The Source Of True Happiness

Psalm 146:5

People desire to be happy. The pursuit of happiness has become our chief aim in life. It’s our purpose.
We could debate whether or not that is in fact the highest calling of mankind, but for the sake of our purposes today, let’s say that it is. I desire to be happy and happiness is worth pursuing.

Here’s the problem…
Happiness seems to be a fleeting thing. One moment I have it, the next moment something or someone has robbed me of my happiness.

Happiness Stoppers:
o Relational Turmoil
o My job
o God
o Lacking Necessities (mate, $, house, etc.)
o Poor Health

All these things or people block us from achieving our ultimate goal – being happy. So we search, looking for that thing or the person that will finally make us happy. We try to achieve the place in our life where nothing can cause us to be unhappy. We use phrase like, “If only I had…then I’d be happy.” Or “If only I didn’t have…then I’d be happy.” After looking high and low, far and wide, we resign ourselves to the fact we are destine to a life of misery. We think happiness is not attainable in this life.

I’m here to tell you that is not true. It is possible to be happy in this life. The problem isn’t that the goal is unattainable; it is we are seeking it from the wrong source. We are searching in the wrong places.
While relationships, careers, material possessions & good health can provide moments or happiness, none is the source of true happiness. True happiness is found from only one source – the Lord our God.

Psalm 146:5 “Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:”

If we have the Lord God as our help and as our hope then we can be happy during this lifetime. Our search for happiness, which has taken us from place to place and from person to person, can end with a relationship with Jesus Christ – the source of true happiness.

Let’s look at a story this morning we can undoubtedly relate to. It’s about a woman who is on a search for happiness – scripture calls her the Queen of Sheba. For our purposes this morning the Queen is going to represent us as we search for happiness and Solomon is going to represent Jesus Christ.

She is on a Search for Happiness

She has everything. Historically she was most likely the ruler of present day Ethiopia or Yemen. Ethiopian tradition gives her the name, Makeda, which means “not this way” – which I think is ironic because it’s apparent from the Bible that she’s on a search. She undoubtedly has everything life can offer – she comes with a caravan of servants and gifts for Solomon.

I Kings 10:2 “And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones:”

In fact, she brings 4.5 tons of gold and presents it as a gift to Solomon. She has it all but I don’t think she’s happy. She is looking for something more.

I Kings 10:1 tells us that she had, “…heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD,…”

She’s like us – we search for happiness. We’ve tried it all and yet happiness still evades us. We’ve heard about this man named Jesus that has all the answers and yet, like Sheba, we are skeptical.

She isskeptical

I Kings 10:6-7 “…I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. Howbeit I believed not the words,…”

She doesn’t believe everything she’s heard. Come on, no one can be that great. She’s like me – I’m from Missouri, the Show-Me State. Prove it!

I Kings 10:1 says, “…she came to prove him with hard questions.” She had some tough questions she wanted answered. If you are here this morning and you are searching for happiness and you’ve heard about this guy named Jesus, you undoubtedly come with many hard questions. I don’t have all the answers, but I know the one who does. The tough questions of life cannot be answered through earthly means – we can conjecture and put forth hypothesis, but at the end of the day we are left with conjecture and hypothesis. Jesus has the answers.

All your questions may not be answered right away but don’t let that stop you from beginning your relationship with Him. I don’t understand everything about electricity, but I certainly don’t sit around in the dark until I do. Give him a chance I promise you’ll discover what the Queen did…

The King / Kingdom exceeded her expectations

Solomon answers all her questions. I Kings 10:3 “And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not.”

In fact, what she had heard about the king and his kingdom wasn’t half as good as what she experienced.
I Kings 10:6-7 “And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. 7Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.”

Not only was she impressed with the king, but with his people. I Kings 10:8 “Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.”

Finds a house filled with happy people. Whatever good things you’ve heard about Jesus – you haven’t heard half the story. He is in the exceeding of expectation business. You are in a house filled with happy people.
I stand before you this morning – happy! Not because of what I have or don’t have; but simply because the Lord is my God.

She Finds What She’s Looking For

After resisting, proving, and questioning she finally gives in – the passage says, “there was no more spirit in her.”

