Saturday, December 16, 2017

Looking Back




Looking Back
Back in 2009 at the beginning of my first try at blogging, my goal was to leave a record of what the Bible and Jesus Christ has meant in my life.  So I attempted to do it in a way they might read, and this was that effort.  God used five men to introduce me the Jesus I knew so much about but had never bowed my knee to, and it all happened in a Hotel room, but that's another story.



When I was just a child, Mother and Dad gave it to me; they said son, in this book, is a lot of history. It also will guide your path and bring you victory, but you must not be foolish, read it daily.  And often at my father’s knee, he read the book to me, and when we went to church, they opened it up you see.  The book was read and taught; its many stories astonished me. That book has a special place in my childhood memories.
But as a teenager that book was put on the shelf and out of my mind, only to be carried to church and back home.  I still remember its message, how the Christ had died for me, but it was not in keeping with what the world had to offer me.
For many years the book only served one thing you see, it took space on our table so others, like Mom and Dad, could see.  But then something happened, it changed my life you see, a group of men took an interest in me.  The one who began to cut my hair at the age of thirteen ask me to come to a study of the book that can set a man free.
I had no clue that I was not free and resented it you see, that someone like my barber could say such a thing to me.  He told me the Christ, who I claimed to know, had told the same thing to some other people just like me. That if I knew the truth, the truth would set me free.  I went with my barber to the book study, on setting men free, and those five men were used of God, to help one like me.
It took many months before it came to me that life was in Jesus and that was the beginning of my victory.  I found He was life and that He would come and live in me; now that book is so precious, it brings such joy to me, it helps me walk and talk the life of liberty and yet, I understand you may not agree with me.
So I prayed this prayer; Dear Jesus will you open our eyes to see, the wonder of being in a relationship with thee.  The freedom from wants, and the joy of giving to those who are in need, like widows and orphans and others you send to me, and the freedom to let you have your way with me.
Now this book is not magic nor is it a good luck charm, its often called the “Word of God” and many just call it the “Bible” but in it is all “Truth” and its authors are many, but it comes from just one source.  Timothy states it best; All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.

Bob Rice

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