Sunday Words of Encouragement April 10, 2016

We were away from home church this morning as we were in the RV. We listened to a message by Dr. J. Vernon McGee (Inspiration Part 2) which I really enjoyed. He spoke of the “plenary inspiration” of the Word of God as provided to us through the Bible. As fundamentalists, we believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, set down through the prophets using their personalities and views, but given by the Holy Spirit. Inspiration is one aspect of the Bible and a second is “Illumination”. That is the Holy Spirit helping man to understand the message given. Otherwise a man can study and know the words but never understand the great spiritual truths.

Dr. McGee recommends five key elements to study the Bible:
1. Pray before you read – to have your mind opened to the reading and understanding.
2. Read the Bible so that it can be opened to your mind.
3. Study the Bible. Do not just read it in a cursory fashion but stop and look up passages if you need to; think about it; re-read it many times.
4. Meditate on the reading. Again, you should spend time over the words, the setting, the context so the message (and its application to your situation if need be) can be illuminated to you.
5. Share the Word with others. When you learn a meaning or illuminated message, do not keep it to yourself, but rather share it with others; discuss it with others who are studying so that you can edify each other.

Satan tried during the days of the Old Testament to destroy the Word/the Bible. Thus The Book of the Law had been hidden and was discovered anew during the reign of King Josiah (2 Kings 22). When Satan was unsuccessful in destroying the Bible he shifted his attack. Now he works through translations that are provided without a high degree of inspiration and illumination. Bible translations are proliferating and causing confusion. Dr. McGee objected to any Bible translation that did not go through a committee for many (25) years in order to assure authenticity to the original Greek and Hebrew.

This is an older song but fits this message.

Thy Word is a Lamp Unto My Feet!

Verses for Today:
1 Corinthians 2:13-14 (NIV)
13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

I am so thankful that I have gotten myself disciplined to read and listen to the Bible. Even though I do not always study it as hard as I should. I will work on that aspect.