She was done fighting it. She gives all that she has to the king – gold, spices, precious stones, musical instruments, trees. In turn, the king, “…gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants.” (I Kings 10:13)

Jesus doesn’t need our material possessions, but he does desire our life. I pray this morning that you would stop resisting, proving and questioning and finally surrender to Him. Give your life to Him.

In turn He’ll give to you…
o Eternal life
o Eternal rewards
o The desire of your heart – happiness.

Psalm 146:5 “Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:”
Ephesians 2:12 says that without Christ we have no hope – I pray this morning you’ll make him your hope.

Challenge:

I want to give you an opportunity to say yes to God.
To end your search for happiness.
Eternal life, eternal reward, happiness are one word away – “yes”.
God has made the offer. He says you can have eternal life if you believe in my son Jesus Christ and trust Him alone as your Savior.
Will you accept that offer?

A Son Walks In His Fathers Authority

Matthew 28:18-20

¹⁸And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (ESV)

We are all very familiar with the Great Commission that Jesus gave His disciples in Matthew 28 when He told them to go into all of the world and make disciples of all nations. Of course, for Jesus to be able to give them the authority to go, He would have first had to be given authority Himself. Verse 18 is the key to this charge that He gave them… “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me”. (ESV)

For you and I to walk in our destiny as sons and daughters to our heavenly Father, we need to be convinced of the same revelation that Jesus was convinced of… That everything that belonged to the Father belonged to Him as well. We read this clearly in Jesus’ high priestly prayer in John 17:9 when He said… All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. (NIV)

Jesus knew that He was His Father’s Son, so based on that fact, He walked in the authority of being the Son of the living God. He didn’t have to grasp for it or strive to earn it. The authority that He received from His Father was based on the simple principle of inheritance. Sons and daughters who know the security of being loved, know that they are heirs to whatever their parents have.

If someone struggles with an orphan mindset, they are not yet convinced that they are sons and daughters to the Father and joint-heirs with Jesus. If they aren’t yet secure in who they belong to, they will need to establish an identity and an authority that is clearly based on their own self-effort. What else can they do? If they don’t know who their Father is, then how can they rest in the divine authority that He gives to sons and daughters?

Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 10:8 the secret to walking this out. He told them… ‘Freely as you have received, freely give’. The more that you and I learn to receive from heaven, the more that we will be able to give away to others. In Luke 22:29, Jesus told His disciples that just as the Father conferred a kingdom on Him, He conferred a kingdom on them.

Because of the cross, we are now joint-heirs with Jesus and fellow citizens of the household of God. We carry within our own spritiual DNA our heavenly Father’s seed. In Philippians 2:1-11 we read how Jesus did not consider equality with His Father as something that He had to grasp for. Instead, He was happy to humble Himself, take on the form of a servant and became obedient even to death on the cross.

He knew who He belonged to. He knew that He was His Father’s Son and this revelation gave Him the courage to walk in the humility of a servant heart, yet with an authority that caused His Father to exalt Him to the highest place above every name that is to be named.

My prayer today is that we would all know that we truly are sons and daughters to our Father because Jesus was happy to be the firstborn of many brothers and sisters. (Romans 8:29) I pray that we will know today more than ever, that we are not orphans, but joint-heirs with Jesus. (Galatians 4:4-7)

I pray that this knowledge of the divine authority that the Father has given Jesus and which Jesus has in turn given to us, would bring us into a deep rest. May we know that we do not have to establish an authority apart from what has been freely given to us already, as a beloved son or daughter to the Creator of the universe.

Is There Anything Left You Can Trust?

Scripture:  2 Peter 1:21,Isaiah 46:9-10,2 Corinthians 5:17

In these morally challenged times – when billions are embezzled through corporate fraud when trusted, spiritual leaders prove false when lying in politics seems to be the norm when those you depend on the most often hurt you the deepest – is there anything left you can trust? Yes! You can fully trust the Bible! Why? Just take a look at the evidence…

The Bible is not a collection of men’s ideas. Its writers were guided by the Holy Ghost.

1. What does the Bible claim about itself?

The Bible says, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God.” 2 Timothy 3:16. “Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” 2 Peter 1:21. “The scripture cannot be broken.” John 10:35.

Answer:   It claims to be inspired. It was written by men who were guided by the Holy Ghost. It cannot be broken or proved untrue.

Jesus quoted the Bible and stated that it was true.

