The B.I.B.L.E.

There's a book that we sing about together, "The B.I.B.L.E.," and that's the book I want to talk to you about this morning.

The words to the song go:

"The B.I.B.L.E.,
Yes! That's the book for me!
I stand upon the Word of God,
The B.I.B.L.E.!"

I woke up with an urgency to tell you this...

There is coming a time when this song may not be sung as freely as it is now. There is coming a time when all mention of this precious book and its knowledge may be life-threatening to the person who mentions it.

It already is so in many places on this earth right now, and you are just 3 years old. But there is a move--you can feel it--to wipe this Word off the planet, to prevent its ideas from being shared publicly and freely.

And it is my prayer that as you get older, grow older, that there will be those who have stood up and fought for the freedom to read the Word, and by doing so diligently, have allowed you the freedom to own a copy of this Book, study it, and discuss it freely. I pray that is the state of things when you are my age.

But I must, I must, I must share the following things with you about this book:

(1) It is not just a book of stories.

Psalm, the Bible is full of many stories--some popular, ever-useful for our daily living and spiritual growth. But you should know that these aren't just "stories" made up by man. They actually happened. Many voices now are trying to say that the Bible is "symbolic," or that these stories were not put together by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. I'm here to tell you that they are real.

(2) We mustn't put God in a box.

I think it is comical sometimes at how much we really believe that we KNOW God, or how much we think we know about His creation. We have come up with scientific lists detailing what God can and can't do--we've formulated our own "laws" about His creation. One of the things that I love about all of the stories in the four Gospels is that, when Jesus came, He broke so many of our "so-called" boxes and "laws" about science, government, and sin.

(3) Hide the Word in your heart.

The Bible tells us that we must "hide the Word in our hearts so we do not sin against Him." What this means is that we must start memorizing the Word as early on as we can. Even if we do not understand all of the words, it is important to get the words in our minds. Trust me, the Holy Spirit will teach you what they mean, in time.

(4) Always talk to God.

People make prayer out to be something "mysterious" or even "super-supernatural." Praying is just talking to God. You can talk to him about anything, any concern, need, or even question you have about him. There have been plenty of times that I've just talked to him, asked Him why certain things are the way they are. Many times, I have asked him what certain verses mean. If there is something I read in his Word that I don't understand, I write a question mark and ask HIm to tell me in his time.

(5) Your logic is not God's logic.

Many people will ask you "what you think" about something in the Word of God. Whether they ask to "chip away" at what you believe, or whether they ask you with a sincere heart, I must clarify something to you of great significance. It does not matter "what you think" about the Word of God. It is not your job to take the Word of God, as if it is a poem or short story or speech to be analyzed and discuss it as such. The Word of God, though full of all of those things, is not something YOU read and decide what it "really means," or "what you think about it." For example, there are people who ask, "Well, the Bible says that it's a sin to gossip. Do you really believe this?" "You really believe people will go to hell if they __________________?" Your answer MUST be: "It's not up to me. I'm not God and I'm not the ultimate judge. The Bible says ___________________________. And I believe what the Bible says."

(6) Know the Word. Know how to find things in the Word.

Lots of people talk about the Bible as if they know it. But, if the truth be known, they are going off of what they remember, what people have told them, or movies. (Seriously.) Don't fall prey to this. Even at my age, at this current state of things, I have heard people say phrases that they believe to be in the Bible that are not there. If you don't know better, you may start believing that old wives tales, legends/myths, and even words from Shakespeare are in the Bible. It does the followers of Christ NO GOOD if we are ignorant. The Bible tells us, "My people perish for lack of knowledge." We must know the Word and how to find things in the Word. If we don't KNOW if it's in the Bible or not, we shouldn't say it at all.

(7) Share the Word of God, in any way you can, in any way you know how.

Sister, I know you will know this. I know that you will read the Word and that God will give you understanding. I pray that right now as I type. But the heart of the Gospel, the Good News, must be shared. It's not okay to know the truth and "hide it" and never share it with anyone else. Jesus has called us to share this news with others. Do it in any way you can, in any way you know how, and as the Holy Spirit leads you and guides you. Share the stories of the Old and New Testament to encourage people when things get tough. Share verses of consolation, challenge, and inspiration as needed, and as guided to. Use whatever means available to share biblical principles with those who work and learn and live around you.

(8) Live the Word.

It's not enough to know it and share it, Sissy. You must LIVE the Word. There are too many people who say one thing--that they know God and His Word--and they live a life contrary to the Word. Don't be confused, sis. These people may know something in their heads, but they are not living it out. That means they are not ready to teach, lead, speak into the lives of anyone. Do not heed what they say. Take what they tell you--if they mean well--and pray over it, pray for direction. (Pray for those people, too, that they will learn the error of their ways.) But do not trust the words of people who wield a sword like the Word of God and have no real training or life experience to use it. You must live the Word, whether it's difficult or not. You must live it so as to be a Great Light to those around you.

(9) Respect the Word.

When I was growing up, my mother taught me never to write in my Bible, never to let anything rest on it or get stacked on it. The Bible was not to be covered up or tossed around in the car or in my room. We were to give the physical Bible respect, because it was our own personal copy of the Word of God. While I do write in my Bible--notes as I study--I do not doodle in it or write grocery lists. I still do what my Mother taught me to do. And there is value in that. We must never forget the importance of the book itself.

(10) Yes, humans wrote it. But the Holy Spirit led them, guided them.

I don't care what the scoffers say, you can read the entire Bible and SEE the common threads that run through all of the books included. I don't care how many "inconsistencies" people find, or how many things that culturally shock or anger them, it is readily apparent to anyone who reads the entire Bible that God is in it. We may not understand everything in it. We may think some things too harsh. But I'm telling you right now that the Bible tells us many things--including discussing the HOLINESS of God. Culturally, we may think some things strange, but don't focus on those things that confuse you, focus on the overall picture. (Certainly, ask God for clarity on the Word when it confuses you or when you don't understand it, but don't assume it is a mistake. It's not! There is a reason for ALL THINGS in the Word.) When I read the Word, all of it, in one study, in college, I realized how CLEAR and CONSISTENT the message of God to man.

He loves us, Psalm. Always and forever. He loves us.