What If You Saw Jesus Today?

What would you do if you saw Jesus today? I read some true news stories about people who claimed to see images of the Lord:

A few years ago a woman in New Mexico was frying tortillas. One of the tortillas burned and the result was an image that looked like a face; she thought it looked like Jesus. She took the tortilla to her priest and he agreed it looked like Jesus, so he blessed it. The woman and her husband took the blessed tortilla back home and placed it in a box surrounded by cotton to make it appear as if it was floating on air. They built an altar around it and started praying there. Word began to spread about the holy tortilla and soon thousands of people visited their home to pray before the holy tortilla. People are desperate to catch a glimpse of Jesus.

Another lady in Arkansas turned on the kitchen light in her mobile home. The reflection of the light on the mobile home beside her looked like a man’s face. She turned the light off and the image disappeared. When she turned the light back on, the image reappeared. She was certain it was a miracle—she could see the face of Jesus! News soon spread and hundreds of people were visiting her trailer to walk into her kitchen and flip on the light. Because of the crowds, she started charging a dollar a person. A local television station interviewed one of the men who had paid his dollar to see the image. He was pretty skeptical. He said, “I want my dollar back, it looked more like Willie Nelson to me.”

Do you want to see Jesus? Don’t go to a tortilla or a trailer—go to the Word of God. Go read the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Gaze upon Him who healed the sick and raised the dead. Hear the voice of Him who taught as no one ever did. Behold the Son of God dying on the cross for our sins. Wonder at the risen Savior. Study the book of Acts and the Epistles and see Jesus at work through His church, turning the world upside down. Turn to Revelation 1 and see what Jesus looks like now in His majesty and authority. John saw Him and wrote “His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow and his eyes were like blazing fire. ... His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.” (Rev. 1:14, 16).

Have you seen Jesus lately?

How to Keep Your Life Clean

I have been studying Psalm 119 over the last few days. The BIG IDEA in this psalm is that God blesses us when we are devoted to Him and His word. At the end of the first section in verse 8, the psalmist makes the bold promise, “I will keep your statutes.”

Next he asks the obvious question, “How can I do that?”

In verse 9 he asks, “How can a young man cleanse his way?” He wants to know: How can I live a more holy life?   How can I sin less and have victory more?  How can I live to glorify God?  How can I keep my ways pure?

Good question. But why is the answer to that question important for us?

Because: Only a pure life is a life that pleases God. Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.” (Matt. 5:8). 1 Peter 1:15-16 says, “but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’" Purity and holiness are essential. So he asks, “How do I get there?”

The answer? How can I keep my ways pure? “By taking heed according to Your word.” (Psalm 119:9).

The "cleansing" is through God's Word. The Scripture is purifying in its effect.  We must depend on God’s word, on His promises, on the gospel of what He has accomplished through Jesus Christ. See, it is not our promise to the Lord, but His promises to us that will give us victory over sin. It is only by His grace in us through Jesus Christ that we can have this victory. And the way that Jesus works in us is through His word, His promises in the Bible. We must live according to God’s word.

It is the Gospel message from the word of God that truly cleanses.  Paul says, “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Cor 7:1 NKJV)  John agrees: "And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." (1 John 3:3). Peter sums it up, “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever," (1 Pet. 1:22-23).

So it is Jesus who purifies, cleanses us from sin. But how do we continue in that cleansing? How do we keep from sin? How do we live according to this gospel?

In the next few verses the psalmist shows us what it looks like to “take heed” or “live according to” His word.

To Live According to God’s Word Means:

A. I seek the Lord with my whole heart. (119:10) If our whole heart is seeking God our feet will not stray from God.

10  With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!

B. I hide God’s word in my heart (119:11) What would happen if you treasured His Word above everything else?

11  Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You!

C. I praise the Lord with His word (119:12). When God's Word is hidden in your heart praises come out of your mouth.

12  Blessed are You, O LORD! Teach me Your statutes!

D. I declare God’s word (119:13). Speak the Word of God. Speak it to yourself, and declare it to others.

13  With my lips I have declared All the judgments of Your mouth.

E. I rejoice in following God’s word (119:14). Following God’s word is not a drudgery it is a joy!

14  I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, As much as in all riches.

F. I mediate on God’s word (119:15). Make it a part of you.

15  I will meditate on Your precepts, And contemplate Your ways.

G. I delight in God’s word (119:16). When was the last time you had an old fashioned, Holy Spirit, joy-filled time in God’s Word?

