Bible

Power in the Word of God

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12 ESV)

Recently as a church we started a 365-day Bible reading plan that will take us through the entire Bible in the next year. If you would like to join us, you can sign-up for the Bible Recap reading plan for free on the Bible app or purchase a copy of the Bible Recap daily devotional on Amazon. The daily devotional tool features a blend of commentary on each section of Scripture we study as well as videos and resources to take you deeper into the text. We are on a continual journey to read the Bible and empowered by the Holy Spirit, do what it says.

Recently as we kicked off this journey, something struck me in the earliest pages of Scripture. In Genesis chapter three, we see our great grandparents face (and fail) their first big test of faith. Into the perfection of Eden and the innocent life of unbroken fellowship they enjoyed with our Creator, the enemy came slithering up in the form of a serpent. It is a fun fact that snakes likely used to have legs (sorry for sharing that nightmare image).

When Satan arrived in Eden to tempt Adam and Eve, his ploy was simple and the bait he used then is one he still uses to ensnare and enslave so many today. The Scripture gives us a historical look at how the conversation unfolded: Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1 ESV) Notice what the enemy of our souls and the accuser of the brethren does first, he immediately brought the word of God into question. “Did God really say…”

Why is a personal knowledge of the Scripture so important? It starts right here. As followers of Jesus it is essential for us to have more than a second hand knowledge of the God we serve. It isn’t your parents faith, your spouses faith, the faith of your pastor, or anyone else that will help you in times of great trial and temptation, it is a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus. If you don’t know what the Scripture says, and if you don’t understand the will and Word of God, you are headed for pain and suffering. It is so precious and important to know the Word, will, character, nature, and promises of God.

As we continue reading, we see how the conversation immediately begins to take a turn towards deception: And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” (Genesis 3:2-3 ESV) First, the obvious: Eve should have never entertained or conversed with the Serpent. Even if she didn’t know that, we do. Stop inviting the enemy into your life and giving him a foothold to attack you, tempt you, and destroy your life. The more time you spend with Jesus, the more you will begin to recognize the subtle work of the enemy around you.

Next, we note several things that occur with Eve’s response. Firstly we notice we see that Eve took away and added to God’s instruction. She first diminished the liberty and abundance of God’s provision. God actually said: And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden” (Genesis 2:16 ESV). Notice the seemingly small but incredibly important omission. God’s Word had show the abundant love, gracious provision, and incredible gift that God had given our first ancestors, Eve missed that and sadly many still do today. They wrongly see God’s Word as restrictive instead of understanding that true freedom comes through Christ alone (see John 8:32 and John 8:36).

We then see that Eve took God’s clear, precise instruction and she left out a detail: “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:17 ESV) Eve referred to the tree as the “tree that is in the midst of the garden,” yet God had clearly revealed its name: “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” It may seem small, perhaps you might even think its harmless, but when we ignore, leave out, change, or redefine any part of God’s Word for any reason, we are setting ourselves up for deception.

Lastly, we see that Eve added a prohibition that God had not. Eve got God’s Word wrong and said that God’s instructions wasn’t just that they shouldn’t eat it but also that they shouldn’t even touch it. Now practically that was pretty solid advice… if you don’t even touch it surely you can’t eat it! But again we see Eve adding in something extra that God never instructed. This type of legalistic thinking ignores or misses the heart of God and the purpose of His Word while adding in extra layers of tradition and instruction that aren’t in God’s Word. You don’t have to add or take away from God’s Word, read what it actually says and respond with a heart of loving, faithful obedience.

Notice lastly how the serpent, emboldened by Eve’s ignorance and her poor handling of God’s Word, responds: But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:4-5 ESV) First, the serpent out right denies the Word of God. In this denial, he calls God a liar and calls His trustworthiness and goodness into question. Then the serpent gets right to his dastardly work as he claims that God is somehow keeping something good from Adam and Eve and that there was more to life. As they go on to rebel against God and His Word, they would lose more than they could have ever imagined. (Spoiler alert: the did “surely die”)

So, it all comes down to this. Without a personal knowledge of the Scriptures you will never experience the depth, intimacy, and security of knowing the God you serve. It is God’s will for you to read it, through His Holy Spirit He will help you understand it, and empowered by our Helper, Comforter, and Guide we will be able to live out His Word and will in our lives. As you join us on this journey through the Bible, I pray you will develop a deep love for reading the Scripture as you abide in Christ regularly, intentionally, and faithfully!