2. How did Jesus demonstrate His confidence and belief in Scripture?

Jesus said, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone.” “It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” “It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” Matthew 4:4, 7, 10. “Thy word is truth.” John 17:17.

Answer:   Jesus quoted Scripture when meeting the temptations of Satan. He also stated that the Bible is truth John 17:17. Jesus often quoted Scripture as authority for the truth He was teaching.

Before Cyrus was born, God’s Bible prophet named him as the general who would overthrow Babylon.

3. Do Bible prophecies confirm inspiration?

The Bible says, “I am the Lord . . . new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.”Isaiah 42:8, 9. “I am God . . . Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done.” Isaiah 46:9, 10.

Answer:   Bible predictions of things to happen in the future confirm the inspiration of Scripture as they come to pass. Notice the following examples of fulfilled Bible prophecies:

1. Four world empires to arise: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome Daniel chapters 2, 7, 8.

1. Cyrus to be the warrior to capture Babylon Isaiah 45:1-3.

1. After Babylon’s destruction, it would never be inhabited again Isaiah 13:19, 20 Jeremiah 51:37.

1. Egypt would never again have a commanding position among the nations Ezekiel 29:14, 1530:12, 13.

1. Earth-shaking calamities and fear toward the end of time Luke 21:25, 26.

1. Moral degeneracy and decline of spirituality in the last days 2 Timothy 3:1-5.

4. Can we expect scientific statements made in the Bible to be accurate?

The Bible says, “Thy word is true from the beginning.” Psalms 119:160. “The Spirit . . . will guide you into all truth.” John 16:13.

Answer:   Yes, the Bible is true. The Holy Spirit, who guided the Bible writers, always speaks the truth. Here are a few Bible statements that have been confirmed by science:

1. “He . . . hangeth the earth upon nothing.” Job 26:7. This scientific fact is from Job, the Bible’s oldest book.

1. “He . . . sitteth upon the circle of the earth.” Isaiah 40:22. The Bible said the earth is round centuries before man found out.

1. “To make the weight for the winds.” Job 28:25. Long before scientists knew, God said air has weight.

1. “By Him [Jesus] all things consist.” Colossians 1:17. The word “consist” here literally means “hold together” or “cohere.” Many Bible translations put it “hold together.” This is the answer to the nuclear physicists’ worrisome question about the atom. The real mystery of the atom does not involve its benumbing mega-power, but rather, “Why doesn’t the atom fly apart?” Scientific knowledge says it should, but it doesn’t. Some scientists are wondering what puzzling power, completely unknown to them, is holding it together. The Bible says that mysterious power is the Creator, God Himself.

Many diseases would not exist if God’s ancient laws regarding morality were obeyed.

5. Are biblical health principles tuned to the twenty-first century mind?

Answer:

1. Cover body waste with dirt Deuteronomy 23:12, 13.
   The Bible provision of Moses’ day that body waste should be buried was 3,500 years ahead of its time and saved countless thousands of Jewish lives. Major problems still arise when sanitation is not properly handled.

1. “Neither let us commit fornication.” 1 Corinthians 10:8.
   The word “fornication” denotes all kinds of immoral sexual conduct. There would be no AIDS epidemic if this up-to-date Bible counsel were obeyed, nor would abortion be the international scandal that it now is.

1. Leave alcoholic beverages alone Proverbs 23:29-32.
   If this extremely effective Bible solution were implemented, just think what it would mean:
   1. Millions of alcoholics becoming sober, respectable citizens.
   1. Millions of families reunited.
   1. Millions of broken homes mended.
   1. Multiplied thousands of lives saved by sober driving.
   1. Thousands of government, business, and professional leaders making clear-minded decisions.
   1. Billions of dollars available for humanitarian use.

The use of alcohol has brought untold woe to many people.

Note:   God not only tells us how to succeed with joy amid today’s harrowing problems, but He also gives us the miraculous power to do it 1 Corinthians 15:57 Philippians 4:13Romans 1:16. Bible health principles are relevant and desperately needed, but few are listening. For more on health, see Study Guide 13.

Ancient artifacts unearthed by archaeologists repeatedly confirm the accuracy and truth of the Bible.

