Learning To ‘T.R.U.S.T.’ [v263]

JANUARY 2021

A “Trust Fall” is a team-building exercise in which a person deliberately falls, trusting the members of a group (spotters) to catch them. The main goal of this is to affirm the TRUST of the falling person in the person(s) that is/are ‘catching’ them.

There are many variants of the Trust Fall. In the simplest version, both people are standing, being a few feet away from each other. The person in front (the faller) falls and the person behind (the spotter) catches them. In another version, a group stands in a circle, with one person in the middle with arms folded against their chest and falls in various directions, being pushed by the group back to a standing position before falling again in a different direction. In another variant, a person stands on an elevated position (such as a stage, stepping stool, or tree stump) and relies on multiple people to catch them.

 

WHAT IS ‘TRUST’?
Webster’s dictionary defines “trust” with the following variations:

– Assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something (assurance)
– Commit or place in one’s care or keeping (entrust)
– Place confidence in (reliance)
– To rely on the truthfulness or accuracy of (belief)
– Dependence on something future or contingent (dependence)

 

The thing is, sadly, most people don’t trust others. There are lots of reasons why we don’t trust people, and they often relate to bad experiences we’ve had. We live at a time where trust levels are at an all-time low.

A hundred years ago, it was said that, “a man’s word was his bond,” but this is no longer the case. Today though, politicians lie, car salespeople try to sell us ‘junk’ at high prices, advertisers deceive us with offers and sales that aren’t genuine, and companies mislead us about their products and services (statistics are manipulated, and photographs are either faked or at least ‘airbrushed’).

One can’t trust everything they read on the Internet, Social Media ‘platforms’ and journalists ‘shade’ the truth for political gain, and we can’t even trust the “fact-checkers” who check those facts! Even our friends and family members are untrustworthy from time to time.

A recent Gallup poll (December 2020) presented the MOST TRUSTED ‘PROFESSIONS’ in America for honesty and ethical standards. They were:

– Nurses: 89%
– Medical doctors: 77%
– Grade-school teachers: 75%
– Pharmacists: 71%
– Police officers: 52%
– Judges: 43%
– Clergy: 39%
– Nursing home operators: 36%
– Bankers: 29%
– Journalists: 28%
– Lawyers: 21%
– Business executives: 17%
– Advertising practitioners: 10%
– Car salespeople: 8%
– Members of Congress: 8%

[ FYI: More details are available on Gallup’s web page with the report (and a complete question response and trends PDF is available for download):
https://news.gallup.com/poll/328136/ethics-ratings-rise-medical-workers-teachers.aspx ].

 

Author Stephen M.R. Covey argues in his book, “The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything,” that trust is in decline everywhere. He cites a 2004 estimate which claims that the cost of complying with US federal rules and regulations “put in place essentially due to a lack of trust” was $1.1 trillion! (and with trust being at an all-time low, I’m sure that is much more 16 years later!). He also points readers to a study, carried out by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, which estimates that the average American company loses six percent of its annual revenue to fraudulent activity. By contrast, a management consulting company, Watson Wyatt Worldwide, published a study that showed that high-trust companies outperform low-trust companies by nearly 300 percent!

 

A few years ago, The Wagner Group and Reader’s Digest conducted a poll to determine the MOST TRUSTED ‘PERSON’ in America. They asked over 1,000 people to rank over 200 people from Hollywood stars, to business owners, to doctors and teachers. Actor Tom Hanks came in first! (a guy who gets paid for pretending to be someone else!)

[ FYI: A listing of the top 100 is available here:
https://littlesis.org/lists/412-100-most-trusted-people-in-america/members ].

 

Trust is VERY valuable! It is something earned over a period of time, after consistently being honest, always acting with integrity, and never lying or misleading. It is how you act. It is who you ‘are’.

If you want to be a person other people trust, take a look at your actions—the decisions you make on a daily basis. Psychologist and motivational speaker Cynthia Bazin advocates for nine traits that indicate a trustworthy person:

– Authentic
– Consistent
– Integrity
– Compassionate
– Kind
– Resourceful
– Connectors
– Humble
– Available

She then asks based on these traits, “Would you trust you?”

 

Certified master mentoring coach and trainer Gretchen Hydo says that “Trust is a fundamental cornerstone of successful relationships. It creates stability, transparency, and respect. Being a trustworthy person doesn’t just happen. It takes commitment, dedication, and a choice to living an honest life.”

She suggests nine ‘tips’ to help one become a trustworthy person:

– Keep your commitment
– Be honest
– Be transparent
– Be on time
– Keep confidences
– Don’t gossip
– Apologize
– Be predictable
– Set the tone

 

Trust is not an abstract, theoretical, idealistic goal forever beyond our reach. Trust—or a lack of it—is inherent in EVERY action that we take and affects everything that we do. Trust is the ‘cement’ that binds relationships, keeping spouses together, business deals intact, and political systems stable. Without trust, marriages fail, voters become apathetic, and organizations flounder. Without trust, no person or company can ever hope for ‘real’ success.

The truth is, trust must be carefully constructed, vigorously nurtured, and constantly reinforced. Although it takes a long time to develop, it can be destroyed by a SINGLE ACTION! Once lost, it is exceptionally difficult to re-establish!

So how does one develop trust? How can one build that sacred and valuable credibility? Well, author Frank Sonnenberg in his book “Follow Your Conscience,” suggests 14 ways to build—and not lose—trust:

1. Be straight with people. Tell it like it is.
2. Don’t be afraid to present bad news. It’s worse to sweep it under the rug.
3. Remain calm, cool and collected during difficult times.
4. Present both sides of an issue. (Let them judge for themselves.)
5. Be a good listener.
6. Disclose potential conflicts of interest.
7. Even a tiny exaggeration can destroy your credibility.
8. Always tell the truth or the truth will tell on you.
9. Your actions “off-stage” (like at an office party or on Facebook) impact your trust and credibility.
10. “Everybody does it” is a poor excuse for doing it yourself.
11. Learn how to disagree without being disagreeable.
12. Repeating a rumor is as vicious as starting one.
13. People will test you in small ways before trusting you outright.
14. The only thing worse than talking about others is talking about yourself.

 

A few months ago, I used the acronym “P.U.S.H.” as the ‘theme’ of the post (November 2020). Well, it so happens that “T.R.U.S.T.” works well for this month’s post. Here are a few of the most popular ones:

– Training Respect Understanding Support and Teamwork
– Teams Reaching Understanding and Success Together
– Trustworthy Relationships and Unconditionally Safe Territory
– Toward Renewed Unity in Service Together
– Transparently Reconfigurable Ubiquitous Terminal
– Tomorrow’s Results Ultimately Start Today
– The Radio Usually Sells Time
– Time Required Upon Simple Things
– Tools for Recognizing Useful Signals of Trustworthiness
– Totally Relying Upon Spiritual Truth

 

Question: “What was the first thing that comes to mind when a person you just met says “Trust me?” (especially with a smiling face). Well, Joseph Luella III, on his blog “60 Second of Motivational Mojo,” suggested a “T.R.U.S.T.” acronym that responds to that feeling and is kind of coordinated with the overall ‘jest’ of what the previous experts proposed:

– Truth (The very foundation)
– Responsibility (Do what they say)
– Unity (Win-win balance)
– Service (Tangible providing)
– Transparency (Nothing to hide)

 

Organizational anthropologist and author Judith E. Glaser proposed an acronym for “T.R.U.S.T” in her book “Conversational Intelligence: How Great Leaders Build Trust and Get Extraordinary Results.” She had a bit different ‘take’—though similar in some aspects—coming from an organizational perspective:

– Transparency (Insecurity inspires barriers; “Be Present”)
– Relationship (Candor with gentleness)
– Understanding (Communicate with context; Clear intentions)
– Shared success (Embrace dialog; Help others standout)
– Tell the truth at all times (Confront in the smallest context possible)

 

Trust is a ‘CENTRAL’ PART of all human relationships, including romantic partnerships, family life, business operations, politics, and medical practices. If you don’t trust your doctor or psychotherapist, for example, it is much harder to benefit from their professional advice.

Dr. Paul Thagard, a philosopher and cognitive scientist, explains that trust can be considered as a set of behaviors, such as acting in ways that depend on another; a belief in a probability that a person will behave in certain ways; an abstract mental attitude toward a proposition that someone is dependable; a feeling of confidence and security that a partner cares; and a complex process that represents one’s emotions.

Trusting people may involve estimations of probabilities of how they will behave, but people usually trust others without any understanding of probability or any precise predictions about their behaviors.

Similarly, MISTRUST is an emotional process that goes far beyond estimation of low probabilities about people doing what they are supposed to. It also requires representation of the self, the person mistrusted, and the relevant aspect, but differs from trust in assigning negative emotions akin to dislike and fear. These emotional reactions emerge from the combination of cognitive appraisals about unsatisfied goals and unpleasant physiological reactions to a ‘creepy’ person. Mistrusting someone is not just a prediction of betrayal, but also a bad emotional feeling about the untrustworthy person.

 

‘TRUSTING’ IN GOD
So, I get it that one might have to be ‘apprehensive’ about trusting another human, especially if they just met them. But, shouldn’t we all trust God, since He is purported to be ALL of the aspects I just discussed and MORE?!

 

So, since ‘communication’ was one of the really important traits of developing trust or a ‘relationship’ with other people, we usually don’t trust someone until we ‘know’ them—and that takes time and ‘directed’ communications.

Well, God ‘communicates’ with humanity in two primary ways—through “general” and “special” revelations.

 

GENERAL REVELATION
General Revelation is just that: general, available to people everywhere. The Bible speaks of God as revealing Himself through nature and conscience (Psalm 19:1; Romans 2:15). This tells everyone in the world some of who God is: that He exists, that He is good, and that He is powerful (Romans 1:19-20).

In theology, general revelation, or “natural” revelation, refers to knowledge about God and spiritual matters, discovered through natural means, such as observation of nature (the physical universe), philosophy, and reasoning. Christian theologians use the term to describe knowledge of God purported to be plainly available to all mankind. General revelation is usually understood to pertain to outward temporal events that are experienced within the world or the physical universe. The definition may be extended to include human conscience or providence or providential history.

General Revelation is a form of revelation that gives knowledge through experience or records of history, creation, and innate conscience. Christian theologians cite biblical references to support General Revelation: Romans 1:20, Psalms 19:1-6, and Matthew 5:45. General revelation shows the works and existence of God in ‘indirect’ ways.

General Revelation is experienced through the physical universe and human conscience. The laws and nature of the physical universe as it transpires are interpreted as displaying God’s attributes of existence, knowledge, wisdom, power, order, greatness, supremacy, righteousness, and goodness. God has also instilled the innate ability, in all persons, to discern the difference between right and wrong, to choose and act on that discernment and judgment according to free will and conscience, and to experience guilt when the act or choice is wrong. One of the arguments for the existence of God is based on the moral ‘sense’ in humans (not present in animals).

General Revelation, whether immediate or mediate, is directed to all humans. It is, however, “not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of His will, which is necessary unto salvation” (Westminster Confession of Faith, I.1). General Revelation does not reveal Jesus Christ or His work of redemption for sinners. Thus, there is a need for what is called “Special Revelation,” with does revel the ‘way’ of salvation.

In times past, before the completion of Scripture, God revealed His redemptive work through the prophets by means of dreams, visions, and theophanies. But now, special revelation has received its permanent form in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments (WCF I.1).

God’s revelation in creation is equally as infallible as His revelation in Scripture because in both cases, it is God who is doing the revealing, and God is always infallible. God cannot err in His work of revealing Himself.

 

SPECIAL REVELATION
Special revelation, on the other hand, is not available to everyone. It that sense, it is not general information, but its content is more specific. Special Revelation discloses God’s plan of redemption.

The author of Hebrews points out another dimension of special revelation, the supreme revelation, which is the ‘incarnate’ Word (Jesus). It tells us of the incarnation, the Cross, and the resurrection—things that cannot be learned through a study of the natural realm. It is found primarily in Scripture.

We have the written Word, which gives us special revelation, but we also have the Word of God incarnate, the One about whom the written Word speaks. The One who embodies the very Word of God is Jesus Himself, as the author of Hebrews declares, saying, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” [ Hebrews 1:1-3 ].

 

Theologians use the term Special Revelation for the belief in God’s intervention to make God’s will and knowledge available that would not otherwise be available through General Revelation. They believe that disclosure of this Special Revelation is at specific times to specific persons, and believed by Christian theologians to have been generally given through Scripture, miracles, and through the person and ministry of Jesus Christ.

The primary purpose of Special Revelation is to impart the knowledge and understanding of Jesus Christ, salvation, and the atonement—an explicit knowledge of Jesus and His Gospel.

 

Now, Reformed theologians make a distinction between general revelation and special revelation. Article 2 of the Belgic Confession (a ‘confession’ of faith of the means by which we know God) states the distinction in the following words:

“We know Him by two means: First, by the creation, preservation, and government of the universe; which is before our eyes as a most elegant book, wherein all creatures, great and small, are as so many characters leading us to see clearly the invisible things of God, even his everlasting power and divinity, as the Apostle Paul says (Romans 1:20). All which things are sufficient to convince men and leave them without excuse. Second, He makes Himself more clearly and fully known to us by His holy and divine Word, that is to say, as far as is necessary for us to know in this life, to His glory and our salvation.”

This distinction between general and special revelation focuses more on the extent and purpose of revelation. General revelation is referred to as “general” revelation because it has a general content and is revealed to a general audience. Through general revelation to all men, God communicates His existence, His power, and His glory, such that men are left without excuse.

A further distinction that must be made is the distinction between immediate and mediate general revelation. Immediate general revelation occurs without an intermediating agency. Mediate general revelation occurs through an intermediating agency. John Calvin described immediate general revelation in his Institutes of the Christian Religion:

There is within the human mind, and indeed by natural instinct, an awareness of divinity [“divinitatis sensum”]. This we take to be beyond controversy. To prevent anyone from taking refuge in the pretense of ignorance, God himself has IMPLANTED ‘IN’ all men a certain understanding of his divine majesty (I.3.1).

In other words, God has revealed himself by directly implanting knowledge about Himself in all men. In a later chapter, Calvin described the mediate general revelation that God accomplishes through His CREATED WORKS:

The final goal of the blessed life, moreover, rests in the knowledge of God [cf. John 17:3]. Theologian John Calvin said, “Lest anyone, then, be excluded from access to happiness, he not only sowed in men’s minds that seed of religion of which we have spoken, but revealed himself and daily discloses himself in the whole workmanship of the universe. As a consequence, men cannot open their eyes without being compelled to see him” (Institutes, I.5.1). God, then, reveals Himself through His works.

Calvin was just simply restating what the Psalmist said: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge” [ Psalm 19:1-2 ].

 

The Apostle Paul elaborated on the same idea: “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse” [ Romans 1:19-20 ].

Theologian John Murray explained: “We must not tone down the teaching of the apostle in this passage. It is a clear declaration to the effect that the visible creation as God’s handiwork makes manifest the invisible perfections of God as its Creator, that from the things which are perceptible to the senses cognition of these invisible perfections is derived, and that thus a clear apprehension of God’s perfections may be gained from his observable handiwork.”

 

‘EVIDENCE’ FOR THE BIBLE BEING TRUSTWORTHY
The Bible claims that even though it was written by human authors, it was ‘inspired’ by God. Many people are ‘skeptical’ about the Bible being translated correctly over all these years, and then how could it be “God’s” ‘word’ if it was written by humans.

“Inspired” means that the writings were ‘initiated’ and ‘controlled’ by God Himself, in a supernatural way: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” [ 2 Timothy 3:16 ].
The word translated “inspiration” means “God-breathed.” This tells us that the Bible originated in the ‘mind’ of God, and the Holy Spirit influenced the individual Bible writers to put down the message exactly like God wanted mankind to have.

The Bible says of itself that it is not of any private interpretation (by the will of man), but holy men of God spoke as they were ‘moved’ by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20-21). They recorded what was given to them by God. They were ‘moved’ (literally “borne along”) by the Holy Spirit. Now, that doesn’t mean that their individual personality or style of writing was overpowered. It means that they were kept from having any error creep into what they wrote (1 Corinthians 2:13; 1 John 1:1-3; Hebrews 4:12; 1 Peter 1:23-25).

 

UNITY AMID GREAT DIVERSITY
The amazing unity of the Bible is one ‘factor’ that should merit one’s trust. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible tells a single story: the rescue of mankind from sin through the death of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament presents Him as the hope of mankind, and the New Testament shows Him to be the fulfillment of that hope.

Now, if the Bible had been written by one person at one time, one could understand how it would be unified in general thoughts and specific details. BUT, consider these diversities in its origin:

– It was written by 40 different authors
– It was written over a period of 1,600 years
– It was written in three languages: (Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic)
– Its writers came from many walks of life: prophet (Jeremiah), priest (Zechariah), shepherd (Amos), king (David), servant (Nehemiah), doctor (Luke), tax collector (Matthew), and Pharisee (Paul)
– It was written on three continents: (Asia, Africa, and Europe)
– A gap of more than 400 years separated the writing of the Old Testament from the New Testament—equivalent to the timespan from the days of Sir Francis Drake to today

HOWEVER, in spite of this wide diversity, the Bible is one book. The parts of the Bible make up a SINGLE ‘UNIT’. It agrees in doctrine, details of prophecy, what it says about Jesus Christ, and its offer of rescue to mankind. It is a unified book made up of many ‘books’.

 

Now, none of the original manuscripts written by the biblical authors are still in existence. All of them were either lost or destroyed centuries ago. BUT, most biblical scholars say that one can be confident that the Bibles they hold in their hands were translated from texts that for all practical purposes are the same as the originals!

The Old Testament books were written primarily in Hebrew. Stringent rules were followed by the scribes to keep errors from creeping in. Hebrew scholars had an elaborate counting system for assuring accuracy.

If the counts did not agree, they would destroy the copy they had just worked over so laboriously and start again! Because of this system, the Hebrew texts since AD 900 are virtually free from error!

 

So, couldn’t a lot of errors have crept in during that time? Well, that question was answered with the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Even though these scrolls were copied almost 1,000 years earlier, they were almost identical to the Masoretic text! (the authoritative Hebrew Aramaic text of the 24 books of the Tanakh in Rabbinic Judaism). On the basis of this astounding evidence, we can be assured that the Old Testament text has been accurately preserved and that we can read it as the reliable Word of God.

 

What has been said of the Old Testament can also be said of the New Testament. Scholars and textual experts have studied, with painstaking care, the thousands of manuscripts that have been discovered. They assure us that the texts from which our Bibles were translated from are VIRTUALLY IDENTICAL to those written by Matthew, Paul, and the other New Testament writers. There are some minor variations, but none of them change the meaning of the passage in which they are found. (Most of these differences are variations in spelling, like the British “labour” and the American “labor”).

Consider these comparisons:
– Caesar’s Gallic Wars: 10 Manuscripts (Earliest Date: 900 AD)
– Livy’s History Of Rome: 20 Manuscripts (Earliest Date: 400 AD)
– Thucydides’ History: 8 Manuscripts (Earliest Date: 900 AD)
– Herodotus’ History: 8 Manuscripts (Earliest Date: 900 AD)
– The New Testament: 14,000 Manuscripts (Earliest Date: 125 AD)

Also, two important finds have been made in recent years that have added significant evidence for the authenticity of the New Testament text. The first, the Rylands Library Papyri, contains a fragment from John 18 that has been dated at AD 125. The second, the Chester Beatty collection of papyri, contains almost all of the New Testament and dates between AD 200 and AD 275. So, both in unity and in preservation, for me, it looks like one can ’TRUST’ the Bible.

 

Now, when the Bible mentions historical facts, alludes to science, or predicts the future, it has been 100% ACCURATE!

As time goes on, the questions of the critics are being answered by reliable scholarship and the findings of the archaeologist’s spade. Nelson Glueck, a Jewish archaeologist, said, “It may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever controverted a biblical reference.” [ Book: “Rivers In The Desert: History Of Negev” ].

Then, concerning the Book of Luke, British biblical scholar F. F. Bruce wrote, “A man whose accuracy can be demonstrated in matters where we are able to test it is likely to be accurate even when means of testing him are not available.” [ Book: “The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable?” ].

So the believability of the New Testament in matters of our physical world lends credibility to what it says about the spiritual world. Later, professor, and theologian John Warwick Montgomery wrote, “What, then, does a historian know about Jesus Christ? He knows, first and foremost, that the New Testament documents can be relied upon to give an accurate portrait of Him. And he knows that this portrait cannot be rationalized away by wishful thinking, philosophical presuppositionalism, or literary maneuvering.” [ Book: “History And Christianity” ].

 

Now, the Bible is not necessarily a science textbook. It often uses ‘FIGURES OF SPEECH’ to describe facets of life that science would explain in different terms. For example, it speaks of the “sun setting” and “the four corners of the earth.” Scientists, of course, would not accept these statements as accurate. But they were never meant to be taken in a ‘wooden’ interpretation. HOWEVER, when the Bible does speak ‘directly’ about matters of science, has been 100% accurate!

So, in the final analysis, the Bible and science are in perfect agreement. The God who created the universe and set in motion the laws that govern our world, is the same God who inspired the Bible. Therefore, when the Bible is interpreted correctly—and science ‘catches up’ to its conclusions—they are in perfect agreement.

 

Now, this is the ‘BIGGY’: Prophecy (the detailed expression of events previous to them actually happening). The Bible contains hundreds of prophecies, that have ALL been literally fulfilled with 100% ACCURACY! The following are just a FEW prophesies to consider:

PROPHECY >>> FULFILLMENT
Isaiah 7:14 Born of a virgin Luke 1:26-35
Micah 5:2 Born in Bethlehem Matthew 2:1
Isaiah 7:14 Called Immanuel Matthew 1:23
Isaiah 9:1-2 Ministry in Galilee Matthew 4:12-167
Zechariah 9:9 Triumphal entry Matthew 21:1-11
Psalm 41:9 Betrayed by a friend Matthew 26:20-25
Psalm 35:11 Falsely accused Matthew 26:59-68
Isaiah 53:7 Silent before accusers Matthew 27:12-14
Psalm 22:16 Hands and feet pierced John 20:25
Isaiah 53:12 Crucified with robbers Matthew 27:38
Psalm 22:18 Lots cast for clothes John 19:23-24
Psalm 34:20 Bones not broken John 19:33
Psalm 22:15 Thirsted on the Cross John 19:28
Isaiah 53:9 Buried in rich person’s tomb Matthew 27:57-60

[ Approximately 2,500 prophecies appear in the pages of the Bible, and about 2,000 have already have been literally fulfilled to the letter—with NO ERRORS! ]:

 

SO, we tend to trust people when what they say comes true (well, at least trust them a little more).

Well, just considering the previous information, I’m thinking that you just might feel a bit more ‘comfortable’ about the Bible being a book you can trust. HOWEVER, if you are still skeptical, there is more…

[ FYI: There is MUCH MORE evidence in the “Articles” section below ].

 

HOW WAS THE BIBLE ‘CREATED’?
So, what determined which books belong in the Bible? How did we end up with 39 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament? These questions are answered in a discussion of the “Canon of Scripture” (The word canon means “a measuring device” or “a standard”).

Out of the many religious writings that were being circulated at the time (393-397 AD), only 66 books were accepted as ‘inspired’ by God. While some were recognized immediately as authentic, it took some time for others to be endorsed as Scripture. Throughout the process, however, the canon of Scripture was being determined by God, not by man.

In the Old Testament, the writings of Moses and the book of Joshua were immediately accepted as Scripture (Exodus 24:3; Joshua 24:26). The remaining books were tested by the following principles:

– Authorship by a recognized prophet of God or leader in Israel
– Internal evidence of its inspiration and authority. The reader was able to recognize it as unique in communicating the revelation of God.
– Writings containing obvious doctrinal and factual errors were eliminated. Books accepted by the community that received them were given priority consideration.
– Further validation was given to certain Old Testament books when they were quoted by Jesus or the New Testament writers referred to it as Scripture

[ NOTE: The 12 books of the Apocrypha were not accepted as part of the biblical canon for these reasons: They appeared in no Hebrew canon; None were quoted in the New Testament; They were not included in any early lists; and Their content was too mythological ].

 

The acceptance of the New Testament books was based on the test of apostleship. The church fathers supported the inspiration of the New Testament canon and carefully identified and eliminated questionable works. The Councils of Hippo (AD 393) and Carthage (AD 397) accepted the 27 books that now appear in the New Testament.

Theologian J.I. Packer commented, “The church no more gave us the New Testament canon than Sir Isaac Newton gave us the force of gravity. God gave us gravity by His work of creation, and similarly, He gave us the New Testament canon by inspiring the original books that make it up.”

 

STILL ‘SKEPTICAL’?
Trying to prove his wife wrong for her recent belief in Jesus as her Savior (in the late 1970s), award-winning investigative journalist for the Chicago Tribune (with a Master of Studies in Law degree from Yale Law School) Lee Strobel did a thorough investigation for the truthfulness of the New Testament that “spanned more than 600 days and countless hours.”

Strobel interviewed 13 well-known and respected scholars to see if the claims of the Christian faith were valid. The following is a summary of their answers to the claims of skeptics who reject the New Testament message.

1. Can we be sure that the books of the New Testament were authentic and accurate records written in the first century by the writers to whom they are ascribed?
The answer is a resounding “Yes!” In the first place, the number of surviving manuscripts is astounding: 5,664 Greek manuscripts plus another 16,000-18,000 in other languages, some of them dated as early as 130 AD (according to Dr. Bruce Metzger of Princeton). Compare this to existing copies of ancient manuscripts accepted as authentic by current scholars: 10 copies of Caesar’s “Gallic Wars”; 8 copies each of the highly valued histories by Thucydides and Heroditus. All are 900 years removed from the originals.

Dr. Craig Blomberg, professor of New Testament at Denver Seminary, says that even if we accept the dating of non-believing scholars, most of the New Testament documents were in circulation less than 40 years after Christ’s resurrection, in time for enemies who had been contemporaries of Jesus to refute any false claims.

2. Can we be sure that the text of the original handwritten manuscripts has been reliably preserved?
Here again the answer is yes. Skeptics often declare that more than 180,000 variations occur in the New Testament manuscript copies we possess and that it is therefore impossible to determine the real original text. The fact is that all except about 400 of these variations involve minor matters in spelling (like the English “honour” compared to the American “honor”). And of the 400 occasions where the sense of a passage is involved, not one is of such a nature that even one basic Christian doctrine is at issue.

According to the renowned Dr. Metzger, painstaking comparison of thousands of manuscripts has enabled scholars to conclusively determine that the text we have today can be fully trusted both historically and doctrinally.

3. Is there any secular confirmation of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus?
Dr. Edwin M. Yamauchi, recognized as a leading authority in ancient history, says that while we do not have a great deal of corroborating evidence, we have enough. The Greek and Roman scholars seldom, if ever, referred to the followers of Christ during the early years of church history because they viewed the movement as an insignificant Jewish sect.

We do have several existing secular references to Christians, however, that date from the last half of the first century and early second century. The Jewish historian Josephus tells of the trial and execution of James, whom he calls “the brother of Jesus” (The Antiquities, 20.200). He also refers to Jesus as “a wise man” who, though crucified, had a great number of followers who persisted in declaring Him to be the Messiah (The Antiquities, 18.63-64).

The Roman historian Tacitus in 115 AD (Annals 15.44) and the Roman governor Pliny the Younger in 111 AD (Letters 10.96) both refer clearly to Jesus. Pliny even said His followers chanted praises to Jesus “as if he were a god.”

4. What about archaeology and the New Testament?
Dr. John McRay, who has been called upon for his archaeological expertise by the secular media, says that while archaeology cannot prove that the New Testament is an inspired document, it strengthens the case for its credibility.

Some historians, for example, said they could prove that Luke was wrong when he named Lysanias as tetrarch in Abilene in about 27 AD (Luke 3:1) and in referring to city officials as “politarchs” (Greek) in Acts 17:6. Archaeological evidence, however, was uncovered that showed Luke was right.

Critics said John 5:1-15 was wrong in describing the Pool of Bethesda as surrounded by five colonnades. But the pool has now been excavated, and the Bible was right—it was surrounded by five covered porticoes. Archaeology has repeatedly confirmed the New Testament. The evidence has never proven a biblical statement wrong.

5. Did Jesus, and only Jesus, accurately fulfill Old Testament prophecy?
One needs only to read five of the many Old Testament messianic prophecies to see that they point to Jesus Christ and to Him alone.

Micah 5:2 predicts that the One “whose origins are of old, from days of eternity” (literal rendering) will come out of Bethlehem—the place where Jesus was born. Daniel 9:25-26 foretells the coming of the Messiah 69 weeks (483 years) after the decree to “restore and build Jerusalem,” a decree of Artaxerxes in 458 BC—483 years before Jesus began His public ministry in 26 AD.

Isaiah 7:14 declares that the One who will be called “Immanuel” will be born of “the virgin.”

Written when crucifixion was unknown, Psalm 22 graphically portrays our Lord’s crucifixion, including the taunts of the onlookers and Christ’s cry of desolation.

Isaiah 52:13-53:12 pictures the whole crucifixion scenario, telling us that He whose “visage was marred” by the maltreatment of His enemies and “bruised for our iniquities” will “justify many” and be honored as God gives “Him a portion with the great” because He “poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors.”

No person except Jesus even remotely fits these prophetic pronouncements. Any person who is sincerely seeking the truth should carefully weigh the significance of this fact.

6. Did Jesus really die and conquer death by resurrection?
It’s a fact that Jesus really died. Roman executioners were experts. Moreover, the mixture of blood and water from the gaping spear wound was a certain sign of death.

That Jesus rose and appeared to His disciples as the victor over death is the only valid explanation for the sudden change in His followers. A group of people will suffer and die for a mistaken religious belief, but not for what they know to be a lie.

 

[ FYI: After his intense multi-year investigation, Strobel describes in his book, “The Case for Christ,” what he did on November 8, 1981: “I talked with God in a heartfelt and unedited prayer, admitting and turning from my wrongdoing, and receiving the gift of forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus. I told Him that with His help I wanted to follow Him and His ways from here on out.” ].

 

‘DOUBT’ THE BIBLE?
Now, even after considering all those ‘proofs’ (and there are many more—see the “Resources” area), many people STILL DOUBT that the Bible is God’s ‘message’ to humanity.

 

‘DOUBTING’ THOMAS
Well, if that’s you, you are in good ‘company’. One of Jesus’ ‘inner circle’ disciples (one of the “Twelve”), Thomas, doubted the story that his fellow inner circle disciples told him about Jesus’ resurrection (which is kind of a ‘big’ thing to ’swallow’).

After His resurrection, Jesus appears to some of the disciples, but Thomas was not with them at that first time. “So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord!’ But he [ Thomas ] said to them, ‘Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it’” [ John 20:25 ].

Eight days later, Jesus appears before His disciples again: “A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.’ Thomas said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed’” [ John 20:26-29 ].

Even though Thomas has earned the negative label, “Doubting Thomas,” he really was a ‘solid’ guy with some very good qualities. He displayed great courage and loyalty. When the other disciples tried to keep Jesus from going to Bethany to raise Lazarus from the dead because of the danger from those in the area who had just earlier tried to stone Him (John 11:8), Thomas said to them, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him” [ John 11:16 ]. Thomas also asked Jesus one of the most famous questions: “‘Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’ Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me’” [ John 14:5-6 ].

So, if someone calls you a “Doubting Thomas,” take that as a ‘badge of honor’—IF you respond like Thomas the disciple did: Finally realizing that the Bible and Jesus Christ ARE TRUE, and what they say is TRUTH!

Jesus’ invitation to ALL doubters is the same as to Thomas: investigate for yourself! Test the evidence and, like Thomas, be not faithless but believing! Being a “Doubting Thomas” usually makes one’s faith MUCH STRONGER!

 

People struggling with doubt must also take to heart the assurance the God will not allow them to be tested to the breaking point but will provide them adequate grace for every trial that may come into their lives (1 Corinthians 10:13).

If one takes this biblical assurance to heart, they will not live in continual fear of what tomorrow may bring—even death! It is said that when someone asked Christian evangelist D. L. Moody—who at the time was in robust health—if he had “dying grace.” The evangelist replied, “No, but I’m not dying yet.” When his time of departure did come, however, he obviously received that dying grace. Those who were with him in the moments before he died reported that he was fully at peace, and that at the moment of his departure he spoke triumphantly of “earth receding” and “heaven beckoning.”

Here are four practical pointers to people who are distressed by faith-doubt ambivalence:

1. Be prepared for frequent bouts with doubt. We are imperfect flesh-and-blood beings who become tired and face disappointment, pain, and grief with a sin-damaged psychological makeup.

2. Find a well-grounded Christian with whom you can talk about your doubts. Discuss encouraging Bible passages and pray together.

3. Use Psalm 42 as a ‘pattern’ for a dialogue between yourself and God. Recognize that you are a creature of time in a changing world, and at the same time a citizen of eternity. Ask yourself, “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me?” Then tell yourself, “Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance” (Psalm 42:5). As a creature of time and change, acknowledge that you, like the psalmist, are engulfed by His “waves and billows,” but as a child of eternity express your gratitude that God will direct His love toward you and give you a song (Psalm 42:6-8). As an earthbound creature, tell God all about your inner turmoil. But as a person redeemed for eternity, ask yourself how you can justify your dejected spirit (Psalm 42:11).

This kind of dialogue will help you sort out your feelings and place foremost in your mind the fact that you are still an imperfect person on a troubled and changing planet, and that you by grace are, above everything else, a child of God and a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven!

4. Keep in mind that faith is believing what God has done and said—enough to commit your life to Him. Your continuance in spite of your doubts and fears testifies to the reality of your faith. Don’t let yourself be influenced by people who offer an easy fix. There are no magic formulas, no special secrets known only to a few. Therefore, keep on trusting God and keep doing what you know is right. The darkness has lifted before.
It will again.

 

Areas of life have their ’cycles’. A vocation, a marriage, and a relationship to Jesus generally begin with a honeymoon period, then enter a time during which the realities of life gradually replace the early building stage. This often leads into a time marked by varying degrees of disillusionment and discontent.

It is at this point that crucial decisions must be made. One can quit, continue as a disgruntled worker, or see the problems through. Going the full cycle often brings on a new level of satisfaction.

As long as we are imperfect people living in this ‘fallen’ world, we will confront doubts. But Jesus promised, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” [ John 8:12 ].

If one follows the hymn-writer John H. Sammis’ admonition to “trust and obey” (Song and lyrics in “Articles” section below), we will soon be back on His ’path’: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” [ Proverbs 3:5-6 ]. [ My “life verse” ].

 

[ FYI: The inspiration for this hymn began in 1886 when the composer of the music, Daniel B. Towner, was the music conductor during one of D. L. Moody’s renowned revivals. Towner offered the following testimony cited by Moody’s musical partner, Ira D. Sankey, in his biography, My Life and the Story of the Gospel Hymns:

“Mr. Moody was conducting a series of meetings in Brockton, Massachusetts, and I had the pleasure of singing for him there. One night a young man rose in a testimony meeting and said, ‘I am not quite sure—but I am going to trust, and I am going to obey.’ I just jotted that sentence down and sent it with a little story to the Rev. J. H. Sammis, a Presbyterian minister. He wrote the hymn, and the tune was born.” ].

 

So, do you still HAVE DOUBTS about the Scripture? Well, one of the best ways to assuage your doubts is to JUST READ IT. The more I study Scripture, the more overwhelmed I am by the unbelievable insight and penetrating analysis (of me!).

I have to confess, that when I read the Scriptures, I find that the Scriptures ‘chastising’ me. My brain is still operating when I read the Scriptures, and it’s not like I’ve never been exposed to the theories of higher criticism. In fact, the thing that personally confirms more to me of the truthfulness of Scripture is the fact that I had to be exposed to the most radical higher criticism. The more I check out the problems of Scripture, the more amazed I am at the uncanny, minute, intricate ‘TRUTHFULNESS’ of Scripture. The argument that impresses me more than any other argument for Scripture objectively is the UNCANNY ‘UNITY’ of Scripture.

[ FYI: There is another acronym that helped me remember the ‘primary’ evidences for the Bible’s validity, and it is “M.A.P.S.” It means: Manuscripts, Archeology, Prophecy, Statistics.” A detailed discussion of this is in the “Articles” section below ].

 

TRUSTING ‘IN’ GOD
Trusting God can be tough, especially with levels of trust already low, we are bombarded with negative news about politicians, salespeople, pastors, and doctors, among countless others. This only serves to undermine our ability to trust anyone, even God. Is it any wonder that ours is probably the least trusting generation that has ever lived? Our trust in people is constantly put to the test.

Now, I believe that trusting God is one of the BIGGEST CHALLENGES for an unbeliever, and even for a Christian. Often one won’t trust God enough to ‘submit’ to Him, ‘obey’ His Word, or do what He has specifically told them to do. In short, they don’t trust Him at all!

The Barna Group, an evangelical Christian polling firm, recently carried out some research and drew this conclusion: “Driven by social mores, Jew adults who believe they are Christian are willing to abandon worldly objectives in favor of seeking godliness. Only one out of five (22%) stated that they live in a way which makes them completely dependent upon God.” Follow-up research indicated that such dependence usually only emerges in times of crisis or suffering.

Sadly, many of us have been ‘conditioned’ by the world around us to remain independent and not to rely on anyone, least of all God. I have seen others doing well without God, and believe that they can achieve the same results without trusting God (Wasn’t this how Israel’s downfall began? Hmmm.)

 

Trust has been an issue since the ‘Fall’ of humanity. Prior to the Fall, Adam and Eve experienced all of the following benefits: Significance, Security, and Acceptance. BUT, the Fall caused us to lose our sense of significance, security, and acceptance in God. We stopped trusting Him completely for everything, became independent, and learned to ‘survive’ on our own.

God created us to know, love, and trust Him, and for Him to be the center of our ‘universe’. But, if we are honest, this is an ongoing battle for most of us. The Apostle John summed it up well: “And making a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the Temple, with the sheep and oxen. And He poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And He told those who sold the pigeons, ‘Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.’ His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for your house will consume Me’” [ John 2:15-17 ]. God wants us to have THAT kind of ‘zeal’ for Him.

 

So, what is the main reason that someone stops trusting God? Well, it appears to me that there are a number of considerations:

– Independent spirit (pride)
– A past betrayal
– Trust in one’s own judgment
– God ‘let me down’

Yes, these—and other things like these—create ‘frustrations’ and questions of why they happened/happening to you. HOWEVER, many Scriptures affirm that God is not the author of evil: “God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone” (James 1:13), “God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5), and “God is not the author of confusion” (1 Corinthians 14:33). So, if these are true, God cannot in any way be the author of evil.

Evil originates not from God, but from the fallen creature (us) [ and the Devil have a bit to do with it, too ]. I agree with theologian John Calvin, who wrote:

“The Lord had declared that ‘everything that he had made… was exceedingly good’ [Genesis 1:31]. Whence, then comes this wickedness to man, that he should fall away from his God? Lest we should think it comes from creation, God had put His stamp of approval on what had come forth from himself. By his own evil intention, then, man corrupted the pure nature he had received from the Lord; and by his fall drew all his posterity with him into destruction. Accordingly, we should contemplate the evident cause of condemnation in the corrupt nature of humanity-which is closer to us-rather than seek a hidden and utterly incomprehensible cause in God’s predestination” [ “Institutes of the Christian Religion,” 3:23:8 ].

It is helpful, I think, to understand that sin is not itself a thing created. Sin is neither substance, being, spirit, nor matter. So it is technically not proper to think of sin as something that was created. Sin is simply a lack of moral perfection in a fallen creature. Fallen creatures themselves bear full responsibility for their sin—and all evil in the universe emanates from the sins of fallen creatures.

For example, Romans 5:12 says that death entered the world because of sin. Death, pain, disease, stress, exhaustion, calamity, and all the bad things that happen came as a result of the entrance of sin into the universe (see Genesis 3:14-24). All those evil effects of sin continue to work in the world and will be with us as long as sin is.

 

So, one suggestion is to consider God’s ‘character’—who He is, and what He has done.

 

TRUSTING GOD IN HIS ‘ACTIONS’

GOD ‘SUSTAINS’
The Bible teaches that God not only created the universe, but that He upholds and sustains it day by day and hour by hour: “The Son is… sustaining all things by His powerful word” (Hebrews 1:3), and “in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17). Theologian A.H. Strong said, “Christ is the originator and upholder of the universe… In him it consists, or holds together, from hour to hour. The steady will of Christ constitutes the law of the universe and makes it a cosmos instead of a chaos, just as his will brought it into being in the beginning.”

 

GOD’S ‘PROVISION’
As children under His care, believers must walk by faith, trusting that He will provide what we need for our daily sustenance, both physically and spiritually.

In Moses’ time (Exodus 16:1-21), the Israelites had to trust God from day to day for the very provisions that would sustain their physical health. He promised that every evening He would send quail for meat, and every morning He would send manna, bread from Heaven—and it happened. They could not save the food from one day to the next, for it would rot. Instead, they had to trust that God would provide each day.

God knows what the believer needs and has promised to provide for their needs (Philippians 4:19; Matthew 6:31-32).

 

GOD’S ‘GOVERNANCE’
The Bible also teaches that God governs the universe, not only inanimate creation, but also the actions of all creatures, both men and animals. He is called the Ruler of all things (1 Chronicles 29:12), the blessed and only Ruler (1 Timothy 6:15), and the One who knows when every sparrow falls to the ground (Matthew 10:29).

