some SEED 5 from past Issues

 

I Believe in THE BIBLE

(just as Moses etc intended of course)

 

What comes to your mind when you think of the Bible?

 

Is it all the technical details…..the 66 books….2 halves…..39 in one…27 in the other……Or the various writers from Moses to David and Nehemiah and all the Prophets and then Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and of course Peter and Paul too?

Or do you think of a particular version of the Bible somewhere in the house? Or Sunday School times?

Or maybe you think of a particular verse or passage that has come to mean so much to you over the years?

 

I believe in the Bible for several reasons.

It has certainly been the book that I have read more than any other during my lifetime and a copy of it has travelled with me for almost 30 years now.

I enjoy reading it…and comparing the various versions available.

It relates to my life.

It encourages and challenges me.

 

However, I believe in the Bible mainly because it is God’s Word.

 

God is a God who communicates.

God speaks and things happen.

The Bible is therefore His Word ultimately…spoken and given through human beings over hundreds of years.  It is a record of God at work through history.

It is a revelation – of who He is and what He expects of His people.

His words to me, to us, to all.

I believe that the Bible is trustworthy and eternal.……..just like God Himself.

 

Deuteronomy 32 v 47 tells me that God’s laws are not empty words.

Psalm 77 reminds me of all that God has done in the past.

Psalm 119 teaches me to trust and obey God’s words.

Jeremiah 23 v 29 tells me not to mess with God’s Word.

2 Timothy 3 vs 15-17 is pretty useful to remember!

Revelation 22 vs 18-19 shows me how seriously I should take what God has said.

 

 

In my dictionary, bible = ‘any book, reference work, periodical etc, accepted as authoritative, informative, or reliable’ and for me that sums up The Bible. It is authoritative because it come from God Himself and He is speaking to us all. It is informative because it is a revelation of who He is and His ways among us humans. It is reliable because God is fully trustworthy, good and right and many, many people have proved it so over many, many years.

 

 

I sure do believe in the Bible…….but now and everyday I have to read, listen, trust and obey it……………..and that isn’t always easy.

 

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I Believe in QUESTIONING GOD

(just like Habakkuk)

 

Have you ever met Habakkuk? Or do you know a Habakkuk?

He lived a good few years ago and his short book is found towards the back of the Old Testament.

Only 3 chapters to read.

I love this guy!

 

And the reason? He stood up to God, the LORD Almighty, and questioned Him about what was going on around him – he really did! He had a problem with the violence that he could see happening and he thought God’s timing was well out, so he decided to tell God just that.

 

And God shouted him down? Nope.

And God struck him dead with lightning? Not at all.

So God just ignored him? Nope.

 

God answered him and explained what He was doing,

telling him why He had chosen a foreign king for His overall heavenly purposes on earth at that time.

 

And the end result?

There are three lovely verses at the end of the book of Habakkuk where this questioning, grumbling man says, that whatever happens, he will trust in the LORD God, even if he has to walk on some high and difficult places in the days to come.

Wow!

 

That is why I believe in bringing my questions to God.

He will not ignore me or throw me aside.

He will listen to me and He will talk to me.

He already has a plan that He is working out and it really is better than anything I could come up with.

He is the One I can totally depend on, whatever is happening around me.

 

Some people never stop asking questions.

There are many people in the Bible who had their questions. Moses, Jeremiah, Peter and Thomas for example.

 

You are not alone in doing so…..so go ahead, ask God!

Don’t forget to expect an answer….maybe God won’t answer immediately or with the reply you hoped for but Jesus Himself has told us to ask, seek and knock.

 

Go on then, ask!

 

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I Believe in WORSHIP

(just like David??)

 

I wonder what comes to mind when you hear the word Worship?

Music? Church? Singers? Keyboard? An idol?? Pop band? Football team?

Yourself?               God?

 

An almost-naked king dancing around in front of his people?? I doubt it!

But that is just what King David did – and his wife was furious!!

 

Over my years I have attended many worship services and gatherings.

They have been Baptist, Presbyterian, Anglican, Roman Catholic, Brethren, Pentecostal in the formal sense as well as gatherings across the denominations in halls, tents, homes and market squares in the UK and in Europe.

 

Some have been more comfortable for me than others and some have certainly left me or others furious!

 

However, not all worship has been with others.

I remember early mornings sitting on a beach on the Isle of Skye, sitting on the floor in my room in a rehabilitation centre and driving through the mountains of Scotland as experiences of worship.

 

I believe we are all made to worship.

To worship the God who created us, loves us and sent Jesus for us.

How we worship may differ outwardly but I believe that we all need to give ourselves in worship to Him

above all others.

 

The problem is that many of us are safe in our 'outward' worship.

We tick all our own boxes and are sure that God sees it and is pleased.

We think that worship only happens on a Sunday morning or evening.

 

David wasn’t concerned about others at all.

Years before him, Jacob had worshipped when others weren’t looking.

The psalms are painfully honest in their expression of worship and involve words, music, thoughts and actions.

 

I have discovered that worship is not about how I feel.

It is not about what I do or don’t do with others in a worship service.

It is about giving to God – really giving to Him my praise – because He is so worthy.

 

So....do you believe in Worship?  But more importantly, what are you going to do about it??