Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 117 The Bible - Life, Hope, and Truth

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast
Episode #117 – The Bible - Life, Hope, and Truth

Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to seek, find, and follow Jesus together as we live with purposed eternal perspective.

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the Bible remains the best-selling book of all time and is also the most translated book in human history.

What wonderful news! Yet, I know that I sometimes purchase books I don’t always read, and I don’t always finish the books I do begin reading.

As I looked at the online information available for sales and statistics of the Bible, I read other interesting facts about what sells best around the world. Reading the titles and subject matter saddens me. As someone who has read the Bible through more than once, I know and trust the power the Bible has to change lives. When we literally hold an item so transformative and filled with such piercing truth and love, yet ignore the contents, it is like going to the doctor, receiving the life-saving medicine we need, then going home and pouring it down the drain.

I’ve been there.

When I first became a Christian I wanted to know all I could about Jesus. The sweetness of new love filled me! My mind couldn’t comprehend the information as quickly as I was researching and reading it. When I began to experience difficulties with people at church, my passion for Jesus faded.

I didn’t intend for my growth in Christ to be affected by trials at church. In fact, I wasn’t looking for trouble or separation at all. I loved going to church! I jumped “all in.” Joining various ministries and learning how to share the love of Christ was a joy.

My health was tricky at that time as I was experiencing a lot of bleeding and pain. I needed a hysterectomy at the age of 21 and it was very difficult to continue caring for my two young children and also minister to children at church.

When I stopped volunteering in the church and received nasty remarks and indifferent behavior because I couldn’t do everything they needed, I became disenchanted with church in general. In time, we stopped attending. As I quit going to church, recovered, and began working full time outside of the home, I also stopped reading my Bible daily.

Just as a frog can be boiled without ever feeling the heat rise, our life changes without noticing the difference when we stop drawing nearer to God. Of course, we don’t see or feel the separation from Christ immediately.

The best thing I’ve ever done in my life is accept Jesus as my personal Savior and submitting to Him, allowing Christ to transform and direct me as He desires. Thankfully, He is always waiting for us to draw nearer to Him. As I began reading His word again daily, I experienced anew the blessings of a life dedicated to drawing nearer to Him.

Those who don’t know Jesus would say it sounds like he is a domineering puppeteer. Until you actually read the Bible and come to know Jesus in an intimate way, you will not understand and you will not experience abundant life.

If you haven’t read the Bible before, or if you aren’t in the habit of reading it daily, you might wonder what is so special about this book. Let’s hear some facts about the Bible.

The Bible truly is “history” – His story.

Sixty-six books and letters compose the Bible.

The original text was communicated through three different languages – Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic.
The Old Testament was written mostly in Hebrew, with a small percentage of Aramaic. The New Testament was written in Greek.

Since I enjoy learning about root words, I find it interesting that “Bible” is an English word which was derived from “biblia” in Latin and “biblios” (biblos) in Greek. The word, Bible means book, or books, and it is believed that Bible may have come from modern-day Lebanon (which was the ancient day port of Byblos (Biblos), one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and also part of the history of numerous ancient civilizations, such as the Romans, Egyptians, Assyrians, Persians, and the Phoenicians). This area was one where papyrus was used for making books and scrolls.

Other terms used for Bible are Holy Scriptures or sacred writings.

I believe one of the absolute best facts about the Bible is that the writings are God-breathed and inspired.
Once you have experienced the life-transforming power of the Holy Bible in your life, you know God is mightier than we humanly understand.

2 Peter 1:20-21 says, “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture comes from one’s own interpretation. For no such prophecy was ever brought forth by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

Through the Old Testament, God foretells of the Savior; the New Testament presents Jesus to us in fleshly form.

The Bible points to way to Jesus, the central figure in history, and the Cornerstone by whom all things were created and are sustained.

All the fullness of God is within Jesus, who is not a mere man or teacher, prophet or peace-maker. He was, is, and will always be fully God.

Colossians 1:15-22 says, “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through the blood of His cross. Once you were alienated from God and were hostile in your minds, engaging in evil deeds. But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy, unblemished, and blameless in His presence.”

Through this wondrous, divinely inspired word from our holy and sovereign God, we uncover an intimate and personal collection of prophecies, laws, sacrifice, and truths that unfold to reveal God’s plans and purpose for each of us and reveal His sacrificial love and provision.

To know and understand God’s word and truths, to know Him, we must read the Bible.

If you believe God’s holy word and allow scripture to transform and change you, it will alter your present and future, as well as the lives around you as you allow God to work within and through you.

God’s holy words are not just an inspirational collection of stories, but are inerrant truth inspired by our holy, omnipotent God. Because of the Bible, we know His truth and doctrines. In our present age, moral relativity has pierced the hearts and minds of many. Our feelings, thoughts, and emotions have replaced seeking and standing on the authentic, complete, life-changing word of God.

