“God Wrote A Book…”

“For everything that was written in the past
was written to teach us, 
so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures
and the encouragement they provide
we might have hope“

(Romans 15:4 NIV, emphasis mine).

What a powerful verse from God in the Bible!

Could anyone use some encouragement from God today?

Anyone discouraged lately?

Could anyone use some endurance from God today?

Anyone feel like quitting, giving up, throwing in the towel on life, people, God lately?

Could anyone use some hope from God today?

Anyone feel like their situation lately is hopeless?

Loved ones, God desires us to have encouragement, endurance, and hope, and those are three of the reasons why He has given us the Bible.

“But I’ve read the Bible before, and I never seem to get any of those things from it!”

Fair point. Let’s talk about that for a moment.

• Some studies show that while you are eating, it takes around twenty minutes for you to realize that you are full, 20 minutes for you to feel full even though you already are full.
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• Some studies show that it can take as many as two hours after drinking lots of water for your body to feel hydrated, for your thirst to be quenched, for you to feel the effects of the water that is already in your body.
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• As much as 70% of our ability to taste foods comes from our ability to smell. Thus, food often tastes bland when we have a head cold/stuffy nose. Thus, when sick, the problem isn’t with the quality of the food but with our ability to accurately taste it.
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• After each workout, do you physically look any different in a mirror? Can you visually see an increase in your muscle mass after each workout? No…but your muscles are growing, are strengthening, are repairing themselves to be bigger and stronger!
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• Do farmers see any visible signs of growth days after planting seeds in the ground? What would happen if they decided to pull the seeds out after a few days because they thought they had failed–or that the seeds were duds!–simply because they didn’t see any visible growth?

My friends, my point here is that even if we don’t feel immediately encouraged after reading a passage of the Bible, even if we don’t feel like we have strength to endure what we are facing, even if we still feel hopeless after spending time reading God’s Word, let’s not stop reading it! We might not feel God’s Word at work in us, but it is, oh yes it is! God promises!

Isaiah 55:10-12 NIV:

“As the rain and the snow
    come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
    without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
    so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
    It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
    and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
12 You will go out in joy
    and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
    will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
    will clap their hands.”

Joy & peace, over time, are two of the beautiful dividends of soaking in God’s Word on a regular basis! Anyone want more joy & peace in their daily lives!?

One more question:

If someone led you into a large house and truthfully told you that were millions of dollars worth of diamonds scattered throughout the house, that you could have as much time as you want any time you want to search for them, and that you could keep any diamonds that you found, what would you do? Would you look for a few minutes when you got around to it, would you look once or twice and then, upon not finding any gems, storm out of the house never to set foot inside again?

Of course not!

You’d probably spend every waking moment rummaging through the house looking for the precious diamonds, you’d probably take time off work (vacation time!) in order to diligently search through the house, you’d probably even stop watching t.v. and spending time on the internet for such an opportunity!

Check out these words from Jesus in Matthew 13:52 NIV:

“Therefore every teacher of the law [God’s Word!]
who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven
is like the owner of a house
who brings out of his storeroom
new treasures as well as old.”

There are priceless treasures in God’s Word–let’s start digging and keep digging through the Bible for the valuable diamonds of Truth, love, encouragement, endurance, hope, and more that God desires to lavishly share with us!

Please click HERE for a fantastic five minute video called “God Wrote A Book.”
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