Last evening we had the privelege of attending a Gideon's dinner honoring pastors and their wives, a group in which we were included as a "pastor to pastors" in the area. After a good meal and fellowship, the program began with introductions and the normal scripture reading and prayer and then, a special guest testimony was shared by a man whose life had been rescued by a New Testament placed within his reach by a Gideon he never met. Having lived a life of crime from an early age, he had come to the place where he was serving a 125 year sentence in prison, when through drug use and its affect upon his mind, he was remanded to a mental asylum. While here, facing a life of utter despair, he discovered a Gideon New Testament that had been slipped into his cell for him to read. Reading it and discovering Christ's love through it so turned his life around that when he was sent back to prison, he began pursuing his new life in Christ, sharing with other prisoners, and ultimately received a parole. Since that time 17 years ago, he and his wife, with whom he was reunited, have been ministering to prisoners all over the land. It was a truly inspiring testimony.
The testimony was followed by excellent special music by local ministers, and then the guest speaker, a staff member of Gideon's International, rose to speak. He also spoke of testimonies throughout the world, where individuals who were encountered by the Bibles given them by Gideons had their lives changed. Startling statistics were shared with us regarding the number of Scriptures which are being given out in such a way. Imagine 2.4 copies being distributed every second of the day, 365 days out of the year. Do the math! 144 a minute, 8640 an hour, 207,360 a day, 75,686,400 a year!
Now at this point in his sharing, I come to a very important point. He made the point that God, being "omnipresent" or everywhere, is always a very real and present God. Further, that His Word found recorded on the pages of the Bible, as His Word, can be seen as a "living" extension of His mind, heart and will. He then made this statement that immediately captivated our minds. He said, "The Bible is the only book that has ever been written which has the Author present every time it is opened and read!" Let that soak in for a while!
Do you realize that very often when we open the Bible and read, we do not really acknowledge its Author anymore than we do any other book that we might pick up and read? This perhaps is the reason that our reading of Scripture makes little impact upon our lives, though we may read it every day. Paul tells us in his second letter written to his young disciple Timothy, chapter 3, verses 14-17, "But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." When he says that all scripture is given by inspiration of God, it is terminology that indicates it is God "breathed". God used the agency of man to record it in the midst of his circumstance, but it was "breathed" into man's mind and heart! In no other book could the multiple writers from different ages, over a span of hundreds of years, put together such a harmonious record of history and doctrine, were it not for the very present Author of it all, there to inspire its transcription!
Now, my challenge to you! Start or continue reading from Scriptures every day, but do so with this admonishment - first acknowledge through prayerful meditation the presence of the AUTHOR, and ask Him to help you understand and apply what you read! I will if you will! Well, I will if you don't, but I urge you to join me!
Be encouraged!
The testimony was followed by excellent special music by local ministers, and then the guest speaker, a staff member of Gideon's International, rose to speak. He also spoke of testimonies throughout the world, where individuals who were encountered by the Bibles given them by Gideons had their lives changed. Startling statistics were shared with us regarding the number of Scriptures which are being given out in such a way. Imagine 2.4 copies being distributed every second of the day, 365 days out of the year. Do the math! 144 a minute, 8640 an hour, 207,360 a day, 75,686,400 a year!
Now at this point in his sharing, I come to a very important point. He made the point that God, being "omnipresent" or everywhere, is always a very real and present God. Further, that His Word found recorded on the pages of the Bible, as His Word, can be seen as a "living" extension of His mind, heart and will. He then made this statement that immediately captivated our minds. He said, "The Bible is the only book that has ever been written which has the Author present every time it is opened and read!" Let that soak in for a while!
Do you realize that very often when we open the Bible and read, we do not really acknowledge its Author anymore than we do any other book that we might pick up and read? This perhaps is the reason that our reading of Scripture makes little impact upon our lives, though we may read it every day. Paul tells us in his second letter written to his young disciple Timothy, chapter 3, verses 14-17, "But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." When he says that all scripture is given by inspiration of God, it is terminology that indicates it is God "breathed". God used the agency of man to record it in the midst of his circumstance, but it was "breathed" into man's mind and heart! In no other book could the multiple writers from different ages, over a span of hundreds of years, put together such a harmonious record of history and doctrine, were it not for the very present Author of it all, there to inspire its transcription!
Now, my challenge to you! Start or continue reading from Scriptures every day, but do so with this admonishment - first acknowledge through prayerful meditation the presence of the AUTHOR, and ask Him to help you understand and apply what you read! I will if you will! Well, I will if you don't, but I urge you to join me!
Be encouraged!
2 comments:
thanks for the reminder, dad! I needed it in my busy world!
I like the "Poohpa" picture!
Give mom a hug for me. Love ya!
Ooooohhh...I like that about the Bible being the only book who's Author is there every single time it is read. Very good words to reflect on.
Like what ya did with the Poohpa picture...you're figurin' this bloggin' stuff out!! See...I told ya!!
Love you.
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