THE BIBLE - GOD'S TEXTBOOK

“All Scripture is inspired by God
and is useful to teach us
what is true and to make us realize

what is wrong in our lives.
It corrects us when we are wrong

and teaches us to do what is right.

God uses it to prepare and equip his people

to do every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT
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The Bible is by far the bestselling book of all time. An estimated 6,000,000,000 copies have been printed in more than 2,000 languages and dialects. More than 100 million are sold world wide every year. There is no other book, which is used by millions of people every day, parts of which were written over 3000 years ago, yet it still shapes lives today! What is it about the Bible that makes it so special?

As we learn from Paul’s second letter to Timothy, both the Old and New Testament writings are inspired by God. “Inspiration” simply means “God-breathed.” God breathed His changeless Truth into the hearts of chosen prophets and apostles - so what they wrote was actually The Word of God. The various writings brought together became God’s textbook for His people which will never become obsolete. It provides us with all we need, to know Him, and live a life that pleases Him.

The Scriptures are God’s perfect standard by which we can learn what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. The writer of Hebrews adds, For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. In other words, it speaks to our conscience and convicts us when there is sin in our lives. 1 John assures us, If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

Scripture is filled with promises that can fill our lives with peace and joy and a wonderful sense of fulfillment. However, to benefit from God’s Word we must respond to it in a positive way. It’s not enough just to know what it says. James cautions us, don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. But if you do what it says, then God will bless you for doing it. Our key verse assures us, God uses the Scriptures to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. There is nothing that can take its’ place; it alone is able to equip us to do all that God has planned for us to accomplish.

WE ARE GOD’S MASTERPIECE

“For we are God’s masterpiece.
He has created us anew
in Christ Jesus,
so we can do the good things
he planned for us long ago.”
Ephesians 2:10 NLT
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A masterpiece is a person's greatest piece of work. That creation which over time is acclaimed by his peers as the artist’s or craftsman’s very best work. However, when we are talking about God’s masterpiece it’s not something that can be framed – performed or displayed on a pedestal.

God’s creation is all around us – above us and beneath us. It is both physical and spiritual – temporal and eternal. How can we ever determine which is His greatest piece of work – His masterpiece? Where should we even begin? Is it a mountain range – a water falls – a rain forest – a flower – a precious gem or mineral – sunsets or the northern lights? Could it be one of the countless heavenly bodies He has flung into endless space? Could it be heaven - one of the holy angels or heavenly beings which worship Him continually? No, none of these are His greatest work!

Left purely to human insight, we would have never recognized God’s greatest piece of work. But one of His “peers,” the Holy Spirit, revealed the secret - born again believers are God’s masterpiece. Nothing in all of creation comes close to what He accomplished when He created us anew in Christ Jesus. Paul received this divine revelation and writes, Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Even before God created this world, He planned specific good things for us to do. But by sinning we died spiritually, making it impossible for us to carry out what He had in mind. But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, .... He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. That act of grace in the life of the believer is God’s greatest piece of work, making us God’s masterpiece!!