What Does the Bible Mean to You?

Psalm 1:2 

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
    And in His law he meditates day and night.

As I've grown older, I've noticed that the small little things mean so much.  What do I mean?  Well, over the past few years I've had the privilege of my nephews living with me. It has been a great joy to see these two young men grow up and learn more and more about the Lord God.  Over the years of having young ones in my home, I've received well thought gifts from them.  Now, at times, I've received items that they've spent their own allowance on.  Things such as my Star Wars drinking cup, and my Star Wars notebook. Yes, I am a Star Wars nerd.  While those items are wonderful and I'll always cherish them, the items that I cherish the most are in a shoebox I keep in the upper part of my closet.  Inside that shoe box are treasures beyond measure.  No, it's not gold, silver, or any precious material.  Instead, it's items that mean a lot more than those.  They are hand drawn pictures of myself spending time with my nephews.  They are the hardly legible birthday cards wishing me a Happy Birthday.  They are the simple notes that state, "I love you uncle Andy."  

​There’s something about a person’s own words put to paper that has the power to reach deep into our hearts. It doesn’t have to be poetic, eloquent, or pretty, just truthful and sincere. The Bible is God’s letter to us. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, it was written down by people handpicked by God for that specific purpose. Through the Bible, God chose to reveal himself to us in written form so that we would be able to read it again and again, gaining an ever deeper understanding of who He is and His love for us. He wrote to us so that we would know His heart and His love for us.

But sometimes we’re all guilty of neglecting God’s words. The Bible gets a little dusty or we read it out of obligation instead of being intentional. We may listen to sermons, podcasts, and Christian radio stations, and read great books about the Bible without really studying it ourselves. We might even feel like all we do is learn about the Bible, when in reality we haven’t opened it in weeks. Christian resources are great when they supplement God’s word, but not when they replace it.

The Bible is God’s letter to us—His words. In Deuteronomy 6:6-7 God said, “And these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart, and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” Maybe it takes a little more effort, and it’s not always easy to understand, but those are His words for us. In the same way a card is no replacement for the words that come from your heart; remember that just reading what someone else has to say about the Bible can never have the same impact as studying God’s word for yourself.

​That's why we here at Simply Scripture exist.  We just simply read the Scriptures, study them and go along with you.  God's Word is precious.  Love it, Learn it, Live it.   

Vacation Bible School.....What it should be and what it shouldn't be.

Vacation Bible School started out as a simple week of Bible training for children that over time has become a carnival ride of themed and live interactive learning; but let’s strip away method long enough to consider the bare bones objectives that will help us stay on course with the purpose for which we have been called. People in the community may see it as a chance for free babysitting, but we have given the directive to provide substantive and truthful answers to little minds that inquire, and the sobering reality is that we are accountable for every moment given and every resource afforded. 

1. Opportunity to Reveal God

Deuteronomy 29:29 says that “the secret things belong to God but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children…” We are entirely missing the point of the VBS exercise if the children put in our care walk away without taking home at least one revelation of who God is. We have all of creation and His written word to work with, so there is no excuse.

2. Opportunity to Present the Gospel

Matthew 19:14 says, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Children love to ask questions, and the more they learn the more they desire to learn. Statistics show that an overwhelming majority of Christians first became followers of Jesus between the ages of 4 to 14 after that numbers drop off exponentially. Behold, today is the day of salvation.

3. Opportunity for Children to Memorize Scripture

Only good things can come from hiding God’s Word in these little hearts. The Bible teaches that His word protects against sin and provides the moral compass to guard against destructive habits;it is God’s Word that sustains us and breathes true life beyond just mere physical survival, and it is God’s Word that reveals the secret to true and lasting success (Psalm 1). Don’t let them walk away without tucking away in their minds as many essentials as possible.