6. Are the historical statements of the Bible accurate?

The Bible says, “I the Lord speak the truth, I declare what is right.”Isaiah 45:19, RSV.*

Answer:   Yes, Bible historical statements are accurate. What God says in His book is true. Sometimes, temporarily, evidence may not be found to substantiate certain historical facts from the Bible, but in time the evidence surfaces. Note the following:

1. For years skeptics said the Bible was unreliable because it mentions the Hittite nationDeuteronomy 7:1 and cities like Nineveh Jonah 1:1, 2 and Sodom Genesis 19:1, which they denied ever existed. But now modern archaeology has confirmed that all three did, indeed, exist.

1. Critics also said that Bible-mentioned kings Belshazzar Daniel 5:1 and Sargon Isaiah 20:1never existed. Once again, it has now been confirmed they did exist.

1. Skeptics also said the Bible record of Moses was not reliable because it mentions writingExodus 24:4 and wheeled vehicles Exodus 14:25, neither of which they said existed at the time. They, of course, know better today.

1. At one time the 39 kings of ancient Israel and Judah who reigned during the divided kingdom were authenticated only from the Bible record, so critics charged fabrication. But then archaeologists found cuneiform records that mentioned many of these kings and, once again, the Bible record was proved accurate. Critics have repeatedly been proved wrong as new discoveries confirm biblical people, places, and events. It will always be so.

*The Revised Standard Version of the Bible C 1946, 1952, 1971 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission.

7. One of the greatest miracles of the Bible is its unity. Please ponder the following amazing facts:

Answer:
A. The 66 books of the Bible were written:

1. On three continents.

1. In three languages.

1. By about 40 different people kings, shepherds, scientists, attorneys, an army general, fishermen, priests, and a physician.

1. Over a period of about 1,500 years.

1. On the most controversial subjects.

1. By people who, in most cases, had never met.

1. By authors whose education and background varied greatly.

B. Yet, though it seems totally inconceivable,

1. The 66 books maintain harmony with each other.

1. Often new concepts on a subject are expressed, but these concepts do not undermine what other Bible writers say on the same subject.

C. Talk about astounding!

Ask people who have viewed an identical event to each give a report of what happened. They will differ widely and will virtually always contradict each other in some way. Yet the Bible, penned by 40 writers over a 1,500-year period, reads as if written by one great mind. And, indeed, it was: “Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” 2 Peter 1:21. The Holy Ghost “moved” them all. He is the real Bible Author. The four Gospels do sometimes differ in the way they report the same event, but they complement each other.

Accepting Christ and obeying Scripture changes a drunken, immoral, profane, sinner into a loving, sober, pure Christian. Skeptics cannot explain this fact.

8. What evidence of Bible inspiration is found in the lives of people?

The Bible says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Christians have an inner joy and peace that others do not possess.

Answer:   The changed lives of those who follow Jesus and obey Scripture constitute the most heartwarming proof of Bible inspiration. The drunkard becomes sober; the immoral, pure; the addicted, free; the profane, reverent; the fearful, courageous; and the rude, kind.

An American skeptic was visiting an island whose natives were originally cannibals. When he spotted an old man reading the Bible, he ridiculed him for reading a book “full of myths which had already been exposed.” The native smiled at him and said, “My friend, be grateful we do believe this book. Otherwise, we would be serving you for dinner.” The Bible really does change people, and this amazing fact confirms its inspiration.

9. What evidence for Bible inspiration emerges when we compare Old Testament prophecies of the coming Messiah with New Testament happenings in the life of Jesus?

The Bible says, “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He [Jesus] expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” Luke 24:27. “For he [Apollos] vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.” Acts 18:28, NKJV.*

Jesus fullfilled more than 125 Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah.

Answer:   The Old Testament predictions of the Messiah to come were so specific and so clearly fulfilled by Jesus of Nazareth that both Jesus and Apollos used these prophecies to prove to the Jews that Jesus was, indeed, the Messiah. There are more than 125 of these prophecies. Let’s review just 12 of them:

Prophecy		Old Testament Scripture	New Testament Fulfillment
1.	Born in Bethlehem	Micah 5:2	Matthew 2:1
2.	Born of a virgin	Isaiah 7:14	Matthew 1:18-23
3.	Of David’s lineage	Jeremiah 23:5	Revelation 22:16
4.	Attempted murder by Herod	Jeremiah 31:15	Matthew 2:16-18
5.	Betrayal by a friend	Psalms 41:9	John 13:18, 19, 26
6.	Sold for 30 silver coins	Zechariah 11:12	Matthew 26:14-16
7.	Crucified	Zechariah 12:10	John 19:16-18, 37
8.	Lots cast for His clothes	Psalms 22:18	Matthew 27:35
9.	No bones broken	Psalms 34:20 Exodus 12:46	John 19:31-36
10.	Buried in rich man’s tomb	Isaiah 53:9	Matthew 27:57-60
11.	Year, day, hour of His death	Daniel 9:26, 27 Exodus 12:6	Matthew 27:45-50
12.	Raised the third day	Hosea 6:2	Acts 10:38-40

Dr. Peter Stoner, former chairman of the departments of mathematics, astronomy, and engineering at Pasadena College California, worked with 600 students for several years applying the “principle of probability” to the prophecies of the Messiah’s coming. They chose just eight from the many available and finally decided the chances of all eight being fulfilled in one man in a lifetime is one in 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. What would the odds be on the more than 125 prophecies of the Messiah? It couldn’t just happen!

*The Holy Bible, New King James Version, C 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission.

The Bible teaches that the earth was created in six literal days.

10. What great advantage does a person have who accepts the Bible as God’s inspired word?

The Bible says, “I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.” Psalms 119:100. “Thou . . . hast made me wiser than mine enemies.” Psalms 119:98. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are . . . my thoughts [higher] than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9.

The Bible account of the Flood provides the answers secular scholars are searching for.

Answer:   A person who accepts the Word of God will soon know the answers to many complex challenges that secular scholars will never figure out. For example, the Bible teaches:

1. God created the earth and all living organisms in six literal, 24-hour days Exodus 20:11Psalms 33:6, 9.

1. A worldwide flood destroyed every living thing except the sea life and what was inside Noah’s ark Genesis chapters 6, 7, 8.

1. The different languages of the world began at the Tower of Babel Genesis 11:1-9.

God, who has always existed and knows everything, shares the above three truths with us, recognizing that we could never figure them out on our own. We know only “in part” now 1 Corinthians 13:9. And God’s knowledge is “past finding out.” Romans 11:33. Evolutionists will never know the age of the earth because it was created with apparent age, as were Adam and Eve. The couple were only one day old on their second day of life, but they appeared to be mature. Man’s measuring instruments cannot allow for apparent age. In such cases, they are not trustworthy. Believe the Bible, and you will always be ahead of the speculation of secular scholars and the worldly-wise.

11. What crucial world happenings have brought the power and appeal of the Bible into sharp focus?

Answer:   The failure and collapse of communism and the weakening and inconsistency of the theory of evolution have spotlighted the Bible.

True science is always in harmony with the Bible because God is the author of both.

Note:   The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics tried communism, atheism, and also evolution, which is Marxism’s number one tenet. They all failed. The resultant new democracies realize that only one thing will work, and they are almost with one voice crying out to Christendom: “Bring us the Bible and Christian preaching and teaching. We must now build on the unshakable foundation of prayer and the Christian faith. Nothing else compares. Nor will anything else answer life’s great questions and bring peace to the hearts of our people. Please don’t keep us waiting! We desperately want and need the Bible, God, and Christianity now.” Once again, God’s Word triumphs.

Evolution, like communism, is losing its grip and credibility. We must remember that it is nothing more than an unproved, shaky theory. We will mention three items only:

1. Robert Gentry’s book Creation’s Tiny Mystery has unsettled many evolutionists with its apparent, clear evidence of instant creation. Mystery in the Rocks, an easy-to-understand book based on his research, may be purchased from Amazing Facts.

1. Molecular biology’s recent demonstration that the single cell is vastly complex makes the accidental origin of life in a single cell a mathematical absurdity.

1. The widely different ages now being assigned to the Grand Canyon layers by current scientific measurements, as opposed to those assigned previously, make evolutionists and their prior measurements seem reckless and irresponsible. The atheistic theory of evolution that humans and apes came from common ancestors scorns the concept that people were created in the image of God. It denies the existence of God, totally disavows Jesus as Saviour, negates the Bible, and ridicules the truth of an eternal home in heaven. Satan loves the evolution theory because it destroys the credibility of salvation. Communists are learning. Will we?

The Bible has universal appeal because it provides clear answers to life’s most perplexing questions.