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:4-5 ESV)

By Daniel Higginbotham, ago

His Coming

One Biblical topic that has always fascinated me since a young teenager has been the end times and the second coming of Christ. In my teenage years, even before I surrendered my life to Jesus, I couldn’t get enough of the Left Behind series. I can remember reading the Book of Revelation with little to no context and being absolutely stunned by the imagery and the promise of what was to come.

Since surrendering to Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:9) in 2011, my fascination with the end times and the second coming of Christ has only intensified. In fact my fascination reached an unhealthy level that led to a paralysis, spiritually speaking, that led me to a place where I was looking so intently for the second coming of Christ that I was no longer fulfilling the Great Commission in my life (Matthew 28:18-20).

With all that said, the Bible has much to say about the end of days, the second coming of Jesus, and all we can expect as history reaches it climax in the fulfillment of all God’s promises. A quick cursory search reveals that over 20% of the Bible is prophetic in nature. Jesus Himself spoke at length (and in detail) concerning the end of days and His second coming.

Before we move forward I want to share a few reminders… it doesn’t matter if Jesus comes back today or a 1000 years from now, He is coming again. Jesus said it this way in the Scripture: “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:2-3 NIV) Before you dismiss this promise as some type of “spiritual” reunion only, remember that the sum total of all Scripture points to a physical, bodily resurrection and a physical, literal second coming of Jesus. 

To be sure, the second coming of Jesus is a physical, visible event. Scripture says: “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.” (Matthew 24:30 NIV) There are literally tens of thousands of books, messages, podcasts, websites, and other media devoted to discussing the end times. I would strongly encourage you not to fall into the trap of debating other Christians about their view of the tribulation, the rapture, etc. Instead, I would focus on the truth: Jesus is literally coming again and all those who trust in Him as Lord will enter His eternal rest in a place free from death, pain, hunger, suffering because all the former things will pass away. (Revelation 21:4)

So the truth we’ve explored so far is this: Jesus promised to come again and His second coming is a physical, literal event that all humanity will witness. Now, and the primary point of this message, since Jesus promised to come again and we believe this promise is true, did He have anything to say concerning what to expect before He comes again? As it turns out, entire chapters in the New Testament are dedicated to answering this question.

It turns out that we aren’t the first people to ever wonder when the end of time will be. The disciples asked Jesus this same question as recorded in Matthew 24 and Luke 22. Jesus told the disciples: “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.” Matthew 24:6-8 NIV) Notice a few important thoughts: Jesus told us not be “alarmed” when we see these promised things unfolding (they shouldn’t catch us unaware). Also all the things Jesus describes are “birth pains”, so we could expect the frequency, volume, and intensity to increase as it gets closer to His coming.

Some of the signs that Jesus gave us can speak to many different times throughout history. But an honest, critical examination of events we see unfolding in the world today point to an increasing frequency in every sign Jesus said we would see (in dramatic fashion). 

In case you are like some who claim that the events in Matthew 24 have already occurred… a parallel account of the teaching of Jesus is found in Luke 21. Remember this promise: “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” (Luke 21:25-27 NIV) If we aren’t careful this type of promise can really drive anxiety, fear, and despair as we think about all the awesome signs and wonders that will proceed the second coming of Jesus. In fact, Jesus promised people would “faint from terror”, but this doesn’t have to scare us as His followers. Jesus tells us: “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:28 NIV)

Question… knowing that Jesus is coming again (spoiler alert: there is no doubt about this truth), how do we respond? I think our response must be one of joy, refreshing, and commitment. We should be serving Jesus every day like He could arrive at any minute. We should be sharing the Gospel with family, friends, colleagues, and our community as if today was the day that Jesus returns.

The Apostle Paul challenges us concerning the second coming: But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. (1 Thessalonians 5:4-6 NIV) The second coming of Christ should cause us great joy! The hope we have in Christ is sure, His promises are true, and we can rejoice knowing that His coming (and our being with Him) is not something just to hope for but something to look forward to. More simply… we don’t have to wonder if these things will happen, we know they will.