16  I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.

As disciples of Jesus who are in the world, we are daily exposed to "the pollutions of the world." So daily we need cleansing.  We need deep and regular washings.  God has provided a detergent in His Word.  It will make us "whiter than any fuller can whiten".  But it, like other soaps, will do us no good unless applied to the stain.  Are we willing to rub the His word into the grimy parts of our lives?  If we do--under the blessing of God--they'll come clean.

Will I take the steps necessary to cleanse my way with God’s word?

What Bible Version Do You Read Most?

When I first came into a relationship with Jesus Christ I was a third-class cadet at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Although I had gone to church most of my growing up years and even been confirmed in the church, it was not until I was 20 years old that the Lord and the Bible became real to me.

The Bible I had at that time was the Children’s Living Bible.  I  began to read it like it was a new best-seller. I was hooked on God’s word. I didn’t know the difference between a translation and a paraphrase. I just knew I loved what I was learning about God, I was really getting to know the Lord through His word.

Soon after I was baptized a friend gave me a New International Version (NIV) Bible. It was a hardback and I even had a cool blue Bible cover for it. For many years I stuck to this translation of the Bible. It was easy to read and understand. Over the years (28 now since that time) I still use the NIV often in my daily reading. I also used it in my preaching for many years. I have had several editions of the NIV: the old hardback, NIV Study Bible, Disciple’s Study Bible, and at least two Reference Bibles.

I often consult other translations in my Bible study. I have used QuickVerse Bible software with several English translations that I will compare. I like to study the New American Standard Bible for its more literal translation. I also have used other translations on certain occasions. When I taught a Bible study at a nursing home I used the King James Version. And I often use the KJV at funerals.

A few years ago I began using the New King James Version in my weekly preaching and teaching. I also read it often in my daily devotions. I have used a couple good NKJV study Bibles: the Thompson Chain Reference Bible and the MacArthur Study Bible.

I suppose my favorite version is the one I am reading at the time. The whole point of the Bible is that we would read it, understand it, take it to heart, and live it. The Bible is not just for gaining knowledge, but for knowing God. And whichever version gets you to know the Lord more is probably the best one.

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”    (2 Tim 3:17 NKJV)

So here’s the question:

What Bible version do you read most?  And  Why?

Four Reasons Why I Believe the Bible

I believe the Bible is the inspired word of God. It is the authority for faith and practice in the Christian life. Now you might say—“Okay Richard, I agree that the Bible has been important to Christians, but why should I believe it is more divinely inspired than any other book?”  Good question!

Here are some reasons I believe the Bible is the very word of God:

1. The Bible claims to be inspired by God. “All scripture is inspired by God (God breathed)” 2 Timothy 3:16. The men who wrote the Bible “spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1:20-21.
2. The fulfillment of prophecy. The words, “That it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets . . .” resounds throughout the Gospel accounts.  Hundreds of years before Christ the prophets predicted the manner and place of Jesus’ birth, the content of his ministry, his crucifixion, resurrection and ascension.   No amount of mere human insight or perception can explain this—it is explained only by the fact that the Bible is inspired by God.
3. The Unity of the Bible. “The Bible was written over a period of about 1500 years in places stretching all the way from Babylon to Africa to Rome.  It was recorded by a variety of at least 40 different men—kings, peasants, poets, herdsmen, fishermen, scientists, farmers, priests, prophets, pastors, tentmakers, and governors.” (Hershal Hobbs).

W.A. Criswell said, “Just think of this: There was never any order given to any man to plan the Bible. Little by little, part by part, century after century it came out in disconnected fragments and unrelated portions written by various men without any intention of a concerted arrangement.  The Bible was written in three different languages, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.  In the Bible we find all kinds of poetry, prose, letters, proverbs, parables, allegories and orations.”

What would you expect to find from such a mismatch of people, places and personalities? We would expect to find whole areas of discord and all of it utterly lacking in unity.  Yet we find the exact opposite.  There is the most heavenly and marvelous unity of any book on earth.  Every part of the Bible adds to and supports every other part.  There is an ever-increasing, ever-growing, ever-developing theme in the Bible. It contains one system of doctrine, one system of ethics, one plan of salvation and one rule of faith.

1. The Message of the Bible. The message of the Bible is like no other book.  You can exhaust the meaning and content of other books, but not the Bible.  It is life changing. It feeds my soul every day. It reveals the creator, sustainer, and redeemer of all. It’s words have literally transformed my life.

What do you believe about the Bible? Why?

To learn more about reading your Bible read Sword Training.