Fundamentals with Bibi: The Gift of God - The Holy Scriptures (Part 4)

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"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." - John 1:14 (ESV)

Hello, and welcome back! I pray that this day finds you in good health and strong faith. This week we will continue our discussion of the different names given to the Scriptures. 

While they may sound familiar to most, their meanings may not. And though this is not an in-depth study of the topic, perhaps it can be a starting point for further reading and study. I guarantee it will be worth your time!

Keeping this in mind as we resume our examination, I refer you now to one the best-known passages in the Bible. Hebrews 4:12 wastes no time as it opens with the phrase:"For the word of God is alive and active." 

"The word of God," as seen here, is another name given to Scripture. By that I mean it concerns His revelation in an overall sense. God uses many different ways to get his message across to us; the easiest and most accessible being the Bible.

Importantly, the Word of God is not fixed, or inactive. it is "living," or has life. This makes sense since Hebrews 3:12 tells us that we have a "living God," whose words are both spirit and life (John 6:63).

His words are also as seeds, capable of producing an abundant, fruitful life in God if planted in a rich, accepting environment; as illustrated in the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:1-23).

Taking this a little further, one could look at the Word of God as also meaning "things God has said," or even used as a name for Jesus Christ; as he is the eternal and "active" Word (John1:1). 

Yes, God is a living God whose Word has life-giving power. Now, I believe this would be a good stopping point for our discussion. We will pick up on the active, living Word of God next time. 

Until next time, may God keep you safe, healthy, and deeply enriched by His Word!

Scripture: 1 John 5:20; Luke 11:28; Matthew 4:4; John 17:3; Mark 16:15

Prayer: Lord, may your Word nourish my soul, refresh my spirit, and guide me every day of my life. In Your name I pray. Amen

The grace of Jesus Christ be with you,

Bibi

Our Holy Mediator

"For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,"  - 1Timothy 2:5 (ESV)

In case you haven't noticed, there are a lot of media advertisements for various law offices who specialize in certain areas of the law. There certainly appears to be no shortage of obtaining legal representation.

Also, since most of us are not licensed to practice law, we would probably find ourselves at a disadvantage, or worse, if we tried to do so on our own behalf. Now, put yourself in the position of having to plead your case in front of God.

Additionally, keep in mind that God has a big problem with sin. And since He is the final Judge whom we must all appear before, this creates a big problem for us sinners. Sin is the biggest obstacle that stands between Him and us.

Our outcome would already be decided beforehand as "guilty of sin," and our sentence would be eternal death. There would be no opportunity to plead or defend our case. Our fate was inherited from Adam, perpetuated by daily sin.

No amount of performing good works or following laws could ever remedy our sin, either. I realize that this sounds futile and beyond hope, but all is not lost! Although we can't, we do have someone who can represent us (Hebrews 7:25).

Jesus Christ can; and does this for all who trust in Him (John 14:6). He is our mediator before the throne of God. He works as our negotiator to resolve our dispute with God, that is, our sin. His death on the cross for our sins enabled him to do this (John 3:16).

Only Jesus can plead our innocence and obtain forgiveness for our sins (Colossians 2:14). Thankfully, because of Him and what he did for us, we will be able to face God wearing garments of righteousness, instead of sin-stained rags (Revelation 22:14). Have a glorious day!

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:21; John 7:29; Romans 6:23; John 1:17; Galatians 2:16

Prayer: Lord our God, thank you for your love and guidance. May You help and support me in my daily life, especially during times of trials and uncertainty. Surround me with your loving presence always. Amen

Praise be to God forever,

Emily

Friday Light: To Fail is Human

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"My greatest concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure."  - Abraham Lincoln

Dictionary.com defines failure as: a lack of success. The fear of failure is one of the biggest sources of frustration in our lives. It keeps us frozen in our steps, afraid to move forward or act.

All of us have dealt with failure at one time or another. Some seem to bounce back and carry on, while others never really get over it. It differs from each individual. And until we experience it, we don't know in certainty how we'll handle it.

Surprisingly, the Bible displays many people who met with failure. Because they were human, they were as vulnerable to it as you or I. One familiar example occurs in the life of Moses (Exodus 3:1-4:17).

Moses' main issue was his lack of trust in God. Overwhelmed by the plans God had for him, he tried to keep a low profile. But God was having none of it. He chose Moses for the job and worked through him regardless.

Lack of courage can be another obstacle in our lives. So it was with Peter the apostle (Luke 22:54). Peter considered himself a close, dedicated disciple of Jesus. Yet, his self-preservation was stronger.

In both instances, God held no grudges against either. Nor did His love for them falter. He knew what he had to work with when they, and others like them, were chosen. We are all broken, imperfect, and prone to failure. But God still loves us.

The message to be gathered from this is that God is bigger than our failure. Failure is as much a part of life as anything else. There is no one alive who hasn't tasted it at one time or another. Still, it is all part of the process God has for us (James 1:2).

Did God ever promise life without sorrow? No! Without failure? No! Trouble-free living? Never! He can see us through all of this uncertain, and sometimes painful, journey called life (Psalm 145:14). All he asks it that we believe in and trust him.

Failure can make us feel alone, forsaken, and full of self-disgust. It can send us into a dark place if we allow it to. However, if we can keep our focus on God, and trust that He knows what He is doing, our failure can be turned into success and victory (Isaiah 41:10)!

Scripture: Luke 1:37; Proverbs 24:16; Psalm 73:26; Proverbs 3:5-6; Joshua 1:9; 

Prayer: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."  - Psalm 51:10

Have a blessed weekend!

Margot

Billy Graham's 1952 Thanksgiving (U.S.) Message

Whatever hardships you’ve experienced this year, there's always a reason to be thankful. Rev. Billy Graham explains this and more in his 1952 Hour of Decision Thanksgiving program.