 4. Opportunity to Lay a Foundation of Truth

A structure built on faulty presuppositions will crack and eventually collapse, so too, a child may receive the good news with gladness, only to fall away when trials come. Here is your chance to help build a framework that will aid these kids in interpreting the world around them; something sturdy enough to build everything else in their lives upon. It is a battle for the mind that we should do everything we can to protect them from losing.

5. Outreach to Children

Keep in mind that VBS is NOT childcare. There should always be a clear intent to share the Word of God to our children and make impacts in their lives. But parents ARE looking for safe places to drop off their kids during the summer months for work or a break, so the set of objectives carefully crafted by VBS leaders might look completely different than the parents, but both perspectives are worthy of consideration. After all, the position held by both parties essentially achieves the same thing: they bring in a young audience for instruction, modeling and care.

6. Outreach to Parents

Keep the parents involved; and this isn’t just about utilizing skills, gifts and abilities either. It is about encouraging them in their call to be ministers in their children’s lives. To encourage parents to reinforce the biblical truths presented throughout the week. Consider having a kick-off meeting at the start of VBS and inviting parents, and/or a party at the end celebrating the week and reviewing all that was learned. Make an effort to let parents know you are there for them as a church, through kids and family ministries and events, as well as extending any other family resources you have available.

7. Opportunity to Teach Ministry

Here’s where you help kids convert the things they learned about God into good practical use; it’s the “How to be God’s hands and feet” portion of the week. Help them realize a greater understanding and appreciation of what others are going through to open their eyes to act in compassion and love. Nurture the inherent concern that children have and help them find ways to serve. Perhaps you could schedule some kind of community outreach during the week or share practical ways they can take home what they’ve learned in order to serve the people in their own lives.

8. Opportunity to Demonstrate Christian Life

Share what God has done in your life and what you’ve seen God do in the lives of those around you. Give kids the opportunity to share what God has done for them. Be living examples throughout the week of service, love, discipline, preparation, and organization. We need to lead by example so these children can also grow up to see the value of being good role models to others. The Apostle Paul was able to encourage Timothy to follow “…my teachings, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, steadfastness, persecutions, and sufferings”  because he was, himself, devoted to live Godly in Christ Jesus.

9. Opportunity to Build Relationships

Fellowship is as important for the little guys as it is for us. It is in childhood that many habits are formed, both good and bad. Teach them to contribute to each other’s lives, to encourage each other, and to help each other grow. VBS week is a great time for teachers and leaders to form friendships too!

10. Great Time for Fun

Children learn best by actively doing versus just sitting and listening the whole time, especially if the activity is fun. Put extra care into creating an environment where kids can enjoy learning and making life applications. Whether you use games, puzzles, acting out stories, dressing up, or singing relevant songs to reinforce the lessons, the experience will be more memorable when there is participation and interaction. And the leaders should have fun too! Joy is contagious and it’s a great way to let the kids know you love God and love ministering to them.

In the Depth of Deceit, there is Hope.

        With all of the turmoil that has happened this past weekend, many folks have decided to 

give their input on what they believe the problem is.  Many have suggested that the issue lies

within gun control laws.  Many have suggested that the issue lies within the problem of radical

Islam.  Others have suggested that the issue lies within the hate crimes against the LGBT

community.


What this boils down to is people are looking for something or someone to blame it on.  What 

appalls me the most about this issue is that no one seems to be blaming the shooter himself.

Instead, citizens are trying to again pass the buck, looking for a "deeper root" of the problem.

This is a huge layer of deceit, brought on by the enemy himself, Satan.

Many people, even Christians have become afraid to even mention that we could be deceived by 

Satan and we would like to think that our train of thought is on the right track.  How quickly

though have we forgotten who the real battle is with.  Ephesian 6:12 states, 

"12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."

So, you may be asking, "What have we been deceived to think then?"

Society today has been deceived to try to pass the blame onto something else and not take

personal accountability nor hold anyone personally accountable.  We are foolish if we think 

that any of us are without sin.  In 1 John 1:7-9 it states,

7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

We need to hold ourselves accountable as well as others.  "Passing the buck" does not work.