12. Why does the Bible have such universal appeal?

The Bible says, “Thy word is a . . . light unto my path.” Psalms 119:105. “These things have I spoken unto you . . . that your joy might be full.” John 15:11. “In the image of God . . . created he them.”Genesis 1:27. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16. “I will come again, and receive you unto myself that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:3.

Answer:   Because it answers life’s most puzzling questions:

1. Where did I come from? God created us in His image. We did not accidentally emerge as nondescript globs from some primeval slime. We are sons and daughters of God, the Mighty King Galatians 3:26. We are so precious to God that when Adam and Eve sinned, He gave His Son to die and pay the penalty for our sins so we could be free. He wants to restore us to His image and then, shortly, take us back to Eden, the home Adam and Eve lost.

1. Why am I here? Our aims for life today should be to discover the Bible’s wonderful answers to life’s puzzling problems and to accept Jesus’ offer to restore us to His image Romans 8:29.

1. What does the future hold for me? There is no guesswork about the future. Jesus will come very soon to take His people to the fabulous home He has prepared for them in heaven. There, with supreme joy and happiness, people will live forever John 14:1-3Revelation 21:3, 4.

13. I am thankful to God for giving me positive answers to life’s most puzzling questions.

Answer:

Thought Questions

1. I’m offended that the Bible gives such repugnant, graphic descriptions of sin in recording the lives of some Bible characters. Is this really necessary? Romans 15:4
Yes. It is one of the great facts that give credibility to the Bible. Most biographies skip or soften the bad and often overstate the good. Telling it like it is gives people confidence the Bible can be trusted it doesn’t cover up. Further, Satan’s strategy is to convince people they are such great sinners God cannot or will not save them. What joy sweeps over such people when they are shown Bible cases of people like them and worse whom God delivered from sin and justifiedRomans 15:4!

2. Is all of the Bible inspired? Many believe only parts of it are. 2 Timothy 3:16
The Bible has the answer: “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 Bible does not simply contain the word of God. Rather, it is the Word of God. The Bible is the information and operations manual for a human life. Ignore any of it and you will have unnecessary difficulties and problems.

3. The Bible is an ancient book with old-fashioned wording and concepts. Don’t you feel it is unsafe to rely on something so far removed from our enlightened day? 1 Peter 1:25
No. Its age is in its favor. That is, in fact, one of the proofs of its inspiration. The Bible says, “The word of the Lord endureth for ever.” 1 Peter 1:25. The Bible stands as a rock. It is God’s book, His Word. It cannot be destroyed. Men and even entire nations have burned, banned, and tried to discredit and destroy the Bible, but instead, they discredited themselves. They are gone, and their attacks on the Bible are forgotten. Yet the Bible remains a best-seller, in constant demand. Millions would die for it, if necessary. Its message is God-given and 100 percent up-to-date. Before you study it, pray and ask God to open your heart as you read.

4. Some of the most brilliant people in the world, who have carefully studied the Bible, believe no one can understand it. If the Bible is truly God’s book, shouldn’t everyone be able to understand it? 
Bright people who can understand and explain virtually anything are often quickly stopped in their tracks when they read the Bible. The reason is that spiritual things “are spiritually discerned.” 1 Corinthians 2:13, 14. The deep things of the Word will never be understood by a secular mind, no matter how brilliant. Unless one honestly seeks an experience with God, he cannot understand the things of God. The Holy Spirit, who explains the Bible John 16:13 14:26, is not understood by the carnal, secular mind. On the other hand, the humble, even uneducated Christian who studies the Bible receives amazing understanding from the Holy Spirit Matthew 11:25 1 Corinthians 2:9, 10.

5. The Bible is full of errors. How can you believe it is inspired? Isaiah 28:9
The overwhelming majority of so-called errors in the Bible have been demonstrated to be simply errors of judgment or lack of understanding on the part of those who make the complaint. They are not errors at all, but simply truth misunderstood. The inspired Bible:

1. Will always tell you the truth.
2. Will never mislead you.
3. Can be fully trusted.
4. Is reliable and authoritative, not only in spiritual matters but also in other matters it addresses, including history and science.

