In recent months I've written a number of articles detailing how fulfilled prophecies have proved the Bible to be the Word of God. One such example being the 7-fold prophecy of the destruction of Tyre as recorded in Ezekiel chapter 26. The chances of all 7 coming true would be 1 in millions, but it all came to pass just as the Bible predicted.
There is another evidence of the Bible's veracity that is often neglected, perhaps because it has a certain degree of subjectivity surrounding it. Anyway, I'll outline this before my readers now and they can judge for themselves if this is, indeed, valid evidence.
Last September when the new academic year started, a student entered the halls of residence at a university in Wales. As he went into his room he noticed a Gideon Bible. In his words "it made me feel uncomfortable" and, as a result of this, the students voted to ban Gideon Bibles from the halls of residence.
The question I ask myself is simply this: "If the Bible is just a collection of stories, as many people claim, why did this student feel uncomfortable?" If I noticed a copy of Aesop's Fables in a hotel room I wouldn't "feel uncomfortable", I would probably read it and have a good laugh over it. I certainly wouldn't go on some kind of crusade against it and campaign to have it banned; and yet that is what these students did with the Bible. What does that suggest to me?
It suggests that the Bible really is the Word of God and that it's very presence reminds people of several facts:
1. The fact that there is a God to whom we must give account (Romans 14 v 12).
2. The fact that we have all done wrong and need to get right with God (Romans 3 v 10 and 23).
3. The fact that if we don't get right with God there is a price to pay - for all eternity (2nd Thess 1 v 7-9).
Often when I'm on a train or bus I will read the Bible quietly to myself without disturbing anyone. Yet, while I'm doing so, I'm aware that people sitting nearby are bristling with discomfort. Why is this? Again - because, deep down, we all know that the Bible is not just "a book of stories". It IS what it claims to be - the very Word of the living God. Everything God has to say to us is contained within the pages of this precious book.
In the light of that fact, we do well to read it, study it, digest it and respond to it's truths by repenting of our sins and accepting Christ as our Lord and Saviour.
Thursday, 20 August 2015
Tuesday, 11 August 2015
An addiction worth having
Sometimes when I walk past a shop or office block I see staff members outside having a smoke. They are "enjoying" a smoke break kindly granted to them by their employer for the simple reason that they are so addicted to nicotine that, if such a break was not granted them, they would be climbing up the walls.
These poor creatures simply cannot last an hour without their "fix". Similarly, there are people addicted to alcohol; they, too, can't seem to go for more than a few hours without imbibing booze. Others are addicted to various drugs which are destroying them but, because they are in the grip of these drugs, they cannot break free - unless of course they submit to the lordship of Christ in their lives, and know the true freedom that only He can give (And ye shall now the truth, and the truth shall make you free - John 8 v 32 ).
As a general principle addictions are bad because they control us; however, there is one addiction that it is good to have -to be addicted to reading the Bible, the infallible Word of God.
Every morning I try to make the time to read a chapter each of the Old and New Testament. I also keep a copy of the Bible or, at least a New Testament, with me at all times during the day so that I can read it when I'm on a bus/train or when I'm having a tea break.
I read the Bible systematically from Genesis to Malachi in the OT, and from Matthew to Revelation in the NT. This means that over the years I've read through the entire Bible (King James Version) more times than I can keep count. I don't say these things to boast; it is the Lord who has blessed me, not only with eyes to see and read, but also with desire to read His Word. In short, I'm addicted to reading it - I can't seem to go more than a couple of waking hours without doing so.
One may ask - "if you've read the whole Bible through why do you start again and keep reading it?" That is a fair question; after all, one doesn't read the same novel over and over again. The answer to this question is simple - the Bible IS NOT an ordinary book; it is not even just a book of good stories that help us through life - it is the Inspired, Infallible, Inerrant, Invincible and Indestructible Word of the Living God.
Everything that God wants us to know is contained within the pages of this wonderful book. If any Christian is reading this article and doesn't feel the same sense of thrill as I do when reading the Bible, or doesn't "suffer" the same addiction to read it, then I can only suggest that they ask the Lord to give them a desire to be reading it. Ask God to give you such a strong sense of need that you simply must pick it up at regular times and devour it's contents. Why is this? The answer is found in the Bible viz.:
"The entrance of thy words giveth light, it giveth understanding unto the simple" - Psalm 119 v 130.
These poor creatures simply cannot last an hour without their "fix". Similarly, there are people addicted to alcohol; they, too, can't seem to go for more than a few hours without imbibing booze. Others are addicted to various drugs which are destroying them but, because they are in the grip of these drugs, they cannot break free - unless of course they submit to the lordship of Christ in their lives, and know the true freedom that only He can give (And ye shall now the truth, and the truth shall make you free - John 8 v 32 ).
As a general principle addictions are bad because they control us; however, there is one addiction that it is good to have -to be addicted to reading the Bible, the infallible Word of God.
Every morning I try to make the time to read a chapter each of the Old and New Testament. I also keep a copy of the Bible or, at least a New Testament, with me at all times during the day so that I can read it when I'm on a bus/train or when I'm having a tea break.
I read the Bible systematically from Genesis to Malachi in the OT, and from Matthew to Revelation in the NT. This means that over the years I've read through the entire Bible (King James Version) more times than I can keep count. I don't say these things to boast; it is the Lord who has blessed me, not only with eyes to see and read, but also with desire to read His Word. In short, I'm addicted to reading it - I can't seem to go more than a couple of waking hours without doing so.
One may ask - "if you've read the whole Bible through why do you start again and keep reading it?" That is a fair question; after all, one doesn't read the same novel over and over again. The answer to this question is simple - the Bible IS NOT an ordinary book; it is not even just a book of good stories that help us through life - it is the Inspired, Infallible, Inerrant, Invincible and Indestructible Word of the Living God.