As God’s rule is invincible, so it is incomprehensible. His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9), His judgments are unsearchable, and His paths are beyond inscrutable (Romans 11:33).

 

GOD’S ‘SOVEREIGNTY’
No one can act outside of God’s sovereign will or against it. Centuries ago, St. Augustine said, “Nothing, therefore, happens unless the Omnipotent wills it to happen: he either permits it to happen, or he brings it about himself.” Historian and clergyman Philip Hughes said, “Under God, however, all things are without exception fully controlled-despite all appearances to the contrary.” Nothing is too large or small to escape God’s governing ‘hand’. The spider building its web in the corner and Napoleon marching his army across Europe are both under God’s control.

Jesus said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father… . So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” [ Matthew 10:29-31 ]. According to Jesus, God does exercise His sovereignty in very minute events—even the life and death of an almost worthless sparrow. Jesus’ whole point is that if God so exercises His sovereignty in regard to sparrows, most certainly He will exercise it in regard to His ‘children’. While it is certainly true that God’s love for us does not protect us from pain and sorrow, it is also true that all occasions of pain and sorrow are under the absolute control of God. If God controls the circumstances of the sparrow, how much more does He control the circumstances that affect us. God does not walk away and leave us to the mercy of uncontrolled random or chance events.

 

Confidence in the sovereignty of God in all that affects the believer is CRUCIAL in trusting Him. If there is a single event in all of the universe that can occur outside of God’s sovereign control, then He cannot be trusted. His love may be infinite, but if His power is limited and His purpose can be thwarted, then no one should trust Him. You may entrust to me with your most valuable possessions, and I may love you and my aim to honor your trust may be sincere, but if I do not have the power or ability to guard your valuables, you SHOULD NOT entrust them to me.

HOWEVER, the Bible says that NOTHING is so small or trivial as to escape the attention of God’s sovereign control; nothing is so great as to be beyond His power to control it, AND SO NO ‘DETAIL’ of your life is too insignificant for your Heavenly Father’s attention and no circumstance is too big that He cannot control it.

Believers are in the ‘hands’ of a sovereign God who controls every circumstance of our lives and who rejoices in doing us good (Jeremiah 32:41). That should give them GREAT CONFIDENCE and TRUST in the God of the Bible!

 

Now, this trust WILL NOT come instantaneously, it is learned one ‘choice’ at a time, one ‘circumstance’ at a time. Trusting God is not a matter of my feelings but of my will. I never feel like trusting God when adversity strikes, but I can choose to do so even when I don’t feel like it. That act of the will, though, must be based on belief, and belief must be based on truth. The truth is the Christian MUST believe is that God is sovereign if they ate going to trust Him.

Finally, the only way to trust in God’s sovereign control and rest in it is to ‘KNOW’ of God’s attributes, to know what He has done in the past—this builds confidence in Him. The believer can rejoice in God’s sovereignty, since it is overshadowed by His holiness, goodness, love, mercy, compassion, and ‘FAITHFULNESS’—all ‘proving’ His ‘TRUSTWORTHINESS’!

 

TRUSTING GOD BECAUSE OF HIS ‘FULFILLED’ PROMISES
The way some people use the term, a “promise” is nothing more than a good intention easily discarded. Like the proverbial saying goes, “Promises are made to be broken.” BUT, when God makes a promise, it’s backed with more than just good intentions and wishful thinking. He is giving us his absolutely trustworthy word. “The LORD is trustworthy in all He promises and faithful in all He does” (Psalm 145:13). Everything God has spoken, every announcement, every message, is a promise based on His perfect, good, and trustworthy character.

We may have a problem keeping our promises, but God is different. He has all the power and wisdom in the universe at His disposal. He will never have to make an excuse for failing to fulfill what He has promised, and we have no excuse for not believing Him!

The Bible tells us how God’s promises reflect those qualities. Because He is all of those things, we do not have to fear when we hear that God keeps His promises on his terms. God’s terms for keeping his promises are clearly stated. What He promises, He ‘DELIVERS’!

Now, some promises even come with an “unconditional guarantee”—He will hold up His end of the agreement NO MATTER WHAT WE DO. However, there are promises that carry with them some “conditions” that we must follow if we are to enjoy all the benefits of what He is offering. These conditional promises depend on our fulfilling certain requirements.

God ‘unconditionally’ promised King David that his royal line would last forever (2 Samuel 7:16). Because David was an ancestor of Jesus (Matthew 1:1, 6) and Jesus’ Kingdom will have no end (Luke 1:32-33), God was faithful in this promise, despite David’s repeated shortcomings and failures.

When Jesus was on earth, He promised that after He ascended to Heaven, He would send the Holy Spirit (John 16:5-15). In Acts 2, we read exactly how that happened.

Jesus also promised that He would return to earth to judge the living and the dead and fully settle His Kingdom (Matthew 16:27; 25:31-46). Although this has yet to occur, this is an UNCONDITIONAL promise, so no one and nothing can stop it from happening.

[ FYI: For more details on Jesus’ return to this earth, view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/last-generation-v249/ ].

 

Now, some promises are like ‘product warranties’ (“Conditional”). They will be fulfilled only if the customer meets the stipulations set by the manufacturer. Now, the Bible is replete with these kinds of examples, and here’s just a few to consider:

– Adam and Eve (Genesis 2:16-17)
– Moses (Exodus 19:3-6; 20:4-12; and 23:20-33)
– “Promised Land” (Joshua 1:7-9)
– Warning of Judgement (1 Samuel 12:13-15; 13:13-14)

 

Many cling to the promise that if you “Delight in the Lord,” then “He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). Well, this fits well with the promise that, “If we seek what has eternal value, God will take care of our temporal needs” (Matthew 6:25-34). BUT, if one is expecting this to mean a large bank account, a huge retirement plan, or a big vacation home, they are most likely are going to be disappointed—because that IS NOT what it means.

Those are desires when we pursue the values of the ‘world’. But, if one pursues what God delights in (holiness and righteousness), and seek things of eternal value, then their heart’s desires will be ‘in line’ with His, and HE WILL DO THEM!

 

Perhaps the most familiar and arguably the most important conditional promise is found in the New Testament: “God will forgive if we confess” (1 John 1:9).

Forgiveness is free and waiting for the repentant person, and the only ‘condition’ to receiving it is that they must confess that they need forgiveness. They must admit that they are sinful people who need a Savior. Now, this confession doesn’t ‘earn’ God’s forgiveness, it is a ‘gift’ from God. Recognizing one’s need is simply saying to God, “I want the forgiveness you are offering.”

In our “civilized” world, we consider ourselves independent, strong, capable, intelligent, and overall, pretty good—certainly not sinful. The thing is, our perception makes it difficult to realize the importance of this necessary first step to receive the free gift of eternal life!

 

Now, while one tries to figure out how God is going to answer a prayer or fulfill His promises, He is calmly and powerfully working out His plans ‘behind the scenes’ in ways and for reasons that they may not comprehend.

Although His reasons may elude them, and His methods may surprise them, God ALWAYS FULFILLS His promises: “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts’” [ Isaiah 55:8-9 ]. The Apostle Paul reiterated this by saying, “For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength” [ 1 Corinthians 1:25 ].

 

Some promises may be fulfilled in part because only a portion of the conditions have been met, or the promises may be fulfilled in stages according to God’s plan. The Old Testament promises concerning the Messiah were fulfilled IN PART with Christ’s first coming, however, others WILL BE FULFILLED when He returns. [ Jesus fulfilled the part of the promise about the suffering Servant (Isaiah 53) and will one day return to set up His eternal Kingdom (Revelation 11:14-19) ].

Many of us have difficulty understanding God’s timing and how he fulfills his promises. We can’t wait. We expect results today or tomorrow, not years from now.

As time-bound human beings, we can’t grasp God’s eternal purposes (Ecclesiastes 3:11). The perpetual changes of life are part of God’s pattern and plan for all the ages, but from our perspective it looks like a tangle of threads (like looking at the ‘mess’ on the back of an intricate rug). When we don’t see his promises becoming reality right now, we become impatient and are tempted to ask hard questions of God. But his timing IS BEST!

Solomon puts God’s timing into proper perspective: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. [ God ] has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. God will bring into judgment both to the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed” [ Ecclesiastes 3:1,11,17 ].

All of the promises of God will be fulfilled in His perfect timing, according to His wisdom. Many of those promises have been fulfilled, and many await fulfillment. The thing is, all who trust Jesus for forgiveness of sins receive that forgiveness and new life IMMEDIATELY—along with many other spiritual benefits (John 3; Ephesians 1). While some people experience the evidence of God’s love and care through prosperity of life and good health, others experience the love and strength of God through poverty and sickness. In all cases, though, God is true to His word, and He WILL KEEP His promises.

 

GOD’S PROMISES TO ‘ALL’ PEOPLE
If you want to stand on God’s promises, you need to be sure you are on solid ‘footing’. Our spiritual lives must be ‘founded’ on what God has said, not merely on what we wish He had said or what we think He might have said. We need to be sure we are not misquoting God when we claim a biblical promise for ourselves.

A few of the promises that apply to all inhabitants of the earth include: salvation to those who believe and condemnation to all who reject Christ (John 3:16-18); history that will culminate according to God’s master plan (Daniel 7-12); a day of judgment for believers (2 Corinthians 5:10) and unbelievers (Revelation 20:11-15); a promise that God’s character will not change (James 1:17); rewards for all who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6); and the certainty that everything He says will happen, will happen (Matthew 5:18; 24:34-35).

 

GOD’S PROMISES TO ONLY ‘BELIEVERS’
God’s promises both conditional and unconditional are numerous. He equips the believers with all they need to live on earth as His beloved creatures. He promises to provide power for living (Ephesians 3:20) and strength to do his will (Philippians 4:13) by giving us spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12). He will not only provide for their physical needs, He will give them mercy and grace in times of need (Hebrews 4:16), and all they need to live for Him (2 Peter 1:3-4). He promises to give them wisdom when they are tested (James 1:5), as well as a way to defeat temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13) when it ‘crops up’. He will free them from sin’s grip (Romans 6:22), and provide the ability to make Satan flee (James 4:7). He will also forgive their sins (1 John 1:9), and give them peace of mind (Philippians 4:7).

He assures us that the believer will have ‘access’ to Him through prayer (Ephesians 3:12), that He will provide help in their praying (Romans 8:26), and that He will answer their prayer (Matthew 7:7-11; 1 John 5:14-15) in the best way for them.

When the believer’s life is coming to a close, they are assured of salvation (John 10:29), eternal life (John 3:16; 5:24), with a home in Heaven (John 14:1-4), and ‘rewards’ for service (2 Corinthians 5:10). Then, when the time comes, God promises them ‘resurrection’ into glory (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

 

OUR ‘EXPECTATIONS’
At times, the believer may fall into the ‘trap’ of thinking that God will keep His promises in the way THEY expect—expecting Him to change their external circumstances and environment when what He really wants them to see is that His promises might just be fulfilled through ‘inner’ changes in them.

God is into ‘long-range’ planning. We see only the surface, here-and-now events, and we do not know how God is working behind the scenes to fit the pieces together to form an overall pattern (seeing the front of that intricate rug). The ways God has acted in the past, though, show that He fulfills many promises in ‘stages’ rather than all at once, and in unexpected ways!

One may forget the evidence of God’s faithfulness in their lives. They may fail to recall how He has fulfilled His promises to them in the past (we ALL have poor memories!). As a result, they can lose confidence in His ability to be faithful in the future. (That’s why ‘journaling’ can be invaluable for some people.)

 

All that to say, the believer has a God who NEVER ‘FAILS’. Jesus gave this assurance to those who trust Him: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one” [ John 10:27-30 ]. NOTHING can separate the believer from the love of God. As He said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” [ Hebrews 13:5 ]. That’s a promise the believer can ALWAYS COUNT ON!

 

ONE’S ‘RESPONSE’
So, how should one respond to the fact that God is able to and does, in fact, ‘move’ in the minds and ‘hearts’ of people to accomplish His will? Well, the believer’s first response should be one of TRUST. Their careers and destinies are in His hands, not the hands of bosses a commanding officers, professors, coaches, and all other people who humanly speaking, are in a position to affect their futures. No one can harm them or jeopardize their future apart from the sovereign will of God. Moreover, God is able to and will grant them ‘favor’ in the eyes of people who are in a position to do them good. They CAN entrust their future to God.

 

GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY and OUR RESPONSIBILITY
God’s sovereignty does not negate our responsibility to act prudently. When Nehemiah was leading the effort to rebuild the security wall around the city of Jerusalem, he wrote, “But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat” (Nehemiah 4:9).

Prayer is the acknowledgment of God’s sovereignty and of our dependence upon Him to act on our behalf. Prudence is the acknowledgment of our responsibility to use all legitimate means. We must not separate these two!

The Puritan preacher Thomas Lye, in a sermon entitled, “How Are We to Live by Faith on Divine Providence?” said, “As prayer without faith is but a beating of the air, so trust without prayer [is] but a presumptuous bravado. He that promises to give, and bids us trust his promises, commands us to pray, and expects obedience to his commands. He will give but not without our asking.”

God’s sovereignty does not negate our responsibility to to do what we can, however, it DOES give the believer the CONFIDENCE that God will do the BEST THING for them!

Confidence in God’s sovereignty in the lives of a believer should also keep them from becoming resentful and bitter when they are treated unjustly or maliciously by others. Bitterness usually stems not so much from the other person’s actions, but from the effects of those actions on one’s life.

A Scripture passage that can help us keep the doctrine of God’s sovereignty in perspective is, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law” [ Deuteronomy 29:29 ]. The believer doesn’t know a lot of things God’s sovereign will is planning, however, they DO KNOW that God WILL WORK to accomplish His purpose, which is ultimately for their good!

 

God recorded in His Word specific instances of His sovereign rule over history in order that we might trust Him in the affairs of history as they unfold before us today. We should remember that, for those experiencing the events recorded in the biblical narratives, God’s hand was no more apparent to them in those events than His hand is apparent to us today in ours.

 

‘CHOOSING’ TO TRUST GOD
“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” [ Psalm 56:3-4 ].

Primary school teacher and hymnist Margaret Clarkson once said, “Always it is initiated by an act of will on our part; we set ourselves to believe in the overruling goodness, providence, and sovereignty of God and refuse to turn aside no matter what may come, no matter how we feel.”

Trusting God is first of all a matter of the will—a matter of knowledge. So, if we are to trust God, we must ‘choose’ to believe His truth. We must say, “I will trust You though I do not ‘feel’ like doing so.”

Again, trusting God does not mean that we WILL NEVER experience doubt. It means we believe that God is at work through the occasion of our doubt for our ultimate good. It means we get back into the Scriptures regarding His sovereignty, wisdom, and goodness and ask Him to use those Scriptures to bring peace and comfort to OUR ‘hearts’. It means, above all, that we do not sin against God by allowing distrustful and hard thoughts about Him to hold sway in our minds. It will often mean that we may have to say, “God I don’t understand, but I trust You.”

 

TRUSTING GOD FOR ‘GUIDANCE’
The realization that God has ‘ordained’ the believer’s days (“He leads me beside quiet waters… He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake” – Psalm 23:2-3) should be ‘COMFORTING’.

The imagery King David is using there is that of the shepherd leading his sheep. The initiative is with the shepherd. He is the one who determines the watering places and guides the flock as he thinks best. As our Shepherd, God has committed Himself to guide the believer in the ways that He knows to be best for them. God sovereignly guides their lives, so that they do indeed live out, in their daily experiences, all the days ordained for them! Encouraging, soothing, and reassuring!

I believe theologian J.I. Packer expressed it well: “God guides our minds as we think. But the important truth for this study is that God does guide. He does not play games with us. He does not look down from Heaven at our struggles to know His will and say, ‘I hope you make the right decision.’ Rather, in His time and in His way He will lead us in His path for us.”

Many years ago hymnist Fanny J. Crosby penned these words, which are so appropriate to this topic of trusting God for guidance:

“All the way my Savior leads me;
What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt His tender mercy,
Who through life has been my Guide?
Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort,
Here by faith in Him to dwell!
For I know, whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well,
For I know, whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well.

“All the way my Savior leads me,
Cheers each winding path I tread,
Gives me grace for every trial,
Feeds me with the living bread.
Though my weary steps may falter,
And my soul athirst may be,
Gushing from the Rock before me,
Lo! a spring of joy I see,
Gushing from the Rock before me,
Lo! a spring of joy I see.

“All the way my Savior leads me;
Oh, the fullness of His grace!
Perfect rest to me is promised
In my Father’s blest embrace.
When my spirit, clothed immortal,
Wings its flight to realms of day,
This my song through endless ages:
Jesus led me all the way,
This my song through endless ages:
Jesus led me all the way.”

 

SO. the believer CAN trust God to guide them—AND He promises that He WILL lead them ALL THE WAY. In addition to that, when they stand before God’s ‘throne’, they will be able to sing, with Fanny Crosby, “Jesus led me all the way!”

 

‘SURRENDER’
The whole Bible makes it clear that God’s promises are to be found ONLY BY THOSE who are willing to ‘SURRENDER’ to Him.

This important condition of surrender is what Jesus taught when He said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). He said this immediately after saying, “Blessed are the poor in spirit… Blessed are those who mourn… Blessed are the meek… Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness… Blessed are the merciful” (Matthew:3-7).

[ FYI: For more details on “The Beatitudes,” visit my website “Fruits Of The Beatitudes”:
http://fruitsofthebeatitudes.org/ ].

 

Each of these conditions reflects the need for a surrendered ‘heart’ as a condition to receive the blessing of God.

God cannot be ‘found’ by just anyone. Because He is a spirit, He can be only ‘seen’ only by those to whom He chooses to reveal Himself. This is also true of the Bible. While the Scriptures have been given to lead us to God, they remain a ‘closed’ book to those who are trying to find God on THEIR ‘OWN TERMS’. God WILL BE FOUND in the pages of His book by those who desire to obey Him, or He will not be found at all!

Jesus said of God and of Himself, “If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority” [ John 7:17 ].

Salvation itself is a ‘gift’. Forgiveness and eternal life come to us only by grace and through faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9). But, being able to ‘see’ God in the Bible requires a willingness to do the will of God. Only in surrender do we have the assurance that God will let us see the truth about Jesus in our present circumstances. Only in submission can we see the Father and His Son on EVERY PAGE of Scripture!

[ FYI: As a part of one of his sermons, Pastor Michael Youssef listed how Jesus is found in every book of the Bible. It is below in the “Articles” section. ]

 

‘CHILDLIKE’ TRUST
One distinguishing mark of the early Christians was their childlike, literal obedience to the teachings of Jesus and the apostles. They didn’t ‘feel’ they had to understand the reason for a commandment before they would obey it. They just trusted that God’s way was always the best way. Theologian Clement of Alexandria asked, “Who then is so irreverent as to disbelieve God, and to demand explanations from God as from men?” They trusted God because they lived in awe of His majesty and wisdom.

The very fact that the early Christians were willing to suffer unspeakable horrors and to die rather than disown their God was, next to their lifestyle, their single most effective ‘evangelistic’ tool (Few, if any, Romans would die for their gods). They trusted God, and God alone, as their protector. That’s the kind of trust God is looking to see from the believer, to trust in the ‘protection’ of His Son, Jesus, who said, “Be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world” [ John 16:33 ].

 

Jesus asserted to “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the Kingdom of God” [ Mark 19:14 ]. Jesus was saying that only those who are ‘characterized’ as “children”—with helpless dependence—will be received into God’s Kingdom (Heaven).

[ FYI: For more details about God’s Kingdom, view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/kingdoms-past-present-and-future-v262/ ].

 

The New Testament scholar Eduard Schweizer wrote: “But this is the reason they are blessed—just because they [the little children] have nothing to show for themselves. They cannot count on any achievements of their own—their hands are empty like those of a beggar. Jesus enlarges the promise to include everyone. With an authority such as only God can claim, he promises the Kingdom to those whose faith resembles the empty hand of a beggar. Such faith is possible because they have no achievements of their own—their hands are empty like those of a beggar. Jesus enlarges the promise to include everyone. With an authority such as only God can claim, he promises the Kingdom to those whose faith resembles the empty hand of a beggar. Such faith is possible because they have no achievements of their own nor any conceptions of God which can intrude between them and God.”

Every child born into the world is absolutely, completely, totally, actually helpless. And so it is with every child who is born into the kingdom of God. Children of the Kingdom enter it helpless.

Kingdom entrance first depends on our coming to God in total helpless dependence, unmitigated trust. Children trust others for everything—their food, their lodging, and the arms of others who bear them about. That’s what God wants of His ‘children’.

God also is looking for untutored humility. Children do not engage in the various forms of pride of adulthood. A child does not battle a self-righteousness ‘problem’. Further, a little child is free from intellectual conceit. Children are teachable. Untutored humility leaves a soul open to receiving the greatest of ‘gifts’, one’s salvation.

Children also know how to receive a gift—untarnished receptivity—they simply take it and easily return love for loving gifts. This is how God wants the believer to be like before they enter His Kingdom.

 

‘DEPENDENCE’
Another area of our lives that God must continually be at work on is our tendency to rely on ourselves instead of on Him. Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing” [ John 15:5 ]. Apart from our ‘union’ with Jesus and a total reliance upon Him, we can do nothing that glorifies God. We live in a world that worships independence and self-reliance. “I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul” is the motto of society around us. Because of our own sinful nature, we can easily fall into the world’s pattern of thinking. We tend to rely on our knowledge of Scripture, our own business acumen, our ministry experience, and even our goodness and morality.

The Apostle Paul had to learn dependence on God in the spiritual as well as the physical realm. Whatever his “thorn in the flesh” was, it was an adversity that Paul desperately wanted to be rid of. BUT, God let it remain, not only to curb any tendency for pride in Paul’s ‘heart’, but also to teach him to rely on God’s strength. Paul had to learn that it was not his strength but God’s grace—God’s enabling power—that he must depend on.

So, if God is going to use you (and me), because of our innate pride, He will bring adversity into our lives so that we, too, may learn experientially our dependence on Him.

 

GOD ‘IS’ TRUSTWORTHY
The whole idea of trusting God is, of course, based upon the fact that He ‘IS’ absolutely trustworthy. That is why it is crucial to read the Bible, since it is the ‘primary’ source for who God is. One must be firmly grounded in Scriptural truths if they are ever going to trust Him.

One must also lay hold of those great promises of His constant care for us. Five times in the Bible God emphasized that He will not ‘forsake’ His ‘children’. He wants them to firmly grasp the truth that whatever circumstances may indicate, believing on the basis of His promise, and that He WILL NOT leave them to the mercy of those circumstances.

The believer may sometimes lose the ‘sense’ of God’s presence and help, but they WILL NEVER lose them. Job, in his distress, said: “But if I go to the east, He is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find Him. When He is at work in the north, I do not see Him when He turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of Him. But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold” [ Job 23:8-10 ].

You and I will sometimes have the same experience as Job—perhaps not in the same kind or intensity of sufferings—but in the seeming inability to ‘find’ God anywhere. The things, God will seem to ‘hide’ Himself from us. Even the prophet Isaiah said to God on one occasion, “Truly you are a God who hides Himself, O God and Savior of Israel” [ Isaiah 45:15 ]. The believer should learn from Job and Isaiah so that they are not totally surprised and dismayed when, in the time of our distress, they can’t seem to find God. In those times, they must cling to His inviolate promise, “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”

 

Because God will never leave you nor forsake you, the believer is invited, in the words of the Apostle Peter, to “cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). So, not only will God NEVER ‘leave’ the believer—that’s the negative side of the promise—but He ‘CARES’ for them. He is not just there with them, He cares for them, and His care is constant—not occasional or sporadic. His care is total (“even the very hairs of your head are numbered”). His care is sovereign—nothing can touch them that He does not allow. His care is infinitely wise and good so that, in the words of pastor and hymnist John Newton (“Amazing Grace”), “If it were possible for me to alter any part of his plan, I could only spoil it.”

The believer must learn to cast their anxieties on God. Minister and theologian Dr. John Brown (of Edinburgh – 1848) says of this verse, “The figurative expression cast, not lay, seems to intimate that the duty enjoined is one that requires an effort; and experience tells us it is no easy matter to throw off the burden of carefulness.”

So we are back to the matter of choice. One must by an act of the will in dependence on the Holy Spirit and say something to themselves such as, “Lord, I choose to cast off this anxiety onto You, but I cannot do this of myself. I will trust You by Your Spirit to enable me to, having cast my anxiety on YOU, not to take it back upon myself.”

Trust is NOT a ‘PASSIVE’ state of mind. It is a ‘vigorous’ act of the soul by which we choose to ‘LAY HOLD’ on the promises of God, and ‘CLING’ to them despite the adversity that at times seeks to overwhelm us.

 

CAN ‘YOU’ TRUST GOD?
So, now this is really ‘personal’. Can ‘YOU’ trust God? Hopefully, you can answer “Yes” now after the evidence I have provided!

God IS ‘TRUSTWORTHY’ so, you CAN TRUST Him! He promises never to fail the believer nor forsake them!

 

SO then, have YOU trusted God? If not, to grow in your ability to trust God, you must first lay a solid ‘foundation’ of a daily personal relationship with Him—by reading His ‘love letter’ to you, the Bible. Only as you know Him intimately and seek to obey Him completely, will you be able to establish a trust relationship with Him that could possibly conclude in you becoming a ‘CHILD’ of God!

[ FYI: For more details on God’s ‘love letter’ to humanity, view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/love-letter-v258/ ].

 

Then, someday (hopefully in the NEAR future) as you develop an ‘intimate’ relationship with God—and in ‘dependence’ upon the enabling power of His Holy Spirit—you will be able to say, “I HAVE trusted God!”

 

TRUSTING IN THE ‘KINGDOM’
So, when one trusts God and His Word to them, the Bible discloses what His ‘Kingdom’ is all about—and how He is ‘recovering’ His original perfect Kingdom (Eden) to ‘remake’ it as His eternal Kingdom for His ‘children’ (“born aging humanity).

[ FYI: You can get a synopsis of the biblical timeline by viewing last month’s “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post: https://markbesh.wordpress.com/kingdoms-past-present-and-future-v262/ ].

 

The level of peace a believer has is directly related to how much they are ‘established’ on the Word and the Kingdom for their eternal security. When one is ‘rooted’ and trusting in the sovereignty of God—with the knowledge that you are ‘protected’ by a loving King—seeing the world ‘crumbling’ around them matters very little. The Kingdom is at hand, and the believer has nothing to fear! (Isaiah 41:10; Psalm 23:4; Psalm 56:3; Joshua 1:9; Matthew 6:34; John 14:27; Philippians 4:6-7; 2 Timothy 1:7; 1 Peter 5:6-7;

 

As I have mentioned in past posts, it is my belief (as well as MANY other theologians and biblical scholars) that we are in the “Last Days”—the time when Jesus will come back to ‘rapture’ believer from this earth just before the “Great Tribulation” (“Armageddon”). This is something that you DON’T want to go through! It will be HORRENDOUS, so consider this a WARNING of an imminent ‘hazard’ that you can STILL AVOID!

[ FYI: If you are interested to learn more details about the “Last Days,” view these previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” posts:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/final-tribulation-v246/
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/mankinds-destiny-v247/
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/last-generation-v249/ ].

 

‘RECEIVING’ THE KINGDOM
Jesus talks about our ‘receiving’ the Kingdom of God. It’s not our ‘achieving’ it, ‘making it happen’ on earth, or our exercising any kind of strenuous effort to ‘enter’ it. It is fundamentally a ‘GIFT’, something that God ‘gives’ because of His great love for the world (John 3:16). ONE’S active trust is how they become Kingdom citizens. They come admitting that they have nothing to give to God, and they depend fully and completely on His unmerited favor.

Like a “child,” Jesus is calling people to utter dependence on Him as the way into His Kingdom, relying completely on His mercy for their salvation and, indeed, for our every need. ONLY by admitting this can they become a part of the Kingdom of God!

Augustus Toplady’s hymn “Rock of Ages” includes this line: “Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to Thy cross I cling.” These lyrics wonderfully encapsulate Jesus’ teaching in Mark 10:13-16. One comes into the Kingdom only by admitting that they have nothing to give, that all they can do is rely on God for His grace and forgiveness. HOWEVER, even once one is ‘of’ the Kingdom, they continue to come to Him admitting their wrongdoings since, while they are on this earth, they will still be sinful. BUT, God is gracious to forgive when He is asked to be so (1 John 1:9). One must never lose their need to wholly dependent on Jesus!

 

GOD ‘CAN’ BE TRUSTED!
PERSONALLY, (like Lee Strobel) I tried to prove all this to be wrong in the 1990s. A little background might help you understand this.

I went to a parochial school from K-5, so I had some ‘knowledge’ about God and the Bible. Growing up in American in the 1950s-1970s, it was ‘mostly’ a Christian nation. However, in the 1990s I went through a life ‘crisis’—a divorce.

A recent merger of the company I was working with at that time, brought me together with a strong “born again” Christian, who would later become my business partner.

So, for the next 10 years, I tried to prove his beliefs wrong—HOWEVER, I couldn’t do it. So, in June 1998, I humbled myself, surrendered my will to God, and became “born again.”

Over that 10 years of ‘intense’ study (stubbornness), I found the Bible to historically and scientifically accurate. I concluded that the Bible was God’s “Word,” and is His loving message to me (and humankind).

So, after having the overwhelming ‘joy’ of salvation, I wanted everyone else to have what I had. First off, I created e-mails to my father to tell him about all that I had learned, and then shared them with a few friends. A few people then encouraged me to create a blog (which you are now reading, “Life’s Deep Thoughts”). Since then, I have been trying to encourage others to do their own investigation of the reliability of the Bible and, in turn, the truth for the God of the Bible.

So, if you are a BELIEVER, hopefully, you have gleaned some additional knowledge about the Christian faith, and are being strengthened by it. HOWEVER, if you are an UNBELIEVER, hopefully, this post has ‘pricked’ your conscience about the Christian faith, enough to prompt you to investigate all this A LOT MORE in the future. [ Feel free to contact me if you need any help with that! ].

[ FYI: Some other evidence was presented in this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/who-can-you-trust-v194/ ].

 

To get you started, here are some examples of trusting God to inspire you:

– Deborah: Trusting God through the demands of life (Judges 4-5)
– Zechariah and Elizabeth: Trusting God when a longing is unfulfilled (Luke 1)
– Isaiah: Trusting God through bad news (Isaiah 21, 49)
– Woman healed by Jesus: Trusting God is taking risks despite the pain (Mark 5)
– Moses: Trusting God when there is no way out (Exodus 14)
– David: Trusting God when life is not how you pictured it (1 Samuel 22)
– Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: Trusting God no matter the outcome (Daniel 3)
– Jacob: (Genesis 32)
– Naomi and Ruth: (Ruth 1)
– Paul: (2 Corinthians 11)
– Job: (Job 13)
– Esther: (Esther 3-4)
– Hannah: (1 Samuel 1)

[ FYI: This article can help you with some additional details about the above examples:
https://deepspirituality.com/trusting-god-in-difficult-times/ ].

 

WRAP-UP
We were ‘created’ to trust God. He wants us to trust Him deeply and unswervingly. In fact, I would suggest that God’s desire is for us to have a wonderful, childlike faith, following the example of the little boy who offered his lunch (five loaves and two fishes) to Jesus (Matthew 14:13-21). The boy’s obedience provided the catalyst for a major miracle. Who knows what your simple trust and obedience might produce?

In spite of your poor experiences and the untrustworthy people you have encountered, let me encourage you to place your trust in God. He WILL NEVER, ever let you down! (Hebrews 13:5).

You can trust God because He is the truth, and His Word is the truth. He is totally consistent in all He does, and He has a GREAT ‘TRACK RECORD’ (100%). What He has said, He has (or will) do! “The Lord is trustworthy in all He promises and faithful in all he does” [ Psalm 145:13c ]. What He declares will come to pass. His Word will never return empty or fail to accomplish His purposes (Isaiah 55:11).

 

Despite all his incredible achievements, Solomon had learned that the most important foundation for him as a king was to trust God. If the believer is going to succeed and prosper in life, they must also learn how to trust like King Solomon. His wise words have echoed down the centuries: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight” [ Proverbs 3:5-6 ].

The Hebrew word for “trust” is “batach,” which has a primitive root. It literally means “to hide for refuge.” Figuratively, it means “to be confident or sure.” Trusting in the Lord with all my heart means to hide in Him for refuge, and to place ALL the believer’s confidence in Him (Jeremiah 17:7-8).

Civil rights advocate and Baptist minister Ralph Abernathy (a close friend of Martin Luther King, Jr.) once said: “I don’t know what the future holds, but I do know who holds the future.”

 

The psalmist said that “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path” [ Psalm 119:105 ]. When one neglects to read God’s Word, they will struggle to make major decisions. God has blessed the believer with this incredible, ‘guiding’ Word. If you don’t already read it daily, I would really like to encourage you to do so. Here’s why:

First, it’s incredible how many ‘coincidences’ occur when one is disciplined in this.
(This is the primary way the Holy Spirit “lead us into all truth” (John 16:13). It is just amazing how many times I have heard other believers say, “I was reading my Bible today, and it was exactly what I needed to read!”

Secondly, when one regularly reads God’s Word, we get it into ‘THEIR’ spirit. The Holy Spirit then can ‘remind’ them of what God has already said when they seek Him about major decisions. I have a poor memory, but the Holy Spirit provides this incredible power of recall when I seek Him. It is just astounding what I can remember with His help!

 

Learning to trust God is a ‘journey’ everyone is on (even ‘strong’, “born again” believers), and God deliberately allows each of us to experience Him in different ways in order for our faith and trust to grow. So…

– Make a choice
– Stay close to God
– Make time for fellowship
– Obey God promptly
– Don’t let the world mold you
– Don’t keep looking back
– Don’t get side-tracked
– Don’t quit!***
– Don’t allow success to distract you
– Set your heart on things above
– Trust Him for new strength every day
– Trust God to enlarge your capacity to trust
– Trust God to reciprocate your trust

*** [ FYI: For more encouragement from God’s Word that applies to not quitting, read this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/persistently-p-u-s-h-v261/ ].

 

I started this post by mentioning the massive issue around trust in this world, and how completely untrustworthy many people are. BUT, we must also pause to consider this in one’s own life. An aspect of one trusting God is to prove themselves trustworthy. The Apostle Paul challenged the Corinthians with these words: “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful” [ 1 Corinthians 4:2 ].

 

So far, most of my discussion in this wrap up has focused on one trusting God deeply and intrinsically. BUT, what if God CAN’T TRUST YOU with His plans and purposes? I know that if one trusts God like never before, they will live a life like never before—however, they just might miss out massively if God can’t trust them!

[ Maybe it’s worth taking a moment for you to consider what God might entrust you with if He knew He could ‘really’ trust YOU ].

 

When one proves themselves worthy of God’s trust, He will trust them with new and larger responsibilities. He does this because when they have proven themselves trustworthy and faithful—and because they have learned where the ‘power’ lies and where the success comes from (not from them, but from Him!). Until one is found to be trustworthy, God won’t trust them with much (Luke 16:10-12).

When God entrusts one with true Kingdom riches, He expects them to ‘look after’ it, nurture it, care for it, ‘show up’ for it, develop it, and invest their time, talents, and finances into it. He will expect them to work hard and make sacrifices to make it fruitful and successful. He will expect them to pray, seek Him, and build it into something that glorifies Him. He will expect them to keep going and not quit even when times get tough (which they undoubtedly WILL come at some point).

 

As one would imagine all that God has for them, it’s important that they stay ‘grounded’ and delight themselves in Him. It should be their chief aim and joy in life to delight themselves in Him (Psalm 37:3-4).

The promise of God is that, if one delights themselves in Him, He will give them the desires of their ‘hearts’. If they build their lives ‘in’ Him, He will build His life in them. If they begin to trust Him like never before, they will find that they will live like never before! (Ephesians 3:20-21).

One should love what God loves and delight in whatever He says. God does not Iie down arbitrary rules or give orders so that one might be restricted and miserable. He never requires what is impure, unloving, or unwise. His demands are always noble, always just, and always righteous (Psalm 19:75). All God’s commandments are sure (Psalm 119:86), and all of His precepts are right (Psalm 119:128).

God’s Word provides what is ‘good’. Again, according to Psalm 119, the Word of God is the way of happiness (vv. 1-2) the way to avoid shame (v. 6), the way of safety (v. 9), and the way of good counsel (v. 24). The Word gives us strength (v. 28) and hope (v. 43), it provides wisdom (vv. 98-100, 130), and shows us the ‘way’ we should go (v. 105). God’s verbal revelation, whether in spoken form in redemptive history or in the Bible, is unfailingly perfect. As the people of God, the believer must believe that the Word of God can be trusted in every way to speak what is true, command what is right, and provide them with what is good.

 

The psalmist so desired the Word of God that he considered suffering to be a blessing in his life if it helped him become more obedient to God’s commands! (Psalm 119:67-68, 71). He was also constantly aware of his need for the Word and ‘desperate’ for the encouragement of God’s promises (v. 50).

One cannot know God’s ways or His character unless He ‘speaks’ to them. Every true believer should feel deep in their ‘bones’ an utter ‘DEPENDENCE’ on God’s self-revelation in the Scriptures. “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4).

 

So, what does the psalmist say about what one should do ‘with’ the Word of God? Well, he said to study it (vv. 15, 48, 97,148), ‘store’ it up in one’s mind (vv 11,93,141), obey it (vv. 8, 44, 57,129,145,146,167,168), praise God for it (vv. 7,62,164,171), and pray that God would act according to His Word (vv. 58, 121-123,147,149-152,153-160).

Theologian J.I. Packer commented that, “…one cannot doubt the Bible without far-reaching loss, both in fullness of truth and of fullness of life. If therefore we have at heart spiritual renewal for society, for churches and for our own lives, we shall make much of the entire trustworthiness—that is, the inerrancy—of Holy Scripture as the inspired and liberating Word of God.”

 

Now, the Apostle Peter tells us that they didn’t make all this stuff up by themselves, they were “carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21d). “Carried along” is a sailing term. That’s what happened when the sailors would get their sails up and the wind would catch the sails and it would carry them along. So, that’s what it means to be ‘inspired’ by God. Men were blown along by the ‘wind’ of the Spirit of God, and they spoke the words that God wanted them to speak. So, Peter is saying that the Bible IS God’s Word—not theirs—and one can TRUST it implicitly!

 

Most Christians are familiar with the attributes of God. At some point and at some level we’ve studied God’s holiness, justice, omniscience, sovereignty, goodness, mercy, love, and whatever other characteristics might be listed as divine attributes. But I doubt that we could name, much less explain, the attributes of Scripture. Traditionally, Protestant theologians have highlighted four essential characteristics of Scripture: Sufficiency, Clarity, Authority, and Necessity. [ You can recall them by the handy acronym “S.C.A.N.” ]. Each of the attributes is meant to protect an important truth about the Bible.

Sufficiency: The Scriptures contain everything one needs for knowledge of salvation and godly living. One does not need any ‘new revelation’ from Heaven.

Clarity: The saving message of Jesus Christ is plainly taught in the Scriptures and can be understood by all who have ears to hear it. One does not need an ‘official magisterium’ to tell them what the Bible means.

Authority: The last word always goes to the Word of God. One must never allow the teachings of science, human experience, or of even Church councils to take precedence over Scripture.

Necessity: General revelation is not enough to save anyone. One cannot know God by the means of personal experience and human reason. One needs God’s Word to tell them how to live, who Jesus is, and how one must be saved.

 

Now, to ‘change up’ the acronym and rearrange the order of the attributes, we could say: God’s Word is final; God’s Word is understandable; God’s Word is necessary; and God’s Word is enough (“F.U.N.E” is memorable, but weird). All that to say, that Scripture is clear enough to make us responsible for carrying out our present responsibilities to God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Immerse yourself in the Word of God. You will not find anything more sure.

 

The Word of God is MORE THAN ENOUGH for the believer to live their lives to the glory of God. The Father will speak by means of all that the Spirit has spoken through the Son. The question is whether we will open our Bibles and bother to listen!

We all have someone or something that we turn to as the final arbiter of truth claims. For Christians, this authority is the Scriptures. Of course, we can misunderstand and misapply the word of God, but when interpreted correctly—paying attention to the original context, considering the literary genre, thinking through authorial intent—the Bible is never wrong in what it affirms and must never be marginalized as anything less than the last word on everything it teaches.

The Belgic Confession provides a standard definition of general and special revelation:

“We know him by two means:
“First, by the creation, preservation, and government of the universe, since that universe is before our eyes like a beautiful book in which all creatures, great and small, are as letters to make us ponder the invisible things of God: his eternal power and his divinity, as the apostle Paul says in Romans 1:20. All these things are enough to convict men and to leave them without excuse.

“Second, he makes himself known to us more openly by his holy and divine Word, as much as we need in this life, for his glory and for the salvation of his own” [ Article 2 ].

Notice the difference between general and special revelation. The former gives us a sense of God’s power and divine nature so that we are left without excuse, The latter reveals God “more openly” so that we might be saved. The doctrine of general and special revelation was never meant to make the Bible artificially conform to any other academic discipline. “The heavens declare the glory of God… but the law of the Lord is perfect and the testimony of the Lord is sure” (Psalm 19:1,7).

