Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Why I Believe the Word of God


Why I Believe the Word of God


Have you ever found the inquisitive nature of a 5-year-old intriguing?
They may have questions that you don’t know the answer to and others that perhaps you wished they hadn’t asked. But then there are those questions that cause you to pause and really reflect.

Well, the pastor was asked such a question by his 5-year-old son and provided the answers in a sermon during Sunday’s, February 3, 2013, 11am service.  Notes take  from Pastor Keiffer Bent’s sermon are below. Let us know your thoughts.

Why I Believe the Word of God

We live in dangerous times.  Man’s opinion is elevated above the Bible. Culture has taken a 180 degree swing. The church is no longer concerned about or passionate about God’s Word.  Absolutes (things that are true for all people at all places) are laughed at.  Tolerance is applauded but if someone brings in the idea of the Bible, they are said to be divisive. There is little tolerance for the Word of God even among Christians even though the Bible should form our existence.

The top struggle among Christians is: Do we obey God or listen to personal pleasure.
Do we choose to spend time with God and the people of God or do we choose the mall or a football game? Making the wrong choice results in Christians being poorly equipped and starving for truth. The average Christian doesn’t know why they believe what they believe.  Churches are struggling and they have no purpose or power.  They are divided as to what they should listen to – politicians or God’s Word. When it comes to implementing God’s Word, we completely go to the left.

My son asked me a question that I will answer during today’s sermon: Why do you teach the Bible?

  1. The Bible is the only source of divine, absolute authority.

It will inform you of God’s will and mind related to your actions and what God intends for your life.

See 2 Timothy 3:16,17 - All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

We don’t study the Bible for mere information for the mind or for cognitive purposes (for argument and reasoning). We study the Bible with our heart and mind and with passion to propagate the things of God and implement what God wants. 

Information doesn’t help you to make the right decision. You must unite the heart and mind.

  1. The Quality of God’s Word.

The Bible is the only book that has God’s guarantee.  It has His unique stamp. The Bible is infallible (without fault in its purpose), inerrant (free of error), complete (contains all of the information needed to succeed in the Christian life), authoritative (prescribes right actions to us), totally sufficient for your needs and accomplishes what God set out to do. See Revelation 22:18, 19, Psalm 19:7 and Isaiah 55:11.

Proverbs 30:5,6 - Every word of God is tested;
He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His words
Or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar.

  1. What is the benefit of believing in the Bible?

The Bible remains the only source of divine revelation and power that can stand up against political, economic, social, archeological and historical ideology and arguments.  It still sustains the Christian to walk in the ways of YAHWEH.

The Bible itself claims to be the record of God.

If I believe this record of God then we need to ask ourselves what does God want from me?

Merely claiming it’s God Word is not enough.  Many books claim to be God’s Word. Forty writers with a variety of occupations wrote the Bible at different places. They couldn’t copy from each other. They didn’t  have email. They wrote in different moods and in three different languages (Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek). It has an amazing unity and harmony that we can’t humanly explain.  The Bible portrays the behind the scenes hand of an Almighty God.

But, they maintained the unity of one fundamental theme: God’s plan to redeem man. Salvation is God’s objective.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6

Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. John 17:17

The Bible can and has withstood the test of time.

Luke 11:28 - …Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

1 Peter 2:2 - As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.

There’s power in the Bible. The Bible is a powerful force.

Romans 1:16 - For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

‘Power’ in Romans 1:26 is ‘dunamis’ in the Greek language. It has the power or ability by virtue of its intrinsic nature. The gospel, itself, has power. The Bible is power.

The Word of God changes men’s hearts.

The Bible is true. Since you know that it’s true – read it and preach it.

Psalm 119:105 - Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path. 

Dear Reader – What are your thoughts?





What's Troubling You?


What’s Troubling You?


And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:3-5

During the study of Romans chapter 5:1-11, we learn that tribulations (taken from the Latin word tribulum (a heavy piece of wood with spikes in it used to thresh grain) are instruments that God allows to purify our lives and make us more like Christ.

Tribulations can come through a variety of ways: other people causing us pain or problems, various circumstances- e.g. finances, health- or through Satan.

The process for Christians going through tribulations given in Romans 5:3-4 is:

Ø  Trouble or trial presents itself  in various forms. Our life is pressed like olives and grapes and threshed like wheat to remove the chaff.

And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
 1 John 3:3

Ø  This trouble brings about endurance and enables us to endure our suffering in a God glorying way.  

Ø  God tests us to determine what we’re made of- will we cave into the pressure or will we come out like pure gold. Our character is tested and either we, like Abraham who was asked to sacrifice his son Isaac, will pass the test and be approved by God or we’’ll need to go back for remedial training.

Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” Genesis 22:1-2

But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” Genesis 22:11,12


What might be some of the purposes for your suffering?
-       Die to Self – Matthew 16:24
-       Humility – 1 Peter 5:6
-       Gentleness, Compassion and Caring for others
-       Release the things of this world back to God
-       Establish right priorities in your life
-       Trust God – Proverbs 3:5,6
-       Obey God – Deut. 27:10
-       Boldness – Acts 4:29
-       Rely upon God’s grace
-       Walk by faith and not by sight – 2 Corinthians 5:7
-       Bring us into a closer relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ  

Ø  Our hope in Christ causes us to be completely confident that our righteousness by faith will not disappoint.


Dear Christian, as you go through tribulations and sufferings and your life is pressed, rely upon God’s grace to allow your trials accomplish their purposes.

Join us for  Women’s Connection every Thursday, 9-11am in Berwyn Baptist’s Library.