Satan is always digging up some supposed flaw in Scripture, which is not surprising. He found fault even with God and heaven. Copyists may have miscopied in some cases, but no such supposed happening or any other alleged error affects the truth of God’s Word. Doctrine is built not upon one Bible passage, but upon the total of God’s comments on any subject. We are unaware of any alleged error of any kind that would affect the truthfulness of the content of Scripture. Some things in Scripture are yet difficult to reconcile. There will always be room for doubt to those who prefer to doubt. We believe that even alleged errors, not yet fully explained, will as in the past soon be exposed as false alarms. The harder people work to undermine the Bible, the brighter its light shines.

Quiz Questions

1. Which fulfilled prophecies confirm the Bible’s inspiration?
_____   Cyrus would capture Babylon
_____   Ronald Reagan would become president of the United States.
_____   Egypt would never again be a strong, leading nation.
_____   Morals would degenerate in the last days.
_____   Germany would have a 20-year drought.
_____   Babylon, once destroyed, would never be inhabited again.

2. Jesus showed His belief in Bible inspiration by:
_____   Talking loudly on the subject.
_____   Quoting from it as He taught.
_____   Calling fire down on those who doubted.
_____   Announcing it from the temple steps.

3. Which scientific facts from the list below does the Bible mention?
_____   The earth is round.
_____   Air has weight.
_____   God keeps the atom from flying apart.
_____   The formula for water is ‘H2O’.
_____   Seawater is salty.

4. Which of the following health rules appear in the Bible? 
_____   Drink four gallons of water daily.
_____   Leave alcoholic beverages alone.
_____   Run every morning and night.
_____   Abstain from immoral sexual conduct.

5. The following statements about the Bible are true:
_____   About 40 people helped write the Bible.
_____   The Bible was written over a period of 10,000 years.
_____   Only parts of the Bible are inspired.
_____   The real Bible author is the Holy Spirit.
_____   The Bible is a best-seller.

6. Which of the following did the Bible predict about the Messiah’s life?
_____   Would be born in Nazareth.
_____   Would fly to heaven often.
_____   Would be sold for 30 pieces of silver.
_____   Herod would try to kill Him.
_____   Would be crucified.
_____   Would be raised to life after seven years.

7. What Bible rule, if followed, would best prevent AIDS?
_____   Do not be sexually immoral.
_____   Do not worship graven images.
_____   Eat meals regularly.

8. Which statements below are true about evolution? 
_____   It is an unproved theory.
_____   It undermines Christianity.
_____   It is a proved fact.
_____   It proves that human beings and apes have common ancestors.
_____   It is a strong tenet of communism.

9. Which statements below help prove Bible inspiration?
_____   Its biographies include bad as well as good.
_____   It changes the lives of its followers.
_____   Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah were fulfilled by Jesus.
_____   It predicted the rise of the four world kingdoms.
_____   Its unity.
_____   It tells the day and hour of the second coming of Jesus.

10. God created the earth in six literal, 24-hour days. 
_____   True
_____   False

11. In Noah’s day, a worldwide flood destroyed every living thing except the sea life and what was inside the ark. 
_____   True
_____   False

12. The different languages of the world originated at the Tower of Babel. 
_____   True
_____   False

Peace

II Thessalonians 3:16-18

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.

Peace at all times? Even when bad things are happening around us and to us?

Peace in every way? No fear for the future, anxiety in the present or guilt over the past?

Such peace is possible, but only in the way Paul suggests here – The Lord of peace himself give you peace…

The Teacher promised to give His peace to those who trust Him. The peace He Himself lived every day in every circumstances.

Jesus was peaceful in the storms of life. At peace when His enemies attacked! Peaceful even on the cross!

Paul gives the key to receiving the peace of Jesus. It is living with the sense of His continual presence in our lives.

The Lord be with all of you. 

When the Lord is present there is peace!

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

A Son Is Encouraged By His Father

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

¹⁶ May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father,
who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 
¹⁷ encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. (NIV)

Our elder brother Jesus, and God our Father are cheering us on in the unique race that is marked out for each one of us. The Bible says in Ephesians 2:10 that we are the Father’s handiwork, created in Jesus to do the works that God prepared in advance for us to do.

If I build something for a purpose, it is my heart’s desire that the thing that I build would do what I created it to do. If I fold a piece of paper and make a paper airplane of out it, I want it to fly! The better it flies, the more satisfied I feel as it’s creator.