Even though this video clip is over 70 years old, the message is still as current as today. The blessings are both timeless and timely. 

On behalf of all of the staff at The Coffeehouse Bible Ministry, we wish all of you a safe and blessed holiday!

"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." - 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV)

~Eve

Fundamentals with Bibi: The Gift of God - The Holy Scriptures (Part 3)

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"But the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you." - 1 Peter 1:25

Hello and welcome back! Today we will commence talking about the different names given to the Scriptures as they are mentioned throughout its pages. You're probably already familiar with many of them. Yet, familiarity doesn't always signify comprehension.

These names chiefly include "Word" within them, such as: "the Word," "the Word of God," "the Word of Christ," "the Word of truth," etc. The fact that they are declared repeatedly supports not only their importance, but credibility, as well.

Allow me to mention that the theological interpretation of "word" extends over a broad theological range. At its very basic level, we can say that it amounts to God telling us something about himself by means of his spoken word (Luke 21:33). 

I will attempt to briefly illustrate how these various names of the Scriptures are used by God to convey his plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11). Helpful tools like Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology are excellent for deeper study of "Word."

With that being said, let's begin with an example, James 1:21. Note that the word is engrafted or planted, and not simply handed to us. This tells us God wants to make certain His Word takes root, or becomes established in our hearts (Luke 11:28).

 

Importantly, this planting of the Word in our hearts by God occurs when we are reborn, or born again. Upon our conversion God directs us to maintain and care for it so that it may thrive and mature (John 6:63). 

As any "newborn," we require nourishment. In our case, we need "spiritual nourishment." This is brought to our attention in 1 Peter 2:2. At our new birth our condition necessitates that we acquire the pure spiritual milk of the Word. 

This sincere milk of the Word promotes healthy growth in, both, knowledge and holiness.Thus, enabling us to grow and fully develop in our salvation. Once God plants the Word in our hearts it is up to us to nurture and hold it dear (Psalm 119:93). 

Thankfully, He has provided us with instructions how to do this. Although there are still a few more things to cover, we shall wait until next time to do so. I pray that you will join us then.

Until next time, may God keep you safe, healthy, and deeply enriched by His Word!

Scripture: Isaiah 40:8; John 17:17; Psalm 119:130; John 7:38; Philippians 4:13

Prayer: Lord, may your Word nourish my soul, refresh my spirit, and guide me every day of my life. In Your name I pray. Amen

The grace of Jesus Christ be with you,

Bibi

Prayer Is Power

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"Pray as if everything depended upon your prayer."  - William Booth 

The means of communication by which the power of God is demonstrated, or made plain, in our lives is prayer. Prayer is power and not just asking or begging for something earnestly or humbly. (Matthew 21:22)

One who believes that prayer is merely supplication to God doesn't really understand it at all. In addition, there are those who only turn to prayer when they need God to do something that they can't do, or haven't done themselves.

However, make no mistake. There's nothing superior about the prayer of of a petitioner who supresses his own capability, or capacity, and just sits around waiting for God to do something for him (Romans 12:12).

In fairness, most of us have experienced times when this kind of prayer was involuntary, or pressed on us by certain situations. That's why we shouldn't be too hard on others who have had similar trials. 

But if this is our philosophy of prayer, then we are in trouble! If this is all that prayer is to us, then better to turn away, get on our feet, and look inward to find some other untapped source.

After all, there is no grace in anything that weakens or deprives effectiveness. The sad part is that many embrace this exact idea about prayer. Yet even despite that, prayer is power. 

Prayer is also the method by which we (or anyone) can enter into fellowship with God and learn to use His spiritual resources. Is it a "one-and-done" deal? Of course not! Neither is it a "one-size-fits-all" recourse (James 5:18).

Ephesians 1:3 (NIV) tells us, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ."

Praise to God who has added this to our tool belt, and blessed be the practice of prayer, by which we may learn how to use those resources. To learn, perhaps not all at once, but through the long experiences of life (1 Chronicles 16:11).

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:17; John 15:7; Colossians 4:2; Philippians 4:6; Jeremiah 29:12

Prayer: Dear Lord, I pray, that with every obstacle I may face in life, I might act with energy, forgiveness and love, and be ever mindful of the grace You have shown me. In Your Name I pray. Amen

Grace be with you,

Claudette

Friday Light: Being A Christian

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"There are many who go on in a round of religious duties, who think that they will go to Heaven when they die. But if you examine them, though they have a Christ in their heads — they have no Christ in their hearts."  - George Whitefield 

As a Christian, you are well aware of how difficult the path can be when following Christ. First of all, there are no shortcuts! Nor will it be without some complications and frustrations.

There will be ups and downs, hills and valleys, highs and lows, or even worse. Jesus himself pulled no punches when he discussed this with the disciples (Matthew 8:20; Luke 9:23; Romans 7:18; 2 Timothy 3:12). 

Many try to get by (or think they do) with a superficial faith. This faith has shallow roots like a radish, or azaleas. It will never survive the storms of life and will probably be uprooted at the first sign of trouble. 

Jesus pointed out the value of having an anchored faith. He explained this for His disciples in The Parable of the Sower (Matthew13:18-23; Mark 4:13-20; and Luke 8:11-15). I especially point this out to new Christians for their benefit.

Being a Christian is a responsibility. Anyone can throw the word "Christian" around in order to impress, or in some cases, intimidate others. But the true believer carries Jesus in his heart, who in turn is shared by his actions (John 13:34-35).

Scripture: Psalm 51:10; 1 John 4:16; Proverbs 21:2; Proverbs 10:8; Psalm 119:2 

Prayer: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."  - Psalm 51:10

Have a blessed weekend!

Margot