Dave’s Monday Blast – November 14, 2022
Why did the Lord give us His Word? I am referring to the Bible or the Scriptures (not Jesus – John 1:1). I love the answer Pastor Charles Stanley provides: “The Lord gave us the Scriptures primarily so we could know Him; His nature, works, ways, and thoughts. The answers to our questions are found in the Bible, but they’re scattered throughout. We have to search for them, and in the process, we discover the amazing God who saved us. Glimpses of His identity are found in some rather unexpected places in Scripture. That’s why we should read the entire Bible regularly instead of merely using it as a reference book.”
For example, what do you do when you come across a short biblical command without further explanation? Do you skip over it, saying, “Well, I have no idea how to do that, so I’ll just move on to something I understand.”
The totality of God is beyond comprehension. He hasn’t revealed everything to us, but much of what He wants us to know is revealed in His Word. As the psalmist wrote, “The unfolding of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple” (Psalms 119:130).
To this point, Pastor Stanley comments “It’s God’s will that we grow in our understanding of Scripture. And that includes His commands. For example, 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.”
From this one simple verse we now know exactly what God wants us to do. But how in the world are we supposed to do it? It’s easy to be thankful for good things, but what about suffering, loss, and trouble? How can we be expected to thank God in those situations?
I want to share some thoughts next week on this question, but will conclude this conversation with something Phil mentioned in his message last week: When we give thanks it is not for what He has provided, but for who He is!
Do you trust Him? Do you believe that He ALWAYS has your best interests in mind?
