Awaken, Sleeping Giant Part Four
Awaken, Sleeping Giant Part Four April 19, 2023
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3: 16-17
Welcome, Sweet Ones, to the last of a four-part series on how we can prepare ourselves to take on the unique challenges we face in today’s world. As ambassadors, as soldiers for Christ, we prepare ourselves by knowing Truth, striving for Righteousness, sharing the Gospel, practicing Faith, understanding our Salvation in Christ, knowing the Word of God, and communing with Him daily. (See Ephesians 6:10-18) In other words, our goal is to be Christ-like in all we do. We remain alert, recognizing and acknowledging truth from falsehood, and we meet regularly, drawing strength and encouragement from other members of the body of Christ.
Today we conclude our discussion on awakening the sleeping giant within each of us and going forward with a God-centered perspective. We can move with confidence when we consider our greatest resource: the Bible, God’s revelation of Himself to us.
Many question the Bible’s authenticity. There are countless commentaries and testimonies regarding God’s Word and how He has presented it to us. Some stake their eternal salvation on it and others refuse to even consider it. Here are a few points to keep in mind:
Wherever you are on the spectrum of faith, you can rest assured that “…(God) is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9
It is imperative that we keep in mind, His patience won’t last forever.
We’re to remember that He accepts us in whatever sinful state we’re in but loves us far too much to leave us there.
A relationship with Him requires honesty and sincerity. “You will seek me and find me when you seek Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13 He knows our hearts and He knows our motives. Draw near to Him, precious ones, and He will draw near to you.
We can list some compelling facts about the Bible that are indisputable. By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, it was penned by 40 writers in three different languages (Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic) over a period of 1,500 years and on three different continents (Asia, Africa and Europe). These writings were collected into 66 books and letters portraying a consistent message of God’s grace, culminating in Jesus Christ. These books were then painstakingly compiled by Jewish and Christian scholars over hundreds of years. The New Testament itself had strict criteria. The authors were to be an eyewitness or have a close connection to an eyewitness. The councils established were to be in full agreement. There was to be solid consistency of doctrine and orthodox teaching. And there was to be sure evidence that the Holy Spirit was reflected in its moral and spiritual values. The reference site, GotQuestions, sums it up this way:
“…it is crucial to remember that the church did not determine the canon. No early church council decided on the canon. It was God, and God alone, who determined which books belonged in the Bible. It was simply a matter of God’s imparting to His followers what He had already decided. The human process of collecting the books of the Bible was flawed, but God, in His sovereignty, and despite our ignorance and stubbornness, brought the early church to the recognition of the books He had inspired.” How and when was the canon of the Bible put together? | GotQuestions.org
Each author and book share a common story line: the Creation, the Fall and the redemption of God’s people (Jews and Gentiles alike). There is a centralized theme: God’s universal love for all of humanity. And there is a principal message: salvation is available to all who repent by having genuine remorse and by turning away from our evil ways. In doing so, we commit our lives to God. Despite some opinions, there are no historical errors or contradictions in the Bible. This is determined through sincere study with an ingenuous desire to know God. We begin our study each day by asking the Holy Spirit to open our eyes and our hearts to His message. And with a pure heart we follow His lead.
There is one consideration I find to be quite convicting. Almost all of Jesus’ apostles (all historical figures) were tortured and martyred for their claims of who Jesus was as they walked side-by-side with Him for three years before His crucifixion and for forty days after His resurrection. Not one of them recanted. (Peter had a moment when Jesus was arrested but was graciously forgiven and became one of the strongest leaders in the early Church). Josh McDowell, atheist-turned-Christian apologist, sums this up beautifully in a book that he co-authored with his son, Sean:
These men all had one thing in common: An unshakeable belief they were willing to die for. Would they so stridently pursue their goal for a lie? As religious scholar Michael Green notes, “You could imprison them, flog them, kill them, but you could not make them deny their conviction that ‘on the third day He rose again.'” The unanimity of their message and their conduct is amazing.
~~Taken from More Than a Carpenter © 2009 Josh McDowell Ministry and Sean McDowell, Chapter 7
The days in front of us are not at all like the days behind us. The changes in today’s world are more than we could have expected or imagined. Some are good and others leave us shaking our heads while asking: “What are they thinking?” One thing we can be most assured of. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 Through emulating His life, knowing and never denying truth that we learn from His Word, and gleaning encouragement from other Christians, we can face each day with full certainty that our Creator loves us and wants His best for us. He doesn’t promise a problem-free life but does promise that He will walk with us through all its issues. “…and surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20
We’re ready, Sweet Ones! Let’s go!
Cynthia
