4.20.10_Read your Bible!

Praise the LORD!!!

    Here in the last week or so the LORD has been doing things a bit differently with me. Where I'd been using a scripture as the foundation of my devotional, HE's led me to use a topic instead. So instead of starting off with something to build off of, I'm kind of left dangling in the air. But this has proven to be interesting, for it has opened my mind to many things that had been long forgotten and needed to be uncovered to bring out into the light. Now these things aren't those of my personal past, but things that the LORD had me witness to as I was growing up through the years, all the way up until I'd given my life over to HIM (@39).

   For those familiar with my book, Out of the LIGHT, you'll know that my life was greatly influenced by GOD, yet totally void of any acknowledgment of HIM. For those not familiar, I'll brief you a little. I was raised spending most every Sunday in church until around the age of twelve, though never giving my life to JESUS. This was due to my being born with a heart problem and my mother, whom was deeply faith filled, had promised this in return to GOD for my healing. Where she had come up with this kind of faith, I have no idea, because I can't remember her but seldom going to church with my sister and I, but she had a deep and wide faith that was hard to beat. She had made a promise to GOD and she was hell bent on keeping it until I was completely healed, which she did. At twelve years of age the doctors released me from a restricted activity lifestyle and my mother also released me from the church regiment. Though I wasn't going to church, I did belong to a Catholic Boy Scout troop and still managed to hear a good bit of Christian conversation. For though it was Catholic sponsored, it was made up mostly of people from other denominations.

   Also around the house when my dad was at work or play, mom liked to listen to Christian radio, which was far different then it is today. After my mom's healing from cancer in '75' she began to watch Christian TV whenever possible. This due to the fact that Oral Roberts ministries had a hand in her healing and she was even more interested in hearing all she could about GOD. Years later, after my giving my life to JESUS, I found out that she had never personally done this and I was blessed to lead her and several years later my dad into personal relationships with the LORD(all while in prison, PTL!!!.) No wonder I tell people my years in prison were the best time of my life!!!:))) Any way, this isn't that which the LORD had me write this for and I've gotten a little sidetracked. In all these years of being witness to numerous denominations, religions and styles of preaching, I've been raised up to see much that is in error. Many profess things that they say are based on scripture, yet if you search it out, you'll not find the scripture! Many will use scripture, verse by verse and weave an interesting concept from within the written WORD of GOD, yet not what is written, but that which is changed to fulfill their own personal means. I really don't need to go into all these different types of preaching, for most of you know them quite well, you've seen them and listened to them also.

   I'm not going to pick out any of these groups, denominations or whatever they call themselves. But, what I'm going to point out, is the fact that none of these would be in existence today, if people had just read their Bibles for themselves! No one can grow an accepted belief, unless they can fool others into believing that which they teach, and if everyone were well versed in scripture, this couldn't be done in the first place. This though opens the door for those that want to argue over things, and some just to be arguing, not to prove or disprove a fact, but just for the sense of arguing. Which to me has never made sense at all, but there are those that fit this bill. There are means to dispute differences in opinion that should be followed and truly should be, especially in this day and age. But as with everything, there are those that would rather do things their own way, then that which the LORD has laid down for us to follow. But here I'm beginning to go off a little from that which was intended, so I'll stop with that line for the time being. The point is, that people really need to begin reading their Bibles more.  Sure great preaching has its place, but nothing beats knowing the truth for one's self. It's not that preacher on radio or TV that's going to have to state why you should be saved from an eternity in hell, its you and you alone that will have to. It's not the author of some best selling book either, it's you! It's not that apostle or prophet either! So truly, who do you think aught to be the one that knows scripture inside and out, front to back and anyway someone could question you about it? YOU!!!




Other scripture to READ for yourself !!!: Matt. 22: 23-33; Mark 12: 18-27; John 20: 1-10; Rom. 11: 1-10; 2 Tim. 3: 10-17
Use these verses, but don't stop with them, cross reference and seek out GOD from within HIS WORD!!!


Prayer request can be sent to: prayers@vineofchrist.org  
Other writing by me, "Blogs from the Vine."
 


GOD bless and good day,

Rev. Marshall Barth

Vine of CHRIST Ministries


Vine Ministerial Network International