Everything that God wants us to know is contained within the pages of this wonderful book. If any Christian is reading this article and doesn't feel the same sense of thrill as I do when reading the Bible, or doesn't "suffer" the same addiction to read it, then I can only suggest that they ask the Lord to give them a desire to be reading it. Ask God to give you such a strong sense of need that you simply must pick it up at regular times and devour it's contents. Why is this? The answer is found in the Bible viz.:
"The entrance of thy words giveth light, it giveth understanding unto the simple" - Psalm 119 v 130.
Wednesday, 5 August 2015
Opportunities abound for the Gospel
In 1st Corinthians 16 v 9 the Apostle Paul said: "For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries".
What was Paul saying? Simply this - that he had many opportunities to tell others about Jesus (and, no doubt, took them gladly) but, along with the open door to spread the Gospel, there was also opposition. That is my own experience too.
I was saved on Sept. 13, 1975 and, shortly afterwards, came across Christians who believed in spreading the word through Gospel tracts. The Lord gave me a desire to do the same and, encouraged by a friend who worked in a Christian bookshop, I obtained large quantities of "Chick books". I used to leave these in phone boxes (those were the days, before mobile phones took over our lives) and other public places. I also used to leave them in the toilets at my workplace. (You can laugh but a bloke, Roy, got saved and his wife, who was a backslider, was restored to rightful fellowship with God). Of course, if one was to leave tracts in a workplace these days it would probably result in dismissal, such is the opposition that we face today; and that brings me to the point of this article.
Over the years it has been my privilege to be involved in street evangelism. I rarely do public street preaching but mainly give out tracts as people walk past. To be fair, most people are polite and don't seem to mind being offered tracts as long as I don't pursue them when they've declined. However, despite my calm and inoffensive manner, there have been people who clearly don't like what I'm doing. I often get sour looks or even looks of pity and contempt. Sometimes people will say bad swear words or accuse me of being a "nut case".
Moreover, although I've not had any trouble with coppers, there was a council jobsworth on Broadstairs sea front, a few years ago, who insisted that I needed permission to "give out religious leaflets" and called the police when I refused to move on. To be fair to them, although a copper did come to investigate, he took no action when he saw what I was doing.
However, as this country moves from being post-Christian to anti-Christian we can expect more opposition. I read, yesterday, of an attempt by Manchester City Council to outlaw street preaching; moreover, evangelists are being routinely challenged by council officials, and there have even been occasions when evangelists have been nicked by over-zealous coppers. This opposition is likely to increase with government plans to introduce EDOs. These will give officials the power to stop, and even arrest, street preachers who are "deemed to be extreme". As many biblical teachings are considered extreme by opponents of the Gospel, this will lead to the police and council officials unleashing a wave of persecution against evangelists.
When that persecution comes what will be our response? While we shouldn't deliberately seek to provoke people, we also shouldn't behave like chocolate soldiers and melt at the sound of battle. Are we going to be chocolate soldiers or soldiers of the cross? That is the stark choice that is being presented to us even as I write this article.
May the Lord give us grace to stand firmly for Him in these dark (but exciting) days.
"Go into all the world (including the local High Street) and preach the Gospel" Mark 16 v 15
What was Paul saying? Simply this - that he had many opportunities to tell others about Jesus (and, no doubt, took them gladly) but, along with the open door to spread the Gospel, there was also opposition. That is my own experience too.
I was saved on Sept. 13, 1975 and, shortly afterwards, came across Christians who believed in spreading the word through Gospel tracts. The Lord gave me a desire to do the same and, encouraged by a friend who worked in a Christian bookshop, I obtained large quantities of "Chick books". I used to leave these in phone boxes (those were the days, before mobile phones took over our lives) and other public places. I also used to leave them in the toilets at my workplace. (You can laugh but a bloke, Roy, got saved and his wife, who was a backslider, was restored to rightful fellowship with God). Of course, if one was to leave tracts in a workplace these days it would probably result in dismissal, such is the opposition that we face today; and that brings me to the point of this article.
Over the years it has been my privilege to be involved in street evangelism. I rarely do public street preaching but mainly give out tracts as people walk past. To be fair, most people are polite and don't seem to mind being offered tracts as long as I don't pursue them when they've declined. However, despite my calm and inoffensive manner, there have been people who clearly don't like what I'm doing. I often get sour looks or even looks of pity and contempt. Sometimes people will say bad swear words or accuse me of being a "nut case".
Moreover, although I've not had any trouble with coppers, there was a council jobsworth on Broadstairs sea front, a few years ago, who insisted that I needed permission to "give out religious leaflets" and called the police when I refused to move on. To be fair to them, although a copper did come to investigate, he took no action when he saw what I was doing.
However, as this country moves from being post-Christian to anti-Christian we can expect more opposition. I read, yesterday, of an attempt by Manchester City Council to outlaw street preaching; moreover, evangelists are being routinely challenged by council officials, and there have even been occasions when evangelists have been nicked by over-zealous coppers. This opposition is likely to increase with government plans to introduce EDOs. These will give officials the power to stop, and even arrest, street preachers who are "deemed to be extreme". As many biblical teachings are considered extreme by opponents of the Gospel, this will lead to the police and council officials unleashing a wave of persecution against evangelists.
When that persecution comes what will be our response? While we shouldn't deliberately seek to provoke people, we also shouldn't behave like chocolate soldiers and melt at the sound of battle. Are we going to be chocolate soldiers or soldiers of the cross? That is the stark choice that is being presented to us even as I write this article.
May the Lord give us grace to stand firmly for Him in these dark (but exciting) days.
"Go into all the world (including the local High Street) and preach the Gospel" Mark 16 v 15
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