Anything But God

 I am stunned by the people who call the Bible 'silly' and say they can't believe that Christians (including me) believe. 

This is some of what I have heard people say about the Bible and/or about Christians:

• How can you believe in some 'old man' in the sky (or - 'old white man' from those with a problem with a 'white' God')?
• You believe that a man was swallowed by a fish and lived? Or: you believe in talking snakes and talking donkeys? Or: `insert a comment here~.
• You believe that a "loving" God will send people to Hell?
• You believe that a virgin had a child and that child grew up to become a Savior for the world?
• You believe in a flood that killed everyone except for one man and his family?

I could go on for a while. I can answer a lot of those questions but I won't in this post. What I will say is what I always think when someone makes such a comment and that is this: You laugh because I believe in God and in a Bible that is a history of people. Then why do you believe in aliens or witchcraft or that you can think your way to what you want or attract your way to success? Why do you believe that everything came from nothing? And why do you want or need so badly to believe that there is no God?

By the way, the comment I personally have heard - and not always from people being mean - is Do you just need to believe in a God because you're afraid not to?

Sounds legit

I will answer that one. I believe in God because this world, the universe, nature, and human life testifies to a Creator God. 

The other day, I was listening to a podcast (love a good podcast!) about a man (and other people) who pretty much dedicated his life to a study of the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. (I recently mentioned how much I like stories about Holmes.) Some of the people mentioned in the podcast are those who are so extreme in their fandom that they have clubs and meetings. The main subject of the podcast was a man who even recreated Holmes' Baker Street home in his own home. (Oh my.)

There are people who fall under the spell of gurus to the point of risking or losing their lives to follow them. There are people who believe in some of the most inane things but they have a problem with my belief in God?

I. Just. Can't. 

Back in Anchorage where everybody talks to just about anybody in the store or on the street, I ran into a lady who believed in angels but not in God.  I know a lot of people who believe in demons and ghosts and the like but don't believe in God.

There are lots of people who believe in reincarnation and the like. 

Here is the one thing that has always confused me: if God is not real, then why do so many people try to dispute his existence? I don't see people picking on the gods of any other religion. Scientologists believe in the most ridiculous things I could ever imagine. 

So, yes, I believe in the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. I believe in the Son and I believe in the Holy Spirit. And until you or your god can speak life into existence from nothing, leave me alone.

Peace

--Free

P.S.: I saw this old title of an article after I initially wrote this post: Why you don't need God. In the search engine, this was the teaser: "Without God, life is still meaningful (Opinion)". My immediate reaction was to think: "But is death?" And that, in my opinion, is what so many people miss. Life could be good or bad for people, but it's death where eternity comes in. That's the part they should be thinking about.

My Bibles (and what I want in a new one)

 After sharing with you the saga of my Bible hunt, here is my post on the Bibles I already have. First, though, I want to tell you what I wrote to the people at Thomas Nelson (via Facebook). I am sure you will enjoy the giggle. I am surprised they were so nice and patient with me.

So, yeah, I might be asking a lot of a study Bible because they apparently don't make them the way they used to.

By the way, this will mainly be a photo post.

Anyway, Here is my KJV Study Bible from Thomas Nelson that I got back in 2004 and love, love, love for all the reasons listed in those messages. The biggest thing I can say is that everything in this Bible is just so extensive and detailed.

It's tri-tabbed (I guess that's what you call it when books are tabbed by 3's).

The TOC with my top faves marked:

The "How to Use" section breaks down what all the symbols and numbers mean. This is perfect for those of us who aren't used to using the center references or finding the markings on verses for the footnotes.

This is the only Bible I own (or have seen) that gives a list of the doctrinal footnotes. And the list is extensive. In addition to what's shown here, there's another page and a half. I look through some of these in between my Bible readings. 

This How-To section is 6 pages long and goes in-depth on studying by chapter or by book and even shows a way to conduct a family Bible study. Impressive and very, very helpful.

This is a section that is much like a "comfort" verse book. I have a purse-sized Bible Promise book that this reminds me of.

Keep in mind what I said about how extensive and detailed the features are. Almost every Bible I have seen has a sort of introduction to the different books. I feel like I am getting a short capsulized lesson on history and cultures when I read the ones in this Bible.

This is the outline for Genesis

I love the Psalms and I love how this shows in detail the sections of Psalms. There are almost 2 complete pages of this.

