John 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
Ever wonder where this life you live maybe going, and where you fit in to the master plan? The biggest question of all. "Ever wonder if you have been abandoned by God"? I am here today to tell you, you are not alone. When we were kids we were sung the famous song "Jesus Loves me" in this song we hear the words why we know this. "For the Bible tells me so" When you eliminate the Bible out of your Christian life you eliminate God. The Bible tells us that the only way we can defeat Satan himself is with the very word of God. This is how Jesus Christ defeated him and this is how we are to defeat him. I have been told here recently the Bible has been deleted and reworked by man. Let's think about this, if I was not spiritually grounded and not in the word of God and believed that God only spoke to me with the wind, the rise of the moon, and the stars in the sky how vulnerable would that leave me to Satan? How did Jesus defeat Satan? He defeated it with the very word of God. If he could not defeat Satan without the word of God how in the world as a mere human being would I be able to defeat him? The word of God is the sword of the spirit. Satan wants to disarm you he wants you to believe that the Bible today you hold in your hands is not real. He wants you to rely on your own understanding, he knows how weak you will become then he will move in for his attack.
Real quick let's look at the prophets that were chosen by God and let's review the very word of God.
Elijah a chosen prophet of God he felt abandoned everyone was out to get him; he was serving God and doing His will. He was in such distress he begged God to let him die. He was done, he had given up. It was so bad all he wanted to do was sleep, escape and when God sent an angel to comfort and minister him Elijah would not even eat. Sometimes we are caught in an Elijah life situation the grief and life "being tough" are too hard for us to bear. We resort to sleeping all the time, creating problems within ourselves that are not there, and then we may resort to drugs to help us stay in this coma state of mind. Or we feel pressured to hurry up and make a change, we are caught up in this out of control situation and forget that this is not really "a problem" this is a situation God has me in for a reason. In this story we learn discipline that even when we have given up we are to only rely on God and no one and nothing else. God is always in control.
So let's move on to Jonah and the whale this is a good story for kids I think we all have been told this story when we were young. As a parent do we actually tell our children the true meaning behind this story? The story is about obedience plain and simple. We can resist God listen to man and think we know best, and honestly think we have it all under control. Like Jonah, we can think we can run from God, lie to ourselves get on a boat and bring the burdens we carry on others. This is "my life" I have it all figured out God, I couldn't care less what you want this is what I want. But just like Jonah he gives us a doorway out which is His way, and He will let you know that you are not in control. God is not a dictator he may allow you to be in the situation but it is up to you how you react to it. Most of all it is the choices we make, if we choose man's way or if we choose his way he has provided. God gives you a choice it is just like parents with their children. We give them the option to do right or wrong and if they choose the wrong one there are consequences for their actions. Jonah had a choice to obey God or not to obey. He tried to disobey but God showed him he was not in control. God's plan will be fulfilled one way or another. In this story we learn obedience. God is always in control.
The disciples found themselves in a storm why? God was testing their faith, not for His benefit, it was for theirs. Trust me God knows where your faith is. There is always a life lesson He is trying to show you and he is molding and teaching you and when you allow him to do this it is life changing just like it was for them. Jesus taught by example for them and that was how little faith they had and how when they are in the storms of life never forget that God is right in the middle of it right there beside you. Why? Because he placed you there. Who sent the storm? God. Who saved them from the storm? God. The in-between of this story which I like to call the meat of the situation is not the beginning and not the end it is the in-between when Jesus showed up with the true power of God, how only He can calm the storm, the really cool part God showed was with faith we can walk on water just like Him and without it, we sink. In this story we learn faith, and God is control of every situation.
King David was one of the most influential people in the Bible he wrote some of the most heart wrenching words to date. When you read about King David you are forever changed, why? You find yourself in King David but most of all you desire to be like him. To be someone after God's own heart. In the beginning God showed him he could take down giants with a sling shot in the middle of the story you find that this man is an adultery, extortionist, murder, liar, and the list goes on. This is where God's son came from, the line of King David. We can find so much in the story of King David but the one thing you can find is no matter where you come from, no matter what you have done. God can and will use you to better his Kingdom. With the line of King David he saved the world! In this story we learn hope and God is in control of every situation.
This article is brief and nowhere near covers everything that we can obtain from the Bible. YES, from the Bible you hold in your hands today. This is what I have learned from reading the Bible. I did not learn about God from the wind in the trees, nor from the moon rising, or from the star shining brightly on a hot summer night. Do I see God when I look at these things you bet! I see his majesty, but to truly know God and his heart, His will, and desire for my life it is in the Bible this is where I connect with God this is where He truly speaks to me. We can pack a back pack, get ready to run, think we got it all figured out when the walls come crashing down in this world, think we got ourselves armed with all the material things to defeat whatever it is in this world. But just like Jonah, Elijah, the Disciples and King David, He will show you without Him and his word you will be vulnerable and you will be defeated by the very evil that fights for you to turn from God every waking hour of every day. I will close with the words I opened with;
Ever wonder where this life you live is going, and where you fit in to the master plan? And the biggest question of all. "Ever wonder if you have been abandoned by God"? Only you can find out, read the Bible.
Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so.
Amen.