To operate any vehicles or machines like cars, trucks, motorcycles or even an airplane you must study the operations manuals and pass rigorous tests before you get a license to operate, and that is just for the luxury of operating it! If you want it properly maintained, then the manufacturers maintenance instructions must be followed for best results.
The Bible can be compared to these manuals, but it is so much more than that. It not only gives instructions on how to live well, it invites you to know your maker. The Bible gives many examples of how people did life in the past, with and without God, the good and the bad, and how it is supposed to work today. The Bible is full of
historical, parable and biographical stories, poetry and discourse. It displays human struggles, provides solutions and helps us understand our purpose. There are many raw stories of real people doing life. It shows people's right and wrong decisions, and God's repair plan. It's all there for us to learn from their successes and mistakes. It is our love letter from God, an invitation to experience life in creative collaboration with our maker.
It is the inspired word of God. You do not need to just wing it and hope life works. Sure, it may work for a while without having to refer to the Bible at all, but eventually sooner or later things break down. I'm convinced your greatest dreams, desires and achievements, or any other way will leave you wanting more. I know only the God of the Bible can fill that void completely. Even pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps with positive thinking will still leave you tired and hungry for more. We were never designed to do everything on our own strength. Perhaps you have not realized it that someone has already hacked your system for failure. You need God's Word to make you aware of this hack, to show you the complete repair plan, and to truly start living. The Bible helps us understand the highest moral standards and how only in Christ we can achieve them. It explains how he had to step in to do what we could not do for ourselves.
If you don't agree with me on this right now, then I invite you to figure out what's stopping you. Sometimes it's in your head or could be in your heart. Maybe an intellectual thought or idea is holding you hostage, or it is a heart issue where you're emotionally stuck, or you just don't want to believe this is true. Well, I hope this website and these apologetics videos will help your mind tackle this, and as for your heart, then that's just a matter of choice on your part.
If you think the Bible is one among many books of truth and it's hard for you to only trust one, then watch these videos about the Quran or visit the Acts 17 Apologetics website. If you think the Jews have the truth and Christians do not, then why are the Jews discouraged from reading their own scripture of Isaiah 53. Jesus was and is a Jew. He did not come to abolish the Jewish law, but to fulfill it. It's just that many Jews have not realized that the one whom they are waiting for has already come. One day they will see, but many Jews have already embraced Jesus today. Those are the Messianic Jews. Once I celebrated Easter with these Jews, and I found it was so much deeper and so much more meaningful than the painting of eggs and the american easter bunny.
Now, back to the Bible. Often it is very difficult to read the Bible, especially when you start right at the beginning and you get stuck in Leviticus. I found the Bible Project has many great video series explaining on "How to Read the Bible".
I know reading, studying and trusting what the Bible says is life changing and life building even though at times it is difficult to read and understand. I wish that you taste and see that the Lord is good. You're welcome to join me on my journey on this page as I explore the things I'm reading, or just look up the topic that interests you (once I have a collection of topics).
There is so much chaos in this world, and the Bible says that in the end it will get much worse before it gets better. It also promises a new earth and a new body for those who will receive it. However, God will not allow any hint of selfishness, hatred or evil enter into this new world. That's why to qualify to enter this new world you need to acknowledge the evil that is in you and ask God to cleanse you from it, and will give you strength to stop it already. You're invited to turn from you isolating ways, be washed clean by Christ's righteousness, reach out towards God and receive forgiveness, peace, joy, life, belonging and purpose.
Many are following the desires of their hearts that fail them. Many mean to fix things, but end up making things worse. You don't need to do life blindly. Yes, there is absolute truth. A measuring standard for life. If you know the rules of the game, then you can know if the game is well played or not. Without it what it is right and wrong is just a matter of opinion, and the game is nothing but a whole bunch of people running around frantically in many different directions, often crashing into each other and wondering why. With the Bible, at least you can discover why there is a crash, it provides a way to deal with it, and it gives guidance in how the situation can be fixed. At its best you have a master mechanic who's ready to help you if you only ask, and one who wants to create new things with you.
Let's be part of the people group who fight the good fight, overcome evil with good, work with Jesus and each other. Together let's pray may God's Kingdom of love, mercy, power and justice come on earth as it is in heaven. Join me in my studies or share with me what you're learning now on you journey of life.