 

The Bible is God’s ‘book’, a fact we are reminded of frequently in the book. Consequently, to trust completely in the Bible is to trust in the character and assurances of God more than we trust in our own ability to reason and explain.

Again, J.I. Packer puts it perfectly:

“God, then, does not profess to answer in Scripture all the questions that we, in our boundless curiosity, would like to ask about Scripture. He tells us merely as much as He sees we need to know as a basis for our life of faith. And He leaves unsolved some of the problems raised by what He tells us, in order to teach us a humble trust in His veracity. The question, therefore, that we must ask ourselves when faced with these puzzles is not, is it reasonable to imagine that this is so? But, is it reasonable to accept God’s assurance that this is so? Is it reasonable to take God’s word and believe that He has spoken the truth, even though I cannot fully comprehend what He has said? The question carries its own answer. We should not abandon faith in anything God has taught us merely because we cannot solve all the problems which it raises. Our own intellectual competence is not the test and measure of divine truth. It is not for us to stop believing because we lack understanding, but to believe in order that we may understand” [ Book: “Fundamentalism and the Word of God” ].

Paraphrased from the Institutes of John Calvin, “The Scriptures are our ‘spectacles’, the lenses through which we see God, the world, and ourselves rightly. We cannot truly know God, his will, or the way of salvation apart from the Bible” [ Institutes I.vi.1 and I.xiv.1 ].

The believer needs Scripture to live the truly ‘good’ life, and they need Scripture to live forever (“Lord, to whom shall we go. You have the words of eternal life” – John 6:68). There is NO OTHER BOOK like the Bible. It reveals a different kind of wisdom, comes from a different source, and tells of a different king of love.

 

God ‘speaks’ so that we can begin to know the unknowable and fathom the unfathomable (1 Corinthians 2:9; Isaiah 48:8). The spiritual person understands spiritual truths (1 Corinthians 2:13), whereas the natural (unspiritual) person “does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him” [ 1 Corinthians 2:14c ].

Only through this ‘good news’ can one be forgiven. Only by listening to the Spirit ‘speaking’ through the Scriptures can we know the love of God and be ‘truly’ spiritual. God’s Word is final. God’s Word is understandable. God’s Word is necessary. God’s Word is enough!

 

Now, most importantly, every day the believer will have to “fight the good fight of faith” (1 Timothy 6:12) to really believe everything they should know the Bible says about itself and, even more challenging, to live it out accordingly.

 

Many skeptics bring up the point that the Bible was written by “human authors.” Well, Jesus had no problem referencing these human authors of Scripture like Moses, Isaiah, David, and Daniel. But they stand in the background. They are the sub-authors working ‘beneath’ the principal author of Scripture, namely, God Himself. For Jesus, Scripture was powerful, decisive, and authoritative because it was (is) nothing less than the ‘voice’ of God.

 

The Bible is different from any other book. You read other books, but this book ‘reads’ you—because it is ‘alive’ (Hebrews 4:12). There is just something about this book that is different from all other books.

I like what E. Paul Hovey said in regard this: “[ People ] do not reject the Bible because it contradicts itself, but because it contradicts them.” The Bible is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the ‘heart’! It is a ‘convicting’ book. It is “sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12), and it ‘cuts’ to convict! Jesus said that men don’t come to the Light because their deeds are evil (John 3:19), so they ‘back away’ from the Light and they ‘hide’ in the darkness.

Jesus also believed in the ‘total’ inspiration of Scripture—all of it. He accepted the chronology, the miracles, and the authorial ascriptions as giving the straightforward facts of history. He believed in keeping the spirit of the law without ever minimizing the letter of the law. He affirmed the human authorship of Scripture while at the same time bearing witness to the ultimate divine authorship of the Scriptures. He treated the Bible as a necessary word, a sufficient word, a dear word, and THE FINAL WORD. It was never acceptable in His mind to contradict Scripture or stand above Scripture.

Jesus believed absolutely that the Bible was from God and was absolutely free from error. What Scripture says, God says; and what God said was recorded infallibly in Scripture.

Jesus submitted His will to the Scriptures, committed His brain to study the Scriptures, and humbled His heart to obey the Scriptures. God’s Son believed the ‘Bible’ was the Word of God right down to the sentences, to the phrases, to the words, to the smallest letter, to the tiniest ‘specks’ (“Every jot and tittle” – Matthew 5:18)

The Apostle Paul says that everything in the Bible comes from the ‘mouth’ of God (2 Timothy 3:16). Sufficiency, clarity, authority, and necessity then must all be true (since they would all be false if 2 Timothy 3:16 were a lie). There is no more important verse for developing a proper understanding of Scripture.

 

Now, Scripture doesn’t tell us everything we may want to know about everything. But it tells us everything we need to know about the MOST IMPORTANT ’THINGS’! It gives us something the Internet, with all its terabytes of information, never could: WISDOM. The purpose of Holy Scripture is not ultimately to make you smart, or make you relevant, or make you rich, or get you a job, or get you married, or take all your problems away, or tell you where to live. The aim is to MAKE YOU ‘WISE’ enough to put your faith in Christ and BE ‘SAVED’!

Nothing else in all the world has this ability. The word of the president is important (Romans 13:1-7). The word of your parents should be honored (Ephesians 6:1-3). The word of your spouse is to be treasured (Ephesians 5:22-33). But ONLY the Word of God can save (John 14:6). Only in Scripture does one encounter the fullness of God’s self-disclosure. Only in Scripture does one find the ‘Good News’ of the forgiveness of sins. Only in Scripture can one be led to believe in Jesus and, by believing, have ‘life’ in His name. The Scriptures are MORE THAN ABLE!

 

T.R.U.S.T.
There could be many acronyms I could come up with for “T.R.U.S.T.,” but in my ‘travels’ on the Internet, I found a little devotional by Sarah E. Brown that I thought would present a different viewpoint than mine on this—and I like it. Even though he primarily used the acronym “T.R.U.S.T.”, she supplemented it with “A Command. A Commitment.”:

A Command
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
[ Proverbs 3:5-6 ].

When God says, “Trust in Me…” it’s not just a suggestion. He doesn’t say, ”If you WANT to trust Me…” He TELLS us to trust. And really, it’s not so much a COMMAND as it is a PLEA.

Ok, so God really wants us to trust Him, but what does that really mean? I figured that a good place find the meaning of the word trust would be in a dictionary.

What does it mean to trust God?
Dictionary definitions:
– To regard as right or true (belief)
– To put into the possession or safekeeping of another (action)

I was so amazed by the profoundness of the two simple definitions. Trust is not JUST a belief or Christian catch-phrase (“Lord I trust you). Trust involves both the BELIEF that God will keep His Word, and also the ACTION of placing one’s whole life in His care.

To make this easier to remember I came up with a little acronym for TRUST….

Acronym: T.R.U.S.T. is…
– Turning over every aspect of one’s life to God
– Realizing that He already has a perfect plan for me
– Understanding that I may not always understand!
– Seeking His will every step of the way
– Thanking Him when things don’t turn out as expected

T is for Turning over every aspect of my life to God.

Turning over my life to God
“Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.”
[ Psalm 37:3-5 ].

This really goes back to the definition, “Putting into the possession or safekeeping of another.” Are you willing to put your life into the possession and safekeeping of God?

R is for Realizing that God already has a perfect plan for me.

Realizing He has a plan
“Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”
[ Jeremiah 1:4-5 ].

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
[ Jeremiah 29:11 ].

The way God has led me in my school decisions has showed me the truth of these promises! Sometimes I was so set in my ways that I had to go in a certain direction, and then He would firmly close that door—right in my face! But the doors that He has opened instead have turned out to be far better than the ones I was pursuing. He was simply waiting for me to trust Him. Are you willing to trust God’s promise that He has “plans for good” in store for you?

U is for Understanding that I may not always understand!

Understanding… even when I can’t!
“Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.”
[ Job 13:15 ].

“The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.” In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.”
[ Job 1:21c ].

Wow, those are powerful, faith-filled words. Are we willing to trust God, even to the point of death? Are we willing to say, like Job did, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord”?

S is for Seeking God’s will every step of the way.

Seeking His will
“We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer… Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.
[ Proverbs 16:1, 3 ].

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”
[ Matthew 7:7-8 ].

One thing the Lord has been teaching me is to actively pursue His will. It would be a mistake to say, “Lord, I trust you to show me your plan for my life,” and then sit back and do nothing, waiting for Him to somehow show you His plan. Remember the dictionary definitions of TRUST? It’s not just about belief or a catch-phrase. It also involves action. Are you willing to diligently “ask, seek, and knock” to know God’s will for your life?

Lastly, T is for Thanking God even when things don’t go one’s way, since god knows what’s best

Thanking Him for the unexpected
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.”
[ Philippians 4:6-7a ].

This is really the most important part of TRUST. When I’ve done my part and earnestly sought God’s direction, but things still don’t turn out like I might have hoped, it’s can be a temptation to worry. But if I am experiencing worry and anxiety, then I know that I am not truly trusting. I will only experience the “peace that passes understanding” when I’m willing to thank God for leading—wherever He may have led. Are you willing to thank God and trust Him, even when outcome isn’t what you wanted?

When we’re will to trust…
– Fear is expelled from my life: “In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
[ Psalm 56:11 ].

– Perfect peace reigns: “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
[ Isaiah 26:3 ].

– God can use us for a greater purpose than we could have ever imagined!

You see, God can do great things with us when we’re willing to trust Him. He’ll expel fear, as promised by the words of David. He’ll give us His peace, as promised through the words of Isaiah. And He’ll use us in ways we could never have imagined. Don’t you see now why He would plead with you to trust Him?

[ Link to Sarah’s actual page: https://sarahellenbrown.com/2014/05/16/t-r-u-s-t/ ].

 

WORTHY OF YOUR ‘CONSIDERATION’?
No one can ‘prove’, beyond a shadow of doubt, that the Bible is worthy of your true and belief any more than one can ‘prove’ that love is real or that justice is better than injustice. BUT, hopefully, after weighing some of the evidence presented in this post that you can confidently that think that the evidence is COMPELLING—worthy of your continued investigation.

[ I pray that you will come to that ‘point’ where you will confidently claim that it IS TRUE (as I believe). To me the cumulative ‘case’ for its trustworthiness is JUST TOO CONVINCING. To me, and many others, it is BEYOND reasonable doubt! ].

 

Is the Bible honest? I and MANY people WAY smarter than me think so. Historical and archaeological discoveries corroborate its story. Does the Bible itself claim to be more than just a human book? Yes, and God has not only inspired its composition but through the centuries has ensured its preservation. Did Jesus really endorse the Scriptures? Yes, by quoting the prophets. Not only did He endorse them, He ‘embodied’ them—and THIS is the most compelling reason of all to trust the Bible. God (Jesus) ‘approved’ of them!

 

In the pages of the Bible, we encounter the most extravagant love story ever told. The God of the universe— the creator and designer of all—chose to become a human in order to restore the relationship we willfully broke when we chose to sin.
God created a good world, but when humans sinned and kept on sinning we brought separation and distance between the creator and His creation. But God was unwilling to allow that separation to continue indefinitely, so He did something for us that we could not do for ourselves. He closed the ‘gap’ between us—separation because of sin—through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. We could not ascend to where He is, so He descended in the person of Jesus Christ to where we are.

So, are there any good historical, textual, and philosophical reasons to believe that the Bible is trustworthy? Absolutely! But the most compelling reason to trust the Bible is its message of reconciliation and grace. It is not just ‘good’ news
—it is the BEST possible news FOR ANYONE to ‘grasp’! There are thousands of people of all ages and from all walks of life who have had the deepest needs of their lives met by the power of the Bible—AND it can do the SAME FOR YOU if you will open your heart to its message and believe!

 

I have learned over the years to be ‘at peace’ with God. I have found that when I’m honest with Him, He helps me deal with my doubts—even though many questions remain unanswered.

According to the Bible, the God who wants us to know Him is willing to help us trust Him. This is the assurance Jesus promised to those who would follow their hearts to Him.

Speaking to people who already had many reasons to believe in Him, Jesus said: “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him” [ John 14:21 ].

 

How remarkable that the same ‘hand’ that guides the course of history also directs the circumstances of the lives of His ‘children’. Joseph was a man who submitted his life to the providential plan of God, became blessed and greatly ‘used’ of God. So, let Him also order the days of your life!

In ‘calling’ His people to trust Him, God proclaimed Himself sovereign over all human history (Isaiah 24-27). God is working behind the scenes, orchestrating events to the triumphant outcome He planned for the end of time. He will judge and punish the wicked and the proud (Isaiah 24:16-23; 25:10-12), but will bless those who humble themselves and trust in Him (Isaiah 25:1-8). Isaiah 26 is a ‘song’ of praise celebrating the salvation and blessings God will bestow on those who trust, obey, and honor Him (Isaiah 26:7-9).

 

‘KNOWING’ GOD
We can’t trust someone we don’t know, and there is only one way to know God—through His Word, the Bible. There is no magic formula to make us spiritual giants overnight, no mystical prayer to pray three times a day to mature us, build our faith, and make us ‘towers’ of strength and confidence.

There is only the Bible (Sola Scriptura), the single source of power that will change one’s lives from the inside out. BUT it takes diligent, everyday effort, to even start to know the God who controls everything. However, if we ‘drink’ deeply of His Word and let it fill our minds and hearts, the sovereignty of God will become clear to us, and they will rejoice in it because one will know intimately and trust completely the God who controls all things for His perfect purpose.

 

Sadly, it is possible for a husband to live with his wife for 50 years, eat at the same table, and share the same routine every day but never ‘really’ understand her. In the same way, one can attend church and read books about God without ‘truly’ knowing Him. We get to know God by spending time in His presence and reading what He has revealed about Himself in His Word.

[ FYI: For more details about the “presence” of God, view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/presence-withdrawn-v257/ ].

 

Getting to know God isn’t something that happens automatically. It comes through spending time with Him and a lifelong ‘journey’. The Apostle Paul put it this way:

“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

“Straining Toward the Goal
“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” [ Philippians 3:8-14 ].

 

THE BIBLE IS ‘CONVICTING’
The Bible is VERY different from any other book you read. One reads other books but this book ‘READS YOU, because it is ‘alive’!

Again, I like what Presbyterian minister E. Paul Hovey said about this: “[People] do not reject the Bible because it contradicts itself but because it contradicts them.” The Bible judges the thoughts and intentions of the ‘heart’. It is a ‘convicting’ book (“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword” – Hebrews 4:12).

 

THE ‘PROMISES’ OF GOD
The Bible is full of God’s promises and reminders that He is faithful. Take encouragement from the truth that God is ‘with’ the believer!

God keeps promises because He is good and faithful. He keeps promises because there are never circumstances beyond His control, never situations He did not foresee.

The absolute security of the promises of God is like an anchor for our souls in times of trouble (Hebrews 6:19). This anchor produces hope that holds us fast and sure as the waves of life toss us about. We may get a little seasick, but we won’t drift away in the current. We won’t sink in the waves.

This year has been filled with hardship and heartache. But whatever you’re facing today, God knows and He is able. You can trust in His presence and hold fast to His promises. Find comfort and peace today in His Word.

God DOES NOT break promises… Period! God PROMISES to help those who desire His help (Philippians 4:19).

 

The following Scriptures are just a sample of the many promises God makes in HIs Word, for the believer:

God will be present with you (Isaiah 43:1-2):
God does not promise His people that we won’t go through trouble. But He does promise He will go through it by their side.

God will provide for your needs (Matthew 6:25-33):
Jesus assured us that the Father knows our every need and will meet it. Sometimes His provision doesn’t look exactly like what we expected. So, although we cannot trust in a specific provision, we can trust in our divine Provider.

God loves you (Romans 8:39):
No matter the quality of your other relationships, as a child of God, we can always depend on our heavenly Father’s love for us.

God will ease your fears (Psalm 34:1-7):
God is greater than anything that can hurt or harm us. He can deliver us from trouble and whatever He does allow into our lives He will deliver through it, even if it’s all the way to glory. We have no need to fear what today or tomorrow holds because God holds us.

God will trade His peace for our anxiety (Philippians 4:4-10):
When we bring our anxious thoughts to God and meditate on His good things, He will trade our anxiety for His peace.

God will give you soul rest (Matthew 11:28-30):
This world gives us lots of burdens to carry. But God invites us to lay them down and experience His rest.

God gives us spiritual protection (1 Peter 1:3-5):
When we enter into a saving relationship with Jesus, we never have to wonder if we will “get to heaven.” God spiritually shields and protects those who belong to Him.

God will always provide a way to say no to temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13):
We do not have to give in to temptation. God promises to show us a way out and the strength to say, “No.”

God gives contentment in any situation (Philippians 4:10-13):
No matter our physical circumstances—plenty or need—Jesus will give us the strength to be content.

God will make all things right (Revelation 21:1-4):
At the end of history, when Jesus comes again, God will abolish all sin, grief, death, and mourning!

 

THE ‘KINGDOM’ OF GOD
Jesus said, “But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” [ Matthews 6:33]. This is one of the MOST IMPORTANT things He said to His disciples!

[ FYI: For more details about the importance of the “Kingdom of God,” view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/kingdoms-past-present-and-future-v262/ ].

 

To emphasize this, Jesus makes this REALLY IMPORTANT since He makes it the first ‘concept’ He mentions in the “Lord’s Prayer” [ for me, the “Disciple’s Prayer” ], when praying to God: “Your Kingdom come. Your will be done. On earth as it is in Heaven” (Matthew 6:10). This is praying for a day when God will bring Heaven to earth and will bring His rule on this planet. God still has a plan for planet Earth. He will rule and reign here, and His ‘children’ will rule and reign with Him!

When we TRUST and seek the Kingdom of God, we are also praying for the rule and reign of the Kingdom of God in our lives. This is when Jesus is in charge. On one occasion Jesus said, “For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21), where He was speaking of Himself. When you are under His lordship, and when He is in control of your life, that is the Kingdom of God. It is not rules and regulations, but “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). Here are some Scriptures to help you understand this:

“But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” [ Matthew 6:33 ].

“Jesus answered, ‘My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my Kingdom is not from the world’” [ John 18:36 ].

“And saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel’” [ Mark 1:15 ].

“Being asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The Kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the Kingdom of God is in the midst of you” [ Luke 17:20-21 ].

“From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” [ Matthew 4:17 ].

“Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in Heaven, saying, “The Kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever” [Revelation 11:15 ].

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” [ Matthew 5:3 ].

“Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God” [ John 3:3 ].

“The Lord has established His throne in the Heavens, and His Kingdom rules over all” [ Psalm 103:19 ].

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” [ Matthew 5:10 ].

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven” [ Matthew 7:21 ].

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” [ Revelation 21:1-4 ].

 

‘ASK, SEEK, KNOCK’
If you already believe the Bible is God’s ‘message’ to humanity, GREAT!—continue to delve the ‘depths’ of His character.

HOWEVER, if you still don’t TRUST that the Bible is the ‘inspired’ communication directly from the God that created the universe, then let me strongly encourage you ASK, SEEK, and ‘KNOCK’ (Matthew 7:7). IF you are honesty desiring to TRUST God’s ‘book’—and therefore God Himself—He WILL give you His attention and ‘hear’ what you are asking, He WILL allow you to ‘find’ Him when you seek Him, and WILL open the ‘door’ for you to ‘find’ Him to develop a relationship with Him and, HOPEFULLY, then become one of His ‘children’! “Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long” [ Psalm 25:4-5 ]. Be like the boy’s father that was pleading for Jesus to heal his son’s convulsions, “I do believe; help my unbelief!” [ Mark 9:24b ].

 

100% TRUST
As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, sadly, most people don’t trust others, and there are lots of reasons why. However, on the other hand, it seems that people trust ‘inanimate’ things sometimes more than they do people—like cars, traffic lights, airplanes, buildings, tables, chairs, stove/oven, computers, electricity, plumbing, medicine, food, and MANY other items that they use every day—and some that they trust 100% without having absolute knowledge of their veracity!

So, some people say that those are things that they can see and touch. Well, we can’t see or touch gravity, and it literally keeps us ‘grounded’, day in and day out, without us having to think a single thought about it. We can’t see or touch air, but we have 100% TRUST in it that it is going to keep us alive, moment to moment!

 

That’s kind of like the trust one needs to put in God. We can’t see or touch Him, but there are MANY other things that ‘point’ to His existence and care for humanity.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, “General Revelation” is God’s way of ‘revealing’ Himself through nature (creation) and conscience (humanity). This tells everyone in the world some of who God is: that He exists, that He is good, and that He is powerful (Romans 1:19-20).

Then, there is “Special Revelation,” that is not available to everyone—only to the ‘believer’. Special Revelation discloses God’s plan of redemption. It is God’s intervention to make His will and knowledge available that would not otherwise be available through General Revelation. The primary purpose of Special Revelation is to impart the knowledge and understanding of Jesus Christ, salvation, and the atonement—an explicit knowledge of Jesus and His Gospel—primarily given to humanity through the Scriptures.

 

So, all that to say that God IS Someone you CAN TRUST, ONE HUNDRED PERCENT!

I began this post with the team-building exercise called the “Trust Fall,” in which a person deliberately falls, trusting the members of a group (spotters) to catch them. Let me then suggest that you ‘trust fall’ into God’s ‘arms’. The Bible GUARANTEES that He WILL ‘CATCH’ YOU! “Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD will uphold them by His hand” [ Psalm 37:24 ].

 

SO, my prayer for EVERYONE is that you will be able to genuinely say someday, “In you, Lord my God, I put my trust” [ Psalm 25:1 ].

 

[ Excerpts by: Webster’s Dictionary; Gretchen Hydo; Joseph Luella III; Cynthia Bazin; Frank Sonnenberg; Joseph Luella III; Paul Thagard Ph.D.; Greg Outlaw; Simon Lawson; John MacArthur; R. Kent Hughes; Kathy Howard; Kevin DeYoung; Sarah E. Brown ]

 

>>> SUMMARIZATION OF POST <<<

A “Trust Fall” is a team-building exercise in which a person deliberately falls, trusting the members of a group (spotters) to catch them. The main goal of this is to affirm the TRUST of the falling person in the person(s) that is/are ‘catching’ them.

WHAT IS ‘TRUST’?
Webster’s dictionary defines “trust” with the following variations:

– Assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something (assurance)
– Commit or place in one’s care or keeping (entrust)
– Place confidence in (reliance)
– To rely on the truthfulness or accuracy of (belief)
– Dependence on something future or contingent (dependence)
The thing is, sadly, most people don’t trust others. There are lots of reasons why we don’t trust people, and they often relate to bad experiences we’ve had. We live at a time where trust levels are at an all-time low.

The thing is, sadly, most people don’t trust others. There are lots of reasons why we don’t trust people, and they often relate to bad experiences we’ve had. We live at a time where trust levels are at an all-time low.

A hundred years ago, it was said that, “a man’s word was his bond,” but this is no longer the case. Today though, politicians lie, car salespeople try to sell us ‘junk’ at high prices, advertisers deceive us with offers and sales that aren’t genuine, and companies mislead us about their products and services (statistics are manipulated, and photographs are either faked or at least ‘airbrushed’).

One can’t trust everything they read on the Internet, Social Media ‘platforms’ and journalists ‘shade’ the truth for political gain, and we can’t even trust the “fact-checkers” who check those facts! Even our friends and family members are untrustworthy from time to time.

‘TRUSTING’ IN GOD
So, I get it that one might have to be ‘apprehensive’ about trusting another human, especially if they just met them. But, shouldn’t we all trust God, since He is purported to be ALL of the aspects I just discussed, and MORE?!

So, since ‘communication’ was one of the really important traits of developing trust or a ‘relationship’ with other people, we usually don’t trust someone until we ‘know’ them—and that takes time and ‘directed’ communications.

Well, God ‘communicates’ with humanity in two primary ways—through “general” and “special” revelations.

GENERAL REVELATION
General Revelation is just that: general, available to people everywhere. The Bible speaks of God as revealing Himself through nature and conscience (Psalm 19:1; Romans 2:15). This tells everyone in the world some of who God is: that He exists, that He is good, and that He is powerful (Romans 1:19-20).

SPECIAL REVELATION
Special revelation, on the other hand, is not available to everyone. It that sense, it is not general information, but its content is more specific. Special Revelation discloses God’s plan of redemption.

‘EVIDENCE’ FOR THE BIBLE BEING TRUSTWORTHY
The Bible claims that even though it was written by human authors, it was ‘inspired’ by God. Many people are ‘skeptical’ about the Bible being translated correctly over all these years, and then how could it be “God’s” ‘word’ if it was written by humans.

“Inspired” means that the writings were ‘initiated’ and ‘controlled’ by God Himself, in a supernatural way: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” [ 2 Timothy 3:16 ].
UNITY AMID GREAT DIVERSITY
The amazing unity of the Bible is one ‘factor’ that should merit one’s trust. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible tells a single story: the rescue of mankind from sin through the death of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament presents Him as the hope of mankind, and the New Testament shows Him to be the fulfillment of that hope.

PROPHECY >>> FULFILLMENT [ Chart ]

HOW WAS THE BIBLE ‘CREATED’?
So, what determined which books belong in the Bible? How did we end up with 39 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament? These questions are answered in a discussion of the “Canon of Scripture” (The word canon means “a measuring device” or “a standard”).

Out of the many religious writings that were being circulated at the time (393-397 AD), only 66 books were accepted as ‘inspired’ by God. While some were recognized immediately as authentic, it took some time for others to be endorsed as Scripture. Throughout the process, however, the canon of Scripture was being determined by God, not by man.

STILL ‘SKEPTICAL’?
Trying to prove his wife wrong for her recent belief in Jesus as her Savior (in the late 1970s), award-winning investigative journalist for the Chicago Tribune (with a Master of Studies in Law degree from Yale Law School) Lee Strobel did a thorough investigation for the truthfulness of the New Testament that “spanned more than 600 days and countless hours.”

‘DOUBT’ THE BIBLE?
Now, even after considering all those ‘proofs’ (and there are many more—see the “Resources” area), many people STILL DOUBT that the Bible is God’s ‘message’ to humanity.

‘DOUBTING’ THOMAS
Well, if that’s you, you are in good ‘company’. One of Jesus’ ‘inner circle’ disciples (one of the “Twelve”), Thomas, doubted the story that his fellow inner circle disciples told him about Jesus’ resurrection (which is kind of a ‘big’ thing to ’swallow’).

After His resurrection, Jesus appears to some of the disciples, but Thomas was not with them at that first time. “So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord!’ But he [ Thomas ] said to them, ‘Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it’” [ John 20:25 ].

TRUSTING ‘IN’ GOD
Trusting God can be tough, especially with levels of trust already low, we are bombarded with negative news about politicians, salespeople, pastors and doctors, among countless others. This only serves to undermine our ability to trust anyone, even God. Is it any wonder that ours is probably the least trusting generation that has ever lived? Our trust in people is constantly put to the test.

Now, I believe that trusting God is one of the BIGGEST CHALLENGES for an unbeliever, and even for a Christian. Often one won’t trust God enough to ‘submit’ to Him, ‘obey’ His Word, or do what He has specifically told them to do. In short, they don’t trust Him at all!

TRUSTING GOD IN HIS ‘ACTIONS’
GOD ‘SUSTAINS’
The Bible teaches that God not only created the universe, but that He upholds and sustains it day by day and hour by hour: “The Son is… sustaining all things by His powerful word” (Hebrews 1:3), and “in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17).

GOD’S ‘PROVISION’
As children under His care, believers must walk by faith, trusting that He will provide what we need for our daily sustenance, both physically and spiritually.

GOD’S ‘GOVERNANCE’
The Bible also teaches that God governs the universe, not only inanimate creation, but also the actions of all creatures, both men and animals. He is called the Ruler of all things (1 Chronicles 29:12), the blessed and only Ruler (1 Timothy 6:15), and the One who knows when every sparrow falls to the ground (Matthew 10:29).

GOD’S ‘SOVEREIGNTY’
No one can act outside of God’s sovereign will or against it. Centuries ago, St. Augustine said, “Nothing, therefore, happens unless the Omnipotent wills it to happen: he either permits it to happen, or he brings it about himself.” Historian and clergyman Philip Hughes said, “Under God, however, all things are without exception fully controlled-despite all appearances to the contrary.” Nothing is too large or small to escape God’s governing ‘hand’. The spider building its web in the corner and Napoleon marching his army across Europe are both under God’s control.

TRUSTING GOD BECAUSE OF HIS ‘FULFILLED’ PROMISES
The way some people use the term, a “promise” is nothing more than a good intention easily discarded. Like the proverbial saying goes, “Promises are made to be broken.” BUT, when God makes a promise, it’s backed with more than just good intentions and wishful thinking. He is giving us his absolutely trustworthy word. “The LORD is trustworthy in all He promises and faithful in all He does” (Psalm 145:13). Everything God has spoken, every announcement, every message, is a promise based on His perfect, good, and trustworthy character.

GOD’S PROMISES TO ‘ALL’ PEOPLE
If you want to stand on God’s promises, you need to be sure you are on solid ‘footing’. Our spiritual lives must be ‘founded’ on what God has said, not merely on what we wish He had said or what we think He might have said. We need to be sure we are not misquoting God when we claim a biblical promise for ourselves.

GOD’S PROMISES TO ONLY ‘BELIEVERS’
God’s promises both conditional and unconditional are numerous. He equips the believers with all they need to live on earth as His beloved creatures. He promises to provide power for living (Ephesians 3:20) and strength to do his will (Philippians 4:13) by giving us spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12). He will not only provide for their physical needs, He will give them mercy and grace in times of need (Hebrews 4:16), and all they need to live for Him (2 Peter 1:3-4). He promises to give them wisdom when they are tested (James 1:5), as well as a way to defeat temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13) when it ‘crops up’. He will free them from sin’s grip (Romans 6:22), and provide the ability to make Satan flee (James 4:7). He will also forgive their sins (1 John 1:9), and give them peace of mind (Philippians 4:7).

OUR ‘EXPECTATIONS’
At times, the believer may fall into the ‘trap’ of thinking that God will keep His promises in the way THEY expect—expecting Him to change their external circumstances and environment when what He really wants them to see is that His promises might just be fulfilled through ‘inner’ changes in them.

ONE’S ‘RESPONSE’
So, how should one respond to the fact that God is able to and does, in fact, ‘move’ in the minds and ‘hearts’ of people to accomplish His will? Well, the believer’s first response should be one of TRUST. Their careers and destinies are in His hands, not the hands of bosses a commanding officers, professors, coaches, and all other people who humanly speaking, are in a position to affect their futures. No one can harm them or jeopardize their future apart from the sovereign will of God. Moreover, God is able to and will grant them ‘favor’ in the eyes of people who are in a position to do them good. They CAN entrust their future to God.

GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY and OUR RESPONSIBILITY
God’s sovereignty does not negate our responsibility to act prudently. When Nehemiah was leading the effort to rebuild the security wall around the city of Jerusalem, he wrote, “But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat” (Nehemiah 4:9).

‘CHOOSING’ TO TRUST GOD
“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” [ Psalm 56:3-4 ].

Primary school teacher and hymnist Margaret Clarkson once said, “Always it is initiated by an act of will on our part; we set ourselves to believe in the overruling goodness, providence, and sovereignty of God and refuse to turn aside no matter what may come, no matter how we feel.”

Trusting God is first of all a matter of the will—a matter of knowledge. So, if we are to trust God, we must ‘choose’ to believe His truth. We must say, “I will trust You though I do not ‘feel’ like doing so.”

TRUSTING GOD FOR ‘GUIDANCE’
The realization that God has ‘ordained’ the believer’s days (“He leads me beside quiet waters… He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake” – Psalm 23:2-3) should be ‘COMFORTING’.

‘SURRENDER’
The whole Bible makes it clear that God promises are to be found ONLY BY THOSE who are willing to ‘SURRENDER’ to Him.

This important condition of surrender is what Jesus taught when He said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). He said this immediately after saying, “Blessed are the poor in spirit… Blessed are those who mourn… Blessed are the meek… Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness… Blessed are the merciful” (Matthew:3-7).

‘CHILDLIKE’ TRUST
One distinguishing mark of the early Christians was their childlike, literal obedience to the teachings of Jesus and the apostles. They didn’t ‘feel’ they had to understand the reason for a commandment before they would obey it. They just trusted that God’s way was always the best way. Theologian Clement of Alexandria asked, “Who then is so irreverent as to disbelieve God, and to demand explanations from God as from men?” They trusted God because they lived in awe of His majesty and wisdom.

‘DEPENDENCE’
Another area of our lives that God must continually be at work on is our tendency to rely on ourselves instead of on Him. Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing” [ John 15:5 ]. Apart from our ‘union’ with Jesus and a total reliance upon Him, we can do nothing that glorifies God. We live in a world that worships independence and self-reliance. “I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul” is the motto of society around us. Because of our own sinful nature, we can easily fall into the world’s pattern of thinking. We tend to rely on our knowledge of Scripture, our own business acumen, our ministry experience, and even our goodness and morality.

GOD ‘IS’ TRUSTWORTHY
The whole idea of trusting God is, of course, based upon the fact that He ‘IS’ absolutely trustworthy. That is why it is crucial to read the Bible, since it is the ‘primary’ source for who God is. One must be firmly grounded in Scriptural truths if they are ever going to trust Him.

One must also lay hold of those great promises of His constant care for us. Five times in the Bible God emphasized that He will not ‘forsake’ His ‘children’. He wants them to firmly grasp the truth that whatever circumstances may indicate, believing on the basis of His promise, and that He WILL NOT leave them to the mercy of those circumstances.

CAN ‘YOU’ TRUST GOD?
So, now this is really ‘personal’. Can ‘YOU’ trust God? Hopefully, you can answer “Yes” now after the evidence I have provided!

God IS ‘TRUSTWORTHY’ so, you CAN TRUST Him! He promises never to fail the believer nor forsake them!

SO then, have YOU trusted God? If not, to grow in your ability to trust God, you must first lay a solid ‘foundation’ of a daily personal relationship with Him—by reading His ‘love letter’ to you, the Bible. Only as you know Him intimately and seek to obey Him completely, will you be able to establish a trust relationship with Him that could possibly conclude in you becoming a ‘CHILD’ of God!

TRUSTING IN THE ‘KINGDOM’
So, when one trusts God and His Word to them, the Bible discloses what His ‘Kingdom’ is all about—and how He is ‘recovering’ His original perfect Kingdom (Eden) to ‘remake’ it as His eternal Kingdom for His ‘children’ (“born aging humanity).

‘RECEIVING’ THE KINGDOM
Jesus talks about our ‘receiving’ the Kingdom of God. It’s not our ‘achieving’ it, ‘making it happen’ on earth, or our exercising any kind of strenuous effort to ‘enter’ it. It is fundamentally a ‘GIFT’, something that God ‘gives’ because of His great love for the world (John 3:16). ONE’S active trust is how they become Kingdom citizens. They come admitting that they have nothing to give to God, and they depend fully and completely on His unmerited favor.

Like a “child,” Jesus is calling people to utter dependence on Him as the way into His Kingdom, relying completely on His mercy for their salvation and, indeed, for our every need. ONLY by admitting this can they become a part of the Kingdom of God!

GOD ‘CAN’ BE TRUSTED!
PERSONALLY, (like Lee Strobel) I tried to prove all this to be wrong in the 1990s. A little background might help you understand this.

WRAP-UP
We were ‘created’ to trust God. He wants us to trust Him deeply and unswervingly. In fact, I would suggest that God’s desire is for us to have a wonderful, childlike faith, following the example of the little boy who offered his lunch (five loaves and two fishes) to Jesus (Matthew 14:13-21). The boy’s obedience provided the catalyst for a major miracle. Who knows what your simple trust and obedience might produce?

In spite of your poor experiences and the untrustworthy people you have encountered, let me encourage you to place your trust in God. He WILL NEVER, ever let you down! (Hebrews 13:5).

You can trust God because He is the truth, and His Word is the truth. He is totally consistent in all He does, and He has a GREAT ‘TRACK RECORD’ (100%). What He has said, He has (or will) do! “The Lord is trustworthy in all He promises and faithful in all he does” [ Psalm 145:13c ]. What He declares will come to pass. His Word will never return empty or fail to accomplish His purposes (Isaiah 55:11).

T.R.U.S.T.
There could be many acronyms I could come up with for “T.R.U.S.T.,” but in my ‘travels’ on the Internet, I found a little devotional by Sarah E. Brown that I thought would present a different viewpoint than mine on this—and I like it. Even though he primarily used the acronym “T.R.U.S.T.”, she supplemented it with “A Command. A Commitment.”:

WORTHY OF YOUR ‘CONSIDERATION’?
No one can ‘prove’, beyond a shadow of doubt, that the Bible is worthy of your true and belief any more than one can ‘prove’ that love is real or that justice is better than injustice. BUT, hopefully, after weighing some of the evidence presented in this post that you can confidently that think that the evidence is COMPELLING—worthy of your continued investigation.

‘KNOWING’ GOD
We can’t trust someone we don’t know, and there is only one way to know God—through His Word, the Bible. There is no magic formula to make us spiritual giants overnight, no mystical prayer to pray three times a day to mature us, build our faith, and make us ‘towers’ of strength and confidence.

There is only the Bible (Sola Scriptura), the single source of power that will change one’s lives from the inside out. BUT it takes diligent, everyday effort, to even start to know the God who controls everything. However, if we ‘drink’ deeply of His Word and let it fill our minds and hearts, the sovereignty of God will become clear to us, and they will rejoice in it because one will know intimately and trust completely the God who controls all things for His perfect purpose.

THE BIBLE IS ‘CONVICTING’
The Bible is VERY different from any other book you read. One reads other books but this book ‘READS YOU, because it is ‘alive’!

Again, I like what Presbyterian minister E. Paul Hovey said about this: “[People] do not reject the Bible because it contradicts itself but because it contradicts them.” The Bible judges the thoughts and intentions of the ‘heart’. It is a ‘convicting’ book (“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword” – Hebrews 4:12).

THE ‘PROMISES’ OF GOD
The Bible is full of God’s promises and reminders that He is faithful. Take encouragement from the truth that God is ‘with’ the believer!

God keeps promises because He is good and faithful. He keeps promises because there are never circumstances beyond His control, never situations He did not foresee.

The absolute security of the promises of God is like an anchor for our souls in times of trouble (Hebrews 6:19). This anchor produces hope that holds us fast and sure as the waves of life toss us about. We may get a little seasick, but we won’t drift away in the current. We won’t sink in the waves.

THE ‘KINGDOM’ OF GOD
Jesus said, “But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” [ Matthews 6:33]. This is one of the MOST IMPORTANT things He said to His disciples!

‘ASK, SEEK, KNOCK’
If you already believe the Bible is God’s ‘message’ to humanity, GREAT!—continue to delve the ‘depths’ of His character.

HOWEVER, if you still don’t TRUST that the Bible is the ‘inspired’ communication directly from the God that created the universe, then let me strongly encourage you ASK, SEEK, and ‘KNOCK’ (Matthew 7:7). IF you are honesty desiring to TRUST God’s ‘book’—and therefore God Himself—He WILL give you His attention and ‘hear’ what you are asking, He WILL allow you to ‘find’ Him when you seek Him, and WILL open the ‘door’ for you to ‘find’ Him to develop a relationship with Him and, HOPEFULLY, then become one of His ‘children’! “Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long” [ Psalm 25:4-5 ]. Be like the boy’s father that was pleading for Jesus to heal his son’s convulsions, “I do believe; help my unbelief!” [ Mark 9:24b ].

100% TRUST
As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, sadly, most people don’t trust others, and there’s lots of reasons why. However, on the other hand, it seems that people trust ‘inanimate’ things sometimes more than they do people—like cars, traffic lights, airplanes, buildings, tables, chairs, stove/oven, computers, electricity, plumbing, medicine, food, and MANY other items that they use every day—and some that they trust 100% without having absolute knowledge of their veracity!

So, some people say that those are things that they can see and touch. Well, we can’t see or touch gravity, and it literally keeps us ‘grounded’, day in and day out, without us having to think a single thought about it. We can’t see or touch air, but we have 100% TRUST in it that it is going to keep us alive, moment to moment!

So, all that to say that God IS Someone you CAN TRUST, ONE HUNDRED PERCENT!

I began this post with the team-building exercise called the “Trust Fall,” in which a person deliberately falls, trusting the members of a group (spotters) to catch them. Let me then suggest that you ‘trust fall’ into God’s ‘arms’. The Bible GUARANTEES that He WILL ‘CATCH’ YOU! “Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD will uphold them by His hand” [ Psalm 37:24 ].

SO, my prayer for EVERYONE is that you will be able to genuinely say someday, “In you, Lord my God, I put my trust” [ Psalm 25:1 ].

>>> END OF SUMMARIZATION <<<

 

RELATED POSTS:

“Love ‘Letter’”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/love-letter-v258/

“‘Who’ Can You Trust?”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/who-can-you-trust-v194/

“‘Trusted’ Prophecies”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/trusted-prophecies-v167

“The ‘EVENT’”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/the-event-v140/

“What’s ‘Spirituality’ About?”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/apr-08-v110/

“Bible “Cliff Notes””:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/aug-06-v90/

“God Didn’t ‘Say’ That”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/jun-06-v88/

“Are You ‘Spiritual’?”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/sep-05-v79/

“Miracles or Magic?”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/sep-01-v31/

 

‘PRAYER’ OF REPENTANCE
In the Bible, there is a parable that Jesus told about a Pharisee and a tax collector praying in the Temple. He notes that the tax collector didn’t even dare to lift his eyes toward Heaven as he prayed. Instead he “beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner’”—and Jesus said that the tax collector “went home justified,” he had been “born again” and ‘reconciled’ by God. (Luke 18:9-14).

