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Ok, I Am Human
Author Archives: Drew Haninger
What is the Bible?
Wow, what a great question – What is the Bible? The Bible is God’s Word to us. The Bible tells us what God thinks, how God feels and why He created the earth and mankind. The thoughts of God about the earth, man, sin, Jesus Christ, righteousness, heaven and hell are all addressed in the Bible. The Bible answers some big questions like, Why did God create me? and How do I become a Christian?
Four Main Points about the Bible:
1. The words of the Bible are God’s words. The words in the Bible are not opinion or human concepts. – 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching…
2. The Bible makes clear how one can become a Christian, live as a Christian and grow as a Christian. Many others items and things in the universe are just not found in the Bible because they are not necessary for our Christian living. – Psalms 119:130 The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.
3. The Bible is a very necessary book since it tells us about God, man, sin, Jesus Christ, heaven and hell. – 2 Timothy 3:15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
4, The Bible stands alone as the only book that tells us everything we need to know to become a Christian, live as a Christian and grow as a Christian. In this area the Bible is sufficient. – 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
Hopefully this short answer to “What is the Bible” has helped you and me understand more about the Bible. Later we will talk more about what is in the Bible such as poetry, history, teaching, theology, stories and prophecy. In the Bible is also encouragement and warnings for our Christian life.
Opposition Brings Success
Right before success you face your worst opposition. Look at the Lord Jesus, He was facing death by on a cruel Roman cross, but resurrection is coming in 3 days. His resurrection makes the way for all sinners to receive eternal life, just as He promised. Now we can believe in Him for eternal life.
So don’t be down and don’t be low, hope is coming. People who invent things spend a lot of time in the drudgery of details until success comes.
Spurgeon
Spurgeon loved Bible study, prayer and preaching.
Spokane River
Here is a great quote on prayer from C.H. Spurgeon: Of course the preacher is above all others distinguished as a man of prayer. He prays as an ordinary Christian, else he were a hypocrite. He prays more than ordinary Christians, else he were disqualified for the office which he has undertaken.
Reflection on the Spokane River
So prayer is an important aspect to preaching.
Faith in Action
Beth Shean, Israel
What is “Faith in Action”, it is just believing into Him, trusting Him and walking with Him. It’s all about “Him”, that is its all about “Jesus”. He is the author and perfector of our faith, the beginning and the end. He started our Christian life and He is the only one able to complete it. Look at Philippians 1:6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
Beth Shean, Israel
Look where we are today, we should thank Him for what He has done. Don’t look at the problems or even ourselves, look to Him the source of our Christian Life.
So don’t be angry, be thankful and trust Him. There is choosing, believing, abiding, and remaining steadfast in our walk with God.
Beth Shean, Israel
Remember and Be Thankful
We should be thankful and remember what the Lord has done. We too easily forget all He has done. Psalms 77:11 I will remember the works of the Lord; Surely I will remember Your wonders of old. So don’t dwell on hurts and disappointments, just be thankful for all the Lord has done.
Vine, Branches and Prayer
Vine, Branches and Prayer – Jesus’ Instructions on Prayer in John 15
Grape Vines in Washington State
Wow, look at vines, branches and prayer in in John 15, chapters 14, 15, 16, and 17. In these four chapters, Jesus was trying to comfort His disciples and at the same time get them to just abide in Him. So right in the middle of that, in chapter 15, Jesus was talking about abiding. He was talking about how we need to be like branches on a vine. He was the true vine. Some people say this describes kind of an organic, living and real relationship between Jesus and us, or between us and the Father. Without getting into the rest of the context, there, John 15:7 says, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” That seems kind of like a blank check where you can expect God to do anything you ask of Him. Some people look at that verse and they wonder why God doesn’t answer when they pray for something. There is a condition in this verse, though. It says, “If you abide in Me and My words aide in you”. The “asking” is prayer.
Grape Vines in Eastern Washington
Well, the first condition, there, is, “If you abide in Me… “ Without getting into the context,there, one way to abide is to stay in the Lord, to rest in the Lord, or to remain in the Lord. So how does one abide in the Lord, it simply means to trust and rely on Him. I would even say it means to do the things God wants you to do, to obey the Lord. He says, “If you abide in Me”. Then He says, “And if My words abide in you”. This passage in the book of John says, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you”, you can ask whatever you will and I will do it. What words is He talking about when Jesus says, “And My words abide in you”? I believe He is specifically talking about the word He is speaking. Oh, and by the way, what ever Jesus says is the Word of God. I believe it also has to include the words of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.
Grape Vines in Eastern Washington
The video this text is taken from is on Drew’s YouTube channel. This portion is at YouTube.
Set the Direction with Morning Prayer
Morning Prayer Sets the Direction for the Day.
Boat on the Sea of Galilee, Israel
A great Bible verse is Mark 1:35, “and rising in the morning long before day, he went out and went away into a desert place, and there prayed“. The Lord Jesus spent time in the morning in prayer to get himself in alignment with God, the Father. Jesus also prayed that the direction of the whole day would be in the Father’s will, purpose and direction. His morning time set the purpose and direction for the whole day.
From the context of this passage we can discern that Jesus probably prayed in the region of the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel. The above picture was taken from another boat on Sea of Galilee.
How do we know Jesus prayed this way? Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven“. This is a portion from the familiar Lord’s Prayer.