Gtcotr/ss120824
The Bible is powerful – perhaps the most powerful thing known to man. God breathed words, anointed with the ability to create. No wonder it continues to be the best selling and most often read book since the invention of the printing press. The Bible changed my life.
I heard a preacher share the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the summer of 1967. His name was Tom Cowgill. I don’t recall what scripture verses he read from the Bible, but a miracle took place inside me, and I knew I wanted more of whatever was causing that spark in my heart. When Church was over that Sunday morning I ran about a mile and a half to two miles, all the way home, down that dirt road behind the school and through the ditch, jumping rows across the garden and right up to my mama who was under our pear tree beside the well.
My mama took time and told me about Jesus, and I decided to invite Him into my life and was saved right then and there. I am 70 years old today and ever since that moment, when I invited Jesus to come into my heart, I have never once doubted that I was born-again under that pear tree. I drive by that spot on occasion just to reminisce. I love my mama … and I’m so glad she knew the Bible.
Even though I was saved at 12 years old, not a lot changed in my life for about a decade. I grew up doing what everybody else did and it wasn’t until I was 22 years old, I’d been married for almost 5 years, was serving in the Air Force, living in Europe, that I finally opened a Bible and began reading. It was the Bible my mama and daddy gave me for my 17th birthday. It was always close, but closed, laying within arm’s reach.
This is it right here. As you can see, if you can see it, I’ve kind of marked it up a bit. When I’d read something that spoke to me, I would highlight the verse, jot down my thoughts, and list any references that came to mind in support of the subject. Doing this was powerful. It changed my life.
I’m telling you, the Bible is powerful. One day I was a saved young man living like I was lost and the next I was changing to be on the outside what was happening to me on the inside. The Bible changed everything about me. It changed the way I thought, the way I felt, the way I spoke, the way I prayed, the way I dealt with situations, the good times and the difficult times.
Through the years I have developed a habit of reading every story with the goal of finding who I am in the story and who I want to be. I overlay each teaching Jesus did on my life and choose who I want to be and what I want to do in light of the message Jesus is sharing. After all this time, I can tell you it has worked, and I still do it today.
Let me give you an example. Turn with me to the book of Luke, chapter 7. In Luke 7 Jesus is in the Galilee, probably in the city of Capernaum or close by. He has been preaching and teaching, and healing people. His popularity has grown, and everyone knows Him.
Luke 7 KVJ
36 ¶ And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat.
37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.
41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?
50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.
Wow! Your faith has saved you? What? Jesus said her sins, which were many were forgiven because she loved much. Hmmm … let’s consider:
Who are you in this story? Do you see yourself? Are you:
The Pharisee was wrong. He may have even been a good man, but he was a stench in the nostrils of God. Isaiah prophesied about people like this:
Isaiah 65:5 Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.
The Bible has helped me decide to not judge others. After all, I cannot afford to judge others if I want to be forgiven of my sins. Jesus told the Pharisee that the one who had been forgiven much loved much. It was evident this woman, although a known sinner, loved Jesus a lot.
Just like faith without works is dead, faith without love is dead as well … and I suppose love without works is also dead.
Don’t fool yourself:
Love that is not demonstrated is not love. (1John 3:17)
Galatians 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
Jesus told the woman: “Your faith has saved you.” What faith? The faith that works by love. The love she had in her heart towards Jesus which was demonstrated by her actions showed she had faith in her heart. Her sins were forgiven and her past forgotten because of the love in her heart.
Many people try to make faith work. But, without love, faith will not work. Faith is designed to work by love. If you say you love God and hate your brother, you’re a liar. God is love and His power to change your life works because of love. Your faith works by love. Criticism, condemnation, rejection, judgmentalism, unforgiveness, anger, bitterness, pride or resentment will not move the hand of God on your behalf. God is not obligated to our educated opinion, even if we are technically right.
Love is the conduit through which faith freely flows.Love covers …
The last thing Jesus said to the woman was: “Go in peace.”
Romans 5:1 ¶ Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
This woman was justified when she demonstrated her love for Jesus. She left there with a peace that was greater than her past. So can we …
The Bible is powerful. When I overlay my life with the stories in the Bible, I can see what I should feel, how I should think, and who I should be. The Bible changed my life, and it will change the life of anyone who will let it.
In memory of my mom and dad, and in light of the gift they gave me that changed my life, I am going to commit my 70th year to giving Bibles out to people in hopes they will open it up, find themselves in the stories, give their lives to Christ, and become more like Jesus every day.
Join me this year and give others the most powerful gift in the world. The gift that keeps on giving. The Bible will change their lives.