This has been an enemy tactic since the beginning of time.   In Genesis 3:11-13 it states,

11 And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?”

12 Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.”

13 And the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”

The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

These Scriptures give us the sad tale of "passing the buck" since the beginning of time.  When

Adam was confronted with his sin, he blamed others.  In fact, he did not just put blame on the 

woman Eve but ultimately he passed blame onto God Himself stating, "The woman whom YOU 

gave."  

So, what am I saying that we are ignoring?  We are ignoring the true root of the problem.  Sin.

Sin resides in the hearts of all men and has since we fell in the garden.  The only solution for the 

sin problem is through the Lord Jesus Christ. 

The solution to the sin problem is not restricting and banning guns.  Sinful people with a heart 

to do evil will still find guns to do evil with if that's what they choose.

The solution is not to ban certain people like the Muslims from living amongst us.  Muslims will 

still exist and people who believe in pagan gods will still exist.   Jesus Christ Himself walked 

among Roman's who believed in paganism.

What then is the solution?

We as the Church, the Bible believing, born again Christians, need to do what we were called to 

do.  We need to hold ourselves accountable and we need to finally get off our lazy butts and 

spread the message of Jesus Christ.

We live in a time where we can spread the true gospel of Jesus Christ in many ways and yet we 

don't take advantage of it.

We need to stop just talking about it as well and we finally need to step up and begin sharing 

the gospel.

If we share the gospel, lives will be transformed.

Sinners who once thought of using guns in an evil way would then use them in a responsible way.

Sinners who were once caught up in the lie of Islam, would turn to the true Savior in Jesus

Christ.

Sinners who were once caught up in the sin of homosexuality would be free from it's perverse 

thinking and would find love and acceptance in the arms of Jesus.

So, what is the gospel?

I find it appalling how many Christians don't know how to answer this.

Well, here is the Gospel.  Feel free to share this.  It's not a message I created.  It's a love letter, that God created.

1.  Understand that God loves you.

The Bible says, “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, [Jesus Christ], that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Jesus said, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” — a complete life full of purpose (John 10:10).

2.  We need to realize, and that includes both you and I, that we are sinful, we have been disobedient to God and because of that, we are separated from Him.  It includes all sin from the "little white lies" to even our own unbelief.

We have all done, thought or said bad things, which the Bible calls “sin.” The Bible says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

The result of sin is death, spiritual separation from God (Romans 6:23).

So, what's this gospel, this "good news" then?

3. God sent His Son Jesus, to die in place of you, for your sins.

Jesus died in our place so we could live with Him in eternity.

“God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

But it didn’t end with His death on the cross. He rose again and still lives!

That's the simple message.  Would you like to receive salvation from the death penalty of sin?  I want you to understand something.

We can’t earn salvation; we are saved by God’s grace when we have faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. All you have to do is believe you are a sinner, that Christ died for your sins, and ask His forgiveness. Then turn from your sins—that’s called repentance. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

It is only through what Christ has done that will save you.  Jesus Christ knows you and loves you. What matters to Him is the attitude of your heart, your honesty. 

The majority of the time, you are given a sample prayer to pray through.  I'm not going to give you that.  There are no precise "magic words" that you say in prayer that will earn you salvation.  It is a gift of God.  If you feel the calling of the Lord today, simply open your heart up to Him in prayer.  Tell Him that you realize that you are a lost sinner without Him and are in desperate need of His salvation.  He'll hear you, and He'll save you.

If you reached to Christ for salvation today, I would love to hear from you.  I love to rejoice just as the angels do when a new brother or sister in Christ joins the family.

I will be here to love you, encourage you, and help you in anyway I can.  Email me at josiah@simplyscripture.org and let me know.

In awe of the Lord Jesus Christ.