If you are ‘sensing’ something like that right now, let me strongly encourage you to HUMBLE YOURSELF, CRY OUT to God, and PLEAD for Him to mercifully ‘SAVE’ YOU! None of us have a ‘claim’ on our salvation, nor do we have any ‘works’ that would cause us to deserve it or earn it—it is purely a gift of Divine grace—and all any of us can do is ask. So, CONFESS YOUR SINS and acknowledge to God that you have no hope for Heaven apart from what He provides through Jesus.

There is no ‘formula’ or certain words for this. So just talk to God, in your own words—He knows your ‘heart’. If you are genuinely sincere, and God does respond to your plea, one will usually have a sense of joy and peace.

Jesus said, “He that comes to Me, I will not cast out” [ John 6:37 ].

[ FYI: This is a great sermon on the “Call to Repentance” by John MacArthur from his book “The Gospel According to Jesus”: https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/90-22/the-call-to-repentance
(Transcript: http://www.spiritedesign.com/TheCallToRepentance-JohnMacArthur(Jul-27-2019).pdf) ].

[ NOTE: If you have ‘tasted the kindness of the Lord’, please e-mail me—I would love to CELEBRATE with you, and help you get started on your ‘journey’ with Jesus! ].

 

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“Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything”
by Stephen M .R. Covey, Stephen R. Covey, and Rebecca R. Merrill

Stephen M. R. Covey shows how trust—and the speed at which it is established with clients, employees, and all stakeholders—is the single most critical component of a successful leader and organization.

Stephen M. R. Covey, widely known as one of the world’s leading authorities on trust, asserts that it is “the most overlooked, misunderstood, underutilized asset to enable performance. Its impact, for good or bad, is dramatic and pervasive. It’s something you can’t escape.” Thankfully, it’s is also the thing that can dramatically improve your personal and professional success.

Why trust? The simple, often overlooked fact is this: work gets done with and through people. The Speed of Trust offers an unprecedented and eminently practical look at exactly how trust functions in every transaction and every relationship—from the most personal to the broadest, most indirect interaction. It specifically demonstrates how to establish trust intentionally so that you and your organization can forego the time-killing, bureaucratic check-and-balance processes that is so often deployed in lieu of actual trust.

This 2018 updated edition includes an insightful afterword by the author which explores ten key reasons why trust is more relevant now than ever before—including how trust is the new currency of our world today.

https://www.amazon.com/SPEED-TRUST-Thing-Changes-Everything/dp/1416549005/

—————-
“Conversational Intelligence: How Great Leaders Build Trust and Get Extraordinary Results”
By: Judith E. Glaser

The key to success in life and business is to become a master at Conversational Intelligence. It’s not about how smart you are, but how open you are to learn new and effective powerful conversational rituals that prime the brain for trust, partnership, and mutual success. Conversational Intelligence translates the wealth of new insights coming out of neuroscience from across the globe, and brings the science down to earth so people can understand and apply it in their everyday lives. Author Judith Glaser presents a framework for knowing what kind of conversations trigger the lower, more primitive brain; and what activates higher-level intelligences such as trust, integrity, empathy, and good judgment. Conversational Intelligence makes complex scientific material simple to understand and apply through a wealth of easy to use tools, examples, conversational rituals, and practices for all levels of an organization.

https://www.amazon.com/Conversational-Intelligence-Leaders-Extraordinary-Results/dp/1629561436/

—————-
“Twitter Culture: On the Trustworthiness of Tweets”
By: Carolyn DeCarlo

As the use of social media has become more pervasive across all segments of the population, social media platforms have become the primary way many of us get our information, not only about our family and friends but about worldwide news and events. How reliable is this information? This book discusses the origins of Twitter and its development as a news source, as well as its darker turn as a source of misinformation and propaganda. Includes a glossary and references.

https://www.amazon.com/Twitter-Culture-Trustworthiness-Critical-Thinking/dp/197850473X/

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“Evidence That Demands a Verdict: Life-Changing Truth for a Skeptical World”
By: Josh McDowell and Sean McDowell

Equip yourself to present and defend the claims of the Christian faith.

The truth of the Bible doesn’t change, but its critics do. Now with his son Sean McDowell, Josh McDowell has updated and expanded the modern apologetics classic for a new generation. Evidence That Demands a Verdict provides expansive defense of Christianity’s core truths and thoughtful responses to the Bible’s most difficult and extraordinary passages. It invites readers to bring their doubts and doesn’t shy away from the tough questions.

Topics and questions are covered in four parts:

– Evidence for the Bible
– Evidence for Jesus
– Evidence for the Old Testament
– Evidence for Truth

Serving as a go-to reference for even the toughest questions, Evidence that Demands a Verdict continues to encourage and strengthen millions by providing Christians the answers they need to defend their faith against the harshest critics and skeptics.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1401676707/

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“Can I Trust the Bible?”
By: R.C. Sproul

What is the Bible? Can we really trust it? Many people today assume that the Bible is full of errors and contradictions. At best, it is a mildly interesting look at the lives and beliefs of people who lived centuries ago.

In this booklet, Dr. R.C. Sproul shows that these common assumptions are wrong. The Bible is the Word of God, and therefore it is trustworthy, authoritative, and without error. What it says is of life-changing importance and should not be neglected by anyone. We can always trust what God reveals about Himself in His Word.

The Crucial Questions booklet series by Dr. R.C. Sproul offers succinct answers to important questions often asked by Christians and thoughtful inquirers.”

https://www.amazon.com/Can-Trust-Bible-Crucial-Questions/dp/1642890375

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“Skeptics Answered”
By: D. James Kennedy

D. James Kennedy takes on some of the most-asked questions regarding the validity of the Christian faith in Skeptics Answered

In clear, unassuming language, Dr. Kennedy examines the reliability of the Bible, the nature of God, and Christian faith in the face of life’s harsh realities. Skeptics Answered uses factual, well-reasoned arguments to affirm the faith of Christians everywhere. Ideal for both personal and group study, it makes an excellent gift for any non-believer who, as a matter of intellectual integrity, is willing to consider the clear evidence for the Christian faith.

https://www.amazon.com/Skeptics-Answered-Dr-James-Kennedy/dp/1590526597/

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“Why I Believe”
By: D. James Kennedy

In this powerful declaration of what Christians believe and why, Kennedy explores the foundations of the Christian faith. For new believers and seasoned Christians alike, this book will strengthen their faith by answering that all consuming question, “Why?”

https://www.amazon.com/Why-Believe-D-James-Kennedy/dp/0849937396/

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“Trusting God”
By: Jerry Bridges

Why is it easier to obey God than to trust Him?
Because obeying God makes sense to us. In most cases, His laws appear reasonable and wise, and even when we don’t want to obey them, we usually concede that they are good for us. But the circumstances we find ourselves in often defy explanation. Before long, we begin to doubt God’s concern for us or His control over our lives. We ask, “Why is God allowing this?” or “What have I done wrong?”

During such a time of adversity, Jerry Bridges began a thorough Bible study on the topic of God’s sovereignty. What he learned changed his life, and in Trusting God he shares the fruit of that study. As you explore the scope of God’s power over nations, nature, and even the details of your life, you’ll find yourself trusting Him more completely―even when life hurts.

https://www.amazon.com/Trusting-God-Jerry-Bridges/dp/1631467921

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“Taking God At His Word: Why the Bible Is Knowable, Necessary, and Enough, and What That Means for You and Me”
By: Kevin DeYoung

Can we trust the Bible completely? Is it sufficient for our complicated lives? Can we really know what it teaches?
With his characteristic wit and clarity, award-winning author Kevin DeYoung has written an accessible introduction to the Bible that answers important questions raised by both Christians and non-Christians. This book will help you understand what the Bible says about itself and encourage you to read and believe what it says―confident that it truly is God’s Word.
https://www.amazon.com/Taking-God-His-Word-Paperback/dp/1433551039

[ NOTE: This book has a fantastic appendix that list 30 of the best books about the Bible ].

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“Keep Calm and Trust God”
By: Jake and Keith Provance

Bestsellers Keep Calm and Trust God and Keep Calm and Trust God, Volume 2 are now combined together in a beautiful hardcover gift edition. Life gets in the way and robs us of our joy. It stresses us out and we get caught up in what s going on. We need a gentle reminder to refocus and stay calm in the midst of adverse circumstance. This gift edition is designed to minister to readers when facing issues such as anxiety, worry, fear, and failures and then it encourages them to find love, hope, peace, joy, courage and faith. It is arranged by topic to offer short stories, prayers, scripture and poems on whatever situation you may be facing. With an attractive cover, this edition is a welcome gift for friends and family.

https://www.amazon.com/Keep-Calm-Trust-Hardcover-Gift/dp/1939570794/

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“You Can Trust God to Write Your Story: Embracing the Mysteries of Providence”
By: Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth and Robert D Wolgemuth

WHAT’S GOD DOING IN YOUR STORY?

Our kids beg us for stories at bedtime or while we drive; we gather around firepits and dinner tables to tell and retell our favorite tales—the more dramatic the better. But when it comes to our actual lives, we prefer something less sensational, even boring—sunny skies and smooth sailing, please and thank you. We want our own stories to be predictable, safe, controllable, and catastrophe-free.

When plans fall apart, jobs are lost, kids wander off, doctors give bad reports, we often wonder, “What are you doing, God? Are you sure you have this under control? It doesn’t really seem like it right now.”

God is the master Storyteller. He’s writing your story and it’s a part of His bigger, grander, eternal Story. But we’re still in the middle. We haven’t gotten to the happy ending yet, and it can be hard to trust Him in the thick of our struggles. That’s why Robert and Nancy share their own story, friends’ stories, and the stories of people in the Bible who have faced life-altering challenges, but, in the end, have found God to be faithful. Learn why you really can trust God to write your story—no matter what plot twists you may encounter along the way.

“This is a unique and charming book, integrating stories of God’s providence from His people and His Word. Nancy and Robert write personally and beautifully, infusing readers with a Christ-centered vision, hope, and trust for the future.”

-Randy Alcorn, author of Heaven, Giving is the Good Life, and Deception

“You Can Trust God to Write Your Story is an amazing book whose title says it all. For if you are a follower of Jesus, every day of your life—whether you feel like it or not—is weighted with kingdom purpose, eternal significance, and a royal destiny filled with joy and contentment. Let my dear friends, Robert and Nancy, help you embrace the mysteries of the Lord’s Providence. For when it comes to happy endings, you can’t find a better Author than the God of the Bible. Happy endings are His forte—turn the page, trust Him, and discover it for yourself.”

-Joni Eareckson Tada, Joni and Friends International Disability Center

https://www.amazon.com/You-Trust-Write-Your-Story/dp/0802419518/

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“This I Know: Trusting Your Unknown Future to a Known God”
By: Laura Dingman

How to live like God’s in control

Do you worry often about what the future holds? Do you long for peace but don’t know how to have it? Do you know factually that God is trustworthy, but not practically how to live that out?

This I Know is a 6-week Bible study for those who want to walk upon the water. It guides women into biblical truths about the character of God so they can step faithfully into the unknown, confident in the God they do know. Corrie Ten Boom said it best, “Never be afraid to trust your unknown future to a known God.”

Join Laura Dingman as she journeys through Acts 17, James 1, Habakkuk 3, Psalm 46, 2 Chronicles 20, and Joshua 3, diving into subjects like abundance in Jesus, the goodness of God in trial, and the value of remembering God’s past faithfulness. Each week offers opportunity for prayer, interaction with the biblical text, journaling, and group discussion. Using Scripture, insights from her own life, and prompts for reflection, Laura points readers continuously to the unchanging character of God, helping them surrender their lives to Him and give Him all their trust.

https://www.amazon.com/This-Know-Trusting-Future-Known/dp/0802415962/

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“Trustworthy – Bible Study Book: Overcoming Our Greatest Struggles to Trust God”
By: Lysa TerKeurst

When hard times come and it seems God is deviating from the plan we assume our life should follow, we’re more likely to want to tame God, not trust Him. It’s then that we begin to press into our ways and our own timing. No human can carry the weight of being their own god, but so many of us try.

In this 6-session study of 1 & 2 Kings, join Lysa TerKeurst in Israel as she honestly reveals the places of distrust in her own heart while exploring the deeply applicable Scriptures that will teach us how to truly trust God.

Features:
Leader helps to guide questions and discussions within small groups
Personal study segments with homework to complete between 6 weeks of group sessions
Teaching videos, approximately 15–25 minutes per session, available for purchase or rent

Benefits:
Identify and challenge doubts in the one true God.
Explore how the Old Testament applies to our lives today.
Learn to trust in the goodness and faithfulness of God.

https://www.amazon.com/Trustworthy-Bible-Overcoming-Greatest-Struggles/dp/1535906715/

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“Why Do You Believe That? – Bible Study Book: A Faith Conversation”
By: Mary Jo Sharp

How confident do you feel in talking about matters of faith? Do you wish you could express your beliefs with more effectiveness? Join Mary Jo in a practical seven-session study and gain understanding and skill to share Jesus effectively with others, and you’ll better understand your own faith. Answer your doubts, build your confidence, and start changing lives.

Features:
– One Bible study book with personal study segments to complete between 7 weeks of group sessions and leader guide to lead discussion within small groups
– Enriching teaching videos, approximately 20–30 minutes per session

Benefits:
– Equip yourself to share and defend your faith conversationally.
– Feel more comfortable in your faith and knowing what you believe.
– Answer your own doubts and questions, and start changing lives.

https://www.amazon.com/Why-You-Believe-That-Conversation/dp/1415874158/

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“Why I Believe”
By: Chip Ingram

In our post-Christian, pluralistic society, responding to the perception that Christians are prejudiced, anti-intellectual, and bigoted has become a greater challenge than ever before. The result is often intimidation, withdrawal, and even doubts among God’s people about what we really believe. Bestselling author and teaching pastor at Living on the Edge, Chip Ingram, wants to change that.

In Why I Believe, he gives compelling answers to questions about

– the resurrection of Christ
– the evidence of an afterlife
– the accuracy and intellectual feasibility of the Bible
– the debate between creation and evolution
– the historicity of Jesus
– and more

The solid, biblical, logical answers he shares will satisfy the honest doubts that every believer experiences now and then, and will provide practical, thoughtful answers that can be shared with family and friends. This is the perfect resource for churches, small groups, and individuals who long not only to really know what and why they believe, but also to be equipped to explain the intellectual justification for their faith in everyday language.

https://www.amazon.com/Why-I-Believe-Chip-Ingram/dp/080107441X/

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“Why We Believe the Bible: A Study Guide to the DVD”
By: John Piper

With the deluge of communication around us-books, newspapers, blogs, journals, and magazines all insisting that their view of the world is most compelling-which should we trust? This is no small question. In fact, our answer has eternal implications.

The twelve-session Why We Believe the Bible Study Guide and DVD are designed to help study groups and classes explore the claim that the Bible stands above all others as the book of books, pointing infallibly to the King of kings. Through the DVD teaching of Pastor John Piper and the five guided assignments per week, participants will study biblical texts and discuss probing questions to help them see why the Bible alone is worthy of our confidence.

https://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Believe-Bible-Featuring/dp/1433507714

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“Seven Reasons Why You Can Trust the Bible”
By: Erwin Lutzer

Can you trust the Bible? Our culture answers this question with loud “No!” Critics increasingly attempt to poke holes in the authority of Scripture and deflate faith among believers. But ask Erwin Lutzer if you can trust the Bible and he’ll respond in one word: “Yes.”

In this revised and expanded edition of his top-selling Seven Reasons Why you Can Trust the Bible, Dr. Lutzer offers seven foundational arguments for the reliability of Scripture. In clear, easy-to-understand language, he explores:

The Logical Claims of the Bible
The Historical Reliability of the Bible
The Prophetic Predictions of the Bible
The Authority of Christ
The Story of Creation
The Role of God’s Providence in Creating the Bible
The Power of God’s Word in Your Life.

http://www.amazon.com/Seven-Reasons-Why-Trust-Bible/dp/0802484336

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“Can I Trust the Bible?”
By: Darrell L. Bock and Ravi Zacharias

There are some questions you can’t avoid, no matter what you believe. The Bible is held up by many as the Word of God, but to make such an assertion is to invite a greater scrutiny than we assign to other literature. Are the documents that make it up reliable sources of history? Where did they come from? What’s been left out, and why? This Critical Questions Discussion Guide provides a forum for exploring this question in a group or individually, guided by the engaging insights of world-class philosophers and theologians.

http://www.amazon.com/Trust-Critical-Questions-Discussion-Guides/dp/0830831525

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“How Do We Know the Bible Is True?”
By Focus On The Family (6-part series)

The best-selling book in history remains one of the most controversial. Revered by Christians as God’s holy Word, the Bible spans centuries of history, contains a variety of literary styles and culminates in the person of Jesus Christ. But how do we know the Bible is true? Isn’t it just a collection of stories and myths? Even if it contains some history, is there any way we can trust it completely?

http://www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/the-study-of-god/how-do-we-know-the-bible-is-true/how-do-we-know-bible-is-true

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“Evidence That Demands a Verdict” [1999]
By Josh McDowell

A classic, authoritative defense of Christianity containing arguments from the best apologetics of the ages. Scholarly, intelligent resposes for those who question or attack the basis of Christian faith.

Bestselling author and Christian apologist Josh McDowell hopes The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict will further document historical evidence of the Christian faith. As such, it is a straightforward compilation of notes prepared for his lecture series, “Christianity: Hoax or History?” The entire book (over 750 pages) is laid out in outline form, which makes it easier for researchers, scholars, and students to access. As a result, this is not reflective fireside reading. Rather, it is a tool for locating supporting “evidence” whenever the need arises. Part I addresses the trustworthiness of the Bible; Part II offers historical evidence and supporting attestations for Jesus’ claim to God; Part III addresses “radical Christian criticism” of the Bible; Part IV is devoted to quelling the voice of numerous skeptics, including “a defense for the existence of miracles” and “answers to divergent worldview.”

Book:
http://www.amazon.com/Evidence-Demands-Questions-Challenging-Christians/dp/0785243631

http://www.amazon.com/Evidence-Demands-Questions-Challenging-Christians/dp/0785243631

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRemWMIy2IY

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“God-Breathed: The Undeniable Power and Reliability of Scripture” [2015]
By Josh McDowell

“God said, ‘Let there be. . .’ ” And when God spoke, things happened. Recapture the awe, the mystery, the passion and power of scripture in God-Breathed—where you’ll personally experience a life transformed by the One who spoke everything into existence, including you.

http://www.amazon.com/God-Breathed-Undeniable-Power-Reliability-Scripture/dp/1630589411

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“Beautiful Things Happen When a Woman Trusts God”
By: Sheila Walsh

Do you ever question God’s ability to catch you when you fall? Do shame, fear, and brokenness keep you from fully trusting God? Do you secretly believe your dreams are unreachable? Do you secretly believe your dreams are unreachable? You are not alone.

This is a book about trust. How we fight it. How we learn to do it. How it transforms us. Life is not safe. That reality slips over us as we grow. Our response to the Father in that reality allows us either to swing higher and higher with the trust of a child…or fearfully shrink back from the swing set altogether. As we weigh that choice, God whispers: Trust me.

In a remarkably transparent account, author and speaker Sheila Walsh opens wide her lifelong battle with trust and the moment-by-moment choices she made to follow where God led. Sheila has lived a life ruled by the “hidden places” of insecurity and brokenness and knows the overwhelming beauty of a life wholly handed over to Christ.

As you encounter her struggles and triumphs, you also meet ten of the Bible’s transformed—Tabitha, David, Paul, and others—who teach us that in spite of overwhelming circumstances, just one trusting encounter with Christ sets beautiful things in motion. It can resurrect dreams, instill purpose, and ignite hope.

http://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Things-Happen-Woman-Trusts/dp/1400202434

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“Knowing God Through the Old Testament”
By: Christopher J.H. Wright

Combining three volumes into one, Knowing God Through the Old Testament brings together three of Christopher J. H. Wright’s best loved books: Knowing God the Father Through the Old Testament, Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament, and Knowing the Holy Spirit Through the Old Testament. Knowing God the Father Through the Old Testament explores images that pervade the biblical narratives, psalms, and prophetic texts of the Old Testament. God is acknowledged as tender yet terrifying, challenging to the nations, and yet intimately personal, offering loving care, provision, discipline, and forgiveness. This is the God whom Jesus knew, and whom we can know, as Father. Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament uncovers Jesus’ self-understanding as Son of Man and Son of God from his deep roots in the Hebrew Scriptures. As the Jesus who fulfilled the mission that God had given to Israel is revealed, we discover that the more we understand the Old Testament, the closer we come to the heart of Jesus. Knowing the Holy Spirit Through the Old Testament traces the Holy Spirit through the pages of the Old Testament. We see the Third Person of the Trinity in the decrees of prophets and psalmists, in the actions of judges and craftspeople, in the anointing of kings, and the promise of a new creation. The witness of the whole of Scripture directs us to a Holy Spirit empowering the people of God, and sustaining and renewing the face of the earth. This three-volume work will strengthen and deepen readers’ personal relationships with the triune God by enabling them to know him through deep immersion and engagement with his Word, especially in the less familiar voices of the Old Testament. This is a voyage of biblical discovery, crossing many horizons and exploring especially the sources of our knowledge of God the Holy Trinity―Father, Son

https://www.amazon.com/Knowing-God-Through-Old-Testament/dp/0830852433/

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“Truth & Power: The Place of Scripture in the Christian Life”
By: J. I. Packer

The Christian faith is based on the Bible, but what role should it play in our lives? How can we revere it without making it an object of worship? With clarity and skill, Packer looks at the Bible’s authority, authenticity, and unity. He examines the claims that can and cannot be made for the bible and helps readers understand how to use the Bible and not abuse it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0830822151/

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“Fundamentalism and the Word of God”
By: J. I. Packer

This modern classic by the author of Knowing God provides a comprehensive statement of the doctrine of Scripture from an evangelical perspective. J. I. Packer explores the meaning of the word “fundamentalism” and offers a clear and well-reasoned argument for the authority of the Bible and its proper role in the Christian life.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0802811477/

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“The Doctrine of the Word of God”
By: John M. Frame

This fourth and final volume in the Theology of Lordship series discusses God’s Word in modern theology and how God’s Word comes to us as his controlling power, authority, and personal presence.

https://www.amazon.com/Doctrine-Word-God-Theology-Lordship/dp/0875522645/

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“40 Questions About Interpreting the Bible”
By: Robert Plummer and Benjamin Merkle

In 40 Questions about Interpreting the Bible, New Testament Professor Dr. Robert L. Plummer tackles the major questions that people ask about reading and understanding the Bible. Questions include: Does the Bible contain error? Do all the commands of the Bible apply today? How do we interpret historical narrative?

https://www.amazon.com/Questions-About-Interpreting-Bible-Answers/dp/082543498X/

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“Be Thou My Guide: A Bible Study on Trusting God”
By: Margo Heath-Dupre

Living as a Christian can be hard when we find ourselves in the midst of incredibly difficult circumstances. But Christians today are not the first Christians who have faced incredibly difficult circumstances. Throughout Scripture, God introduces several people of great faith who, despite facing incredibly challenging circumstances, remained steadfast in their faith. And it’s these people of great faith who are great mentors as we, too, pursue a closer relationship with our heavenly Father and a life of Christian diligence.

Written for Christian women – college age and older – this nine-session Bible study explores the lives of ordinary people in the Bible who had extraordinary faith. In doing so, women today will come to understand how they, too, can stay diligent toward God in attitude, behavior, and prayer regardless of the difficult circumstances in which they find themselves.

This study features a design that works well for individual study or small- or large-group study. Exercises and self-reflection questions will help women not only apply the material they learn to their lives in practical ways but also grow in their faith to become more confident in their prayer lives.

https://www.amazon.com/Be-Thou-My-Guide-Trusting/dp/0758662645/

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“Amazing Evidence for the Trustworthiness of the Bible” (DVD)
By: Charlie H. Campbell

https://www.amazon.com/Amazing-Evidence-Trustworthiness-Bible-DVD/dp/B000EI01MA/

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“The Trustworthiness of the Christian Scriptures, Vol. 5” (DVD)
By: Ravi Zacharias International Ministries

https://www.amazon.com/Trustworthiness-Christian-Scriptures-Vol-DVD/dp/1612562043/

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“Can You Still Trust God?: What Happens When You Choose to Believe”
By: Charles F. Stanley

When things are going your way, trusting the Lord is easy. But when painful trials, unmet needs, or lost dreams assail, do you wonder if God can still be trusted?

What do you do when facing a challenge that seems insurmountable? Do you believe God can be trusted? In Can You Still Trust God?, Charles Stanley reveals three essential beliefs for trusting God:

1. God is perfect in His love

2. God is infinite in wisdom, and

3. God is absolutely sovereign

Even when you cannot understand why God would allow certain situations to occur, these core beliefs form the basis for trusting Him. Your ability to receive the blessings God has for you is determined by the degree to which these wise truths are embedded in your soul.

Stanley then presents five blessings that can be yours when you choose to believe God can be trusted, even when you do not know what the next day will bring. You can face any circumstance with confidence and hope because it is not your strength, wisdom, energy, or power that is the ultimate source of victory. It is God’s ability. When you trust Him, you tap into an eternal force that cannot be harnessed by any human constraints.

Can You Still Trust God? is a message of hope for anyone struggling to reconcile the suffering and turmoil in the world with a loving God. Pastors, ministers, and Bible study leaders will find a resource for teaching their communities about God’s promises and how to deepen their trust in Him.

https://www.amazon.com/Can-You-Still-Trust-God/dp/078524753X/

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“Did God Really Say?: Affirming the Truthfulness and Trustworthiness of Scripture”
By: David B. Garner

“Did God really say?” is a fundamental theological question. If God has not spoken clearly, truly, trustworthily, and in human words, then anything goes: believe what you will, act as you wish—no one can fault you.

The church’s historical belief in the truthfulness and trustworthiness of Scripture as God’s written Word is being assaulted from without and from within. In this book, seven scholars from Covenant Theological Seminary, Reformed Theological Seminary, and Westminster Theological Seminary confront and repel many of these attacks. Reasoning clearly, cogently, and carefully, they show that the historical doctrine of Scripture is what Scripture teaches about itself, and that this teaching can meet and defeat the ungodly intellectual schemes brought against it.

https://www.amazon.com/Did-God-Really-Say-Trustworthiness/dp/1596383992/

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“God’s Inerrant Word: An International Symposium on the Trustworthiness of Scripture”
By: John Warwick Montgomery

Editor John Warwick Montgomery (b. 1931) is one of the major philosophical apologists of the 20th century. He is also a trained lawyer, which influenced his “historical/legal” approach to Christian apologetics. He is perhaps best known as a writer for his books History and Christianity, How Do We Know There is a God?, Faith Founded on Fact, Evidence for Faith, Where is History Going?, The Shape of the Past, The Quest for Noah’s Ark, as well as for his debates with the infamous atheist Madalyn Murray O’Hair (1967); with Joseph Fletcher [reprinted in Situation Ethics: True or False); with “Death of God” theologian Thomas Altizer [reprinted in The Suicide of Christian Theology].

R.C. Sproul wrote in the Foreword to this 1974 book, “The essays in this book were written as research articles for delivery at the Conferece on the Inspiration and Authority of Scripture… in the fall of 19763. The Conference was sponsored by the Ligonier Valley Study Center, a facility developed to make the resources of Christian scholarship available to today’s laymen and pastors… The eleven essays comprising the text of this book were all publicly delivered at the Ligonier Conference.” (Pg. 9) Essays are included by authors such as Montgomery; J.I. Packer; John Gerstner; Clark Pinnock; John Frame; Sproul, etc.

Montgomery states in his own Introduction that “The Ligonier Conference … [was] designed specifically to serve as an adrenal injection for the faint-of-heart who question the place of inerrancy in historic Christian theology or doubt that modern research is compatible with an errorless Bible. The essayists may differ from each other in a number of respects… [but] they hold in common the historic Christian confidence in an entirely trustworthy Bible. They would impart that confidence to the readers of this volume…” (Pg. 14)

Montgomery states in his first essay, “Embedded in the liberal evangelical’s attempt to preserve an infallible Bible in spite of errors is a further and even more serious fallacy. We invariably find that the ‘non-revelational areas’ are the areas of ‘science and history’—the areas of prime testability… The result—if one carries this line of reasoning to its logical conclusion—is … Where the Bible errs, it is non-revelatory; when it is capable of being tested … it is precariously revelatory—revelatory only until proven wrong; and where it cannot be tested it always remains revelatory and inerrant!… This is just like believers in sea serpents claiming that they appear only when no scientists are present.” (Pg. 31-32)

Pinnock observes, “If we say, as Vatican II does, that inspiration guarantees only those truths necessary for salvation, the question arises, how much we need to know to be saved. The way is open for someone to come along wth the opinion that he need know very little. Very little, then, is inerrantly taught in Scripture.” (Pg. 150)

Sproul says in an essay, “Jesus’ understanding of the … Old Testament Scriptures … casts a shadow over his own sinlessness—Jesus does not have to be omniscient to be infallible. But he must be infallible to be sinless. That is to say, if Jesus, claiming to be sent from God and invoking the authority of God in his teaching errs in that teaching, he is guilty of sin. The one who claims to be the truth cannot err and be consistent with that claim. Anyone claiming absolute authority in his teaching must be abolutely trustworthy in what he teaches in order to merit absolute authority. In light of his claims, Jesus cannot plead ‘invincible ignorance’ as an excuse for error.” (Pg. 253)

These essays will be of great interest to any Christians studying the doctrine of biblical inerrancy.
— by Steven H. Propp Top 100 Reviewer

https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Inerrant-Word-International-Trustworthiness/dp/0871232928/

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“Imagine: Trusting God Like Never Before”
By: Simon Lawton

Struggling to trust God in these challenging days? Imagine what your life would be like if you really trusted God? Imagine the impact on your faith, your family and your other relationships. Imagine the impact on your career, ambitions, dreams, finances and your physical and mental health. Imagine the doors God might open and the new adventures you might enjoy. Imagine the lasting legacy you might leave for the generations to come.

So many of us struggle to trust God, yet this is the key to discovering the life He intended for us. Using Proverbs 3:5-6 as a core text, pastor and author Simon Lawton will take you on a journey of new faith and discovery. He explores how we can learn to trust God fully, to overcome everyday challenges, to master fear & anxiety, to trust God on the dark and difficult days and to acknowledge God in the big and small, to trust in His infinite knowledge and to stay on the straight paths God lays out for us.

By the end of ‘Imagine’ you will have been challenged to really trust God, encouraged and inspired by the authors own experiences to deepen your own faith and you will discover the endless possibilities of a life lived by fully trusting God. It’s packed with wisdom and insight from Simon’s life and ministry experience and each chapter is interwoven with the Word of God. Whatever stage you are at in your Christian faith (or even if you do not yet have a faith) – this is a book that will inspire you to trust God like never before and live like never before.

Buy “Imagine” now and begin to discover the life changing principles of trusting God today.

“This is a great book to read if you want to get closer to God. It is so easy to read and so inspiring. I have really enjoyed it and am now going back to the beginning to read it all over again to find all the gems I may have missed the first time.”

“This is an incredibly powerful book written as if the author is chatting to you about his own life, struggles and experiences during his ongoing walk with God. It is a very real and honest book with bible verses to back up what the author is sharing about. Personally this book is having a big impact on me and my faith in God. I would recommend to anyone to buy this book if you want to deepen your relationship with God at whatever stage you are in your walk. Imagine the impact this book could have on your life….”

“An excellent book that really makes you think about what the possibilities are if we actually live as the Bible tells us to. If we have real Biblical faith. As a Pastor, I will be encouraging each person in my church to buy and read a copy of this book. It’s highly recommended.”

“This is a really enjoyable book. Simon brings together his love for people and passion for the Bible to open up one of the most loved but least understood promises in all of scripture. Highly practical but full of inspiration and encouragement, Imagine will warm your heart, deepen your faith and strengthen your steps as you walk forward into all that God has for your life.” (Chris Cartwright, General Superintendent. Elim churches)

“Faith is always an adventure, and adventures are sometimes scary but never boring. Read this book intentionally. Let it soak through your soul and revitalise long-forgotten dreams. Let it reignite your hunger for God and yearning to see Him move again. Here you will find inspiration for the discouraged, hope for the despairing and grace for the fearful. Let the God of whom Simon speaks touch you through his words and bring life to your soul again.”(Malcolm Duncan, pastor, author, theologian, broadcaster, FRSA)

Small Group Study NotesImagine includes an extensive small group study guide, questions, icebreakers & prayer pointers.

https://www.amazon.com/Imagine-Trusting-like-never-before/dp/1999648900/

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“Is God Really in Control? Trusting God in a World of Hurt”
By: Jerry Bridges

From devastating natural disasters to deadly highway accidents, tragedies occur every day around the world and in our own lives. As we face death, grief, loss, we become angry and our faith is tested as we ask, “Is God really in control?” Navigator author Jerry Bridges helps answer that question positively in this topical Bible study, offering comfort and hope by exploring the greater purposes and character of God. Useful for men, women, and teens, the book includes discussion questions.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1576839311/

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“Joseph: Trusting in God’s Sovereignty and Goodness”
By: Gregory Brown

Two of the greatest truths that Scripture teaches are that God is both sovereign—in control of all events—and good—righteous and benevolent in his character and all he does. This means that even though bad things happen and evil people and forces exist, God’s good plan will prevail in the end. In fact, Scripture says God accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will (Eph 1:11), and that he works all things for the good of those who love the Lord (Rom 8:28). God oversees and overrules random events, routine circumstances, good works, and even evil to ultimately accomplish what is good, which includes blessing his people and glorifying his name. This is clearly seen in the story of Joseph. Born into a polygamous and divided family, his older brothers hated Joseph and sold him into slavery. While a slave in Egypt, he was falsely accused of sexually assaulting his master’s wife and consequently thrown into prison. After interpreting Pharaoh’s prophetic dreams and providing wise counsel concerning them, Joseph was promoted from a prisoner to Egypt’s governor in a single day. As governor, God used him to save Egypt, the infant nation of Israel, and other nations during a seven-year worldwide famine. Though evil happened to Joseph, God used it to train Joseph, bless him and others, and glorify God’s name. God’s plan is to do the same through us (Eph 2:10, cf. Jer 29:11). However, to not short-circuit or delay God’s plan, we must trust and remain faithful to him throughout the process. Are you trusting him—regardless of your current circumstances, any evil deeds you’ve committed, or evil deeds that have been done to you? Reflecting on God’s sovereignty and goodness in Joseph’s story will help you trust and obey God more (cf. Heb 12:1). Let’s study these truths together with the Bible Teacher’s Guide. “The Bible Teacher’s Guide … will help any teacher study and get a better background for his/her Bible lessons. In addition, it will give direction and scope to teaching of the Word of God. Praise God for this contemporary introduction to the Word of God.” —Dr. Elmer Towns, Co-founder of Liberty University

https://www.amazon.com/Joseph-Trusting-Sovereignty-Goodness-Teachers/dp/B084DH6BYL/

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“Mystery of Providence”
By: John Flavel

First published in 1678, this little work is based on the words ‘God that performeth all things for me’ (Psalm 57:2). It shows us how providence works for us in every stage and experience of our lives. The book is richly illustrated from the lives of believers and from the author s wide reading in church history. There are avenues of spiritual knowledge and experience opened to the Christian in this work which he probably never knew existed.

https://www.amazon.com/Mystery-Providence-Puritan-Paperbacks-Flavel/dp/085151104X/

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“No Worries: Learning to Trust our Sovereign God”
By: Jan Silvious and Pam Gillaspie

No Worries: Learning to Trust Our Sovereign God
Are you a worrier? Are you preoccupied with the “What ifs” and worst-case scenarios? Unrelenting doubts and fears can be paralyzing! Worry can interfere with your daily life and ruin your relationships. We may dignify worry by calling it by some other name-concern, burden, a cross to bear – but Jesus calls it sinful. God feeds the birds and clothes the lilies and He will clothe and feed us. However it is our “little faith” that hinders Him from working in our lives.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells His followers – then and now – “do not be worried.” That seems impossible considering He also says, “in this world you WILL have trouble…” but there has to be a way to do what He says in spite of the realities of life. There is! The fact that Jesus Himself commanded it means it is possible.

If you struggle with worries and wish you didn’t, join Jan and Pam – two recovering worriers – for “No Worries: Learning to Trust our Sovereign God”! This 8-week study will lead you through Scripture and help you learn how to walk in God’s truth and to trust Him, eliminating your need to worry! He has great blessings for us if only we will trust Him.

https://www.amazon.com/No-Worries-Learning-Trust-Sovereign/dp/162119227X

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“The Trustworthiness of God: Perspectives on the Nature of Scripture”
By: Paul Helm and Carl R. Trueman

For two millennia the church has affirmed and celebrated Scripture as the written word of God. However, in the twentieth century, the doctrine of Scripture became the focus and flashpoint for division. One legacy of those debates has been a reluctance to address the nature of Scripture. This collection of essays seeks to re-open dialogue on this fundamental tenet of the Christian faith, by offering something of a prelude to a fresh approach to Scripture. In particular, these explorations seek to map out some implications of the fundamental link between the character of God as trustworthy and the trustworthiness of His word. Following an introductory orientation, the first two sections take soundings in selected texts from the Old and New Testaments. The third section offers perspectives from church history, and also grapples with aspects of the contemporary context and philosophical and epistemological issues. Two responses to the main essays complete the collection. None of the contributors wishes to articulate the discussion in terms of the categories of past controversies, or pretends to offer an exhaustive analysis. All, however, share the desire to engage their readers in constructive dialogue on this vital issue.

https://www.amazon.com/Trustworthiness-God-Perspectives-Nature-Scripture/dp/0802849512/

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“Trusting God in Times of Adversity: Job”
By Kay Arthur and Pete De Lacy

More than 850,000 books from Kay Arthur’s life-changing New Inductive Study Series have been sold! This exciting series brings readers face–to–face with the truth of God’s precepts, promises, and purposes—in just minutes a day! Ideal for individual study, one–on–one discipleship, group discussions, and quarterly classes.

Incredible suffering—sudden and unexpected. Well–meaning but not–so–helpful friends. Serious questions about righteousness, faith, and God. These words describe twenty–first–century life, but they also describe the life of Job. With this inductive Bible study, readers will follow Job through his amazing journey from prosperity to pain—and back again. Kay Arthur’s proven approach to understanding God’s Word will help Bible students observe, interpret, and apply the message of Job to their own lives.

https://www.amazon.com/Trusting-God-Times-Adversity-Inductive/dp/0736912681/

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“THE SEARCH FOR MEANING” WEBSITE

This site presents discussions on the 12 most commonly asked questions about the Christian faith.

The 12 discussions are accessed by the “tabs” at the bottom of the page. The tabs are numbered 1-12. Roll your mouse over them and you will see the question displayed at the right. Click on the number to select that question.

Within each question (i.e. tabs 1-12), there are subtopics (or dialogues) to select that appear as smaller tabs underneath the numbered tabs. Roll your mouse over them and the title of these topics is also displayed to the right. Click on the open rectangle to select that dialogue.

For each question (1-12), a link to related resources and an optional flowchart is provided. To access this material, click on the respective words, “Related Resources” or “Options Flowchart.”

To play a more detailed discussion of the subject, between two people, select the desired dialogue and click on “Play Audio Dialogue.”

In the upper right-hand corner of the page, there is an icon that looks like binoculars looking at a question mark. Click on this icon to return to the homepage.

In the upper right-hand corner of a “Related Resources” page, there is an icon that looks like some books. Click on this icon to get to an “overview” page that has links to all of the resources for all of the questions. There also are additional “appendices” for most of the questions.

In the upper right-hand corner of a “Flowchart” page, there is an icon that looks like an Org chart. Click on this icon to get to an “overview” page that has links to all of the flowcharts.

http://4vis.com/sfm/sfm_pres/sp_q1_d1_1of10.html

[ Content by: Bill Kraftson and Lamar Smith; Website by Mark Besh ]

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“FRUITS OF THE BEATITUDES” WEB SITE
(The ATTITUDES of Jesus that produce the CHARACTER of Jesus)

CLICK ON THE LINK to view:
http://fruitsofthebeatitudes.org/

FACEBOOK PAGE:
https://www.facebook.com/FruitsOfTheBeatitudes/

[ Mark Besh ]

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[ P.S.: If you would like to investigate further if the Bible is mythical, historical, or divine, visit the following link:
http://www.4vis.com/sfm/sfm_pres/sp_q4_d1_1of10.html ].

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ARTICLES:

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“Trust Game – Trust Fall”

In this trust game participants let themselves fall backwards while someone else will catch them. In this exercise trust between the participants is build in a playful manner

[ Team Building Games ]

Article: https://www.teamexercises.info/trust-game-trust-fall/

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvKnuPzib-c

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“Si Does a Trust Fall”

Si performs a trust fall in this clip from Season 1, Episode 15, “Willie Stay Or Willie Go (#14)”.

