God's Personal Letter to Us

    Not to long ago the President of the United States delivered his State of the Union Address. This is a time when the president can boast about his accomplishments, challenge his critics, and inform the public about the direction the country is taking. It is broadcast on all the major news outlets, and can be watched on your computer. The goal and the idea is so that everyone can hear what the president is saying, and what the president is doing. 

    Now I think we could all agree that if the president of the united states wrote you a personal hand written letter telling you about what he had been doing, and the direction he was taking our country. It would be a bit different than the State of the Union Address he delivers to the entire world. It would probably be a bit more personal, there would probably be more specific information. 

    When we talk about God speaking with us there really are two main ways God does this. The first way is what is called His "General Revelation". Think of it like the Presidents State of the Union Address. It is something God reveals to everyone, in every culture, tribe and nation. God reveals things about who He is, What He does through his creation. As you see the stars, or watch the sun rise, or look at the birds flying through the air you can't help but realize that there is a God. The same God who made the large blue whale, also made the smallest bacteria. 

The heavens are sounding the glory of God; the arch of the sky makes clear the work of his hands.- (Psa 19:1)

For there is a revelation of the wrath of God from heaven against all the wrongdoing and evil thoughts of men who keep down what is true by wrongdoing; Because the knowledge of God may be seen in them, God having made it clear to them. For from the first making of the world, those things of God which the eye is unable to see, that is, his eternal power and existence, are fully made clear, he having given the knowledge of them through the things which he has made, so that men have no reason for wrongdoing: Because, having the knowledge of God, they did not give glory to God as God, and did not give praise, but their minds were full of foolish things, and their hearts, being without sense, were made dark. Seeming to be wise, they were in fact foolish,- (Rom 1:18-22)    

     While God does speak to us through Creation, there is another way God has chosen to speak to you and I. God speaks to us though various personal or special means that theologians call "Special Revelation". Think of it like a personal letter sent to you from God. God has chosen to reveal more information to you about Himself, His purpose, and His Plan's in a special and unique way. 

    This letter from God to you, this special revelation is found in the word of God. The word of God can be broken down into 66 individual books of the bible. It is divided into two main sections the Old Testament, and the New Testament. The Holy Spirit breathed this word through Human authors, who were divinely chosen for the task of writing down God's words. God used these personalities, writing styles, and personal experiences to accomplish this task. Every word of the bible is fully inspired, every book, every chapter, every sentence and every word is from God to you. 

 “ The bible as a whole is the Word of God, so that in every part of Scripture there is both infallible truth, and divine authority”- Charles Spurgeon 

 “The Bible is a great revelation of the will of God. It is divinely inspired, every book and chapter and verse” M.E. Dodd ( President of the SBC 1934-1935)

“All Scripture is God-Breathed and is useful for teaching, rebukeing, correcting and training in righteousness so that the man of God maybe thoroughly equipped for every Good work”- (2 Tim 3:16-17)

 Paul is saying in that passage some remarkable things about God's word.

 He tells us that All scripture is God Breathed or Inspired. That means that every part of the bible is God's word, and is important. It was given to us by God for us to read and study and memorize. It means that it can be trusted, its reliable. It means that it has authority and it should be followed. This is not some ordinary book, this a God's word to you and me. This is more important than recieving a letter from the President of the United States!  

    He tells us that the bible is useful, it has value and power. It has value to teach us, to correct us, to train us in the right way to live our lives. It holds truth's that have been time tested and have God's seal of approval. 

    Finally Paul tells us that it is needed for the believer especially. This book is not for the lost world who does not know Christ, it is for those who are saved. You see the bible is not just Divinely inspired but it is also Divinely illuminated. Another words until and unless you get saved by putting your faith in Jesus Christ to save you from your sins and reconcile you back to God. You will not fully understand this book. The bible will not make since to you.

     Before I got saved I was raised in church and knew some scripture, but when I God saved the word of God became alive to me. As I read it, it was as if God was speaking right to me. Its been many years since I have been saved and I have read God's word time and time again. I have read the bible from Gen to Rev several times over. Still to this day I am hearing God speak to me through it. He reveals new truths from passages I have read through time and time again. You see God is the author and He speaks to us through it.