Of course, our thoughts, opinions, and emotions matter. God gave them to us, He crafted us in unique and emotional ways. What we live through, are exposed to, and have learned shape us in various ways. We are human and God gives us free will, but His word, God’s righteous, inerrant truths must be what form and instruct us, enabling us to know and to allow the Holy Spirit within us to work, enabling us to grow into an clearer image of God day by day.

A true moral compass, God’s word is immune to bias or blunder and will steady us through smooth sailing or storms of life. God’s word is a rock that does not sink in sand or swamp, no matter the weight of our earthly burdens.

Remember, how we view God will form our thoughts and actions. If we are angry or bitter, distant, or keep God as a virtual stranger, we will not cling to Him, or allow the fullness of God to penetrate the corners and crevices of our heart.

There are questions each of us must ponder and answer honestly in order to seek and find deeper relationship with God through Jesus and His holy word.

1. Do you consistently read God’s word daily?

2. Do you pray for discernment and guidance specifically about God’s word?

3. Do you seek and use ways to remember God’s words and truths?

4. Do you study God’s word for deeper understanding and application?

Jeremiah 29:13 says, “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”

God is truth. He cannot lie. Deceit goes against His very nature. God will prove Himself faithful in every circumstance, however, He does not follow our ways or timelines. We can trust His word.

Let’s examine what Holy Scripture is:

1. Inspired - 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.” From the mind, heart, and will of God, scripture gifts each of us personally with truth from the Creator of all things.

2. Inerrant - John 17:17 says, “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.” Completely free from error, trustworthy and true, God’s word awaits each of us ready to seek eternal truths and everlasting-life with our Creator.

3. Complete - Proverbs 30:5-6 says, “Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and prove you a liar.” God, the Great I Am, has ensured that each word in the Bible is accurate and a complete representation of the message He desired to bring for us.

4. Authoritative - Matthew 5:17-18 says, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” And Matthew 4:4 says, “But Jesus answered, “It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

5. Alive - Isaiah 55:11 says, “So My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.” And Jeremiah 23:29 says, “Is not My word like fire,” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer that smashes a rock?”

6. Discerning - Hebrew 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

7. Divulging - Hebrews 4:13 says, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”

8. Truthful - Psalm 119:151 says, “You are near, O Lord, and all Your commandments are true.” John 8:30-32 says, “As Jesus spoke these things, many believed in Him. So He said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Psalm 119:104-105 says, “I gain understanding from Your precepts; therefore I hate every false way. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

9. Eternal - Matthew 24:35 says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.” And Isaiah 40:8 says, “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.”

10. The Answer - John 14:6 says, “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” And John 1:1-5 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” And John 5:39 says, “You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me, yet you refuse to come to Me to have life.”

Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one can reach the Father, except through Him. The way to know Jesus is through the Bible, God’s perfect, infallible, life-changing gift to us.

Have you ever wished for a manual to guide you through life, relationships, marriage, parenting, death, and eternal life? We have one. I am convinced that every problem we have on this earth stems from the condition of our hearts. Our heart can only be changed in ways that bring collective good when we read, study, learn, and practice God’s will and ways.

Dear Heavenly Father, how great You are! Thank you for Your everlasting goodness and love. You are always present, even when we fail to realize or admit it. You are faithful and loving. This we know, for Your Holy Word tells us. Thank you for the Bible, Your gift to us. You show us the Way, the Truth, and the Life through words we can grasp and study, hold onto for hope and strength, and share with others to lead them to life everlasting with You. Thank you for the hope and light You offer willingly to us, despite our neglect and rejection. Help each of us to seek You more this day, to begin a new or closer walk with You, and allow You to transform us and complete the good works You have determined for us as You lovingly prepared for and formed us long ago. Our Sovereign Lord, You are our strong deliverer, You shield our head through the battles we face, and Your Holy Word provides us with the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, providing all the protection we need if we turn to You and study Your scriptural gifts. May we please You with our thoughts, words, and actions, and become the person You desire. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Thank you for listening to this podcast. If you find value in what you hear, and you would like more information on the topic we discussed today, I invite you to listen to previous episodes. You may find them on the terrihitt.com website. Click on podcasts and type in the topic or title you wish to hear in the search bar at the top of the page.

Have you listened to my second podcast, “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” yet? I hope you will listen, follow it, and share both of my podcasts with friends or family who would like to choose Christ over culture and be a parent (or be a grandparent) who connects with eternal purpose.

Remember, if we are not purposed in knowing Jesus ourselves and showing Him to the next generation, the world will direct them away from Christ. Live With Eternal Perspective helps us to find, trust, and follow Christ more intimately. Purposed Parent/Connected Child shares biblical, practical truths for parents and grandparents to influence and mentor Christ over culture.

I pray that what you hear on this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.