[ Duck Dynasty ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmOWsZpWAQU

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“U.S. Ethics Ratings Rise for Medical Workers and Teachers”

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Nurses, doctors and teachers receive their highest ethics ratings to date
Pharmacists’ rating rises in past year to highest in nearly a decade
Ethics rating of police steady at just over 50%

[ Lydia Saad ]

Article: https://news.gallup.com/poll/328136/ethics-ratings-rise-medical-workers-teachers.aspx

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“2019 EDELMAN – TRUST BAROMETER – Global Report”

Report: https://www.edelman.com/sites/g/files/aatuss191/files/2019-02/2019_Edelman_Trust_Barometer_Global_Report_2.pdf

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“10 Ways To Build Trust in a Relationship”

Trust: You cannot have a healthy relationship without it. And yet, virtually all of us can bring to mind a scenario where our trust has been broken.

But how do we develop trust in the first place? Can trust that’s been broken be rebuilt?

This article explores how to build trust in a variety of relationships, including practical tips and activities that build trust.

Please note that the scientific literature on building trust is limited. Plenty of research exists examining the importance of trust and what it is, but that research doesn’t tend to lay out practical steps for building trust. Therefore, much of the research supporting the following article is from web sources, not journal articles.

If you wish to learn more, our Positive Relationships Masterclass© is a complete, science-based training template for practitioners and coaches that contains all the materials you’ll need to help your clients improve their personal and professional relationships, ultimately enhancing their mental wellbeing.

This article contains:

How to Build Trust: 12 General Tips
How to Build Trust with Your Partner in a Marriage or Relationship
Rebuilding Trust After Cheating, Affairs, and Infidelity
How to Develop Self-Trust
Trust-Building Games and Exercises for Group Therapy
Building Trust and Credibility in Business as a Leader
10 Trust-Building Activities for Teams and Employees in the Workplace
How to Build Trust with Customers, Patients, and Clients
The 5 Best Books on Building Trust
12 Quotes on Building Trust
A Take-Home Message
References

[ Heather Craig, BPsySc ]

Article: https://positivepsychology.com/build-trust/

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“9 Traits of Trustworthy People”

Trust is valuable. It affects everything. Being trusted by others is one of the things you must have to go far in life and to achieve your greatest success.

Before starting my own company, I worked in the security and investigations industry for 20 years, and I learned that trust isn’t a quick thing you can gain. It is something earned over a period of time, after consistently being honest, always acting with integrity, never lying or misleading. It is how you act. It is who you are.

If you want to be a person other people trust, take a look at your actions, the decisions you make on a daily basis.

Here are 9 traits of trustworthy people. Do you have them? Can people trust you?

1. They are authentic.
People want to be around others that are real, meaning they are authentic and have high character. Authentic people are not trying to be above anyone else. They are likeable, humble and easy to talk to.

2. They are consistent.
Everyone has a bad day. But people want to see consistent, positive behavior in the people they trust. Affirmative actions and smart decisions make a difference in the eyes of others.

3. They have integrity.
People want other people around them that stand up for what is right in life, even when no one is watching.

4. They are compassionate.
Trustworthy people put themselves in other people’s shoes. They are always thinking of others, feeling for others—it’s not all about them.

5. They are kind.
People build up trust when they look out for others, when they are there for them when they need someone most, not just when everything is going OK.

6. They are resourceful.
Trusted people are always learning and growing. They are constant students. They always know there is room to get better, and because of that, they know ways to help inspire and support others—and they give and share those resources.

7. They are connectors.
They look for ways to align like-minded people, and they connect people who have the knowledge or experience to help them get what they want.

8. They are humble.
Trustworthy people want to get others out there first, before themselves. They realize that the efforts of the team really make things happen, versus what they can individually accomplish.

9. They are available.
They are there for people, available to others to support them always. They go out of their way to make time for others.

Would you trust you? Read 14 quick but valuable tips to build (and lose) trust.

[ Cynthia Bazin ]

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“Cultivating Trust Is Critical—and Surprisingly Complex”

Don’t rely on intuition for something this important.

Trust is the basis for every business exchange and all consumer behavior. But as important as it is for leaders, organizations, and brands, the fundamental concept is surprisingly hard to pin down.

“Whenever any two people talk about trust, they may think they’re talking about the same thing when they actually aren’t,” says Kent Grayson, an associate professor of marketing at the Kellogg School and faculty coordinator of The Trust Project at Northwestern University, an initiative designed to advance the study and management of trust in business and society. Yet, people are not always aware of this ambiguity—or of the importance of trying to resolve it. “We tend to build trust by intuition—in everyday life and in the business world. That usually works OK, especially for experienced business professionals. But even seasoned managers who build trust only by intuition may be missing opportunities to leverage trust more effectively—with employees, customers, and business partners.”

Grayson argues that taking a systematic approach to the process of building trust has distinct business advantages. Trust, after all, is a powerful force: it can win customers and deepen important relationships. “If you’re a business person, you can’t afford to rely on intuition alone for how you manage trust with your stakeholders.”

The Three Dimensions of Trust
A long history of research demonstrates that trust can be broken down into three components: competence, honesty, and benevolence. To trust someone’s competence is simply to believe that the person or entity you deal with has the ability to do the job—to provide you with Internet service, for example. Honesty—or integrity—refers to your sense that your Internet service provider keeps its promises and is not telling lies about your connection speed or hiding fees. Benevolence is the belief that your Internet provider has your best interests at heart and cares about you as a customer.

In business and in life, of course, we are not always aware that trust is being built (or undermined) based on these three dimensions. And this can lead to errors in how we manage trust with others. [more…]

Article: https://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/article/cultivating-trust-is-critical-and-surprisingly-complex

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“The Seven Elements of Trust”

Boundaries: You respect my boundaries, and when you’re not clear about what’s okay and not okay, you ask. You’re willing to say no.

Reliability: You do what you say you’ll do. At work, this means staying aware of your competencies and limitations so you don’t over promise and are able to deliver on commitments and balance competing priorities.

Accountability: You own your mistakes, apologize, and make amends.

Vault: You don’t share information or experiences that are not yours to share. I need to know that my confidences are kept, and that you’re not sharing with me any information about other people that should be confidential.

Integrity: You choose courage over comfort. You choose what is right over what is fun, fast, or easy. And you choose to practice your values rather than simply professing them.

Nonjudgment: I can ask for what I need, and you can ask for what you need. We can talk about how we feel without judgment.

Generosity: You extend the most generous interpretation possible to the intentions, words, and actions of others.

[ Brene Brown ]

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“Ten Ways to Cultivate Work Relationships and Grow Trust”

Trust building is relationship building.

New data from Gallup reminds us what we already know: “trust and confidence in the federal government’s ability to handle problems has reached an all-time low.” But, it’s not just historic low trust in government.

According to one news agency, trust in sports is at a crossroads or as they put it: “Who will want to watch great sporting achievement that cannot be believed?” Or consider this headline grabber: “82 Percent of People Don’t Trust the Boss to Tell the Truth.”

From government shutdown rancor and fact-lacking finger-pointing to win-any-way-you-can athletes and winner-take-all executive pay plans, too many people are operating as if their relationships at work—those with constituents, stakeholders, or colleagues are unimportant.

From my-way-or-the-highway bosses and face-in-gadget communicators messaging what they don’t have the courage to say face to face, people are forgetting that their actions speak. What are your actions saying about your relationships?

If your actions aren’t worthy of someone giving you their trust, then what you’re communicating is that those relationships don’t matter to you. If you don’t want their trust, then you’re not interested in or don’t value being in a relationship with them.

Source:
Philosopher Onora O’Neill in a TEDtalk entitled “What We Don’t Understand About Trust” crystallized it when she said, “You can’t rebuild what other people give to you. But, you can provide useable evidence that you are worthy of their trust.”

How do you provide evidence that you want your customers or staff or stakeholders to give you their trust? You must first demonstrate that the relationship matters.

Growing Trust in Your Work Relationships

Relationships that enable trust and bring exceptional results don’t happen unless there’s a conscious intention to make them happen. That intention starts with common-sense approaches around basic relationship building. Below are 10 ways to demonstrate that a work relationship matters.Trust grows in relationships when …

The relationships are mutually beneficial
When you bring the best of who you are into the relationship; the best includes core elements like integrity, tolerance, honesty, and trustworthiness
When you want the best for the other person
When the relationship is more important than any single outcome
When you invest time, communication, commitment, and authenticity
When you show genuine care, concern, and compassion
When you operate with appreciation, politeness, and inclusion
When you give more than you take, while still keeping your interests in view
When you help others achieve their aspirations, dreams, goals, or personal best
When you respect where others are coming from – knowledge, experience, state of mind, values, beliefs, needs
article continues after advertisement

Trust may be at historic lows, but so what? Trust is a local issue. If you want more trust in your work relationships, start with yourself. A practice of trust building is a practice of relationship building. If you want to grow trust or rebuild broken trust, focus on building your relationships.

None of us achieve exceptional results alone. Relationships founded on trust come with great benefits. Benefits like engagement, innovation, accountability, mutual support, collaboration, cooperation, and the ability to do great work together. Don’t let what you read in the headlines stop you. Your trust levels can soar.

More about the trust currency you need in the new workplace and how to build it:

How to Decision If You Should Trust Someone at Work
Employee Engagement Isn’t Your Problem
5 Trust Building Communication Practices
You’ll find more trust building approaches in Trust, Inc.: How to Create a Business Culture That Will Ignite Passion, Engagement, and Innovation (Career Press, 2013).

[ Nan S Russell ]

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“The Enemies of Trust”

Try an experiment sometime. Ask a group of managers in your company whether they and their closest managerial colleagues are trustworthy and, if so, how they know. Most will claim that they themselves are trustworthy and that most of their colleagues are as well. Their answers to the second half of the question will likely reflect their beliefs about personal integrity; you’ll hear things like “I’m straight with my people” or “She keeps her promises.” A little later, ask them whether they think they and their colleagues are capable of building trust within the organization. Because we’ve asked this question many times, we’re pretty sure we know what you’ll hear: A sizable percentage will say they have little or no confidence in the group’s capacity to build and maintain trust.

What accounts for the gap between the two sets of answers? With their differing responses, the managers are simply acknowledging a fact of organizational life: It takes more than personal integrity to build a trusting, trustworthy organization. It takes skills, smart supporting processes, and unwavering attention on the part of top managers. Trust within an organization is far more complicated and fragile than trust between, say, a consultant and a client. With a client, you can largely control the flow of communication. In an organization, people are bombarded with multiple, often contradictory messages every day. With a client, you can agree on desired outcomes up front. In an organization, different groups have different and often conflicting goals. With a client, you know if there’s a problem. In an organization, there’s a good chance you don’t, even if you’re in charge. If things aren’t working out with a client, either party can walk away. That’s not usually an option for people in an organization, so they stick around. But if they think the organization acted in bad faith, they’ll rarely forgive—and they’ll never forget.

Trust within an organization is further complicated by the fact that people use the word “trust” to refer to three different kinds. The first is strategic trust—the trust employees have in the people running the show to make the right strategic decisions. Do top managers have the vision and competence to set the right course, allocate resources intelligently, fulfill the mission, and help the company succeed? The second is personal trust—the trust employees have in their own managers. Do the managers treat employees fairly? Do they consider employees’ needs when making decisions about the business and put the company’s needs ahead of their own desires? The third is organizational trust—the trust people have not in any individual but in the company itself. Are processes well designed, consistent, and fair? Does the company make good on its promises? Clearly these three types of trust are distinct, but they’re linked in important ways. Every time an individual manager violates the personal trust of her direct reports, for example, their organizational trust will be shaken. [more…]

[ Robert M. Galford and Anne Seibold Drapeau ]

Article: https://hbr.org/2003/02/the-enemies-of-trust

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“HOW LEADERS CULTIVATE TRUST”

There Are 4 Foundations To Trust
A joint research report from CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel Development) and the University of Bath entitled Cultivating Trustworthy Leaders explores the nature of trust. It examines 13 case studies from the UK and globally. The report identifies 4 foundational pillars describing how leaders cultivate trust.

Ability
Describes perceptions of leadership competence in doing their job or fulfilling their role.

Benevolence
Describes concern for others beyond leaders’ own needs and showing levels of care and compassion.

Integrity
Defines how trustworthiness is linked to being seen as someone who adheres to principles of fairness and honesty while avoiding hypocrisy.

Predictability
Emphasizes how leadership behaviour has to be consistent or regular over time.

The overall conclusion of the report is that the issue of how leaders cultivate trust is still a concern. The uncertainty experienced due to the long-standing economic downturn has intensified concerns. Specifically, the report underlines the importance of getting recruitment and development practices right. This is to ensure leaders have the right skills to be able to build relationships based on those very factors which engender trust in their people.

It is not easy to rebuild trust, but it’s possible. Leaders must be able to demonstrate the qualities needed to build trust. This means they must be able to display those values and behaviours outlined in the report. They must live those values and beliefs, and not pay lip-service in order to “win votes”.

Beliefs And Thought Systems Needed To Cultivate Trust
Leaders must live those very behaviours by aligning their beliefs to the values. How they prioritise values against achieving their aims and goals will be visible to all. They must be able to make choices which demonstrate they “do the right thing” in alignment with the values they state they hold. Being able to “do the right thing”, means they are in touch with their right-mindedness. The characteristics of which I believe are:

A strong propensity towards life-long learning and in particular learning about themselves. Continuously raising self-awareness. Being able to break down the barriers to ego-minded thinking.

An ability to connect to one’s higher self, which helps them trust their intuition, sometimes defy logic and being able to have a deep-seated inner trust of themselves.

Understanding that we are all connected and having a handle on unity consciousness.

Actions and behaviours which result in win/win decisions, kindness, compassion, respect and a belief in the best of others.

By having a real concern and interest in others and supporting their team in their growth, they inspire others.

It is becoming clear that in order to cultivate and maintain trust leaders will have to understand themselves and their impact in a way which is mastered by a few, but not embraced by many at this moment in time. Leadership trust is not gained by achieving goals, balancing finances, or building profits, we all know that. By building trust, we are more likely to achieve great things, because engendering trust can enable a synchronistic collective effort and outcome.

[ Christina Lattimer ]

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“The Neuroscience of Trust”

Management behaviors that foster employee engagement

Summary.
Managers have tried various strategies and perks to boost employee engagement—all with little impact on long-term retention and performance. But now, neuroscience offers some answers. Through his research on the brain chemical oxytocin—shown to facilitate collaboration and teamwork—Zak has developed a framework for creating a culture of trust and building a happier, more loyal, and more productive workforce.

By measuring people’s oxytocin levels in response to various situations—first in the lab and later in the workplace—Zak identified eight key management behaviors that stimulate oxytocin production and generate trust: (1) Recognize excellence. (2) Induce “challenge stress.” (3) Give people discretion in how they do their work. (4) Enable job crafting. (5) Share information broadly. (6) Intentionally build relationships. (7) Facilitate whole-person growth. (8) Show vulnerability.

Ultimately, Zak concludes, managers can cultivate trust by setting a clear direction, giving people what they need to see it through, and then getting out of their way. In short, to boost engagement, treat people like responsible adults.

[ Paul J. Zak ]

Article: https://hbr.org/2017/01/the-neuroscience-of-trust

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“How Does God Keep His Promises?”

What if we have done our part by “believing,” but we haven’t seen any results?
Is there something we don’t understand? Is there something else we need to do to see God’s promises fulfilled?

If you are searching for answers to these kinds of questions, I encourage you to read the following pages. In this booklet, Kurt De Haan, former managing editor of Our Daily Bread, guides us through a study of what the Bible says about the promises of God. Use this material as a starting point for your own discovery of the vast wealth of promises we have been given by a faithful God.

[ Kurt De Haan ]

Booklet: https://d3uet6ae1sqvww.cloudfront.net/pdf/discovery-series/how-does-god-keep-his-promises.pdf

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“Why Doesn’t God Answer Me? Trusting in Times of Doubt and Trail”

s it possible that we have been misled into thinking we can solve our problems with prayer? What could be more important than knocking harder on the door of heaven when God seems to go silent in the midst of our requests?

In this excerpt from Psalms: Folk Songs of Faith, Ray Stedman suggests that prayer may not be the first thing to do when we are in trouble. This experienced pastor even admits that more prayer may not give us the peace of mind or answers we are looking for.

So what should we do when we don’t know where else to turn? The following pages will show us how to renew our strength when all we feel is our own weakness and fear.

[ Ray Stedman ]

Booklet: https://discoveryseries.org/?s=answer+me

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“The Trustworthy Word”

The Bible’s power to change us stems from the fact that it is God’s Word, spoken by Him and absolutely trustworthy. Simply agreeing with this fact is not enough, though – in order to hear God speak, we must read His Word. In this message, Alistair Begg encourages us to read the Scriptures prayerfully every day and apply what we learn, allowing the Word to do its work in our hearts.

[ Alistair Begg ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1wUf84BOlM

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“Translations and Reliability of the Bible”

Tim Barnett of Stand to Reason sets straight the assertion that the Bible has been translated many times over and therefore can’t be reliable

[ Stand To Reason ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS3lw68Qcik

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“Can I Trust the Bible?”

“Can I trust the Bible? What evidence is there that the Bible is trustworthy?”
Dr. Robert Plummer answers in Honest Answers | Episode 6

[ Dr. Robert Plummer ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ht6lHE7prro

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WHY WE CAN TRUST THE BIBLE. PT1

There is a lot of conjecture over whether the Bible is God’s Word or not. Many say it is a book of legends with good stories and morals but nothing else. Others say that the Bible is full of contradictions although those saying this cannot substantiate their views outside of a few grammatical errors which occur in any book. They also say that what people like Paul and Peter and others say is their own personal opinion and not what God really said.

When I discuss Christian things with people the only evidence and proof I have is what the Bible says. Without that, I have no ammunition.

If a person reading this blog still maintains the Bible is outdated, unreliable and just a figure of someone’s imagination there is not a lot more I can say, but I have been thinking about why I believe the Bible is God’s word and revelation to us. I have listed them here. You can do whatever you want with it but my conviction and experience has taught me that the Bible can be trusted and it is important for people both Christian and non- Christian to take note of what it says.

We have had people who have predicted things in the future such as Nostradamus but he was not entirely accurate and made several predictions that have never come true. There are at least ten but here are several.

He predicted that in July 1999 the world would end. We are still here.
He predicted that on September 6th, 2006 there would be a great war. Nothing happened.

He predicted he would die in November 1567. He died in July 1556. Close but not good enough. These are just three of many, yet people trust in what he has to say. Is he trustworthy? Not when he has a proven track record of predictions that did not happen.

The Bible has many prophecies of which the bulk are in the Old Testament. They were predicted hundreds if not thousands of years before they ever happened. Name me one that has not been fulfilled apart from the ones that predict the future although even those are starting to unfold before our very eyes at this moment?

One of the big ones that happened comparatively recently was the return of Israel to their homeland. It was mentioned in Jeremiah 29v14. “I will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you.” In 1948 Israel regained their own independence and since that time Jews from around the world have returned to live there. Over 40 percent of the worlds Jewish population now live in modern Israel. This was predicted around 630 and 580 BC.

The birth of Jesus was prophesied hundreds of years before it happened and not only that, the prophesies go into detail about it. The prophet Micah wrote in 8 BC that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem, that the tribe he was born from ie his line would be the line of the monarchs ie David and Solomon. It says that he would be a shepherd, and his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. Read Micah 5v2-4. Very detailed.

Approx. 740 BC the prophet Isaiah predicted the birth of Jesus. Isaiah 9v 6-7. Part of those verses says, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given…..and he shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Just a few of many. That’s why I trust the Bible.

The death of Jesus was predicted many years before it actually happened.

Isaiah 52v13-15 Says how he was to die, the severe beatings he was going to endure.

Isaiah 53 gives an explanation of the crucifixion hundreds of years before the event. These things happened exactly as predicted. Coincidence? I do not think so.

Isaiah 53v9 mentions his burial, that he would be buried in a rich man’s grave. It happened. He used the grave that had been reserved for a very rich ruler named Joseph of Arimathea.

In Psalm 22 which was written before 587 BC, David prophesied the crucifixion in detail. He even mentioned the words that Jesus spoke from the cross. Psa 22v1 “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me.” That is pretty impressive. Details are mentioned of Jesus’s clothes being divided up and this happened. How he was thirsty and that happened.
History tells us that crucifixion was only heard of from 519 BC which means that David wrote about it before that kind of punishment was even thought of. So how did he know about it and the intimate details?

We as Christians have solid ground upon which we can base our faith. We may believe the Bible by faith and that is good but when it comes to having a plausible explanation for those, including some so-called Christians, many of us are left clutching to straws. I hope what I am writing this week and in the next couple of weeks will give you something to grasp on to and become a help to prove that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. It will help you as it has helped me but also help others who are searching for the truth.

[ James Dusenberry ]

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“Can I Trust the Bible?”

REBOOT meets in major cities across the globe to explore questions such as ‘How can we know God exists?’, ‘Why does God allow suffering?’ and ‘Hasn’t science disproved God?’. REBOOT provides a place for young people, with or without any faith or church background, to raise their objections and investigate different perspectives on life.

Our team of world-class apologists want you to have confidence in what you believe, and the chance to be honest about your doubts. Since its launch in 2013, REBOOT has welcomed hundreds of young people to its conferences, and we want you to be part of our story. Find out if we’re coming to a city near you!

[ Amy Orr-Ewing ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KN71smczq_c

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“Can I Trust the Bible?”

Lots of people imagine that the Bible is fantasy, fairy tale or stories that have evolved over time but is this what the evidence supports?

Are there good reasons to believe that the Bible is historically reliable and may have something really meaningful to say to us today?

[ Amy Orr-Ewing ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2lnouLeQzg

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“Can We Trust The Bible Written 2000 Years Ago?”

Dr. William Lane Craig, Research Professor of Philosophy at Talbot School of Theology

[ Dr. William Lane Craig ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reYBCz_kf1c

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“Can we trust the Bible?”

[ Voddie Baucham ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaRsW29bocM

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“Can We Trust the Bible?”

[ John Piper ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS5edWvNqm4

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“Can We Trust What is Written in the Bible?”

While Dr William Lane Craig was on his 2013 Australian speaking tour, he spoke at the Sydney University Evangelical Union on the resurrection of Jesus. After his talk, he answered a number of questions from the audience. In this clip, Dr Craig answers the question, “Can we trust what is written in the Bible?”

[ Dr. William Lane Craig ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfJOVv47TeU

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“Can You Trust the Bible If It was Written by Humans?”

The Bible is allegedly the inspired “Word of God,” but it was written by humans who are fallible. How can we trust anything written by human authors given their failings and propensities? In this video from J. Warner’s “Quick Shots: Fast Answers to Hard Questions” series on RightNow Media, J. Warner answers this common question related to the claims of Christianity.

[ J. Warner Wallace ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5BM9uQbP-A

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“Doubting Thomas”

QUESTION: Doubting Thomas – What can I learn from him?

ANSWER:

Doubting Thomas was one of the 12 disciples in the Bible. Another name for Thomas was Didymus, which comes from the Hebrew and Greek words both meaning ‘the twin.’ He wasn’t one of the more well known disciples, but he was popular enough to earn the nickname “Doubting Thomas.” He was given this label because he simply did not believe that Jesus had risen from the dead. I too have been a ‘Doubting Thomas.’ But the experience made me a better person and made my faith so much more stronger.

Jesus appears to some of the disciples, but Thomas was not with them the first time. John 20:25 says, “So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord!’ But he [Thomas] said to them, ‘Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.'”

Eight days later, Jesus appears before His disciples again: “A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.’ Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed’ (John 20:26-29).

How truthful all this is. If Thomas hadn’t been a doubter, this famous saying may not have been recorded in history. This particular saying has helped me many times in my life. When things have been going badly for me, when I have faced hardships and pain, this saying has given me hope.

Even though Thomas earned a negative label, he was not lacking in some very good qualities. He displayed great courage and loyalty. When the other disciples tried to keep Jesus from going to Bethany to raise Lazarus from the dead because of the danger from those in the area who had just earlier tried to stone Him (John 11:8), Thomas said to them, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him” (John 11:16). Thomas also asked Him one of the most famous questions. John 14:5-6 says, “Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’ Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'”

I think I have behaved similar to Thomas at times. I have gone through stages in my life when I questioned God. When I was in college I remember wondering how religion and science could agree. I had many questions and doubts at this time and could have been called a “Doubting Thomas.” Jesus didn’t have to appear to me and show me His wound, however. But He has showed Himself to me in many other ways.

Jesus has answered many prayers for me, maybe not in any miraculous way, but He has made me very much aware that He does exist. I find Jesus in my every day walk through life. Sometimes I see His humility on a street corner in the shape of a homeless man. Sometimes I see Him walking with me in my garden, pointing out the first blossoms of spring or the pretty fall colors of a red maple. I see Jesus’ love in the hug my grandson gives me and when he says, “Grandma, I love you.” I see Jesus in the pink of a sunset and the beautiful colors of a stained glass window. Thank goodness I haven’t been a “Doubting Thomas” for some time now. I stay close to God in my daily prayers, in my mission work, and in studying the Bible. Now days I walk with Jesus everyday, that way I won’t get lost and hopefully be a “Doubting Thomas” again.

[ Greg Outlaw ]

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“Responding To God’s Word”

John Fullerton MacArthur Jr. (born June 19, 1939) is an American pastor and author known for his internationally syndicated Christian teaching radio program Grace to You. Dr John MacArthur has been the pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, since February 9, 1969. Dr John MacArthur is also the chancellor emeritus of The Master’s University in Santa Clarita, California, and The Master’s Seminary in Los Angeles California.

[ John MacArthur ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UGrLEWPYYI

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“The Reliability Of Bible”

Best-selling author and speaker, Josh McDowell, has been at the forefront of cultural trends and ground-breaking ministry for more than 50 years. An articulate speaker, Josh has addressed more than 25 million people, giving over 27,000 talks in 125 countries. Since 1960, Josh has written or co-authored 150 books in 128 languages. The Josh McDowell Ministry, a Cru ministry, serves and equips the Body of Christ in raising generations of purpose-driven Christians who know what they believe, why it is true, and how to live it out. In the United States, Josh and his team have created many cutting-edge live events to help young people stand strong and firm in their faith in the face of a rapidly-changing culture.

[ Josh McDowell : ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wq-ZFG3lTiA

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“Errors in the Bible?”

At SMU Dr. Frank Turek was asked, “How do we account for the errors of the scribes in the New Testament since these documents were handed down from one person to the next and what if these errors are not simple and interfere with the teachings of the scriptures.

[ Frank Turek ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DB18or8bJ10

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“Five Reasons You Can Trust Your Bible”

In this episode of the Cold-Case Christianity Broadcast, J. Warner Wallace makes the case for the reliability of the Bible by providing five, brief, easy to articulate reasons you can trust the Christian Scripture. Have you ever been challenged to give the reason for the hope you have in Jesus? This episode will help you make the case quickly and concisely.

[ J. Warner Wallace ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvOsR1-YHTQ

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“Four Ways to Deepen Your Trust in God”

“Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)
Those were the words of a desperate father, struggling to trust the Lord to heal his epileptic son. He wanted to put his full confidence in God, but wasn’t sure how to do it. If that dilemma seems all-too-familiar to you, here are four things you can do to shore up your trust in God.

Study His résumé.
If you’re not certain whether you should trust God, do a background check on Him. Start with His references from the Bible. Investigate His work in the lives of Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Hannah, Samuel, David, Solomon, Elijah, Elisha and Mary, among countless others. Get a sense of His past work habits and reliability. Talk to others who know Him, people you do trust. Find out what He’s done in their lives and how He’s proven Himself to be trustworthy in their eyes.

Connect the dots.
In Romans 8:28, the apostle Paul writes, “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God.” All things, in this context, include circumstances and situations that don’t appear to be good at all at first glance. This is the elusive heart of trust, the belief that even when things seem to be going wrong, God is laying the groundwork to bring about something good from them. That doesn’t mean we should be glad when something bad happens; it just means we recognize that nothing is so bad that God cannot bring good from it.

Keep a journal.
Every time God answers a prayer—in your life or in the life of someone you know—write it down. Every time He fulfills a promise in His Word, write it down. Every time He brings about something good in your life, write it down. Don’t rely on memory. Create a body of written evidence. Give yourself something to look back on, convincing proof for your future self that God can and should be trusted. (Check out 7 journaling prompts for help you mediate on biblical wisdom.)

Follow God’s lead.
“You shall be holy; for I am holy.” Those were God’s instructions to His people in Leviticus 11:44 (later referenced by the apostle Peter in 1 Peter 1:16). The perfect logic behind the instructions is that those who claim to follow the Lord should reflect His qualities. Holiness is one of those qualities.

Another is trustworthiness. God might just as well have said, “You shall be trustworthy; for I am trustworthy.”

The best way to convince people that God is trustworthy is to demonstrate that you are trustworthy. In your interactions with others, go to great lengths to be a person of your word:

– a person who can be depended on to do what you say you’re going to do
– a person who keeps confidences
– a person who places the highest priority on telling the truth.

Let people see God’s trustworthiness through you.

[ Thomas Nelson Bibles ]

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“Is The Bible Historically Reliable?”

Frank Turek addresses the historical reliability of the Bible.

[ Bobby Conway ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmA6kOWwfWI

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“God’s Promises: 50 Powerful Bible Promises To Build Your Faith”

Discover a collection of powerful promise quotes to help you in whatever you’re facing today.

The promises of God
The Bible is full of God’s promises and reminders that He is faithful. Let this powerful list of God’s promises teach you more about His incredible character. Reflect on this rich collection of promise quotes to help you in whatever you’re facing today. Take encouragement from the truth that God is with you.

The following God’s promises Bible verses are taken from the NIV version of the Bible. [more…]

Article: https://www.compassionuk.org/blogs/gods-promises/

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“How can I learn to trust in God?”

We cannot trust someone we don’t know, and that is the secret of learning to trust God. When someone says, “Trust me,” we have one of two reactions. Either we can say, “Yes, I’ll trust you,” or we can say, “Why should I?” In God’s case, trusting Him naturally follows when we understand why we should.

The main reason we should trust God is that He is worthy of our trust. Unlike men, He never lies and never fails to fulfill His promises. “God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” (Numbers 23:19; Psalm 89:34). Unlike men, He has the power to bring to pass what He plans and purposes to do. Isaiah 14:24 tells us, “The LORD Almighty has sworn, ‘Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will stand.’” Furthermore, His plans are perfect, holy, and righteous, and He works all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His holy purpose (Romans 8:28). If we endeavor to know God through His Word, we will see that He is worthy of our trust, and our trust in Him will grow daily. To know Him is to trust Him.

We can learn to trust God as we see how He has proven Himself to be trustworthy in our lives and the lives of others. In 1 Kings 8:56 we read, “Praise be to the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses.” The record of God’s promises is there in His Word for all to see, as is the record of their fulfillment. Historical documents verify those events and speak of God’s faithfulness to His people. Every Christian can give personal testimony to God’s trustworthiness as we see His work in our lives, fulfilling His promises to save our souls and use us for His purposes (Ephesians 2:8-10) and comfort us with the peace that passes all understanding as we run the race He has planned out for us (Philippians 4:6-7; Hebrews 12:1). The more we experience His grace, faithfulness, and goodness, the more we trust Him (Psalm 100:5; Isaiah 25:1).

A third reason to trust God is that we really have no sensible alternative. Should we trust in ourselves or in others who are sinful, unpredictable, unreliable, have limited wisdom, and who frequently make bad choices and decisions swayed by emotion? Or do we trust in the all-wise, all-knowing, all-powerful, gracious, merciful, loving God who has good intentions for us? The choice should be obvious, but we fail to trust God because we don’t know Him. As already stated, we cannot hope to trust in someone who is essentially a stranger to us, but that is easily remedied. God has not made Himself difficult to find or know. All we need to know about God, He has graciously made available to us in the Bible, His holy Word to His people. To know God is to trust Him.

[ Got Questions ]

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“How can I learn to trust that God is in control?”

Before we can learn to trust that God is in control of all of life’s circumstances, we have to answer four questions: Is God really in control? How much control does He have? If He is not in complete control, then who/what is? How can I learn to trust that He is in control and rest in that?

Is God really in control? The concept of the control of God over everything is called the “sovereignty” of God. Nothing gives us strength and confidence like an understanding of the sovereignty of God in our lives. God’s sovereignty is defined as His complete and total independent control over every creature, event, and circumstance at every moment in history. Subject to none, influenced by none, absolutely independent, God does what He pleases, only as He pleases, always as He pleases. God is in complete control of every molecule in the universe at every moment, and everything that happens is either caused or allowed by Him for His own perfect purposes.

“The LORD of hosts has sworn, saying, ‘Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass, And as I have purposed, so it shall stand’” (Isaiah 14:24). Nothing is random or comes by chance, especially not in the lives of believers. He “purposed” it. That means to deliberately resolve to do something. God has resolved to do what He will do, and nothing and no one stands in His way. “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please” (Isaiah 46:10). This is our powerful, purposeful God who is in control of everything. That should bring us great comfort and help to alleviate our fears.

But exactly how much control does God have? God’s total sovereignty over all creation directly contradicts the philosophy of open theism, which states that God doesn’t know what’s going to happen in the future any more than we do, so He has to constantly be changing His plans and reacting to what the sinful creatures do as they exercise their free will. God isn’t finding out what’s going to happen as events unfold. He is continuously, actively running things—ALL things—here and now. But to think He needs our cooperation, our help, or the exercise of our free will to bring His plans to pass puts us in control over Him, which makes us God. Where have we heard that lie before? It’s a rehash of Satan’s same old lie from the Garden—you shall be like God (Genesis 3:5). Our wills are only free to the extent that God allows us that freedom and no farther. “All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: ‘What have you done?’” (Daniel 4:35). No one’s free will trumps the sovereignty of God.

Some people find it appealing to think that Satan has control over a certain amount of life, that God is constantly revising His plans to accommodate Satan’s tricks. The book of Job is a clear illustration of just who has the sovereign power and who doesn’t. Satan came to God and, in effect, said, “Job only serves you because you protect him.” So God gave Satan permission to do certain things to Job but no more (Job 1:6–22). Could Satan do more than that? No. God is in control over Satan and his demons who try to thwart God’s plans at every step.

Satan knew from the Old Testament that God’s plan was for Jesus to come to the earth, be betrayed, crucified and resurrected, and provide salvation for millions, and if there was any way to keep that from happening, Satan would have done it. If just one of the hundreds of prophecies about the Messiah could have been caused by Satan to fail to come to pass, the whole thing would have collapsed. But the numbers of independent, “free will” decisions made by thousands of people were designed by God to bring His plan to pass in exactly the way He had planned it from the beginning, and Satan couldn’t do a thing about it.

Jesus was “delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23). No action by the Romans, the Pharisees, Judas, or anyone else kept God’s plan from unfolding exactly the way He purposed it from before the foundation of the world. Ephesians 1 says we were chosen in Him before the world was even created. We were in the mind of God to be saved by faith in Christ. That means God knit together Satan’s rebellion, Adam and Eve’s sin, the fall of the human race, and the death and crucifixion of Christ—all seemingly terrible events—to save us before He created us. Here is a perfect example of God working all things together for good (Romans 8:28).

Unlimited in power, unrivalled in majesty, and not thwarted by anything outside Himself, our God is in complete control of all circumstances, causing or allowing them for His own good purposes and plans to be fulfilled exactly as He has foreordained.

Finally, the only way to trust in God’s sovereign control and rest in it is to know God. Know His attributes, know what He has done in the past, and this builds confidence in Him. Daniel 11:32b says, “The people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.” Imagine that kind of power in the hands of an evil, unjust god. Or a god that really doesn’t care about us. But we can rejoice in our God’s sovereignty, because it is overshadowed by His goodness, His love, His mercy, His compassion, His faithfulness, and His holiness.

But we can’t trust someone we don’t know, and there is only one way to know God—through His Word. There is no magic formula to make us spiritual giants overnight, no mystical prayer to pray three times a day to mature us, build our faith, and make us towers of strength and confidence. There is only the Bible, the single source of power that will change our lives from the inside out. But it takes effort, diligent, everyday effort, to know the God who controls everything. If we drink deeply of His Word and let it fill our minds and hearts, the sovereignty of God will become clear to us, and we will rejoice in it because we will know intimately and trust completely the God who controls all things for His perfect purpose.

[ Got Questions ]

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“How Can the New Testament Be Inerrant If There Are Variants in the Ancient Manuscripts?”

In this clip from a Summit Worldview Conference session, cold-case detective, J. Warner Wallace, defines the notion of “inerrancy”. How can we call the New Testament the “inerrant word of God” when we don’t possess any original documents, and there are so many variations between the ancient manuscripts we do have?

[ J. Warner Wallace ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYKPIClgkW0

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“How can we trust the reliability of the Bible?”

[ Darrell Bock ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm-QeZv6aQY

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“How Do You Learn to Truly Trust?”

Building TRUST and HOPE on the foundation of FAITH

…But do you trust me? Such a question pierces right down to the heart of any matter, for true trust is sacred. Any relationship – be it family, friends, business or otherwise – will thrive when it is intact. With it, growth, change and the conquering of obstacles are all not only possible but probable. With trust there is security. When it is broken – and it can be broken in an instant with a single word or action – any relationship is headed for shipwreck upon the rocks of disappointment and despair. Rebuilding after such a shipwreck is a long and difficult process. So, how can we learn to trust the right things in a deep and secure fashion?

[ Christian Questions ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNHrGn0rugw

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“How Do You Prove That the Bible Is True?”

[ John MacArthur ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrPN4miqBLo

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“How to Prove the Bible is True”

[ Todd Friel ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7mWm6bXLuw

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“How to Trust God”

If there’s anything I’m good at, it’s controlling the crap out of things. I can take a situation into my own hands in a matter of seconds and pretend I’m the master of all puppet masters—pulling strings and fixing things. There’s a problem that needs to be solved? I’m on it. There’s a gap that needs to be bridged? I’ve got it. There’s a situation that needs to be handled? I’m your girl. I handle, solve, fix, control, take care of and deal with stuff all day, every day. By the way, I also know the very best way to do all of those things. Trust me. I know best.

The only problem with this amazing gift I have is that sometimes I’m wrong. Sometimes I don’t know best. Sometimes I don’t have all the information or the context or the right solution. Sometimes, whatever it is, is none of my freaking business!

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The truth is that I rush and run ahead so often in life—not because I’m so sure that I’ve got it under control, but because I fear that God doesn’t. Maybe He needs my help. Maybe I won’t like His plan, so I’ll come up with a better one. Maybe He’s withholding something from me. Maybe I’ll just do it myself.

The root of all of this is that I don’t trust God.

Why Is It So Hard to Trust God?
This, friend, is the original sin. We aren’t the first ones with this struggle (and we certainly won’t be the last). Let’s go all the way back to the Garden of Eden for a little history of when doubt first entered the picture.

In Genesis, when Adam and Eve are in the garden, minding their own business, the serpent comes to them with a temptation.

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” — Genesis 3:1–6 (NIV)

This entire passage can be summarized with, “They took matters into their own hands.” It’s what I do every day. It’s probably what you do too. We all struggle with the same original sin—doubting God’s goodness, being tormented with fear and anxiety, and always trying to take matters into our own hands.

How to Trust God
Want to hear the good news? We don’t have to live like this. We can learn to trust God. Think of a friend you trust—someone that you would let watch your children or share a deep personal secret with. Why do you trust them? How did you learn to trust them? I would imagine it’s because of a few key factors.

You know them personally.
You know they are dependable.
You know they are for you.
So, how do we learn to trust God? The exact same way.

1. Get to know God personally.
The Bible talks about how much God desires a close personal relationship with each of us. He’s not a distant God, trying to play hard to get in the clouds. He pursues us and loves us and wants to be known by us.

“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.” — 1 John 4:16 (NIV)

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” — Romans 5:8 (NIV)

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” — 1 John 3:1 (NIV)

God loves you and wants to spend time with you. The more time you spend with Him, the more you get to know Him. And the more you get to know Him, the easier it is to trust Him.

2. Remember when God has been faithful.
Years ago, my mom shared a brilliant Christmas tradition with me: Every year, when I pack up my Christmas decorations, I write a letter. It’s a mixture of memories, prayers, hopes and dreams. Then, when I get our ornaments out of the attic the next Christmas, I sit down and read the previous year’s letter.

It’s always fun to read your thoughts from a year ago—thoughts you may not even remember until you’re reading them again. For example, one letter begged, “God, please let me go on at least one date next year!” Well, bless my heart. I guess that was a tough year in the love department.

These letters tell the story of how far He’s brought me and all the prayers He’s answered. They tell of the moments He protected me, even when I didn’t realize it. The pages are full of testimonies of God’s faithfulness.

When you read old journals you have, or when you read the Bible, like with my Christmas letter tradition, you see example after example after example of God’s faithfulness. We doubt, and God is still faithful. We waver, and God still stays steady. We stray, and God stays close. We give up, and God keeps going.

Romans 3:3–4 (NIV) says, “What if some are unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? Not at all!” Again and again, God shows us that regardless of what we do or don’t do, He’s faithful. We can depend on Him.

Our God is a God who comes through for you. Not every now and then. Every. Single. Time. God doesn’t come through for you because you deserve it or because you’ve been good. God comes through for you because that’s who He is. Remember when God’s been faithful to you before and let that build your confidence in Him.