See what I mean? Even on the page introducing the New Testament, it's pointed out which of the apostles were Greek or Jewish and what their education and occupations were. It's the details, right?

 Okay, I could go on forever about that study Bible but let me tell you about these others. The NASB is considered to be a really good translation because it stays so true to the KJV. I have read in places that the NASB is actually equal to the NKJV but just lacks the poetics. I got this Bible in 2001 from a Christian bookstore in Anchorage that was the best ever. I hate that they ended up closing maybe 3 or 4 years (?) after I got this Bible.

It's got some good maps and timelines like this. They are starting to come loose from the binding. I will be trying to fix this with some hot glue. Maybe.

This one also does a good job of providing detailed footnotes. The print is not as dark and defined as in the KJV Bible but it's not bad.

As you can see, this one came without tabs of any kind and I had to put them in. 

Now, this Amplified Bible is the one I have had the longest - since 1998. I had a small KJV back then and I remember having so much trouble reading it. One of my friends told me about the Amplified version and gifted me with this copy. I don't know what happened to that KJV unless I re-gifted it to someone else. 

I should prepare you for this next photo. It was a long time ago and apparently, I didn't know nothing bout no tabs! I vaguely remember doing this using stuff from work. It didn't age well. The Bible is in decent shape but has a LOT of wear and tear.

This last Bible was a beautiful and thoughtful gift from my niece. She is artistic and I went through a stage of thinking I had talent. This is a 1-year Bible and that is the only way you can read it. The books are not in the normal order. I am not a fan of the NIV so I never use it. Still, it was from my God-child-niece so it will always be here.

Isn't it beautiful? It's even more vibrantly colored in person.

It does have some aids inside but since I never use it, that doesn't matter to me. I  do like making notes on the sides. I have considered getting a compact Bible with places for notetaking.

This truly is a Bible for an artistic person. Almost every page in it from front cover to back is meant to be colored and drawn on.

So there you have it. And now that you see my love for that old KJV Bible, I want to tell you something kind of funny about it. When I was looking for the same on but in NKJV, I was checking the copyrights and all the details. I learned that this was formerly published as "The Liberty Annotated Study Bible." 'Liberty' as in Jerry Falwell being listed as one of the contributing editors. It was published as "The Annotated Study Bible" and as you can see, it is in a cheaper, hardback version on Amazon. I was making a great salary back when I bought my KJV but I know that I didn't pay more than $40 or $45 for it (which would now be about 100 bucks, I suppose...).

No matter what you might or might not think when you hear the Falwell name, this Bible is the one to have. If I were you, finances allowed, I would snap one up. I understand that they are no longer in print. 

Hope you enjoyed seeing the different Bibles I have and understand what I am looking for in the NKJV now. 

Peace

--Free

"You Are Going To Hell, My Friend"

 I'm not talking to you in that title. That is my conscience talking to me.

The other day, the thought popped into my head about whether or not I could only think I am saved.

Hmmm...

That's a thought that will keep you up at night. It sure did cause me to toss and turn. I immediately started checking some resources. I was so frantic that I went online and literally typed into the search: "can you only think you are saved". No question mark needed. 

After checking a couple of overly reassuring pages, I added "Got Questions" to the search and several choices popped up. I chose this one If you doubt your salvation, does that mean you are not truly saved?

I read it, re-read it, printed it out, and read the hard copy, and underlined some parts. The gist of it is:

• Belief alone is not enough. Even demons believe.
• Belief and faith are different things.
• If we have saving faith (belief), we won't willfully continue to sin.
• We will still sin because, well, we are human. As Chuck Missler put it, we are "born this way" and "S-I-N- positive"
• The point is: do we struggle with our sin? (I wasn't struggling with this one particular sin; it was a part of my daily life. I set time aside for it!)
• True belief transforms us from one who happily sins to one who struggles against sin.

So...

I sent an email to end a sort of relationship that I know is not right or honest (none of your business!) and then prayed right then and there for forgiveness and strength. I know that I am going to need to examine my life every now and then.

I am going to continue my Bible studies but, in place of the particular sin I mentioned giving up, I will be using that time to pray about any other sin I am possibly wallowing in.

I just wanted to share this and I hope that you share that Got Question link with everyone you know. I don't want any of us to end up in the Lord, Lord situation. You know, this one:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven..."

The fact that I could have died in my sleep, still in my willing and continual sins, hurts my heart. And it was a warning I needed.

Peace

--Free