Pastor column: The Word of our God shall stand for ever
Isaiah, the prophet, wrote, “The grass withers, the flower fades: but the Word of our God shall stand for ever” (Isaiah 40:8). In the New Testament, Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away” (Matthew 24:35).
These two verses are foundational to my faith. I believe in the God of the Bible; the Christ of the Bible; the plan of salvation revealed in the Bible; and everything else written in the Bible. I thank God for His perfect Word. I am thankful that this Book has revealed the sin of my heart and pointed out that I was headed to Hell. I am also thankful that God illuminated my heart to allow me to see not only myself and my need, but Praise God. Jesus was the solution to my problem!
In an address to the National Religious Broadcasters, President Reagan announced that he was proclaiming 1983 The Year of the Bible. “I hope Americans will read and study the Bible in 1983,” he said. “It's my firm belief that the enduring values presented in its pages have a great meaning for each of us and for our nation.”
'We want to face the future with the Bible'
President Reagan said he feels the growth of religious broadcasting in America indicates the American people are hungry for a spiritual revival. And he went on to say, “When Americans reach out for values of faith, family and caring for the needy, they're saying we want the Word of God. We want to face the future with the Bible.”
The President pointed out the heritage we have in America of forefathers who revered the Bible. “George Washington, kissed the Bible at his inauguration,” Reagan said. “And John Adams called the Bible the best book in the world.”
“The Bible can touch our hearts, order our minds, refresh our souls,” he said. “We're blessed with its words of strength, comfort and truth. … Within the covers of that single book are all the answers to all the problems that face us today, if we'd only look for them.”
A New York art collector had the paintings of the Leaning Tower of Pisa hanging over his desk. For a long time he noticed that it persisted in hanging crooked despite the fact that he straightened it every morning. At last he asked the housekeeper if she was responsible for its lopsided position. “Why, yes,” she said, “I have to hang it crooked to make the tower hang straight.”
Does that sound strange? That is exactly how a lot of people read the Bible. They twist God’s Word in order to justify their own opinions or actions, or doctrine to make them all appear right. Let’s not twist the Scriptures to suit ourselves. Let’s be sure to hang the picture right!
There’s great profit in God’s Word, but only as we take it like it is written and conform our lives to it. Thank God for His Bible!
Rev. J. Patrick Street is the lead pastor of Redeemer Church in Marion. He can be reached at coachpatstreet@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on Marion Star: The Bible and the Word of God