You can trust God because He’s faithful.

3. Read about how God feels about you.
I remember walking to my car one day in college when I had just told a lie. I thought in my head, God, I don’t know why you put up with me. At that moment, I felt the gentlest whisper in my spirit say, I don’t “put up” with you. I adore you. Tears are welling up in my eyes even now as I remember that moment. God doesn’t put up with you either. He adores you.

So often we project onto God how we feel about ourselves—full of disappointment, failure and doubt. Or we project from a place of woundedness from our past—how our dad talked to us when we were little, or how a hateful boyfriend treated us in middle school. We expect that God feels the same way about us.

If you see God as a judgmental dictator in the clouds, waiting for you to mess up again, no wonder it’s hard to trust Him. That’s why you need to read (and reread and reread!) about how God actually feels about you. Here are just a few examples of what He wrote in His love letter to you:

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine . . .Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you.” — Isaiah 43:1, 4 (NIV)

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” — Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

“For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” — Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT)

God loves you, and He likes you. He’s in your corner, and He wants the very best for you. When you remember how He feels about you, it becomes a lot easier to trust Him and His plans for you.

Trusting God Is an Act and a Practice
Trust isn’t a thought or feeling. It’s an act and practice that you walk out in your daily life. It’s a muscle that needs to be exercised. If you’ve never used this muscle, it’s going to be weak and wobbly at first. That’s okay! Over time, the more you exercise this muscle, the easier it will become.

So, the next time something goes wrong or the rug feels pulled out from under you, you have a choice. You can panic and frantically try to fix everything yourself, or you can practice active trust. You can pause and pray. You can seek God for the solution before you make your next move.

So, take a deep breath and let your shoulders relax. Your Father knows your every need before you even have it.

To learn more about trusting God and building confidence in the person you want to be, check out my new 40-day devotional, Living True: 40 Days to Get Back to You. This devotional will give you 40 days of scripture, teachings, and prayer that will remind you who YOU are and who God is. Get your copy of today!

[ Christie Wright ]

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“7 Daily Steps to Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart”

Perhaps you’ve been told that as a Christian you must learn to “trust in the Lord with all your heart.” But this famous passage from Proverbs 3 contains more than just a general statement about living. Instead, you’ll find the steps you need each day to truly walk with God.

Follow these 7 daily steps to make sure you’re leaning on the Lord:

1. Don’t Depend on You
We live in a world where trust must be earned and seems to be in short supply. But Solomon, the famous king who wrote Proverbs, knew that trust is exactly where we must start:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5)

Most of us have faced disappointments, which have taught us that we can only depend upon ourselves. But living the life God has called us to means unlearning that lesson. Instead, we’re meant to rest in God’s understanding.

We may know in our minds that He possesses all wisdom:

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” Romans 11:33

But sometimes trusting Him completely like that can be tough. So, each day we must consciously lay aside our own plans and expectations—and surrender to His plans.

What if we don’t feel like we can trust Him like that? That’s where step 2 comes in…

2. Cry out to God
Surrendering to God begins with our lips and our thoughts. We need more than a commitment to depend on Him; we need to cry out to Him to show that dependence.

“in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:6)

When we pray, we admit that His ways are higher than ours. We show that we’re leaving our troubles and burdens and dreams in His capable hands. In fact, the Bible promises that when we reach out to Him in prayer, He hears us:

“Evening, morning, and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. ” (Psalm 55:17)

We handed the keys of our lives to Him, and we know that He’s able to lead us. But in order for that to work, we have to…

3. Run from Evil
So much in this world can clutter up our relationship with God. John, the writer of the fourth gospel, describes them as the desires of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride in our lives (1 John 2:16). In other words, our blessings can easily become our stumbling blocks when we think of them as what we deserve or what we need to be happy.

Instead, life works best when we remember the true source of our blessings—God—and focus on the things that please Him:

“Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.” (Proverbs 3:7)

Sometimes, the only way to live the life God wants us to live is by separating ourselves from the bad influences that keep dragging us down. That works the best when we start pursuing something else in their place:

“Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (2 Timothy 2:22)

Is that easy? Not at all. Fleeing from the evil desires that pull at us means spending a lot of time crying out to God and leaning on Him. But our Creator promises to honor our commitment to Him when we shun evil:

“This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.” (Proverbs 3:8)

When we pursue Him, we find life—abundant life. Running from evil and pursuing God doesn’t come naturally to most of us. Instead, it means we have to make a serious change:

4. Put God First in Your Life
It’s easiest to put ourselves first. When something good happens, we want to congratulate ourselves with a reward. When something bad happens, we want to console ourselves or find someone to blame. In other words, we often have a “me-centric” starting place.

And when it comes to money, the struggle is even harder. But Solomon, who had quite a bit of wealth himself, knew that his money didn’t belong to him:

“Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.” (Proverbs 3:9–10)

If we can trust God with the first of our wealth, we’re truly showing how much we depend on Him. Handing over the first part of our paycheck takes a huge amount of faith, after all. But doing so means being God-centric.

To get there, though, make sure you…

5. Check Yourself by God’s Word
Let’s be honest. We aren’t so good at evaluating ourselves. We will go to great lengths to excuse our behavior, our actions, and our sins. Who needs a defense attorney when we can pretty much find a reason for any bad thing we do? The prophet Jeremiah captures this very well:

“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)

If we’re ever going to truly trust in God and flee evil, we have to know exactly where we stand. We have to find an objective measure that tells us the truth. And that truth comes from God and His Word.

Of course, that doesn’t mean we’ll always like what we see or how we see it:

“My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke” (Proverbs 3:11)

That’s right. Sometimes it takes something bad happening or seeing ourselves in a bad light before we finally admit that we need to change. And the more we’re in the Bible, the more likely this is to happen.

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11)

When we have Scripture planted firmly in our hearts, God will often use that to deal with us.

6. Listen to the Holy Spirit
When Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to the church, He told His disciples that this Counselor would be their spiritual compass or GPS:

“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (John 14:26)

As we go through our day, this same Holy Spirit guides us, too. That means we don’t have to go it alone or hope we’re getting it right. No, the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth and protects us:

“Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.” (2 Timothy 1:14)

After all, the gift of the Holy Spirit to us believers reminds us that we can truly…

7. Rest in God’s Love
When we face a difficult world each day, we can sometimes wonder if God even cares. Why do bad things happen? Where is God when I need Him? Solomon reminds us that God never takes a break or leaves us to fend for ourselves:

“because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.” (Proverbs 3:12)

Even in the midst of turmoil, God sticks with us and uses those challenges to shape us. When we understand that, our perspective completely flips. No longer do we see our setbacks as failures; we see them as moments when God, as our loving Father, works on us.

And that’s exactly why we can trust in the Lord with all our hearts. He cares for us each and every day. He gives us what we need to thrive. He pours blessing after blessing upon us.

Of course, following each of these daily steps isn’t easy. That’s why Jesus said we have to deny ourselves and follow Him (Matthew 16:24). Trusting God takes a whole-hearted commitment from dawn till dusk. But we’re never alone in it:

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b)

[ John UpChurch ]

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“How Was the Bible Put Together?”

How was the Bible put together? Why were some books omitted? Dr. Amy Orr-Ewing answers. Amy is a Senior Vice President with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries and Co-director of OCCA The Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics.

[ Amy Orr-Ewing ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkCYpTh2tcQ

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“Is the Bible Reliable?”

While Dr William Lane Craig was on his Australian speaking tour, he spoke at EV Church on the topic, “The Evidence for Christianity.” Can we trust that the Bible is true? After his talk, he answered a number of questions from the audience. In this clip, Dr Craig answers the question, “What is Scientism and is it true?”

[ Dr. William Lane Craig ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MIYRMf70Vg

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“Is the Bible reliable?”

[ Lee Strobel ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JwquXadykc

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“Is the Bible True?”

Evidence for the bible or proof the bible is true, is everywhere, the questions is, when someone asks, is the Bible true or, is the Bible real, do you know how to answer? Just asking someone to trust the Bible, may not be enough, they want evidence for the Bible. No problem. There are many ways to answer, is the Bible reliable, but in this video Pastor Nelson looks at the story of David and Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11 as evidence for the Bible that helps answer the question, is the Bible True.

[ Bible Munch ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iyMjG0Ru1E

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“Is the Bible trustworthy?”

[ Todd Friel ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCmGlUCgEX8

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“Is The Bible Trustworthy?”

How do we know that the Bible is reliable and that the words contained in today’s Bibles convey the same message as the original documents?

[ Ready 4 Eternity ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20yiTTJVaqg

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“Is the New Testament Reliable?”

For more information, read Evidence that Demands A Verdict, co-written by Sean and Josh McDowell

[ SeanMcDowell ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs4s2i_bWEw

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“Is The Old Testament Reliable? 3 Solid Evidences”

For more information, read Evidence that Demands A Verdict, co-written with Josh McDowell

[ SeanMcDowell ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCwrXcC52Co

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“The Top Three Reasons the Bible Is Reliable”

Taken from our blog, J. Warner Wallace of Stand to Reason answers the question, “What are the top three reasons the Bible is reliable?”

[ J. Warner Wallace ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6R29xwgENQ

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“Can We Trust The 66 Books Of The Bible?”

[ John Piper ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DagGWxq_S4A

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“No Doubt About It”

Too many people live in a state of uncertainty about their destiny beyond this life. In these messages, teacher and author, Philip De Courcy, uses God’s Word to dispel any uncertainty regarding the believer’s security in Christ. Blessed assurance can be found and is to be found in the word of the Father, the work of the Son, the witness of the Spirit, and the walk of the believer. This is a must series for all Christians. Making our calling and election sure is the taproot of all spiritual vitality and victory. Let’s get it right about being right with God!

[ Philip De Courcey ]

Series: https://www.ktt.org/broadcasts/no-doubt-about-it

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“Old Testament: “Give me one piece of evidence.” | Is The Bible Reliable?”

Josh gives an interesting defense of the truthfulness of the Scriptures by pointing to the prophecies and history regarding the Jewish people.

[ Josh McDowell ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8DcdgUbVN8

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“You Can’t Trust the Bible Because It Was Written by Humans”

[ J. Warner Wallace ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWQ313sLNgc

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“Is The Bible Truly God’s Word?”

[ Abdu Murray ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZRR_k6Xpr0

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“How Do We Know the Bible is True”

[ Ravi Zacharias ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fngw6Br65BI

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“The Reliability of Scripture”

[ Sean McDowell ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQQlbHObi6k

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“The Bible Explored: Can I trust the Bible?”

No other book in the world is as widely available, as frequently read, or translated into as many languages as the Bible. Nevertheless, for many people it remains a book that is misunderstood or even unknown. Many opinions about the Bible are not accurate: it is said to be no different than other historical books, difficult to read or understand, to teach harmful things, or to be so heavily altered by history that we can no longer trust it.

This 8.5-minute video addresses the questions most people ask: Can I trust the Bible? Is it accurate? Is it reliable? Is it still relevant?

[ Canadian Bible Society ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPaeo19sQXw

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“The Christian’s Confidence from God’s Promises”

You can turn in your Bible to John 15, verses 26 and 27. I have been convinced for a long time that the most ignored, the most misrepresented, the most dishonored, the most insulted, and the most abused person in the Trinity is the Holy Spirit. That is a very serious thing to do because that is a form of taking the Lord’s name in vain, which is a violation of one of the Ten Commandments. The Holy Spirit is regularly spoken of with irreverence, foolishness, and flippancy. People ascribe to the Holy Spirit things that He has no part of, and they fail to honor Him for His true work. All of that is a lack of worship, and a lack of worship is sin.

It’s extremely severe to violate the law of God,

as God warned His people in the 28th chapter of Deuteronomy, what would happen to them if they didn’t worship according to truth. The modern evangelical church shows very little interest, or limited interest, in the glory of the Holy Spirit, third member of the Trinity. Pragmatism doesn’t need Him, worldly ministry doesn’t want Him, and emotionalism dishonors Him with folly. The true glory of the Holy Spirit is very often dismissed and unknown. That is, again, a tragic failure in worship. The text before us – just two verses really – opens up our understanding to the true ministry of the Holy Spirit so that we can glorify Him, worship Him in a way that He deserves. Before I read that text, I want to set the scene for you a little bit. [more…]

[ John MacArthur ]

Sermon: https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/43-87

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“The Consequences of Failing to Trust God”

This message from Dr. Stanley explores the consequences of failing to trust God. Avoid the sorrow and frustration of missing God’s plan by being diligent about growing your faith.

The best thing you and I can do is to stop looking at our Watches and Calendars and simply Look by Faith into the face of God and let Him have His way in His time. To fail to trust God results in serving human masters, disrespecting the rights of our elders and an inability to wait on God’s timing.
Trust Him…He’s reliable…Trustworthy…Faithful.

Trusting God eventually pays good wages! … Trusting God elevates the last over the first! … Trusting God makes the wait worth it all!!!

[ Charles Stanley ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpzVl_7yoiA

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“Trust God’s Word Like Jesus Did”

The Bible has probably never been under more attack than today. A generation is arising around us that doesn’t know the Bible well enough to defend it, and the secularists have taken the high ground and are winning in their attack on the trustworthiness of God’s Word

As a starting point for Apologetics, or giving a reasoned answer to those that question our faith in Christ, we need to affirm what God has said about His Word, the Bible.

Each of us would do well if we just decided to have the same view of Scripture as Jesus Christ had: Jesus had the highest view of Scripture.

We Need to Simply Hold to & Trust
God’s Word Like Jesus Did

Christ’s high view of God’s inspired word, led Him to instruct us that the truth of God’s Word flowing through our lives would sanctify us (make us useful for God). Our usefulness to God is tied according to Jesus, to what our view of the authority and reliability of the Bible is.

What is your view of Scripture? Is it as high as Christ’s?

Let’s examine Jesus and the Scriptures, and embrace the same confident trust in the reliability of the Word, as He had.

The first reason why I believe the Bible is utterly true can be distilled down to one or two words.

Jesus (and the second word is) Christ.

Jesus Authenticated the
Old Testament

Jesus Christ was utterly convinced that the book you hold in your hand was the Word of God.

There are 929 Old Testament chapters, and 260 in the New Testament. That means that 929 of the 1189 were in Christ’s Hand as He called them Scripture. That amounts to 77% of the Bible that was: verified & authenticated by Jesus.

Lesson # 1: Jesus Christ held a copy of the Bible 80% similar to ours and said it was Scripture Truth from God

So, there is no question about whether Creation was literally in six solar 24 days, Jesus authenticated that.

Jesus affirms: Adam and Eve were the first humans, Cain killed Abel, Noah built the ark, and the world is only a very few thousand years old: about 6,000 years or so, is the age of the Earth as described in Genesis as being created by God.

Jesus Believed
This Bible

Jesus believed this book, and over and over we find the Lord Jesus asking everyone who questioned Him, He’d say to them, “Haven’t you read”? “The Scriptures say.” That’s how He answered those who came to Him.

[ John Barnett ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCRwsy7ddG0

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“Trust Your Bible — Not Your Experience”

If we confess Jesus as Lord, then we know we have the Spirit in us because the Bible says so. And we know we are saved if we confess because the Bible says so.

[ John Piper ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T21YL499uQ4

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“Trusting His Word”

Every parent knows that children have a way of exposing the real issues of life in an innocent yet unsympathetic manner. “Where did God come from? Where did I come from? Where will I go when I die?” are questions which raise ultimate philosophical concerns. The most important of questions, however, is “How do you know?” Answers may be offered to all sorts of questions, but this most basic one begs to be asked when any of those answers is offered.

Imagine that you have just awakened from a deep sleep and you find yourself in a concrete bunker with a dozen other people. You all are suffering from amnesia. You don’t know where you have come from, who you are, what you should do, or how you might travel to some other place. It is clear that you are headed somewhere because each person possesses various provisions, food, clothing, medicines, etc.

As others awaken, you begin to engage them in conversation. “Who are you? How did we get here? What shall we do? When?” Each person in the room will offer observations. Each will offer opinions, suggestions, solutions, and preferences. Each person will, sooner or later, develop convictions about the situation and what, if anything, should be done.

In a sense, this is our plight. We are gathered on this planet and faced with questions demanding answers. A cafeteria of responses is available. But the critical question is, Who shall we believe and why? Shall I believe my New Age neighbor? Shall I believe my Lutheran cousin? Shall I believe my carefree work associate? Where shall I go to find the truth?

Think back to the people in the bunker. Christianity claims that a road map has been provided in order that we might find our way from where we are to where we want to be (and we do want to be somewhere else, we realize).

But it is more than a road map. It tells us that we were made for something greater than life in a concrete bunker. It offers explanations of the world in which we find ourselves, the One who created it, and His great desire that we might know Him. It describes us and explores the inner workings of our minds and hearts, revealing what is true but not altogether pleasant about us. It points us to a goal, an end, which is purported to satisfy the deepest longings of our aching hearts. And it tells us that, while the road is long and arduous, we may expect to experience great personal joy, comradery, and beauty along the way.

While the Bible is much more than this, it is not less. And it may be trusted to “deliver the goods.” How do we know that?

The question of the reliability and authority of the Scriptures revolves around the person central in them, Jesus of Nazareth. The Bible is not a book which simply fell out of the sky or was discovered on the side of a mountain with a peculiar pair of spectacles enabling its discoverer to read it. The Bible is the record of the mighty acts of God in human history, acts which prepare for and lead to the appearing, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. The claim of the Bible is that these are matters of history. They may be examined. They should be expected to withstand the scrutiny of any who would bother to investigate them.

When people argue for the trustworthiness of the Scriptures they will, rightly, refer to the majesty of its themes, the fundamental unity of its message, its power to influence the lives of men and women, and the remarkable way in which it has been preserved over centuries of use. But in the end the issue is Jesus Christ. At bottom, confidence in the Bible is a matter of loyalty to Him. Until one has come to terms with Jesus Christ, other issues are merely academic.

True, we must trust the Bible at some level if we are to come to terms with Jesus of Nazareth. Given this book’s claims and given what it offers us, the only responsible thing is to investigate whether or not we ought to trust it. And that may be done by examining what it and history have said about its central character, Jesus Christ.

In a conversation with a friend of my mother, I had the temerity to suggest that anyone who was not a Christian was one of two things: ignorant or irresponsible. That still seems to me wholly true. Life is much too short and filled with too many important questions to fail to take seriously this remarkable thing which has occurred on the stage of human history. It matters infinitely what one thinks about Jesus. Be neither ignorant nor irresponsible.

[ Mike Malone ]

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“Twin Truths: God’s Sovereignty and Man’s Responsibility (John 3:11-21)”

This morning we’re going back to John chapter 3, so open your Bible, if you will, and come with me to the third chapter of John. We’re going to take a look, an initial look at this section, verses 11 to 21. And then I’m going to kind of digress a little bit because there’s something I have to tell you to set this entire passage in a proper context and to put it in your mind in a way that will be most helpful.

But let me read, we left off our discussion of the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus in the opening ten verses where Jesus talks to him about being born again, born from above. And we talked about the new birth. We talked about being born from above. It’s a work of God; it’s a divine work, a work of sovereign grace and sovereign power. It’s a monergistic, unilateral work of God that’s not a synthetic work where you have God participating with man. It’s not some kind of coalescing of the will and power of man, with the will and power of God. It’s a singular work of God by which He comes down from heaven, irresistibly brings a call—we call it an effectual call on the heart of a sinner—draws that sinner to himself, regenerates that sinner, and then justifies that sinner, sanctifies that sinner and then glorifies that sinner. It’s a work of God. The new birth being born from above, in the very illustration of birth, makes the point because no one participates in his own birth. You didn’t participate in your physical birth; you didn’t participate in your spiritual birth. It is a work of God, a divine, creative miracle.

So we went through that discussion, verses 1 to 10, with Nicodemus. Our Lord continues to speak to Nicodemus but beyond Nicodemus because as you begin in verse 11, the pronouns are plural as He says, “I say to you.” In verse 11, the pronoun is plural, so it broadens beyond Nicodemus to anyone else who happened to be there listening and to everyone else, for that matter, who will ever read this.

We pick up the monologue, the conversation ends in verse 10. Nicodemus has nothing else to say. But Jesus then speaks from verses 11 to 21. I want you to notice the emphasis here. “Truly, truly I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen and you do not accept our testimony.” That is an indication that Nicodemus did not accept what Jesus said about the new birth. That’s the post-mortem on that part of the conversation. You didn’t accept it. That explains the ignorance of verses 9 and 10. Nicodemus doesn’t understand; how can these things be? And Jesus says, “Are you the teacher of Israel and you don’t understand these things?” The reason he can’t understand—ignorance is the product of unbelief. And so he is not a believer. You do not accept our testimony. [more…]

[ John MacArthur ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1PTvMkEyl4

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“Why I Believe the Bible”

I choose to believe the Bible because it is a reliable collection of historical documents, written by eyewitnesses during the lifetime of other eyewitnesses. They report supernatural events that took place in fulfillment of specific prophecies, and they claim to be divine rather than human in origin.

[ Voddie Baucham ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15EoR6O-rUA

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“What Are Skeptics Talking About When They Describe New Testament Variations?”

[ J. Warner Wallace ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LJPSTXkeaI

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“What are the promises of God?”

There are many, many promises of God in Scripture. In each promise, God pledges that something will (or will not) be done or given or come to pass. These are not flippant, casual promises such as we often make; these promises of God are rock-solid, unequivocal commitments made by God Himself. Because God is faithful, the recipients of the divine promises can have full assurance that what God has pledged will indeed be realized (Numbers 23:19).

Here are just a few of the promises that God has made:

Promises of God in the Old Testament.

God promised to bless Abraham and, through his descendants, the whole world (Genesis 12:2–3). This promise, called the Abrahamic Covenant, pointed to the coming Messiah for whom Abraham looked (John 8:56).

God promised Israel to be their God and make them His people (Leviticus 26:12–13). Old Testament history is teeming with examples of God fulfilling this promise.

God promised that if we search for Him we will find Him (Deuteronomy 4:29). He is not playing hard-to-get. “Our God is near us whenever we pray to him” (Deuteronomy 4:7).

God promised protection for His children (Psalm 121). He was the vigilant watchman over all Israel.

God promised that His love will never fail (1 Chronicles 16:34). He is faithful in every way.

God promised Israel that their sin could be forgiven, their prosperity restored, and their nation healed (2 Chronicles 7:14). Repentance opened the road to fellowship and blessing.

God, under the terms of the Mosaic Covenant, promised prosperity to Israel for obedience and destruction for disobedience (Deuteronomy 30:15–18). Unfortunately, Israel eventually chose to disobey, and the nation was destroyed by Assyria and Babylon.

God promised blessing for all who will delight themselves in His Word (Psalm 1:1–3). Simple faith has its rewards.

Promises of God in the New Testament.

God promised salvation to all who believe in His Son (Romans 1:16–17). There is no greater blessing than the free gift of God’s salvation.

God promised that all things will work out for good for His children (Romans 8:28). This is the broader picture that keeps us from being dismayed by present circumstances.

God promised comfort in our trials (2 Corinthians 1:3–4). He has a plan, and one day we will be able to share the comfort we receive.

God promised new life in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Salvation is the beginning of a brand-new existence.

God promised every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). Whereas, in the Old Testament, Israel had the promise of physical blessing, the church today has been promised spiritual blessings “in the heavenly realms.” Our inheritance is reserved for us (1 Peter 1:4).

God promised to finish the work He started in us (Philippians 1:6). God does nothing in half measures. He started the work in us, and He will be sure to complete it.

God promised peace when we pray (Philippians 4:6–7). His peace is protection. It will “guard your hearts and your minds in Christ.”

God promised to supply our needs (Matthew 6:33; Philippians 4:19). Not that we get everything we want, but our needs will be taken care of. We are more valuable than the birds, and our Heavenly Father feeds them (Matthew 6:26).

Jesus’ promises in the Gospels.

Jesus promised rest (Matthew 11:28–30). Burdens are lifted at Calvary.

Jesus promised abundant life to those who follow Him (John 10:10). Following Jesus brings us more spiritual fulfillment than we could have anticipated. We leave boring behind.

Jesus promised eternal life to those who trust Him (John 4:14). The Good Shepherd also promised to hold us securely: “No one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28).

Jesus promised His disciples power from on high (Acts 1:8). In this power, they “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6, ESV).

Jesus promised that He will return for us (John 14:2–3). From then on, we will be with Him always.

There are many more promises of God that could be listed. All of them find their ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, “the radiance of God’s glory” (Hebrews 1:3). “No matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:20).

[ Got Questions ]

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“What Does it Mean to Trust God?”

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your path straight. — Proverbs 3:5

Have you ever been told to “trust God?”
People who believe in God like to say this a lot, to themselves and others, especially when things aren’t going well.
But how do you trust God? Especially when you are afraid and don’t feel like it? What, even, IS trust?
“Trust,” according to Google, is:
Firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.
Trust in God does NOT mean that:
1. You believe everything will go the way you want it to, and it does
If that were true, those who follow God should be the most enviable people on Earth. Everything would go their way.
But obviously, it doesn’t, and they aren’t.
Believers living in some parts of the world are literally murdered for their beliefs. Others lose their jobs or livelihoods for their faith. Still others are mocked and belittled for the same.
Some people think that “believing in” God does entitle them to a problem-free life. If they have problems, they think they either don’t have enough faith or God is “not holding up His end of the bargain.”
But the Bible contradicts that idea.
“In this world, you will have trouble,” Jesus once said (John 16:33; emphasis added). And a lot of the most Godly characters in the Bible suffered tremendously.
God did perform many miracles, but he did not miraculously protect all of His people from everything:
Joseph was wrongly accused of rape and spent years languishing in a prison for nothing.
Ruth lost her husband and became a poor peasant in a foreign land far from home.
All but one of Jesus’ closest friends were tortured and murdered for proclaiming the truth about Him, and the one who survived was banished to an isolated island in his old age.
In the end, suffering and pain is something everyone must face, whether you trust in God or not.
2. God will explain everything that is going on in your life
God didn’t answer Job when he asked “Why me?”
God doesn’t owe you an explanation when life is painful and confusing.
When bad things happen — really, really bad things — many of us are tempted to ask why. Some of us get an answer…but many of us never do.
I won’t advise you to stop asking entirely, because maybe your specific situation is one of those that will get an answer. But I am saying that if you don’t get an explanation, don’t be surprised.
Trust in God DOES mean that:
No matter what happens, you will turn TO Him instead of away.
That’s it.
That’s as far as I understand “trust in God.”
Even if other people laugh at you and say that you believe in a capricious and demanding “flying spaghetti monster”
Even if, in your darker moments, you sometimes feel like God is a capricious and demanding “flying spaghetti monster”
Even if life hurts real bad and nothing you asked God for worked out the way you were hoping it would…
Even in spite of those things, trusting God means you continue to turn to Him, and away from the naysayers. You keep praying, even when those prayers seem to have absolutely effect. You keep saying, like Job:
The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
Does trusting God make you stupid?
That depends on how you define “stupid.”
According to Google, “stupid” is defined as “having or showing a great lack of intelligence or common sense.”
If you take the “common sense” part of the definition, then maybe. Trusting God is not common sense for most people. Not in our comfy 21st century Western culture.
People today prefer to think that they are their own gods, bearing total responsibility for their life — which, in the sense that they have the power to choose how they respond to situations, they do.
But in the sense that they have control over all (or even most) situations, they do not.

The thing is, it does NOT look real smart to keep trusting God, especially in the midst of painful, horrible, confusing circumstances.
Anti-theists often mock theists for stupidly clinging to their “blind faith” (theism is actually less blind than atheism, but there isn’t time to go into that now. If you’re curious, check out Frank Turek’s I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist*)
And even those who DO believe in the existence of God don’t always trust Him.
Job’s wife, for instance, advised him to “curse God and die.”
Why hold on to your comforting delusion of a Good and Omnipotent God when it’s obviously not doing anything?
Why not just accept the idea that the world is a cold, dark, meaningless, cruel place, and you and everything you love will die, and nothing matters unless you create your own meaning, and oh wait — that doesn’t matter either, because whatever meaning you create will die with you.
Actually, come to think of it, since nothing has meaning, whether you die now or later doesn’t matter. Might as well “curse God” and end it now…
Wait. What?
That’s interesting. The atheist non-God (aka Fate or Chance) sounds far more capricious and demanding than God. Not to mention depressing.
But when the story concludes, Job is restored to health and receives double of every earthly good he lost. Job’s wife’s advice turned out to be the stupid choice, and Job’s decision to trust God no matter what ended up being the smart one.
In the end, it’s better to make smart choices even if you look stupid, than to make stupid choices that make you look smart.
Trust in God vs. Amor Fati
Here’s the thing. Even non-theistic philosophers have stumbled onto the fact that, in the end, you have to accept life as it is.
The stoics coined the term “amor fati,” which means “love of fate.”
The basic concept is that, no matter what happens in your life, it is good — or at least necessary. Even if that thing happens to be great suffering and loss. So whatever fate hands you, you must love it. You must accept it.
Now, that sounds a lot like trusting God…without the God part.
You can either choose to accept things as coming from a source with a big fat question mark on it…or you choose to accept things as coming from the hand of God.
And, based on my research, the choice that makes the most sense is to trust God — the God who allows us to suffer, yes, for sometimes unfathomable reasons, but who at least knows what it feels like and can empathize in ways that a big-question-mark-Non-God-or-fate-or-whatever-you-want-to-call-it cannot.
A God who does care, even when it sometimes feels like He doesn’t.
Trusting in God means that whatever we suffer, in the end, can be used for our — all of our — ultimate good.
In the end, you only have 3 options
There’s an interesting sort of phenomenon:
A lot of the people who have only suffered a little (relatively), and choose to turn against God use those who have suffered much in life as Exhibit A for their anti-theism argument:
How could a loving God allow [rape, dying babies, the Holocaust] to happen?
But a funny thing happens when you talk to the people who have actually gone through rape, lost children, or survived the Holocaust. Many of them, especially in the darkest of times, turned to God in their desperation. And some of them, after the worst was over, continued in their newfound trust.
In other words, many of the most ardent God-trusters are those who are going through or who have been through the most hellish of fires.
Not all, of course. This pattern is not perfect. There are Holocaust/rape/loss survivors who have chosen not to trust God.
All this shows us is that suffering a little or a lot does not determine or even predict who chooses to trust God and who turns bitter.
There are materially rich and well-off people who are humble, God-fearing folks, and there are plenty of Godless people who suffer greatly.
In the end, it’s up to you. You must choose to…
Trust God: If God is a benevolent, omniscient, omnipotent being who is in total control and will one day wipe all evil from the face of the universe and restore humanity to harmony, peace, and joy, then this is definitely the choice to go for.
Or trust Fate: This choice will help you live with less stress in daily life, for the most part. But it has its limitations. It doesn’t provide you with much hope in the dark times, for instance — Fate does not guarantee that the pain will end someday. Fate does not personally care about you. Fate is just fate.
Or trust ONLY yourself: In my opinion, this is the worst of the three choices. Human beings are notoriously unreliable, and we can’t control the weather, much less our past/present/future. Trusting yourself too much can lead to mental unwell-ness.
Those who trust vs. those who don’t
From my personal experience, those who are the best at trusting God tend to be the most content, forgiving, kind, generous, and loving.
Those who do not want to and do not choose to trust God tend to be anxious, cynical, bitter, mean, and unhappy.
Not all the time…just a lot of the time. And they don’t always show it in public, but hang out with them long enough and it will come out eventually. How do I know this? Because I am often more of the second type than the first, myself.
Life is hard enough on its own. Personally, I’d prefer not to add to my own suffering and that of others with more anxiety, cynicism, bitterness, and unkindness. I’ve got to learn to trust God.
Easier said than done
Talking about trust is a whole lot easier than doing it. (Although talking about it is hard enough already — that’s part of the reason I wrote this article. To clarify the concept in my mind a little).
I have to confess I am notoriously horrible at trusting God. It’s all well and good to write and talk and think about it, but living it out?
Phhbt.
I struggle all the time with trusting God. Some days are better than others. Some days I am fairly content and productive and can see the silver lining in my situation. Some days I cry. Some days I raise my metaphorical fist to the sky and shout “Why?”
So far, no clear answer.
One thing I’ve learned from this experience so far, is that trusting God isn’t a one-time thing. Every time I am attacked by another bout of evil/pain is like another Trust Test.
(I usually fail, by the way)
But occasionally I do get it right. Not totally sure how. If anyone out there has some wise, practical advice for me on how to trust God better, I’d love to hear it :)

[ Sarah Cy ]

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“What does the Bible say about trust?”

The words translated “trust” in the Bible literally mean “a bold, confident, sure security or action based on that security.” Trust is not exactly the same as faith, which is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9). Rather, trusting is what we do because of the faith we have been given. Trusting is believing in the promises of God in all circumstances, even in those where the evidence seems to be to the contrary. Hebrews 11 talks about faith, which is accepting and believing the truth that God reveals about Himself, supremely in the person of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, the practical consequence of faith in God is trust, which we prove by living out our full acceptance of God’s promises day by day. Furthermore, it is by this trust that we are promised peace: “You will keep in peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you” (Isaiah 26:3).

The classic verse regarding trust is Proverbs 3:5: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” This verse sums up the Bible’s teaching on trust. First, it is the Lord in whom we are to trust, not ourselves or our plans, and certainly not the world’s wisdom and devices. We trust in the Lord because He and He alone is truly trustworthy. His Word is trustworthy (Psalm 93:5; 111:7; Titus 1:9), His nature is faithful and true (Deuteronomy 7:9; Psalm 25:10; 145:13; 146:6), and His plans for us are perfect and purposeful (Isaiah 46:10; Jeremiah 29:11). Further, because of God’s nature, we are to trust Him with all our hearts, committing every aspect of our lives to Him in complete confidence. Finally, we are not to trust in ourselves because our understanding is temporal, finite, and tainted by our sin natures. Trusting in ourselves is like walking confidently across a rotten wooden bridge over a yawning chasm thousands of feet deep. Disaster inevitably follows.

Trust in God is a feature of many of the psalms of David. There are 39 references to trust in the Psalms alone, whether referring to trusting in God and His Word, or to not trusting in riches or the things of this world. It is on the basis of this trust that David finds deliverance from all the evil he encounters. Many of David’s psalms describe situations when he was pursued by Saul and his army, as well as his other enemies, and always did the Lord come to his aid. One thing that can be noted about biblical trust is that it always engenders further trust in our God. The man of God never stops trusting in God completely. His faith may be knocked, He may stumble, or He may fall into the foulest of sins, but “though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand” (Psalm 37:24). The man of God knows that, though trials will beset in this life, his trust will not waiver because that trust is based on faith in the promises of God: the promise of eternal joy with the Lord and the promise of an inheritance that “can never perish, spoil and fade” (1 Peter 1:4).

[ Got Questions ]

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“WHAT PROVERBS 3:5-6 MEANS TO ME”

People often ask me, “What is Proverbs 3:5-6” because they see it tattooed on my arm. And without any thought, I usually just recite it off the top of my dome like the Pledge of Allegiance, but rarely considering whether or not I am allegiant to that pledge. I think so many times we take familiar Bible verses just as words to be recited — and not life and truth to be received. We use them when convenient and rehearsed, missing the power behind the words. I’m guilty of this myself and I can’t even count how many times I have recited my “life verse” without contemplating the profoundly solid and practical truths in such a verse.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths” (Proverbs 3: 5-6).

‍Let’s contemplate the words “trust in the Lord.” You see, when we trust in something, we are placing our security in that entity. For example, I absolutely trust my earthly father, which means I have total and complete confidence in his integrity, ability, and good character because I know him and have a relationship with him. I trust in him because I know he will do what’s best for me. However, is that the same level of trust I am placing in my Heavenly Father?

If I am being honest, I would admit that it is harder to trust God than it is man, even though man will always let us down. Only God is perfectly trustworthy and faithful. Yet if I do not take time to get to know Him, I will never come to trust Him.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart” means placing our heart at the Lord’s feet. This surrender leaves no room for our own anxiety or worry, but completely entrusts our “being” to God’s sovereignty. And as crazy as that may sound or even as scary as it may be, the next part of this verse is necessary for the “trusting” to lead to “His holding.”

You see, to “lean not on your own understanding” is to lean completely into the strong arms of God’s holding. It means to not rely on ourselves, essentially letting go of what we think we know and letting God take the helm of what He perfectly knows.

“In all your ways acknowledge Him”: not some ways or some days, but always with all our ways. This means to admit the existence, reality, and trustworthiness of God. To acknowledge Him as Lord over our world and to give Him full access to sit on the throne of our hearts. There and only there can He begin to govern our walk.

“And He will direct your paths.” He will begin to establish our steps and lead us where He needs us.

With all that being said and explained, I don’t want to just be able to recite God’s Word, I want to be incited by God’s Word. I don’t want to just quote it verbally, I want my life to quote the Truth of God’s Word visually. It begins with trust and ends with Him. Trusting Him. Period.

[ Truth Over Trend ]

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“Why Should I Believe the Bible?”

Hebrews 4:12​
The Bible. For some, it is a big book of historical recordings that have no pertinence toward their life. For others, it is God’s Holy Word that is living and active and sharper than a double-edged sword; their guidepost through each day. But, is this book, handed down for thousands of years throughout history, to be believed? In this encouraging message from Pastor Jeff Schreve, we see the truth: the Bible is the trustworthy and living Word of God, not just some religious musings of man.

[ Jeff Schreve ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G86bzkkrejU

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“Why Should I Trust the Bible?”

Can we trust the Bible? Why should I trust the Bible? How do we know that the Bible is true? Whether you’re an atheist or an apologist, at some point you have been faced with this question. In this episode, we dive into detail about the accuracy of the Bible, the authors, evidence for the Bible, and much more. We use several tests to check the accuracy of the Bible. Regardless of your beliefs, this is a great video to check out if you’re looking for answers.

[ Impact Video Ministries ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtNcbu5oHQU

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“Why Some Skeptics Don’t Trust the Bible

[ J. Warner Wallace ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lznNvw8u0sc

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“Why the Bible?”

For two evenings, Ravi Zacharias answers hard-hitting questions from a student-packed auditorium at University of Illinois.

[ Ravi Zacharias ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHRP0I2SrVs

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“Why We Believe the Bible Is True”

Now whenever I have the opportunity to preach on the doctrine of the Word of God, there is a great danger that this could go on for a long time and that you may feel like you’re drinking out of a fire hose at full volume, because this is my passion, as you know, the Word of God. I love the truth, I live for the truth, I proclaim the truth. Nothing is as important as the truth of God revealed in Scripture. And so, as we began last Sunday night talking about this issue of Scripture, we shall continue for many Sunday nights to come…not sure exactly how many…to talk about the great doctrine of Scripture.

Let me begin tonight by reminding you of a familiar statement that appears three times in the Bible. Once in Deuteronomy chapter 8, once in Matthew chapter 4, and a third time recorded in Luke chapter 4, and this is that statement: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” What kind of living are we talking about? What kind of life is in view? Well this refers to all of life, encompassing the spiritual life as well as the temporal, physical life.

Everything in life, every perception in life, every attitude, every action must be understood in the light of the Word of God. For us who are believers, we understand that our spiritual lives which dominate our physical lives and all aspects of living are fed solely and only by the Word of God. For believers, the only soul food is Scripture. This is laid out for us, repeatedly, throughout the pages of the Bible. In Psalm 1 we read, “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers, but his delight is in the law of the Lord and in His law he meditates day and night.”
In the 19th Psalm we read regarding the Scripture the words that are recorded there, that they are more desirable than gold, yes than much fine gold, sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. And we are instructed to let the words of our mouth and the meditation of our heart “be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.” And that means that the words and the meditations of our hearts in order to be acceptable to God are reflective of His Word. And that is clearly indicated in Joshua chapter 1 verse 8, “This book of the law, Scripture shall not depart from your mouth but you shall meditate on it day and night so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it, then you will make your way prosperous and then you will have success.” All of life depends on the Word of God. It is our only true soul food. [more…]

[ John MacArthur ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgfomboPfh4

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“Why We Believe the Bible”

[ John Piper ]

Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiDktbtbXaw
Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGZ1wfEGvTM
Part 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pH11_0aHSgQ
Part 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEMiTWvc1qE
Part 5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMVuPW8VPbE

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“Why We Know the Truth About Jesus Even Though There Are Variants in the Ancient Manuscripts”

[ J. Warner Wallace ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22oghaUZs-k

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“Why We Trust the Bible”

God Has Spoken

God’s revelation: where would we be without it? In this series, Dr. Stephen Nichols explains that we would be lost if not for God’s Word, trapped in the darkness of sin forever. Rather than forsake us, God sent His Son, Jesus, revealing and recording His redemptive purposes in an inspired, inerrant, and authoritative source: the Bible. Sufficient for all of life, a crucial question arises: will we accept its authority?

[ Dr. Stephen Nichols ]

Series: https://www.ligonier.org/learn/series/why-we-trust-the-bible/

Materials: https://www.ligonier.org/store/why-we-trust-the-bible-dvd/

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“Why You Can Believe the Bible”

Voddie Baucham is a husband, father, pastor, author, professor, conference speaker and church planter. He serves as Pastor of Preaching at Grace Family Baptist Church in Spring, Texas.

