes many problems for our lives.  Look at this list of things that come from a lack of forgiveness.
Ephesians 4:31-32
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

These things destroy marriages and families, friendships, and churches. These things destroy cities and nations, and these things can destroy you.

A lack of forgiveness will break your mind, eat your stomach through, raise your blood pressure, cause heart attacks and even strokes.

We need to be forgiving. We must learn to be forgiving.

How do we forgive.

First determine that you are going to forgive, set your mind on it. Often, we make only a halfhearted decision to forgive.

Second go and talk to them. They may not even know what they have done.
Matthew 18:15
“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 

What do you do while you’re not in a place where you want to forgive? The hurt is to fresh, to great. The wounds are deep. Take some steps on the forgiveness road.

Recount how God has forgiven you. List the sins you have committed, even include names if possible.

Pray for the power to forgive.

Romans 14:14 “Bless those who persecute you”

Matthew 5:40 “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”.

Using these first steps will start to change our heart and mind, and somewhere in the process we will learn to forgive.

Matthew 5:46-48
“For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?  You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

What kind of forgiveness do you desire from God?

Matthew 6:14-15
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. 

Matthew 6:19-24 God and Money

Over the years I have found that one of if not the most common struggle people have in their faith is with money. Maybe that is why it is mentioned so often in the Bible.

So many people get so angry when a sermon is given on the topic it’s scary. I have known people who quit church or Bible studies because they did not like what was said about money. Yet there is the theology of money, God has things He has said about it.

 

Don’t spend more than you earn

Don’t abuse others with your money

Give at least 10% to God as a tithe

Giving to God should show respect to God and sacrifice

Do not steal it

Be generous to those in need

Don’t be self-indulgent or lavish in your life style

 

Matthew 6:19-24 ““Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

Why is God so concerned with our money? If we understand why God is concerned with our money.

What we value (treasure) has our heart. We are to worship God with our whole heart. Money can easily jump into God’s place in our lives.

Money becomes our security not God
“In God We Trust”

 

1 Timothy 6:8-10 “8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.   9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.   10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” 

What we do with and for money can cause us great harm.

Debt makes us a slave to the lender. Proverbs 22:7 The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.

Money facilitates other evil. 1 timothy 6:1&10 “senseless and harmful desires” Plunge people into ruin.  The Love of money is the root of all kinds of evil
Murder, slander, broken homes, abusive relationships, bigotry, hate.

Acts 5:1-11 Ananias and Sapphira lie to God.

We forget the gift of God James 1:16 “Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.”

How we get, use, and handle our money matters to God because of its great power to cause us harm, and its power to do good. Take some time to study and consider what the Bible has to say about money. It really is important. Never forget “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.”