So what is it - a collection of ancient writings compiled over the centuries by various, flawed individuals, that is made up of myths, fables, and at best...good moral lessons?

Or is it what many have ascribed to and actually believe is indeed.. the ‘word of God’, made available to mankind under the direction and leading of God’s Spirit, where anyone who longs to know ‘truth’, not to mention their Creator... might find the answers they have often sought after but have not yet found?

Let’s say you are reading here today and you’d be the first to admit that you are ‘on the fence’ with all this ‘God talk’ and ‘Holy Bible’ stuff. You might be inclined to hearing more but from what all you have seen by many who tote the ‘Good Book’ around...you remain unimpressed. I can appreciate that (and so can God). The modern day church here in America has a lot of explaining to do to the One who authored it, and He will be addressing that at some future point in time. (1 Pet. 4:17; Rev. 3:1-3; Matt. 7:21-23)

Yet still...you have a hard time wrapping your head around how this #1 best-selling book of all time (estimated to be over 5 billion or more copies sold/distributed) could indeed be ‘authentic’. So naturally, before you opted to give it more consideration...you would like some ‘hard fact proof’ to seal the deal for you. Prove to you that the Bible is indeed God’s word and then...you will be open to reading, studying, and hopefully believing ...as you attempt to put into practice what you begin to learn from it. Fair enough but...

...There’s just one problem: I can’t ‘prove’ that to you; nor do I feel any compelling or obligation to do so. Oh, sure...I can point you to numerous other articles, papers, and books that have been written that do make quite the case in offering historical, archeological, cultural and other bits of ‘evidence’ that would support this notion that the Bible is indeed God’s word; but honestly...what kind of ‘proof’ are you looking for that would appease your skepticism?

And if you want to make this an ‘intellectual’ pursuit...well, I can’t help you there either. I can though, point out one instance in the Bible where Jesus was gathered with some new ‘baby’ disciples who were expressing a good amount of joy over what they were learning and experiencing...and we read where Jesus turned aside and expressed thanks to His Father for ‘hiding these things from the ‘wise and the prudent’...and had ‘revealed it to the babes’ (Luke 10:17-21).

There’s another place found in John’s gospel where Jesus addressed those who were known for their ‘diligent study of the scriptures’, presumably ‘seeking after life/truth’ and Jesus told them that the scriptures did indeed offer that...but...because they were ‘unwilling to come to Him’...they could not have this ‘life’ in which the scriptures testified to offering. (John 5:39-40; 10:10). Apparently that is a ‘thing’, this ‘coming to Him’.

You can read for yourself a passage from the book of Hebrews that states: “Without faith, it is impossible to please Him (God)...for he who comes to God... must first believe that He is...and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Heb. 11:6)

So let’s just say you are open to this possibility that God does exist, that there is a ‘master designer/creator’ to this world and all that is in it...and beyond. That’s a good place to start, and I’m encouraged for you, and for one reason alone- This is His operation...His ‘gig’ and He is much more qualified and able to sort out all those questions and doubts for you, much better than I could ever hope to do. And here is the good news: He’s willing and ready to do that for you....as long as you will give Him that much - to acknowledge that He...is.

Oh, and that bit about having to have ‘faith’, you might be wondering where one finds and obtains this necessary ‘faith’. Well, you can read in Romans 10:17 that this ‘faith comes by hearing...and hearing by the word of God’; so there’s that. Almost a bit of a paradox, is it not? I know...made you blink, didn’t it? I suppose that is God’s way of saying just give Him a chance and hear what He has to say (as opposed to what so many other misguided souls want to say in regards to God’s word). If it’s truth you are seeking after, He has made it clear that He can lead and guide you into all truth, but you have to turn in His direction first.

Three quick points to finish up with here for today. This idea of ‘coming’ to God, or turning in His direction is interesting indeed. First of all, we are told that no one comes to God unless His Spirit actually begins to ‘draw’ them to Him (John 6:44), so the very fact you have read this far ought to give you some hope. Then we read in James 4:8 that when we begin to draw near to Him, He in turn begins to draw near to us. This last point will most likely give you pause, and I will elaborate more on this later, but we are also told that there is a ‘god of this age/world’...who ‘blinds the minds of those who are perishing...from seeing the light of this gospel/truth’. Scripture refers to it as a ‘veil’ of sorts (2 Cor. 4:3-4) but...but...but... when someone ‘turns to the Lord...this veil is removed’ (2 Cor. 3:16)...enabling one to ‘see’.

And I saved the best part for last. When Jesus had finished up His earthly ministry, which included a short painful but deadly visit to a cross, and then a tomb... before being raised from the dead three days later...He then commissioned His disciples to go out into all the world and teach what they had been taught by Him. Now check this out: “And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them ...and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.” (Mark 16:20). You may run in to some church friends who will tell you based on what they have been taught...that ‘God doesn’t work like that anymore’; but He does. He’s never changed.

You’ll also learn of a great ‘intellectual’ who we know as the apostle Paul who had his zealous life turned upside down when he had a genuine, life-changing encounter with Jesus (Acts 9). He came to a place where he realized all that he thought he knew, had learned, and taught others...had fallen way short and ‘missed the mark’. His ‘ministry’ then took on a new direction where he made it known that “his speech and preaching were no longer with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power so that our faith should not be in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (1 Cor. 2:1-5).

That should be enough to chew on for the day. I hope you’ll consider coming back tomorrow and just know this...I have no desire to get you to ‘join a church’ or become a follower of anyone other than Jesus Himself. I’m doing my best these days to stay out of His way...so that you can clearly see Him for who He is...and what He’s willing to do in your life...if you are willing to listen to Him.