[ Voddie Baucham ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1XJ7DeR5fc

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“10 Reasons to Believe In The Bible”

We are surrounded by claims of religious authority—sacred books, spiritual leaders, and ceremonial activities abound. Yet in the midst of that, the Bible claims to be separate and distinctive from any other religious authorities. We owe it to ourselves to carefully examine those claims, and to respond accordingly. Here we are offered ten elements of the case for the Bible, and why it can be trusted.

YOU’RE NOT ALONE if you have questions about the reliability of the Bible. The Scriptures, like the world around us, are marked by elements of mystery. Yet if the Bible is what it claims to be, you don’t have to try to sort out the evidence on your own. Jesus promised divine help to those who want to know the truth about Him and His teaching. He said, “If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether My teaching comes from God or whether I speak on My own” (John 7:17 NIV).

Booklet (Free Download): https://discoveryseries.org/courses/10-reasons-to-believe-in-the-bible/

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“Confidence in God’s Word, as It Is Written”

2012 Shepherds’ Conference

[ John MacArthur ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPhzjMOboQI

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“Is The Bible Reliable?”

“Bib Questions. Short Answers”

[ Todd Friel ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xayJV_0ZNNk

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“How do I defend the Bible?”

Ravi Zacharias answers a question from a student at the University of Illinois about defending the Bible.

[ Ravi Zacharias ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1u5cXb4zHbM

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“Why Can We Trust the Bible?”

Special Guest Dr. Frank Turek energetically answers the question “Why can we trust in the Bible?”.

[ Bobby Conway ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhT4kFyFEeg

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“How Can I Trust The Bible If Man Wrote It?”

Frank Turek talks about how we can believe the veracity of the Bible.

[ Bobby Conway ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RaphzTuCFY

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“5 Steps to Trust God {When You Don’t Feel Like It}”

A Guest Blog by Niki Hardy

If you knew me, you’d probably think that by now that I’d be a dab hand at trusting God.

But believe me—I’m not.

I still find it as difficult as squeezing into my tumble-dried skinny jeans.

The last fifteen years have taken me through deep pain and loss.

And yet whenever I’ve stepped out and trusted God, I’ve seen Him show up in the most extraordinary ways, both big and small.

So in theory, I should be a professional God-Truster by now.

Yet, I’m not.

For some reason, every time I need to trust God, it’s as if it’s the very first time and it’s an almighty struggle yet, again.

Wouldn’t it be nice if trusting in the Lord with all our heart and not leaning on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6) was straight forward, no matter what life threw at us? [more…]

Article: https://livingbydesign.org/trust-god/

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“Trusting God”

Bible verses about trusting God
You can trust God. Many of you are going through the biggest storm of your life, but I want you to know that you can really trust God. I’m not a motivational speaker. I’m not trying to be cliche with things that all Christians may say. I’m not telling you something that I haven’t experienced. There have been many times where I had to trust God.

25 Encouraging Bible Verses About Trusting God

I’ve been through the fire. I know how it is. You can trust Him. He is faithful. If you are going through a job loss I want you to know that I’ve been laid off before.

If you are going through financial troubles I want you to know that there was a time in my walk with Christ where I literally had nothing, but Christ. If you lost a loved one I want you to know that I have lost a loved one.

If you have ever been disappointed I want you to know that I’ve failed, I’ve made mistakes, and I’ve been disappointed many times. If you have a broken heart I want you to know that I know how it feels to have a broken heart. If you are going through situations where your name is being slandered I’ve been through that pain. I’ve been through the fire, but God has been faithful one situation after another.

There has never been a time when God didn’t provide for me. Never! I’ve seen God move even though for some situations it took a while. He was building in me a faith unlike any other. He’s been working in me through the many hard times. Why do we cast so much doubt on the power of the living God? Why? [more…]

[ Fritz Chery ]

Article: https://biblereasons.com/trusting-god/

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“Bible in a ‘Nutshell’”

God made.
Adam bit.
Noah arked.
Abraham split.
Jacob fooled.
Joseph ruled.
Bush talked.
Moses balked.

Pharaoh plagued.
People walked.
Sea divided.
Tablets guided.

Promise landed.
Saul freaked.
David peeked.

Prophets warned.
Jesus born.
God walked.
Love talked.

Anger crucified.
Hope died.
Love rose.

Spirit flamed.
Word spread.
God remained!

[ Author unknown ]

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“M.A.P.S.”

To help you investigate the reliability of the Bible, Bible scholar, Hank Hanegraff, developed the acronym, M-A-P-S (since most Bibles have “maps” at the back of them). It stands for: Manuscripts / Archaeology / Prophecy / Statistical Probability. The following is a summary of what he has proposed.
[ Entire PDF here: http://www.equip.org/PDF/DB011.pdf ].

– Manuscripts: Accurate copies; Dead Sea Scrolls found in 1947, and the portion of Isaiah 53 found was dated to be written in 100BC compared to oldest fragment they had before this which was dated 900AD—there are 166 words in the passage (about 1,000 letters) and only 17 are different—14 for spelling (like the difference between the word honor and honor), and 3 for the word “light” which does not change the meaning of the text at all; Old Testament scribes counted lines, words, and letters on every page (each Hebrew letter has a value), and would burn the ones with even one mistake; For ancient documents, the more copies the better—the New Testament has over 8,000 Latin and 5,000 Greek manuscripts—overwhelmingly superior to any other ancient document (we have only 10 copies of Caesar’s “Gaelic Wars” and the earliest copy is 1,000 years after it was written); The New Testament has over 5,000 copies dating to within 40-60 years of the originals (simply not enough time for myths to propagate since too many eyewitnesses were still around).

– Archaeology: Solidly confirms the Bible’s accuracy; (example: the Hittites are only mentioned in Bible—monuments and clay tablets have been recently found) Never has there been an archeological discovery that has ever controverted a Biblical reference (Nelson Glueck); Sir William Ramsay set out to disprove Bible, but became a Christian because of the evidence he found.

– Prophecy: Predictions made 500-1,500 years ahead of time (example: the destruction of Tyre by Ezekiel was written 200 years before it happened—King Nebuchadnezzar destroyed mainland city within 15 years, and Alexander the Great threw the debris into the water to form a causeway to destroy the island—finishing the ‘job’); Eventual return of the Jewish people and re-creation of their nation; Isaiah wrote about crucifixion of Christ 700 years before hand and crucifixion was not even a method used at that time; Isaiah also talks about details like gambling for Jesus’ garments; There are over 300 specific prophecies about Jesus that have come to pass.

– Statistical Probability: Written over 1,500 year period by 40 different people in 3 different languages on hundreds of subjects—and it has one consistent non-contradictory theme throughout; No errors have ever been found; God had to have ‘superintended’ it—the unity of it all is shocking; Ask yourself this: suppose you put all the writings of medical subjects together for the last 1,500 years—would it be a unified whole or a chaotic mess? Now, take 40 journalist students from the same culture and the same language and ask them to write on the same subjects the Bible covers—Do you think it would be a ‘harmonized’ masterpiece?

Those few ‘proofs’ are definitely pretty comprehensive, and for those who would like to do more in-depth study, there’s other books about the Bible’s reliability listed in the “Resources” section below. [ I did a substantial amount of study on the ‘veracity’ of Scripture, so contact me if you are interested in additional resources ].

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“EVIDENCE OF BIBLICAL PROPHECY”

GROUNDING THE NEXT GENERATION IN THE BOOK THEY CAN TRUST! We are in our six weeks of teaching courses here along the Pacific Rim and are rejoicing in the response to this course on BIBLIOLOGY. We are covering the seven reasons God’s Word can be trusted. Please pray for many deeply impacted lives. What is the simplest and yet most profound evidence the Bible offers? Fulfilled Biblical prophecy. What an irrefutable verification reserved to the Judeo-Christian Scriptures alone. Prophecy is the missing element in all other sacred scriptures of the world’s religions, It is not to be found in them, by contrast, prophecy comprises about one-third of the Scriptures!

[ John Barnett ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdTVFxqx7YQ

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“Help! I Want to Read the Bible, but I Find It Boring”

Let’s Be Honest
Do you find the Bible boring?

Not just those parts of Numbers and Leviticus that we conveniently skip during daily devotions. I mean all of it. Would you much rather be reading something—anything—else? Does a mindless scroll through Facebook posts you’ve already read seem more attractive than sitting down to read the Bible?

Or do you not want to admit that?

If we’re honest, I think we’ve all been there. It took years before I learned to enjoy and love the word—and that was after I became a Christian. Here are a few things I learned as a young person struggling to find a love for the Scripture. Perhaps they’ll be helpful for you, too—especially if you’re also a teen!

Ask for the Spirit’s Help
[more…]

[ Katherine Forster ]

Article: https://www.crossway.org/articles/help-i-want-to-read-the-bible-but-i-find-it-boring/

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“10 Reasons Why, ‘I’m Not Getting ANYTHING Out of My Bible Study!’”

Are you struggling to get anything out of your Bible study? Do you feel like your Bible study has become dry, stale, boring, mundane, and an overall burden? Has it become a task that you do so you don’t have to feel guilty about NOT doing it? There could be some specific reasons why you’re not “getting anything” out of your Bible study time with God. Here are 10 reasons why that might be the case.

[ Allen Parr ]

Presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PnPBXg3msI

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“When You Don’t Like Reading the Bible”

Do you ever feel like banging your head against your Bible?

Does reading Scripture feel like a detox diet, where nothing tastes good, but you choke down the foods because they’re healthy?

Do you recognize nothing is sinking in as your eyes glaze over the words and pages?

As a new Christian, I rode the bus to work every day with my head buried in my pocket Bible, underlining passages as they jumped off the page. I memorized verses and bought multiple translations, commentaries and other resources.

I was the local Christian bookstore’s best friend.

No other book had ever pegged me so accurately. I saw my problems laid bare on its pages and yet found hope that I could become a new person.

But at some point in my journey, the Bible and I drifted apart. I’d open that same pocket Bible, but the connection to its contents was gone. We’d stopped talking to each other.

It all came to a head the summer I taught a class on how to study the Bible.

Weeks before the course was scheduled to start, the anxiety attacks began. I’d wake up crying, overcome with panic.

I’d been in full-time ministry for four years and was about to be exposed as a fraud.

How could I impart enthusiasm for reading Scripture when I had stopped enjoying the Bible myself?

Perhaps you’re facing similar frustration, disappointment and even shame over your experience with Scripture. If that’s you, before writing yourself off as a Bible-lite believer, here are some things to consider:

[ Ross McCall ]

Article: https://www.cru.org/us/en/blog/share-the-gospel/obstacles-to-faith/when-you-dont-like-reading-the-bible.html

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“How To – Read, Study, Memorize, Meditate & Use the Word of God”

[ John Barnett ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsTOdjyhFa8

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“What If I Don’t Want to Read the Bible?”

How I long for your precepts! In your righteousness preserve my life. May your unfailing love come to me, LORD, your salvation, according to your promise… (Psalm 119:40-41)

We’ve recently considered how to better read the Bible with our whole selves. But at this time of the year, many of us wrestle with a more basic problem: what if we don’t want to read the Bible in the first place?

This can be tough to even admit for some of us. For many Christians, Bible reading––especially as part of a daily devotional schedule––is one of the big “shoulds” of faith. In fact, that’s likely part of the issue. Many of us have been told that we should read the Bible, but we’ve hardly ever been told how to stick with it or why we should want to in the first place.

But there’s nothing wrong with simple honesty. Given enough years of growing faith, we simply will encounter times when the Bible feels “blah.” (Yes––that’s the technical theological term.) Such times are a chance to learn, shake things up, and move toward the reason we’re passionate about living Bible-rich lives in the first place––finding our place in the story that points to Jesus. With that in mind, I’d like to offer four things that any of us can do when (not if) we don’t want to read the Bible. [more…]

[ Paul J. Pastor ]

Article: https://bibleproject.com/blog/what-if-i-dont-want-to-read-my-bible/

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“5 Tips for Picking the Best Bible Translation”

There are dozens of Bible translations. The King James, the New King James, the English Standard Version, the New International Version, the New American Standard, the 21st Century King James Version, the New Living Translation, and many others. Which is the best Bible translation for you to read? Which is closer to the original text? What translations use the original Greek, Aramaic, or Hebrew? Is there one single version of the Bible that theologians, pastors, or churches prefer?

The Languages of the Bible
Bible Translation
There are dozens of Bible translations

First of all, the Bible was originally written in Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. Much of the Old Testament Hebrew was trans- lated into the Greek called the Septuagint. I received a wonderful gift once. It was a Bible that had four different translations in one edition. This is an exceptional Bible study tool that allows the reader to look at each different translation to extract meaning out of each and every verse you read. I recommend that you own or buy more than one Bible translation and do not depend upon any one single version because different Bibles bring out different areas that can differ in interpretation. I also prefer the Bibles with margins and footnotes where the original Hebrew, Greek, or Aramaic is given.

Which is the Best Bible Translation?

There is no simple answer to this. Some of this has to do with which part of the Bible you want to read. The Bible is the Word of God, God-breathed and God inspired (2 Tim 3:16). It is described as living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword since it can penetrate human thoughts and motives (Heb 4:12). The Word is the very power of God (Isaiah 55:11). Which translation is best? I will answer this question but first, there are five tips that I would recommend before you pick the “best”.

Tip Number One: Popular Doesn’t Mean Accurate
The most popular translations are not always the best translation. For example the Living Bible, the Message, or the Amplified Bible are very popular today but they tend to paraphrase a bit too much. This leaves too much room for personal interpretation and the Bible is not for private interpretation (2 Pet. 1:20). When authors try to translate the Bible into the modern day vernacular, they take too much license in the wording and as has been said: Take text out of context and it makes it a pretext. This is exactly what modern day translations like the Amplified Bible or the Message do. They take the verses and put them into a story form. These translations paraphrase too much and this makes extracting the meaning even more difficult or gives a meaning that can be misleading. They may be the most popular, but that does not mean they are the most accurate.

Tip Number Two: Modern Translations Can Become Mistranslations
An example of this can be found in Matthew (28:20) when Jesus was departing this world and the disciples for heaven and giving them instructions regarding the Great Commission. Read how these different translations differ in only one verse.

The Common English Bible, “teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you. Look, I myself will be with you every day until the end of this present age.”

The New Century Version, “Teach them to obey everything that I have taught you, and I will be with you always, even until the end of this age.”

The Message, “Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: “God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.”

The New International Version (NIV) is the best rendering with the original meaning, “and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

The NIV is better than The Message because where The Message version says to “Go out and train everyone you meet…” but the NIV simply says “teaching them to obey everything I have command you.” This is a big difference. It would be hard to go out and “train everyone you meet” (The Message) when it specifically means to teach only those that you “make disciples” (v. 19 of Matthew 28). Plus The Message uses 78 words in translating one verse while the NIV uses only 24 words in the same verse (v. 20 Matthew 28).

Also The Message puts quotations around Jesus inferred meaning. That is dangerous theological ground when you are quoting Jesus and He didn’t exactly say those specific words. The margin of error skyrockets when the author adds several words. You can be sure that there were not that many words in the original Greek text so the meaning is effectually changed.

Tip Number Three: Buy a Study Bible
If you are going to spend good money on buying a Bible, you might as well invest in a good one. Whatever Bible translation you use, get a Study Bible or one that has footnotes and side margins. These Bibles will tell you when some manuscripts were added and not in the original text while noting that other manuscripts are omitted and not in the original texts. A good example is what is commonly called the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:19-13. It reads, “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. The New International Version correctly states that some late manuscripts read, “for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” I am always cautious when I read “some later manuscripts read” because these were added by non-apostles. In this case, this verse was added by the Catholic Church at a much later date than the original manuscripts were written. These should be red flags for the readers that they are not inspired by the original author and thus are not considered scriptural. Also, some Bibles use italics and this is for an important reason. Anytime you see italics used in scripture, customarily these means that the words or sentences were not in the original text and have been inserted by a later, non-apostolic or non-original author. It can also mean that they were not found in the original manuscripts or that they were found in some later manuscripts. .

Incidentally, the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13 is not in actuality the “Lord’s Prayer”. It is an example or arch-type of how to pray that Jesus Himself gave. The key is where He said, “This, then, is how you should pray” (v 9). The actual Lord’s Prayer is really found in John 17:1-26 and it is called the “High Priestly Prayer” because it is where Jesus actually prays. He is not just giving an example on how to pray as in Matthew chapter six. A good Study Bible will point this important difference out.

Tip Number Four: Research Your Bible Translation
Even before you buy a Bible, research the translation. Do your homework. Just because the Bible translation is more reflective of modern day, liberal thought, does not necessarily make it better. I would also not buy a Bible translation just because it was written in a more poetic nature. Perhaps you could also ask a pastor, a Sunday school teacher, or an elder or deacon or a trusted Christian friend about which translation that they use or one that they like. What translation does your church use? This doesn’t ensure it is the best one. This was a decision that the church made as a whole and was not taken lightly, but it was also one that may have been decided upon many years ago before they knew about some issues in that particular translation. You can rest assured that the church counseled together long before making a decision on buying these Bibles for the church but they are only human and can make mistakes. Even though this was likely not a snap decision it does not mean it is the best translation available. Much forethought must have gone into the process of purchasing them but you may have discovered one that is a more accurate one. Just because the church chose it doesn’t mean it’s the best translation.

Tip Number Five: The Best Translation
The “best” is subjective. There is no one single translation of the Bible that stands head and shoulders above the rest. There is one version of the Bible that is used by more seminaries, more churches, and quoted more often by Christian websites. If you Google verses of the Bible, the chances are high that it will return a Bible Gateway link (http://www.biblegateway.com/) and that translation will be the New International Version (2011). The NIV as it is called, is the most often used but many do not consider it the most reliable and even though it might be the most often quoted of any of the major translations that are used today doesn’t mean it is the best. What is popular is not always right just as what is right is not always popular.

If I were to personally recommend a Bible translation, I would select the King James Version, the New King James or the English Standard Version (ESV). The ESV Study Bible is the one that I use and with the margins and footnotes, I can easily reference the original work in Greek, Aramaic, or Hebrew. The New King James (NKJ) Study Bible is also a fine translation. As I said before, I have several translations and I use more than one. But a Study Bible always gives you more and better information on the scriptures and it gives you associated scriptural references from elsewhere in the Bible that have to do with the same subject, topic, or person. An example is in my ESV Study Bible, John 19:25 the Roman soldier’s caste lots for Jesus seamless tunic which fulfilled the prophecy of Him in Psalm 22:18.

Only you can decide which translation is best. I have only given you the three that I think are the most accurate and the best for Bible study. You ultimately will have to make your own decision. I have more than one translation myself. Whichever one you choose, a good Study Bible will never disappoint and the English Standard Version, the New International Version or the New King James Study Bibles will be something that you will get years and years of satisfaction from. There is so much enjoyment in studying the Word of God. And if you have all three Study Bibles, then you’ve won the Triple Crown. And then you can teach me a thing or two about the Bible I am sure.

[ Jack Wellman ]

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“Which is the Best Bible translation?”

[ Bible Society ]

Website: https://www.biblesociety.org.uk/explore-the-bible/which-is-the-best-bible-translation/

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“Which Bible Translation is Best?”

The common question of which Bible translation to use is very important—it concerns the most important words ever spoken, the words of God the Creator. It’s crucial to understand at the outset that behind each version is a fundamental philosophy of Bible translation. You want to make sure the version you use reproduces in your own language what God actually said.

Translation Philosophy

You can separate modern Bible translations into two basic groups—formal equivalency and dynamic equivalency. Formal equivalency attempts a word for word rendition, providing as literal a translation as possible. Dynamic equivalency is more like a paraphrase, trying to convey ideas thought by thought.

Since no one language corresponds perfectly to any other language, every translation involves some degree of interpretation. A translation based on formal equivalency has a low degree of interpretation; translators are trying to convey the meaning of each particular word. When faced with a choice between readability and accuracy, formal equivalency translators are willing to sacrifice readability for the sake of accuracy.

By its very nature, a translation based on dynamic equivalency requires a high degree of interpretation. The goal of dynamic equivalency is to make the Bible readable, conveying an idea-for-idea rendering of the original. That means someone must first decide what idea is being communicated, which is the very act of interpretation. How the translators view Scripture becomes extremely important in the final product.

Sadly, there are many in the Bible-translation industry who have a low view of the Scripture. They think the Bible is merely a product of man, replete with mistakes, contradictions, and personal biases. Many translators today have also adopted the postmodern idea of elevating the experience of the reader over the intention of the author. They make the contemporary reader sovereign over the text and demote the intended meaning of the historic human writers who were carried along by one divine author (2 Peter 1:19-21).

Therefore, it’s vital that you find a translation that represents what the Holy Spirit actually said as faithfully as possible. Who’s interested in some contemporary translation committee’s spin on what they think contemporary readers want to read? We want to read what the author intended us to read, which is what the Holy Spirit originally inspired.

Translation Survey

The most popular dynamic-equivalency translations, which dominate the evangelical world, are the New International Version (NIV), Today’s New International Version (TNIV), The Message (MSG), The Living Bible (TLB), the Good News Bible (GNB), and the New Living Translation (NLT). Of those, the NIV is the most reliable.

The NIV was completed in 1978. Its translators did not attempt to translate strictly word for word, but aimed more for equivalent ideas. As a result, the NIV doesn’t follow the exact wording of the original Greek and Hebrew texts as closely as the King James Version and New American Standard Bible versions do. Nevertheless, it can be considered a faithful translation of the original texts, and its lucid readability makes it quite popular, especially for devotional reading.

The four most popular formal equivalency translations in English are the King James Version (KJV), the New King James Version (NKJV), the New American Standard Bible (NASB), and the English Standard Version (ESV).

The KJV is the oldest of the four and continues to be the favorite of many. It is known as the Authorized Version of 1611 because King James I approved the project to create an authoritative English Bible. Although it contains many obsolete words (some of which have changed in meaning), many people appreciate its dignity and majesty. The NKJV is a similar translation, taken from the same group of ancient manuscripts, that simply updates the archaic language of the KJV.

The NASB, completed in 1971 and updated in 1995, is a revision of the American Standard Version of 1901. It is a literal translation from the Hebrew and Greek languages that incorporates the scholarship of several centuries of textual criticism conducted since the original KJV. It quickly became a favorite translation for serious Bible study.

The ESV is the most recent translation, which stands firmly in the formal equivalency tradition. It is a very solid translation in updated language that aims to reproduce the beauty of the KJV. The result is one of the most poetic and beautifully structured versions that maintains a high degree of accuracy and faithfulness to the original languages.

Translation Choice

Which version is the best to use? Ultimately, that choice is up to you. Each of the formal-equivalency versions has strengths and weaknesses, but they are all reliable translations of the Bible. If you want to read a dynamic-equivalency translation, the NIV is the most reliable.

Ideally, as a serious student of Scripture, you should become familiar enough with concordances, word-study aids, and conservative commentaries so that even without a thorough knowledge of the original languages, you can explore the nuances of meaning that arise out of the original texts.

[ John MacArthur ]

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“Is the NIV a Corrupt Bible Translation and the KJV the only “Inspired” Translation?”

Is the NIV a corrupt translation? Is the KJV the ONLY acceptable “inspired” translation to read from? Have verses actually been removed from the NIV and other modern translations? In this video I give you 8 facts about modern translations as they compare to the KJV and my thoughts on the different translations.

[ Allen Parr ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ns-SWo0d77k

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“The Dead Sea Scrolls”

Why are the Dead Sea Scrolls so important to the study of the Bible? Learn why with Dr. James Fleming on the show Christ in Prophecy.

[ Christ in Prophecy ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmk72uJVnTA

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“The Importance of Bible Prophecy”

Is Bible prophecy vital to our Christian faith? Find out with Dr. David Reagan on the show Christ in Prophecy.

[ Christ in Prophecy ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_T-XIY7jQ4

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“How do I defend the Bible?”

Ravi Zacharias answers a question from a student at the University of Illinois about defending the Bible.

[ Ravi Zacharias ]

Presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1u5cXb4zHbM

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“Is the Bible really True?”

First, the Bible is true because it gives us the experience it claims it will. For example, the Bible says God will forgive our sin (1 John 1:9). I believe that, and I can truly say that I have a sense of freedom from guilt. The Bible also says that “if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17 ). That’s what happened to me when I came to Jesus Christ. The Bible changes lives. Someone has said that a Bible that’s falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t. That’s true because the Bible can put lives together. Millions of people all over the world are living proof that that is true. Maybe you know one or two of them. They’ve experienced the Bible’s power.

[ John MacArthur ]

Q&A: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FeJdSyghrs

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“The Bible Is True Because the Bible Says It’s True?”

[ WWUTT ]

Presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Io4KUywmh4

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“SCIENCE PROVES THE BIBLE IS TRUE–THE BIBLE IS COMPLETELY, SCIENTIFICALLY, INCREDIBLY ACCURATE”

[ John Barnett ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1InKigUaag

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“Jesus In Every Book of the Bible”

“That is why Jesus is the central figure from beginning to end he is the beginning and the end and everything in between. He is the Alpha and the Omega and the rest of the alphabet. He is the only true revelation of God and no one else is the revelation of God other than Jesus the Christ. And you can find him in every book of the Bible every book of the Bible…If you have the spiritual eyes to see it.

In the book of Genesis he is the seed of the woman that the father promised Adam and Eve in Exodus his the Passover lamb in Leviticus he is the high priest in numbers he is the smitten Rock in Deuteronomy he is the prophet and in Joshua he is the captain of the Lord of Hosts in Judges he is a creator and the final judge and Ruth he is the heavenly kinsman redeemer in Samuel he is the anointed in Kings he is the king of kings and the Lord of lords in Chronicles he is the glory of God in the temple in Ezra he is a teacher comes from God in Nehemiah he is the rebuilder of broken lives in Esther he is the protector of his people in Job he’s the only comforter in times of trouble in song he’s our Good Shepherd in Proverbs he is the wisdom of God in Ecclesiastes he is the preacher of the kingdom of God in the Song of Songs he is the bridegroom is coming to his bride the church in Isaiah he is the mighty God everlasting father Prince of Peace in Jeremiah he is the Potter who shapes the clay of our lives into the image of God in Lamentations he is the weeping prophet in Ezekiel he is the wheel inside the wheel in Daniel he is the son of man coming on clouds of great glory and he’s the fourth person in the fiery furnace in Hosea he is the love of God to the backslider in Joel he is the baptism of the Holy Spirit in Amos he is the author of judgment and mercy in Obadiah he is the god of vengeance in Jonah he is the salvation of our Lord in Micah he is the great intercessor in Nahum he is the stronghold in the days of trouble in Habakkuk he is the god of mercy in Zephaniah he is establish of the kingdom of God upon the earth in Haggai he is the desire of all nations and in Zechariah he is the branch of Jehovah in Malachi the last book of the Old Testament he is the refiners fire the Sun of righteousness that shall rise over all the world with healing in his wings.

“and that’s announcing for over two thousand years that is coming that’s who he is look for those characteristics in him when he arrived look for look for him look for him some did and believed many didn’t because they wanted a messiah that fits them just lau we wanted jesus who agrees with us someone said that god created man in his own image and now we have returned the favor and created a God in our own image beloved don’t be be immobile from the truth of the gospel and that is why when Jesus showed up he said before Abraham was I am I am that word should have really giving them goosebumps it should have reminded them that this is the very God who appeared to Moses at the burning bush and when Moses said what do I tell them who sent me he said tell them I am sent you and when Jesus said I am they should have jumped all over the place to welcome him as their Messiah but they didn’t. And that is why in the New Testament you see with clarity of course no symbolism it’s in clarity.

“You see him in Matthew as a kingly Messiah in Mark he is the miracle worker in Luke he is the great physician in John he is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world in Acts he is the risen Lord in Romans he is our justification in Corinthians he is our sanctification in Galatians he is our liberation in Ephesians he is our perfection in Philippians he is our joy in Colossians he is the head of the body the church in Thessalonians he is the coming Lord who reign and rule forever in timothy he is the judge of all men in Titus he is the Redeemer of the world in Philemon he is the friend that you’re closer than a brother in Hebrews he is the author and the finisher of our salvation in James he is the healer of all nations in Peter he is the chief shepherd and the Bishop of our souls in John’s epistles he is the word of God in Jude he is the coming Lord with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgment upon the earth in Revelation he is the Alpha and the Omega the beginning and the end the Lion of the tribe of Judah the root of Jesse the root of David the Lamb of God the Word of God the king of kings and the Lord of lords.”

[ Michael Youssef ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMZm17elM-c

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‘ASK, SEEK, KNOCK’
In Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5-7), He describes the truly righteous life. At the end of the Sermon, He was talking about continual prayer and said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” [ Matthew 7:7 ].

In the Greek, each of these verbs is an ‘imperative’ in the present tense, denoting an emphatic command. The Greek word for “ask” is “aiteite,” which means to beg or petition. The word for “seek” is “zeteite,” which means to search for or desire. “Krouete” is the word translated as “knock,” and literally means to strike against something. These are ‘action’ words that carry with them the idea of heightened immediacy!

However, two words of caution should be given here. The first is against thinking that we can badger, pester, or harangue God into answering our prayers if we just “keep at it.” God IS loving and wants to give good ‘gifts’ to His ‘children’ (Luke 11:13), however, only when the time is right and it will be ‘good’ for them.

The second caution may seem counterintuitive but one’s persistence may actually ‘paralyze’ them. In the Middle East, this kind of persistence is thought of as almost rude and inappropriate. Therefore, one may be prone to quickly dismiss their discomfort over such persistence and not take time to ‘wrestle’ with the possibility that Jesus just might be teaching them something that would ‘shake up’ how they usually pray!

Again, Jesus is NOT saying that believers always get what they ask for, but IS saying that the more time a believer spends in ‘communion’ with God, the more they will know what to ask for IN ‘ACCORDANCE’ with GOD’S WILL.

Well, I’m thinking that most people (or all) would like prayer with no ‘conditions’. They wish that God would be a celestial ‘genie’ who, when summoned by prayer, would grant any request they make.

These people find a measure of encouragement in the fable of Aladdin and his lamp, aspiring to that level of control over God’s power in their prayer life. HOWEVER, the biblical fact is that prayer DOES HAVE ‘conditions’.

Now, in addition to the previous ‘conditions’, God WILL NOT answer a prayer that is ‘UNBIBLICAL’. It will be a colossal ‘waste’ of your time, and an exercise in futility!

Now, it was the Apostle Paul that said, “pray continually” and “don’t lose heart,” but sometimes it becomes clear that God’s greater glory is manifested in the world if the thing one is praying for is NOT answered the way one initially—and possibly ‘reactively’—wanted it to be answered. One sometimes needs to be a bit more ‘flexible’—maybe even a bit more ‘humble’—in their prayers, because of a possibly ‘limited’ perspective (“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” – James 4:6c). Sometimes God’s will is to ‘refine’ their prayer—change it up a bit—by rearranging or substituting things in one’s prayer ‘list’.

There is a ‘freedom’ that God allowed which the Apostle Paul felt when he stopped praying for his ‘thorn’. It was probably the Holy Spirit that ‘said’, “I’ve got this for you,” and gave Paul a sense that it was time to ‘move on’ to something more important.

[ Mark Besh – Additional details: https://markbesh.wordpress.com/persistently-p-u-s-h-v261/ ].

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“BUILDING TRUST”

In This Series:
1. Forgiveness and Restoration
2. The Freedom in Forgiveness
3. Restoration: Four Hurdles You Must Face
4. Building Trust
5. Understanding Forgiveness
6. Reconcilable Differences: A Real-Life Fairy Tale
7. Dr. Bill Maier on Forgiveness and Restoration

[ Focus On The Family ]

Series: https://www.focusonthefamily.com/marriage/building-trust/

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SONGS:

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“Trust and Obey”

When we walk with the Lord
in the light of his word,
what a glory he sheds on our way!
While we do his good will,
he abides with us still,
and with all who will trust and obey.

Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Not a burden we bear,
not a sorrow we share,
but our toil he doth richly repay;
not a grief or a loss,
not a frown or a cross,
but is blest if we trust and obey. [Refrain]

But we never can prove
the delights of his love
until all on the altar we lay;
for the favor he shows,
for the joy he bestows,
are for them who will trust and obey. [Refrain]

Then in fellowship sweet
we will sit at his feet,
or we’ll walk by his side in the way;
what he says we will do,
where he sends we will go;
never fear, only trust and obey. [Refrain]

[ Written by John H. Sammis; Performed by David Wesley ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HSD1c0Geqc

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“Love Letters”

Love letters straight from your heart
keep us so near while apart
I’m not alone in the night
when I can have all the love you write

I memorize ev’ry line
and I kiss the name that you sign
and darlin, then I read again
right from the start
love letters straight, from your heart

I memorize ev’ry line
and I kiss the name that you sign
and darlin, then I read again
right from the start
love letters straight, from your heart

[ Elvis Presley ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4R0f3fAXEk

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“Love Letter”

[ Donnie McCune and Steve Stickler ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI7KoQgD1h4

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“Love Letter”

[ Answers In Genesis ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nYG91cY4g0

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“Living for Jesus”

Living for Jesus, a life that is true,
Striving to please Him in all that I do;
Yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free,
This is the pathway of blessing for me.

Refrain:
O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee,
For Thou, in Thy atonement, didst give Thyself for me;
I own no other Master, my heart shall be Thy throne;
My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.

Living for Jesus Who died in my place,
Bearing on Calv’ry my sin and disgrace;
Such love constrains me to answer His call,
Follow His leading and give Him my all.

Living for Jesus, wherever I am,
Doing each duty in His holy Name;
Willing to suffer affliction and loss,
Deeming each trial a part of my cross.

Living for Jesus through earth’s little while,
My dearest treasure, the light of His smile;
Seeking the lost ones He died to redeem,
Bringing the weary to find rest in Him.

[ Thomas O. Chisholm ]

Choir: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12Tww_FPth

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“Basic Instructions”
(B.I.B.L.E – Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth)

Basic Instructions before leaving earth…
For God so much loved the world,
That He gave His one and only Son.
That whoever believeth in Him
Shall not die but live on.

Living on…
Through the Son
Peace almighty
Living on,
Let your heart go
To the one.

Yes the road is narrow.
Yes the road is tough.
But whoever remaineth in Him
Shall not die, but lift up.
Basic Instructions before leaving earth.

[ Burlap to Cashmere – “Anybody Out There?” album ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq39DiRybMQ

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“I Know the Bible is True”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9hB4SXLds8

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“The Bible Book is True”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51OvQbK9vA0

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APOLOGETIX SONGS

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“Second Timothy”
(Parody of “Sex and Candy” by Marcy Playground)

Hangin’ round, found a Bible on the shelf
And I had so much time to sit and read it for myself
And there it was
My Bible verified my very thoughts – all Scripture is inspired I saw Second Timothy, yeah –
Verse 3:16, it’s right there
Who says that there’s previous errors in my Old Test’ment? You know it surely isn’t me (yeah)
Mama, they should read 3:16 (dig it)
Bring it down, down from off your shelf
And go read verse 3:16 in Second Timothy yourself
Go there because
Cause that verse demonstrates
Oh, yes it does – all Scripture’s heaven-made
I saw Second Timothy, yeah
Who’s got doubts cause – it’s quite clear
Who says that there’s grievous errors in my Old Test’ment? Mama, it surely isn’t me (yeah)
Mama, they should read 3:16 (dig it)
I saw Second Timothy, yeah
Who’s got doubts cause it’s right there
Who says that there’s devious errors in my Old Test’ment? Mama, it surely isn’t me (yeah)
Yeah, mama, they should read 3:16
Yeah, mama, it shows you what I mean
Yeah, mama, I trust what I read

[ ApologetiX – “Biblical Grafitti” album ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4siVFSLdnlw

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“It’s All in God’s Control”
(Parody of “It’s Only Rock and Roll” by The Rolling Stones)

If I could stick God’s plan on a chart it would fill up all of outer space Would you realize that all things coincide that’s
What it says in Romans 8:28
Ev-ery-thin’ – fits right on in
The puzzle by design
Nothing is enough to keep me apart
From the great love of Christ – Jesus Christ
I said – I know – it’s all in God’s control – but I like it
I know – it’s all in God’s control
And I like it, like it, yes, I do
Oh, well, I like it, I like it, I like it
I said can’t you read the epistle goin’ to the Romans?
If I could pick my life all apart
Still would slide right into place
Shouldn’t we just trust – our Lord – He made us
Would it help if we explained – it’s pre-arranged
And when I get down deep in a hole
Feel likes there’s mud on my face
Should I start a-cryin’ – look at that horizon
Surely things are going to change – keep the faith
I said – I know – it’s all in God’s control – but I like it
I know – it’s all in God’s control
And I like it, like it, yes, I do
Oh, well, I like it, I like it, I like it
I said can’t you see that this whole world depends on Him? And do ya think that you’re the only one who’s been down? There’s better things in store you know they’re comin’ around CHORUS

[ ApologetiX – “Soundproof” album ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPHLmJeKvXw

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“Not Some Old Fantasy”
(Parody of “Rock and Roll Fantasy” by Bad Company)

Here you come the questions – 1, 2, 3
Is the Bible a fantasy?
How come you use it when all others seem to doubt? Can’t you realize that thing is out of style?
Yeah
Here come the answers from my tongue
They’re marvelous stories but they happened once You’ll find your answers if you’re humble not proud Look yourself and get one now and read it out loud If you’re smart, the Bible’s not some old fantasy
It’s just not some impossible dream
LEAD
CHORUS
Pull down the stop signs from that wall
And let God really get down to your soul
The truth is so alive you can feel it now
Read it for yourself – who cares about the crowd? CHORUS

[ ApologetiX – “Recovery” album ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRJCNgV9H4w

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“Trust Him”
(Parody of “Truckin’ ” by The Grateful Dead)

Trust Him – got to keep from sin
Keep trustin’ – baby, do not fret
To get a – really bles-sed life – just keep trustin’ God
Heroes of Hebrews 11 those people became great
They followed the Lord and His voice and they all had the same faith Your typical people involved in the Biblical mandate
Hangin’ tough to see what the Lord would bring
Doubters – got a selfish streak
Useless – because they do their own thing
You know – you got to wait and see – the best is yet to be
Moses was back with the sheep when he’d meet with the true God Noah he might have been thinkin’ of buyin’ a home
One of these days you know that God could just show up
Out of the blue with something to do all your own
Trust Him – like the true God says
Trust in Me and I will make you blest
You’ll find your life ain’t worth a dime – if you don’t lay it down Sometimes I might lose sight of one thing
All those guys were as scared as me
They made it and so can we – with a strong faith just in Him
What in the world ever became of “Sheep Dave”?
He lost his flock – but you know he isn’t ashamed
Little ol’ kid, fightin’ and bein’ so brave
All the men could see that David would reign
Trust Him – up above you’ll go
In Heaven – and not to Hell below
It takes time – you need faith to go – just keep trustin’ God
Gideon was scared and now he’s a local hero
God had said, You’re gonna win the war, Gideon
He tried some tests with fleece before the battle
But he still went to war and – I guess you knew that he’d win
Trust Him – now with fervency
Get up – time to go with Him
Start now – and get to where it is – the Lord wants you to be
If you’re sick of foolin’ around and liv’n’ like the devil
You’re tired of the devil and you wanna turn around
Confess, repent, devote your soul to Christ
Get out of the drawer and find what that Book’s all about Sometimes when life gets kind of lonely
Other eyes might be starin’ at me
Waiting in eternity – what a lot of great witnesses
Trust Him – I’m a goin’ home
Whoa whoa baby, up where I belong
Back home – sit by my master’s throne
You get there trustin’ God

[ ApologetiX – “Soundproof” album ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L97jMGhV4ZA

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“Doubter”
Parody of “Daughter” by Pearl Jam)

An old Christian
Gets mislabeled as a doubter, but did you know
He suffered – violence
Went around the world for missions, but
Thomas briefly doubted
Christ was resurrected
Christ forgave his … doubts
His name goes down in history
Tainted, though
Yet he died a martyr, so

Don’t call me doubter – not fair to
The scripture text will remind me
Don’t call me doubter – not fair to
That’s in the past and behind me
Don’t call me

He rose again — they alllllll had doubts
They would – rise above
Woooo oooh

Don’t call me doubter – not fair to
The scripture text will remind me
Don’t call me doubter – not fair to me
That’s in the past and behind me
Don’t call me doubter – not fair to
The scripture text will remind me
Just call me martyr – I dared to preach
To skeptics — that killed me finally
Don’t call me

His name goes down
His name goes down
His name goes … goes
Goes

[ ApologetiX – “Only a Glorified Cover Band” album ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgR2Q_RZicw

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“Doubt Is Not Allowed”
(Parody of “Shout it Out Loud” performed by KISS)

Well, you might be young – but you want wisdom
If you seek you’re gonna find it (seek you’re gonna find it)
You’ve got to read in James in Chapter 1
And don’t be too double-minded (don’t be too double-minded)
Look up in Matthew what did Jesus say
When they rescued Peter in the boat
We can’t do it when we got no faith
If it’s water that you walk on, bro – whoa-oh-whoa-oh!