The entire point of this message is to remind every follower of Jesus of His promises. As Paul says: Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV) So brothers and sisters, be encouraged! Our hope is sure. Our God’s promises are true. Jesus is coming again! The other hope for this message is to tell every man and woman who hasn’t trusted in Jesus yet: time is running out. None of us are promised tomorrow… the most important question you will ever answer in life is this: what are you doing about Jesus?

If you find yourself here today and you aren’t really sure about Jesus, who He is, how you can know Him, or what all this is really about… please visit www.myemanuel.com/i-am-ready/

Disclaimer: This entire message is intended to simply remind the reader of the Scripture concerning the second coming of Christ. This is not a theological statement or defense of any specific view of the end times (i.e. pre-tribulation rapture, etc.). 

By Daniel Higginbotham, ago

The Miracle of the Bible

Today my 12 year old son Kasen asked me how I know the Bible is the Word of God. There is something quite special about deep theological discussions over breakfast before school. Maybe today if you are being honest you have the same question: is the Bible really the Word of God? I mean… after all it was written by men, can I trust it?

Before we explore the miracle of the Bible, I want to share a very serious note… if you have doubts, God already knows. Instead of hiding those doubts and fears, pray about them. Share them with God. Seek His guidance, wisdom, peace, and teaching on the truth about the Scripture. Don’t let those doubts drive you to a place of shame or guilt and certainly don’t hide or ignore them. You aren’t the first person to ever question God about the Bible (spoiler alert: you won’t be the last). God is big enough and loving enough to patiently and tenderly help you walk through those doubts as He helps grow your faith.

Before we can really explore a solid answer to Kasen (and your) question, we need to understand the Bible. So often I hear people say: “it’s just a book”. Actually the Bible is a collection of 66 books. These 66 books where written over 1500 years on three different continents in three different languages by 42 different men. These men ranged from the kings to fishermen. The collection of authors also included a tax collector, a doctor, prophets, priests, and even a civil engineer.

Now that we’ve established that the Bible isn’t “just a book”, the next thing we need to ask is: can we trust the Scriptures? Isn’t the Bible full of contradictions and inaccuracies? The truth is that from Genesis (the very first Book of the Bible) to Revelation (the very last Book) the story of God’s plan for mankind is clearly revealed. All those contradictions? When pressed most people have no idea where these world shattering opposites are found (hint: that’s because they aren’t there).

I find it fascinating that so many men and women who have set out to debunk Christianity have themselves ended up bowing their knee to Jesus. From ancient examples like Saul of Tarsus who became the Apostle Paul (see the Book of Acts) to modern examples like an investigative journalist who wrote “The Case for Christ”. One of my real favorites is about one of my favorite speakers Nabeel Qureshi who wrote “Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus”. History is replete with men and women of all walks of life who have sought to destroy Christianity once and for all… so many ended up trusting in Jesus themselves.

I find it fascinating that so many are so quick to dismiss the Bible and God outright without ever searching out the facts for themselves. They believe because their mom or dad told them, a professor, their spouse, a trusted and educated person. Over and over again people regurgitate all they’ve been told without ever really researching, studying, or honestly seeking God themselves.

“Only hillbillies and the uneducated believe in Jesus.” Its funny when people make statements like that without any facts. The fact is that some of the most educated men and women in the world, the most brilliant among us, all have reached the same conclusion: Jesus is exactly who He claimed to be (God) and the Bible is exactly what I’m telling you (the God breathed Scriptures that teach us everything we need to know about life, faith, and practice as God’s beloved creation – 2 Timothy 3:16-17). 

So one last thought about the Bible… take 66 other books from any library and try to create a cohesive story that doesn’t contradict itself and I’ll start considering whether the Bible is a fake and not the divine Word of God. There is a catch… your 66 books have to:

  • Be written by 42 different authors
  • Be written over the course of 1500 years
  • Be written originally in 3 different languages
  • Be written on 3 different continents
  • Be written by authors who didn’t know each other and didn’t have the other writings to reference

After you spend some time thinking about that prospect, just admit it… it isn’t possible. If it isn’t possible (and it isn’t) then even if you don’t attribute the Bible to be the divinely inspired Word of God, you have to begin exploring the truth that this is a special Book. There are literally tens of thousands of videos, articles, research papers and more about the Bible… maybe its time to stop taking someone else’s word for it and start investigating the truth yourself.

Some resources to get started:

By Daniel Higginbotham, ago