How much more does our heavenly Father want us to succeed in everything that we do in life? There are many Scriptures that speak of the magnificent freedom that is ours in Christ and the abundant life that He wants us to enjoy. Each step of the way, He is encouraging us to keep on running our race because as it says in Romans 8:31… If God is for us, who can be against us? (NIV)

God is for you. He believes in you. He created you before the foundation of the world to be a reflection of His image to a fatherless world. Each and every one of us who has simply said ‘yes’ to Jesus, has this hope. We are our Father’s handiwork, and we are called to fulfill our destiny as His beloved sons and daughters.

An orphan heart that is not yet convinced that they are a beloved child of the living God, will tend to look horizontally for the affirmation that tells them who they are. If we are not convinced that we are completely loved and accepted now because of the finished work of Jesus Christ, we will seek affirmation from other sources.

One of the ways that we seek this affirmation is by looking to other people to find true acceptance. For many people, this is expressed in trying to please every person they meet. Unfortunately, I consider myself an expert in this field. I grew up believing that my own personal value and self worth was directly hinged on the approval of others. This led to an exhausting life on a treadmill of trying to please every person in every situation.

It wasn’t until I began to receive a deeper revelation of the unconditional, eternal love of God my Father, that this vicious cycle of people pleasing began to change. I am not saying that I am completely done with this, but I am at a better place now than I was before I knew that my God and Father was my greatest encourager.

My prayer today is that we would all know that we are secure in the family of God, with Jesus as our big brother and God as our Father. My hope is that each one of us would be free from living a life of seeking affirmation from others to tell us who we are. I pray that we would all come into the glorious freedom of the sons of God (Romans 8:19-23) and fix our eyes heavenward for the encouragement and affirmation that we all were created to receive from our true Father.

I pray that the power of the Holy Spirit (which lives in each son or daughter) would open the eyes of our hearts so that we could know by experience the eternal hope that we have been called to, the glorious inheritance that is ours in Jesus. May we all say yes and amen to the prayer that the Apostle Paul prayed in the book of Ephesians…

Ephesians 1:15-23 KJV
Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: ¹⁸The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, ²⁰Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: ²²And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. 

Son’s Are Part Of The Family Business

(Luke 2:49 KJV)

[And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?]

I love the story in Luke 2:41-50 when Mary & Joseph took their teenage boy Jesus to Jerusalem to celebrate the passover feast. At the end of the celebration they headed home but somehow they forgot to bring Jesus with them! Stressed out, they went back to Jerusalem and found Jesus sitting in the temple listening to the teachers and asking them questions.When they asked their teenage son why He decided to stay behind, Jesus seemed perplexed and asked them a question in turn… Didn’t you know that I would be about My Father’s business???? We know Jesus was not being cheeky to His parents, but was genuine is sharing His heart with His parents. Perhaps it was because He was at the bar mitzvah age where a son would be transferred into his father’s care? Whatever the reason, we can clearly see that Jesus saw Himself as part of His heavenly Dad’s business.

Sons work with their fathers, not for their fathers. The heart of a son is to be part of everything that His Dad is doing. An orphan at heart on the other hand feels no such connection. A good example of an orphan mindset is the elder brother in the prodigal son story in Luke 15:11-31. Though everything that belonged to his father already belonged to him, he actually saw himself as being a slave to his father.

We pick up on the story in Luke 15:29 where he angrily tells his father how upset he is that his own younger brother was getting a party after returning home… He tells his dad… ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. (NIV)

Even though he was the oldest son and privy to a double portion of his father’s inheritance, he saw himself as a slave out in his father’s field. I am thankful that the father in the story showed as much love to the older brother as he did to the younger brother and invited him to come in and join the party.

Those of us who still struggle with orphan mindsets might feel the same way if we are not convinced that we are truly part of our heavenly Dad’s business. In the prodigal son story, the father told the elder brother that everything that he had belonged to him. Yet, the son struggled to believe that was true and chose to wallow in bitterness and resentment. We don’t know whether he chose to accept his father’s invitation and join the party or not. I certainly hope he did for his sake.

The truth is that every person who has received Christ into their lives has become born again and part of the family of God. We have become legal sons to our heavenly Dad and are part of His business whether we realize it or not. 

My prayer today is that God would reveal to each one of us that we really do belong to him and that everything He has already belongs to us. We are part of the family business whether we know it or not! We are not on the outside looking in, but on the inside looking out! May every person who reads this blog hear the invitation of their Father to come into the house and join the party!