Yes! There is Good News! October 15, 2016

It was about seven months ago that these articles got their start. This will be the 29th in this series of articles titled, “Yes, There is Good News.” In that time I have had several people come to me and tell me that they do read what I have written, but I suspect there are many more who are also readers. I consider this opportunity as a blessing for me and also a chance to be a blessing to those who may read. Writing these articles affords me the chance to sit down and think upon God’s word, and for me - that is good news!

Some time ago I made mention of the desire I have to encourage you, the reader, to pick up God’s word and read it for yourself. More than encourage, I have the desire to urge you to read God’s word. Personally, I find that there is no greater calling in this life than to develop a deeper relationship with my Heavenly Father and there are several things we can do to attain that goal. The top two on that list are: spend more time in prayer and read what God has to say to you.

When you read the Bible, you will come to know God. When you come into the presence of God and open your heart to Him in prayer, God gets to know you.

What’s that you say? God already knows you. Let’s examine that thought. There are two separate times in the scripture wherein God says He never knew someone. The first is found in Matthew 7:15, “Not everyone who says, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and preform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me you lawless ones!” In other words, if we think we have something to offer God, (prophesying and miracles) and yet we have no knowledge of the will of God and of His law, we have a problem and are going about knowing Him (or shall we say “being known by Him”) in the wrong way!

I can never come to know another person without that person revealing himself to me. I’m sure we have all known someone who is unreachable. They have built a great wall around themselves so as not to let anyone in. God, of course, can “look over any wall” we may create, but will He? God is a Father and He wants His children to open up to Him. He wants us to get on our knees and tell Him our inner wants and desires, our thoughts and the meditations of our hearts.

Perhaps the inner desire of our hearts is to understand the things we read in His word. This is a wonderful place to begin that much needed relationship with Him. I think we all know that there are many places in the word of God that can be challenging to understand. I have heard it said that the things in this life that are valuable and are worthwhile are the things we must work for.

We’ll visit more on this later.