Doubt is – doubt is – doubt is not allowed
Doubt is – doubt is – doubt is not allowed

If you don’t feel good — there’s no way you should
‘Cause sin is where your heart is (sin is where your heart is)
Call on His name, read His favorite book
And get your Father’s pardon (get your Father’s pardon)
Don’t let them tell you that’s a human voice
When you know you hear the Son of Man
Through faith is how He saves all girls and boys
From the time of even Abraham – yay-eh-yah-eh and

Doubt is – doubt is – doubt is not allowed
Doubt is – doubt is – doubt is not allowed

Doubt is – doubt is – doubt is not allowed
Look up in Matthew 14
Doubt is – doubt is – doubt is not allowed
31’s the “doubt verse”
Doubt is – doubt is – doubt is not allowed
And 21 verse 21
Doubt is – doubt is – doubt is not allowed
Oh yeah
Doubt is – doubt is – doubt is not allowed
And we can move a mountain
Doubt is – doubt is – doubt is not allowed
If everybody doesn’t doubt
Doubt is – doubt is – doubt is not allowed
Ohhhhhhh!

[ ApologetiX – “Very Vicarious” album ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhL4My74nI8

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“Tom Saw Ya”
(Parody of “Tom Sawyer” by Rush)

On Monday he wouldn’t trust we’d seen Christ
Today Tom saw Your spear-pierced side

Though his mind wasn’t convinced
He couldn’t doubt the evidence
He observed Your side and hands
Finding out the way we did
You’re risen!

What You prayed about has come to be
It’s what King David said in Psalm 16
Christ is risen: that’s no myth
Just a mystery that’s legit

The world says, the world says love and life are cheap
Maybe now the price will rise

Today Tom saw Ya, he set his eyes on You
And the face he just made — it was quite a view

Thomas tried to talk and yet
“My Lord and God” was all he said
All he hoped for had just commenced
He knows graves are not permanent
But grace is!

And One You say’s about to comfort me
Though some…

[ ApologetiX – “Grace Period” album ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fiGpqGK2YU

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“Some Doubt”
(Parody of “Sundown” written and performed by Gordon Lightfoot)

I could see that Christ was back after certain death
In a room where a few ones He chose were left

Some doubted that He was there
But He’d find them and teach ’em ’bout comebacks, yeah
Some doubted that He was there
But He’d find them and teach ’em ’bout comebacks, yeah

We could look at Christ and see where the nails had been
Yeah, the Romans were sadists and really mean

Some guys – they think it’s a fake
And they guess they know better, but that’s still a mistake
Some guys – they think it’s a fake
And they guess they know better, but that’s still a mistake
MINI-LEAD

I’ve got scriptures that can prove that the Man was raised
Yet they laugh at the evidence and curse His name

Some doubt He ever was there
If there’s 500 people ’round – how’s that fair?
Sometimes I make a defense
And I feel like it’s wisdom yet I’m losin’ my friends
LEAD

I can see the Book of Matthew 28:16
Read the part in verse 17 you’ll see what I mean

Some guys – they think it’s a fake
And they guess they know better, but that’s still a mistake
Some doubted that He was there
But He’d find them and teach ’em ’bout comebacks, yeah
Some doubt He ever was there
If there’s 500 people ’round – how’s that fair?

Some die – and think it’s the end
But I’m still risin’ with Him and I’m livin’ again

[ Apologetix – ”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuD7ImXzVMg

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“969”
(Parody of “Summer of ‘69” by Bryan Adams)

You got to learn a little history
Oldest man in Bible times
Name was called Methuselah
Was nine hundred and sixty-nine
We had some guys come close
Almost ran for a thousand yards
Didn’t they quit till they got buried
They should’ve known it just was too hard When we look back now
Those fellas seemed to live forever
And you just get annoyed
cause you don’t wanna believe it
Those guys were blessed with such long lives Ain’t no use in explainin’
If you’re gonna doubt the truth
Spent your life doubtin’ the Bible
And that’s the fountain of youth – yeah
Standin’ knockin’ on your door
He told ya you could live forever
I hope you understand
The truth is it’s now or never
These are the last days of your life
That should be somethin’ that sticks in your mind
Yeah, we’re runnin’ out of time
But the young forget that they need eternal life
To get somethin’ that last forever – forever – Whoa! Yeah! And all the time we’re agin’
Look at every wrinkle comin’ on
Some guys don’t even live to be 16
Think about that while I end this song
Standin’ knockin’ on your door
He told you how to live forever
I hope you understand
Hebrews three says it’s now or never
These are the last days of your life.
That should be somethin’ that sticks in your mind

[ ApologetiX – “Biblical Grafitti” album ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6e_NUZ6E1Y

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“Trooth”
(Parody of “Smooth” by Santana featuring Rob Thomas)

Well, it’s a hot one
The separation of re-lig-i-on
I feel the wisdom in God’s word could help everyone
In your state-owned school
My homeroom teacher
My famished heart is more than eager
But my reason for readin’
Is gettin’ the truth
And if you said this Bible ain’t good enough
For the real-life world so give it up
I could change my mind to better suit your rules
But it’s still true
Well, it’s just like the notion that one and one is two It’s the same as any question on a test from you You’ve got to find solutions that can be absolute
So live in the dark ages still … or else go get a Bible
I’ll tell you one thing
If you don’t read it it’s a cryin’ shame
Can’t live by bread but every word I hear that came Out of His mouth
I love the Bible so
It’s like arithmetic and reading though
I feel the learning of the world goes awful slow Shutting it out
And if you said this Bible ain’t good enough
For the real-life world so give it up
I could change my mind to better suit your rules
But it’s still true
Well, it’s just like the notion that one and one is two It’s the same as any question on a test from you You’ve got to find ya something that can be called truth So live in the dark ages still … or else go get a Bible (Let’s all go get a Bible)

[ ApologetiX – “Spoofernatural” album ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybaLP1zxCo4

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“That’s Unbelief”
(Parody of “Bad Company” performed by Bad Company)

Mmm mmm … mmm
Mmm mmm … mmm mmm

Unbelief always comes to ruin
Destiny … mmm … is arriving soon … oh oh oh
I was born — with blood on my hands
But I’ve begun — to make my final plans

That’s quite a calling

That’s unbelief
What I’ve planned tonight
That’s unbelief
To betray our guide
Oh, to betray our guy
To betray our God

Troubled soul — deserting the Lord’s cause
Chosen one — who threw away God’s Son
Now these clowns – they don’t know I’ve changed
Six months out – is our claim the same?

I can hear them say

That’s unbelief
When I’m done tonight
That’s – that’s unbelief
To betray the Christ
Oh, yeah — to betray Messiah
Ooh ooh ooh oooh oooooh

LEAD
Oh-oh-oh oh-oh oh-oh

Hey, hey, hey-hey
That’s unbelief
I can’t decide
After the deed
Will they say I’m right?

Well, I say now
Was that unbelief?
Oh, yeah, yeah — yeah, yeah-eh
That’s come to be
Still today I cry

Whoa-oh yessss
When I’m hung on a tree
Ohhh will that at last comfort me?

That’s the way I’ll pay, yeah-eh
Don’t I feel dirty! Huh

Ahhhh ah ah
Some kind of double crosser
Double cross — but what a cost
Yeah, well, that’s unbelief
Oh, I sold His blood
Mmm mmm mmm mmm – yeah-eh eh

[ ApologetiX – “Conspiracy No. 56” album ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fdkzv0vumNo

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“Trust In The Lord”
(Parody of “Joy to the World” performed by Three Dog Night)

Jeremiah was a prophet
Back in Babylonian times
The people never listened to a word he said
But they all came true in time
Yes, the Lord would prove that Jerry wasn’t lying
Trust in the Lord — just believe His Word now
Trust in the things He tells ya you must say
Trust in the Lord today
Nebuchadnezzar was the king of the world
The man from Babylon
He set his sights for Judah and they all got scared
But the Lord said not to run
He said, Now don’t you go to Egypt or you’re done
CHORUS
The moral of the story
Is never be afraid
‘Cause the king destroyed the people who had tried to run
But he blessed all the ones who stayed
The ones who listened to the Lord were saved

[ ApologetiX – “Rare, Not Well Done” album ]

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“He Spoke’
(Parody of “The Stroke” by Billy Squier)

Now everybody have you heard?
It was in the beginning that He spoke the Word
Don’t tangle with Him
He don’t take no jive
It’s not a verse for children
Grab your Bible and

Woo!

Could you write it out?
Give a first-hand take?
You talk to me
About that one big bang
Spread your e-volution
Both far and wide
It’s just a substitution
Not good science

God has spoken
Could be you didn’t know it’s true, but you will
God has spoken (Spoke!)
God has spoken
It’s that enough for now
God has spoken
Say I’m a ninny
But, man, we’re just beginning now

But you left God out
We came from outer space?
From where did we
Arrive in the first place?
Would you like to bet me?
I think my black book’s right
I wish you’d finally let me
Speak my mind, because

God has spoken
And these revisionists all got it wrong
God has spoken (Spoke!)
God has spoken
You’re so forgetful, boy
God has spoken
Say I’m too literal
Man, but just consider now

(Spoke!)
(Spoke!)
(Spoke!)
(Spoke!)
(Spoke!)
(Spoke!)
(Spoke!)

Evolution now
I said it ain’t no joke
It’s a conscious rebellion
Against the truth He spoke
What don’t make no sense is
You keep denyin’ God
Why do you get defensive
If He’s not listenin’?

God has spoken (Spoke! Spoke!)
God has spoken (Spoke! Spoke!)
God has spoken (Spoke! Spoke!)
God has spoken (Spoke!)
Knew it!
God has spoken (Spoke!)
God has spoken
Preach on!
God has spoken (Spoke!)
Can’t ignore it!
(Spoke!)
God has spoken
Say I’m a criminal
Man, but you should simmer down

[ ApologetiX – “Play Nice” album ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ml9LWuMwBk

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“I Found the Answer There”
(Parody of “I Saw Her Standing There” by The Beatles)

Want to read more!
Well, see, in Acts 17
The dudes were known as Bereans
And they read the Book
Each day when Paul was there
Now all of them are our brothers
‘Cause they saw the answer there
Well, 1 Pete, 3:15
Tells me – we should be
Ready for the ones
That call on us to share
Why we have plans for forever
‘Cause we saw the answer there
Well, you start that book
With a heart that looks
And an open-ended mind
Well, we can’t prove what’s right
If we don’t know what’s inside
So before too long we all should learn the Word
Now is your chance to discover
How I saw the answer there
LEAD
REPEAT THIRD VERSE

[ ApologetiX – “Isn’t, Wasn’t, Ain’t” album ]

https://youtu.be/TWZjwv9VA9U?t=11

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“(Check Out) The Book”
(Parody of: “The Look” by Roxette)

God has got a plan, and He always had it
He’s revealed it to man – very, very simple
If you wanna find out – check out the Book
Heaven is found in between the covers
Take a look around; is there any other
Book that’s like the Bible? Check out the Book
Check out the Book, Check out the Book
How can the world just say the Bible isn’t true
They never think to read the Book the whole way through But we say, na na na na … Check out the book! Existentialist people’ve never read it
But there’s just one way,
So they reach a dead end
Should have got the map out – check out the Book
Make your arguments, but I recommend
Before you take your stance, make sure that you’ve read it Study for the test, man – check out the Book
Try to understand: you can go to Heaven
It’s a sure-fire plan, guaranteed forever
What are you afraid of? Check out the Book

[ ApologetiX – “Radical History Tour” album ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vu8m4yQIMQ

*****************************
“Message In The Bible”
(Parody of “Message in a Bottle” by the Police )

Oh! There’s a vast array of idle philosophies, oh
They want to know the way, but no one’s here but Me, though
More holiness than any man could bear
Yes, you see the door to follow through is narrow

I’ll send My S-o-n to the world
I’ll send My S-o-n to the world
I hope that someone gets My
I hope that some will get My
I know that some will get My
Message in the Bible, yeah
Message in the Bible, yeah

The years have passed since I wrote My quotes
I sent them notice right from the start
The Holy Ghost can teach them the rest, though
Let Him in your life, illuminate your heart

I’ll send My S-o-n to the world
I’ll send My S-o-n to the world
I hope that someone gets My
I hope that some will get My
I know that some will get My
Message in the Bible, yeah
Message in the Bible, yeah
Ohhhhh, message in the Bible, yeah
Message in the Bible, yeah

Wrote down these warnings – they don’t believe in My Law
100 million Bibles tossed out and ignored
Seems a lot of folks are reading it, though
And it will not pass away – look there for some hope

I’ll send My S-o-n to the world
I’ll send My S-o-n to the world
I hope that someone gets My
I hope that some will get My
I know that some will get My
Message in the Bible, yeah
Message in the Bible, whoa
Message in the Bible, whoa
Message in the Bible, yeah
Sending down My S-o-n
Sending down My S-o-n
I’m sending down My S-o-n
I’m sending down My S-o-n
I’m sending down My S-o-n
I’m sending down My S-o-n
Sending down My S-o-n
Sending down My S-o-n

[ ApologetiX – “Only a Glorified Cover Band” album ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYHaY0BnXAs

*****************************
“Good News Bookie”
(Parody of: “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” by Brooks & Dunn)

Across the country in every city of any size
Well, there’s a hotel room with a Gideon’s Bible
The drawer gets opened and a Bible is always found
It’s got history, wisdom, music and poems
It’s where you can find some hope ‘cause it’s a Good News Bookie
We got a good God, He ain’t hard to discover
When I get a Bible, I read it cover to cover
I find me that big black book and get the Lord’s advice
If you’re tryin’ to find the way, read it right away
Plop down with the book – read the Good News Bookie
Whoa! Years ago, don’t ya know God almighty wrote the Good News
Whoa! Bible is fact, Jack, and it’s gonna outlast those other books
Whoa! It’s found all around every town – Good News Bookie
My friend just asked me, he said, “John, what about me?
“I want a copy of that leather-bonded bookie that you read
“I just was wonderin’ if they got it in the stores you can buy”
I said, “It outsells every other book on the street
“But I’ve got one you can keep. Here’s a Good News Bookie!”
Whoa! Years ago, don’t ya know God almighty wrote the Good News
Whoa! Grab a little black book, it could change your outlook, you know it could Whoa! Get saved! Turn the page! Go and pray! Good News Bookie
REPEAT FIRST CHORUS

[ Apologetix – “New and Used Hits” album ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ya0khFQPxBQ

*****************************
“Scripture”
(Parody of: “Picture” by Kid Rock & Sheryl Crow)

Livin’ my life like there’s no hell
In the drawer there’s a Bible at the hotel
I can see it’s some kind of pre-planned place
Been fool enough to go play it risky
Wish I thought the Good Lord would miss me
Lord, I wonder what You meant by “saved by grace”
I put Your scripture away, stopped tryin’ to find the way
I can’t look for truth while I’m lyin’ – that’s the worst
I put Your scripture away, I know that crime don’t pay
I can’t look at truth now I’m cryin’ – yes, it hurts
I called you last night in the hotel
Everyone goes through their slow spells
But your half-started Bible has something you just can’t deny It’s been written for you for a long time
You just have to start it and keep tryin’
That ain’t hard if you can read and write
I put the scriptures in place, I wrote the words within
I left the Book for you so you’d find it, and you did
Don’t put My scriptures away – I don’t care where you’ve been I said the Book is true, why not try it? Let me in!
I saw you just today with it open
It was the strangest thing how it happened
Since You called, God, my world’s been startin’ to change (Since you called God, your world’s been startin’ to change)
I decided to read the Bible today
The quotes started jumpin’ off the page
When they read it in church
I was often sleeping away
I’ve thought about you for a long time
It seems as if You read my mind
(It seems as if you read My mind)
That’s because the Scriptures are livin’, like they say
I finally picked up today
(I’m glad you picked up today)
God’s Word and changed my ways
(My Word and changed your ways)
I just called Your name I want to come back home
(I just called your name I want you to come back home)
I just called Your name I want to come back home
(I just called your name I want you to come back home)

[ ApologetiX – “Apol-acoustiX” album ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbKuMSG8Z6g

*****************************
“Bible In Hand”
(Parody of: “Travelin’ Band” by Creedence Clearwater Revival)

See the Lord in Heaven’s comin’ out of the sky
Well, He said He’d come to get us and He did not lie
You gotta move
Prayin’ with a Bible in hand, yeah
Well, it’s time for Christ to land
Find Him while you can
Prayin’ with a Bible in hand
Let me do a show and tell
I ain’t gonna go to hell
C’mon, c’mon, won’t you let me tell the truth
You gotta move
Prayin’ with a Bible in hand, yeah
Well, it’s time for Christ to land
Try to understand
Prayin’ with a Bible in hand
Listen’ to the way to go
Talkin’ to all the lost souls
Come to God through Christ you gotta call His name and listen Gotta move
Prayin’ with a Bible in hand, yeah
Well, it’s time for Christ to land
Try to understand
Prayin’ with a Bible in hand
LEAD
He will come again like a thief in the night
Will you finally recognize Him – will you get that we were right? You gotta move
Prayin’ with a Bible in hand
Well, it’s time for Christ to land
Find Him while you can
Prayin’ with a Bible in hand
Whoa!
SECOND LEAD
Whoa! Prayin’ with a Bible in hand
Prayin’ with a Bible in hand
Find Him while you’ve still got a chance
Prayin’ with a Bible in hand
Well, the time is close at hand
Find Him while you can
Prayin’ with a Bible in hand
Whoa!

[ ApologetiX – “The Boys Aren’t Backin’ Down” album ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA3dfdfB3E8

*****************************
“I Found the Answer There”
(Parody of: “I Saw Her Standing There” by The Beatles)

Well in Acts 17, there were some folks known as Bereans And they searched the Scriptures daily to compare.
How they could know truth from error
Ohh, and they found the answer there.
Well 1 Peter chapter 3, says we should play steady “D” and make a good defense to anyone who cares.
Why we have hope in the future
Ohh, and they found the answer there.
Well now Hebrews 4, says it’s like a sword, but the Word of God is alive. Well, Saint Paul ain’t no liar, he said all Scripture is inspired.
And profitable to teach, reprove, and correct error
That’s what he wrote in my Bible
Ohh, and I found the answer there.
LEAD
Well, Saint Paul ain’t no liar, he said all Scripture is inspired.
And profitable to teach, reprove, and correct error
That’s what he wrote in my Bible, Ohh, and I found the answer there. You can find the answer there.
Well I saw the answer there.

[ ApologetiX – “Isn’t Wasn’t Ain’t” album ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWZjwv9VA9U

*****************************
“The Bible”
(Parody of “La Bamba” by Ritchie Valens)

Follow along in the Bible
Follow along in the Bible
You’ll never read any book that is better
Genesis, Exodus and Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
Joshua, Judges and Ruth
Then 1 & 2
Samuel and Kings and Chronicles
Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther
And then Job, Psalms and Proverbs
Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon, Song of Solomon
Then Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations – uh huh
Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea
Joel, Amos and Obadiah
And Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk and
Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and
After these there’s Malachi
LEAD
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John-a
Acts of the Apostles and Romans
1,2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians
Philippians, Colossians, 1,2 Thessalonians
and 1,2 Timothy
Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1,2 Peter
1,2,3 John
Jude, Rev’lation
That’s the Bible
I like Bible
Try my Bible
Bye Bye Bible

[ ApologetiX – “Spoofernatural” album ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Uwm6EQ-waE

*****************************
“Bible O’Really”
(Parody of “Baba O’Riley” performed by The Who)

Now here is the deal
The Bible is real
It gets attacked by pseudo-Christians
I don’t need those guys
To approve one line
I don’t need to see revisions

Most times – those treasured lines
Get thrown in New Age waste cans

It’s time to take a stand
The battle’s so close at hand
Pull out your Bibles and mobilize the soldiers
The evidence is clear
But half the world won’t hear
Let’s get the word out
Before they get much bolder

LEAD

New Age waste cans, oh yeah
They’re thrown in New Age waste cans
New Age waste cans
New Age waste cans
They’re all atheists!

[ ApologetiX – “That’s Too Bad” album ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXbzpelhsqs

*****************************
“I Feel the Earth Proves”
(Parody of “I Feel the Earth Move” written and performed by Carole King)

I feel the earth proves God almighty
I feel the sky tells of Him now
I feel our hearts search for evidence whenever it’s all around

Oh, baby, when I see earth’s face
Filled with all the stuff God made
Oh, darlin’ – I can’t stand there
When I look at these – I praise

I feel the earth proves God almighty
I feel the sky tells of Him now
I feel our hearts search for evidence whenever it’s all arouuuuuuund
LEAD

Ooh, darling, when I’m kneeling
And remembering Psalm 19
I know that – line in Romans
Verse 1:20​ says that’s plain
You need God to have creation
Uh huh huh
Uh huh huh, yeah-heh

I feel the earth proves God almighty
I feel the sky tells of Him now, uh, tells of Him now
I feel the earth proves God almighty
I feel the sky tells of Him now, uh, tells of Him now
They get the news to go-o-o
Out to the weary sou-ou-ouls
They spread it high and low-ow-ow
All over, all over, all over, all over

I feel the earth proves God almighty
I feel the sky tells of Him now, uh, tells of Him now
I feel the earth proves God almighty
I feel the sky tells of Him now, uh, tells of Him now
Uh, tells of Him now, uh, tells of Him now
Uh, tells of Him now – tells of Him now-ow-ow-ow

[ ApologetiX – “Very Vicarious” album ]

https://youtu.be/s65IMX11vhI?t=6

*****************************
“A Day in the Loaf”
(Parody of “A Day in the Life” performed by The Beatles)

I fed the Jews today, oh boy
I had a luncheon planned to take to the lake
5000 Jews around me sat
Well, I just had to laugh
They all forgot to pack

I knew that my lunch didn’t count
These fish and loaves would not much life sustain
A crowd of people couldn’t share
They needed faith for sure
The only way to feed ’em all
Was if it was the hand of the Lord

Christ got them filled today, oh boy
The thing we saw He had not done before
For how this deed was done today
We might just have to look
After there’s a book
In Matthew, Mark, Luke, John

Hold up! We’re out of bread!
Send ’em home – the crowd needs fed
“Find a way,” He said, “You can’t give up
“Go look around for food beside the lake.”
(Heh heh heh heh heh)
Found a kid who had some bread
Told the boss. He said, “No sweat.”
Had a word of prayer and bread was broke
Had so many loaves there I thought it was a dream

Ahhhh Ah Ah Ahh
Ah Ah Ahhh – Ah Ah Ah-Ah
Ah Ah Ah
Ahhhh Ah Ah Ah
Ah Ah Ahhhh – Ah Ah Ah-Ah-Ah

Christ fed the Greeks today, oh goy
4000 folks just had their banquet here
And though the loaves were rather small
He had no doubts at all
And how they had so many loaves that they were filled
Well, I don’t know
I’d love to tell you all

[ ApologetiX – “Sandwich Platter” album ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiphlOtZ_qg

*****************************
“119 Psalm”
(Parody of “Hungry Like The Wolf” by Duran Duran)

Tucked in the center, like a surprise – You’ll see a Psalm with earth-shaking size Do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do
Ooh, it’s acrostic in its design – Because repeating letters open each line
Do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do
There’s much written down – I’ve got a hunch I’m bafflin’ you
Shall I expound? The acrostic is found – In the hundred nineteenth Psalm It’s got a design – it just doesn’t rhyme – And it’s the longest chapter too It’s alphabetized –22 sections wide – It’s the hundred nineteenth Psalm

[ Part of the “80’s Medley: Octagon But Not Forgotten” song ]

[ ApologetiX – “Wise Up and Rock” album ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-yZq9RT1-o

*****************************
“I Wanna Read the Bible”
(Parody of: “I Wanna Be Sedated” by The Ramones)

Twenty twenty twenty-four hours or more I wanna read the Bible
Old Testament don’t have to be a chore
I wanna read the Bible
It’s just Genesis, and Exodus, Leviticus again Numbers, Deuteronomy and Joshua and then Judges, Ruth and First and Second Samuel makes 10 Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!
Twenty twenty twenty-four hours or more I wanna read the Bible
Old Testament don’t have to be a bore
I wanna read the Bible
It’s just First and Second Kings
And First and Second Chronicles
Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther and the book of Job Psalms and Proverbs and Ecclesiastes
And Song of Songs of Solomon
Twenty twenty twenty-four hours or more
I wanna read the Bible
Old Testament don’t have to be ignored
I wanna read the Bible
It’s Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations and Ezekiel Daniel and Hosea, Joel and Amos, Obadiah Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk and Zephaniah Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi-yi-yi-yi
Bi-Bi-Bi-Bible
Bi-Bi-Bi-Bible … I wanna read the Bible Bi-Bi-Bi-Bible
Bi-Bi-Bi-Bible … I wanna read the Bible Bi-Bi-Bi-Bible
Bi-Bi-Bi-Bible … I wanna read the Bible Bi-Bi-Bi-Bible
Bi-Bi-Bi-Bible … I do believe we made it!

[ ApologetiX – “Rare, Not Well Done” album ]

http://www.spiritedesign.com/I_Wanna_Read_the_Bible(ApologetiX).mp3

*****************************
“Faith Pt. 2”
(Parody of “Faith” by George Michael)

Well, I guess it would be nice If I could touch and see it You know, I must believe in A lot of things I can’t see But the Spirit of Christ
He testifies inside of me
That I’m a child of God, you see
That’s Romans 8:16
Before you tell me
That I’ve gone crazy
Before you say there’s no way to be sure I’ve got to tell you
This information
There’s one way to heaven
And I’ll show you the door
First you gotta have faith
You gotta have faith
You gotta have faith, faith, faith
Faith! Faith! Faith! Baby!
Some of the things that I have seen
I just plain wouldn’t have believed
From anyone else
Maybe, I understand why you can doubt The words a-comin’ from my mouth
Until you see it yourself
You know, but Hebrews 11 says
Faith is something we hope will happen It’s evidence of things that can’t be seen And Romans 5:5 says hope like that will Not disappoint us
And I know just what he means
He means we gotta have faith
We gotta have faith
You gotta have faith, faith, faith
Faith! Faith! Faith!

[ ApologetiX – “Isn’t Wasn’t Ain’t” album ]

*****************************

 

*****************************
*****************************

DEEP THOUGHTS:

*****************************
*****************************

“Faith don’t come in a bushel basket, Missy. It come one step at a time. Decide to trust Him for one little thing today, and before you know it, you find out He’s so trustworthy you be putting your whole life in His hands.”
[ Lynn Austin ]

“When God takes out the trash, don’t go digging back through it. Trust Him.”
[ Amaka Imani Nkosazana ]

“Let your life reflect the faith you have in God. Fear nothing and pray about everything. Be strong, trust God’s word, and trust the process.”
[ Germany Kent ]

“We have very little faith in the Lord, very little trust. If we trusted the Lord as much as we trust a friend when we ask him to do something for us, neither we as individuals nor our whole country would suffer so much.”
[ Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica ]

“…You say to God, “I have never seen you provide for me.”
God says to you, “You have never trusted Me.”
[ Corallie Buchanan ]

“The problem is that if we trust in man we are always let down. No, we shouldn’t trust in man– not ultimately. If we don’t trust in man or God, we are in an awful lonely mess, too. You see, if we don’t trust anyone, we live in fear, but if we trust in God, then we don’t have to fear man anymore.”
[ Stefani Carmichael ]

“When tried, trust in invisble God.”
[ Lailah Gifty Akita ]

“Faith is always tested at the intersection of “Why?” and “Trust Me!” We come to God with those situations and problems that make us ask Him “Why?” He answers with a simple “Trust Me!” You cannot trust God in those things which you choose and not trust Him in others. You either trust Him with it all or with nothing at all. Your choice will either provide you with a powerful faith to carry you through the ups and downs of life or a faith that struggles with the slightest circumstance.”
[ Ron Lambros ]

“Trusting yourself is the opposite of trusting God. If you trust God totally (as you must) you must mistrust yourself. If you trust yourself, you are automatically mistrusting God. Faith is not enough, you also need an act of will. The act of will you need is precisely deciding to trust God fully and mistrust yourself. Modern psychology has lost its bearings when they insist that one must trust oneself. That position is un-Christian.”
[ Manuel Alfonseca ]

“Happiness doesn’t come from being the one in control. It comes from trusting the One who is.”
[ Leya Delray ]

“Trusting God is choosing to act in utter dependence on Him; trying harder is opting to retain control.”
[ Marnie Swedberg ]

“God has brought you here to hear a message. Dismiss it at great peril, but receive it with great hope.”
[ Max Lucado ]

“So many are clinging to all we know here [ on earth ] because it is so familiar, but what a relief it will be to have freedom from the sin that keeps gnawing at us. Many long for freedom from pain. Just the thought brings a flood of peace to be free completely from heartache, from brokenness, from sadness and from disappointment.

“You know, we grown under the weight of these burdens, longing for them to be lifted—and they will, on day soon. Perhaps even today, as the signs of the times explode all around us. He’s [ Jesus ] coming again soon.

“Look back and thank Him. Look around and serve Him. Look ahead and trust Him. But always look up and expect Him! He’s coming again soon! Much sooner than you think!”
[ Jan Markell ]

“The Bible stands at the heart of the Christian faith. But this leads to an inescapable question: why should we trust the Bible? Written to help non-Christians, longtime Christians, and everyone in between better understand why God’s Word is reliable, this short book explores the historical and theological arguments that have helped lead millions of believers through the centuries to trust the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. Written by pastor Greg Gilbert, author of the popular books What Is the Gospel? and Who Is Jesus?, this volume will help Christians articulate why they trust the Bible when it comes to who God is, who we are, and how we’re supposed to live.”
[ Greg Gilbert ]

“We must cease striving and trust God to provide what He thinks is best and in whatever time He chooses to make it available. But this kind of trusting doesn’t come naturally. It’s a spiritual crisis of the will in which we must choose to exercise faith.”
[ Charles Swindoll ]

“I choose to believe the Bible because it is a reliable collection of historical documents written down by eyewitnesses during the lifetime of other eyewitnesses. They reported supernatural events that took place in fulfillment of specific prophecies and claimed that their writing are divine rather than human in origin.”
[ Voddie Baucham ]

“The evidence for our New Testament writings is ever so much greater than the evidence for many writings of classical authors, the authenticity of which no-one dreams of questioning. And if the New Testament were a collection of secular writings, their authenticity would generally be regarded as beyond all doubt. It is a curious fact that historians have often been much readier to trust the New Testament than have many theologians.”
[ F.F. Bruce ]

“God’s words are not simply true in the sense that they conform to some standard of truthfulness outside of God. Rather, they are truth itself; they are the final standard and definition of truth.”
[ Wayne Grudem ]

“The best evidence of the Bible’s being the word of God is to be found between its covers. It proves itself.”
[ Charles Hodge ]

“[Biblical] infallibility means unable to mislead or fail in accomplishing the divinely intended purpose.”
[ John MacArthur ]

“There is, I imagine, no body of literature in the world that has been exposed to the stringent analytical study that the four Gospels have sustained for the past 200 years. This is not something to be regretted: it is something to be accepted with satisfaction. Scholars today who treat the Gospels as credible historical documents do so in the full light of this analytical study, not by closing their minds to it.”
[ F.F. Bruce ]

“Even though (the Bible) is an ancient document, every person in every situation in every society that’s ever existed can find in this book things that endure forever. Here’s a book that never needs another edition. It never needs to be edited, never has to be updated, is never out of date or obsolete. It speaks to us as pointedly and directly as it ever has to anyone in any century since it was written. It’s so pure that it lasts forever.”
[ John MacArthur ]

“These men’s writings do not read like the works of gullible, easily deceived or deceiving men. Their insights into human nature are profound. Their personal commitment is sober and carefully stated. Their teachings are coherent and do not look like the invention of unstable men. The moral and spiritual standard is high. And the lives of these men are totally devoted to the truth and to the honor of God.”
[ John Piper ]

“The Battle for the Bible. In that little book, Lindsell addressed what had become a huge matter of controversy-the truthfulness and reliability of the Scriptures. In the face of myriad arguments against the inspiration, infallibility, and inerrancy of the Bible, Lindsell took a stand and declared that the Bible remains trustworthy.”
[ R.C. Sproul ]

“The Bible is accurate archeologically, geographically, historically, systematically, scientifically, prophetically, and it is miraculous in that it is life changing. It was written over a span of 1,500 years, by more than 40 authors, spanning 3 continents, and yet is perfect in accuracy. Try to apply this test to other religious books!”
[ Unknown author ]

“Seek first the kingdom of God, and then trust that He will take care of our needs, even before we know what they are and where we’re going.”
[ Kevin DeYoung ]

“There is an infinite majesty about every line of Scripture, but especially about that part of Scripture in which the Lord reveals Himself and His glorious plan of saving grace in the person of His dear Son Jesus Christ.”
[ Charles Spurgeon ]

“Inspiration – the process by which God directed individuals, incorporating their abilities and styles, to produce His message to humankind.”
[ J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays ]

“The Bible contains truth found nowhere else. Human reason may discover certain truths about God. But the revealed truth of the Bible exceeds these so as to defy comparison. One may exhaust the meaning of the contents of other books, but not that of the Bible.”
[ Herschel Hobbs ]

“Ultimately, we believe the Bible to be inerrant because it comes from God Himself. It is unthinkable to contemplate that God might be capable of error. Therefore, His Word cannot possibly contain errors. This is our faith-we can trust the Bible because we can trust God.”
[ R.C. Sproul ]

“The canon is not an authorized collection of writings (in that the church conferred its authority or approval upon a list of books). Rather, the canon is a collection of authoritative writings… that have an inherent authority as works uniquely inspired by God. Canonization is the process of recognizing that inherent authority, not bestowing it from an outside source.”
[ Robert Plummer ]

“The Bible is a supernatural, spiritual, sovereign, surviving, sustaining, super-charged book about my Savior.”
[ Adrian Rogers ]

“Precious Bible! What a treasure
Does the Word of God afford!
All I want for life or pleasure,
Food and Medicine, shield and sword;
Let the world account me poor—
Christ and this, I need no more.”
[ John Newton ]

“Trusting testimony is not an irrational act of faith that leaves critical rationality aside; it is, on the contrary, the rationally appropriate way of responding to authentic testimony. Gospels understood as testimony are the entirely appropriate means of access to the historical reality of Jesus.”
[ Richard Bauckham ]

“Even as a mighty cathedral would be unduly darkened and underappreciated if illuminated by only one pinhole window, so too the intricacies and beauty of God’s revelation in Jesus the Christ deserve a flood of light from all sides of the building. Our four Gospels all open onto the same inner sanctum and altar, but with different and complementary angles of light.”
[ Jonathan Pennington ]

“The New Testament is filled with accounts of miracles that Jesus performed during the course of his ministry. Scientific mistrust of the Bible began with the Enlightenment belief that miracles cannot be reconciled to a modern, rational view of the world. Armed with this presupposition, scholars turned to the Bible and said, “The Biblical accounts can’t be reliable because they contain descriptions of miracles.” The premise behind such a claim is “Science has proven that there is no such thing as miracles.” But embedded in such a statement is a leap of faith. It is one thing to say that science is only equipped to test for natural causes and cannot speak to any others. It is quite another to insist that science proves that no other causes could possibly exist.”
[ Tim Keller ]

“If Christianity is false it cannot be saved by theology, if it is true it cannot be destroyed by science.”
[ E.Y. Mullins ]

“When we come to the Bible and try to listen to its claims, we can easily misjudge those claims if we hear them only from within the framework of our own modern assumptions. Letting the Bible speak for itself, that is, letting it speak in its own terms, includes letting the Bible speak from within its own worldview rather than merely our own.”
[ Vern Poythress ]

“The Bible is the Word of God given in the words of people in history.”
[ George Eldon Ladd ]

—————————

RELATED SCRIPTURE VERSES:

Luke 16:10
“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.

2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

2 Peter 1:20-21
Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 4:2-4
Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.

1 Thessalonians 2:13
And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.

2 Timothy 3:17
That the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

Colossians 3:23
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,

Psalm 1:1-6
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; …

Matthew 5:37
Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

John 19:35
He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe.

Matthew 25:23
His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

Proverbs 25:19
Trusting in a treacherous man in time of trouble is like a bad tooth or a foot that slips.

Acts 2:22
“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—

Isaiah 55:11
So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Proverbs 11:13
Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.

Psalm 33:4
For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.

Joshua 23:14
“And now I am about to go the way of all the earth, and you know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one word has failed of all the good things that the Lord your God promised concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one of them has failed.

2 Timothy 2:2
And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

Joshua 23:15
But just as all the good things that the Lord your God promised concerning you have been fulfilled for you, so the Lord will bring upon you all the evil things, until he has destroyed you from off this good land that the Lord your God has given you,

2 Thessalonians 3:3
But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.

Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

Luke 24:44
Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”

Isaiah 53:9
And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.

Psalm 37:28
For the Lord loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.

Revelation 20:12
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.

2 Peter 1:16
For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

Hebrews 13:5
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Matthew 25:21
His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

Matthew 5:18
For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

Deuteronomy 7:9
Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,

1 John 1:3
That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

Colossians 3:9-10
Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

Galatians 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Romans 10:17
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Proverbs 17:22
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Proverbs 11:3
The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.

1 Chronicles 16:34
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

Ruth 1:16
But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.

Numbers 12:7
Not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house.

Exodus 5:1-23
Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’” But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.” Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.” But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people away from their work? Get back to your burdens.” And Pharaoh said, “Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens!” …

Genesis 1:1-31
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. …

Revelation 2:10
Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Revelation 1:8
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Revelation 1:1
The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,

1 Peter 3:15
But in your hearts honor 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; yet do it with gentleness and respect,

Hebrews 3:5
Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later,

1 Corinthians 1:9
God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Acts 17:10-11
The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

Luke 1:1-3
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,

Matthew 5:17-18
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

Zechariah 12:10
“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.

Micah 5:2
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.

Ezekiel 26:1-21
In the eleventh year, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, because Tyre said concerning Jerusalem, ‘Aha, the gate of the peoples is broken; it has swung open to me. I shall be replenished, now that she is laid waste,’ therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, O Tyre, and will bring up many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves. They shall destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers, and I will scrape her soil from her and make her a bare rock. She shall be in the midst of the sea a place for the spreading of nets, for I have spoken, declares the Lord God. And she shall become plunder for the nations, …

Lamentations 5:19
But you, O Lord, reign forever; your throne endures to all generations.

Lamentations 3:22-23
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Isaiah 53:12
Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.

Isaiah 25:1
O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.

Isaiah 8:2
And I will get reliable witnesses, Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah, to attest for me.”

Proverbs 25:13
Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a faithful messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the soul of his masters.

Proverbs 19:22
What is desired in a man is steadfast love, and a poor man is better than a liar.

Psalm 145:18
The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

Psalm 138:8
The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.

Psalm 121:3
He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.

Psalm 107:9
For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

Psalm 103:17-18
But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments.

Psalm 97:10
O you who love the Lord, hate evil! He preserves the lives of his saints; he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

Psalm 86:5
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.

Psalm 59:16
But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress.

Psalm 55:22
Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.

Psalm 34:20
He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.

Psalm 33:18
Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,

Psalm 22:18
They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.

Psalm 22:16
For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet—

2 Samuel 7:13-14
He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men,

Joshua 23:5
The Lord your God will push them back before you and drive them out of your sight. And you shall possess their land, just as the Lord your God promised you.

Leviticus 19:2
“Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.

Exodus 34:6
The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,

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“A quick summary of the Christian “Gospel”:
JESUS’ PROPITIATION made our SINS FORGIVEN and IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS to us so that we have GOD’S ACCEPTANCE into His Heaven and receive ETERNAL LIFE.”
[ Mark Besh ]

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Hope you enjoyed some of these insights—share them with your friends and colleagues—so we can have a larger ’pool’ to receive from, and more to share with! Also, remember to include your name as the “source,” if some of this wisdom is of your doing—I would like to give credit where credit is due!

 

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FOCUS VERSES:

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“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”
[ Deuteronomy 29:29 ]

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
[ Proverbs 3:5-6 ]

“In you, Lord my God, I put my trust.”
[ Psalm 25:1 ]

“Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.”
[ Psalm 37:3-5 ]

“Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD will uphold them by His hand.”
[ Psalm 37:24 ]

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
[ Psalm 56:3-4 ]

“The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.”
[ Psalm 103:19 ]

“The Lord is trustworthy in all He promises and faithful in all he does.”
[ Psalm 145:13c ]

“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”
[ Psalm 119:105 ]

“From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
[ Matthew 4:17 ]

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”
[ Matthew 5:3 ]

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”
[ Matthew 5:10 ]

“But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
[ Matthew 6:33 ]

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven.”
[ Matthew 7:21 ]

“And saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel’.”
[ Mark 1:15 ]

“I do believe; help my unbelief!”
[ Mark 9:24b ]

“Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the Kingdom of God.”
[ Mark 19:14 ]

“Being asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The Kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the Kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”
[ Luke 17:20-21 ]

“Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
[ John 3:3 ]

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
[ John 10:27-30 ]

“Jesus answered, ‘My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my Kingdom is not from the world’.”
[ John 18:36 ]

“So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord!’ But he [ Thomas ] said to them, ‘Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it’.”
[ John 20:25 ]

“A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.’ Thomas said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed’.”
[ John 20:26-29 ]

“Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.”
[ 1 Corinthians 4:2 ]

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”
[ 2 Timothy 3:16 ]

“Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in Heaven, saying, “The Kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”
[Revelation 11:15 ]

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
[ Revelation 21:1-4 ]

Mark

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If you have a ‘neat’ story or some thoughts about an issue or current event that you would like me to try to respond to, I would be glad to give it a try…so, send them to me at: mbesh@comcast.net

Disclaimer: All the above jokes & inspirations are obtained from various sources and copyright are used when known. Other than our name and headers, we do not own the copyright to any of the materials sent to this list. We just want to spread the ministry of God’s love and cheerfulness throughout the world.

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