A House of Cards

God word Elohim would do the beautiful, powerful name of God name will appear many times in the Old Testament and the word Elohim or the name Elohim, God of power and rightly it is used here because of miraculously creating the world's great power when the writer thinks to express this individual is when God would himself. The writer uses the name Elohim and it is this name that always calls a response from him back to our archives to this series that Stephen first over 30 years ago the gospel didn't start at the empty tomb or the cross or even the manger. The gospel started all the way back in the garden of Eden. The opening lines of the Bible in the beginning God set the tone for everything that follows as Stephen said a moment ago.

If you can believe that God created you. You can believe everything else. He has said and promised stay with us for this lesson called the book of beginnings, we are going to begin a study that will take us through the Bible book by book and I would warn you that I do not know how long it will take, but I did read the pastor that I admire Patrick for 25 years and he did the same thing and he spent 17 years we are going to begin by providing for you a foundation as to why we are about to embark on this kind of journey. The first reason why we're going to study the entire Bible is because the Bible is entirely true.

There is no doubt that in our American society in the last 10 to 20 years there has been a battle raging on whether or not the Bible is entirely true, and I think that you would assume that I would believe that anyone assumed correctly but because we do believe that all of the Bible is the word of God. All of it is for all of it is without error. Then we would begin such a study and there are several reasons why would believe that the Bible is entirely thrilling to give them to you for the sake of your note. The first one is fulfilled prophecy. What is the Bible say about itself. If I were asked today what the primary reason is that I would perhaps consider the Bible to be true. I would suggest immediately. The fulfilled prophecies of Scripture we already know from studying that there are at least 300 prophecies doing nothing more, or less, than prophesying at the coming of Jesus Christ. The birth is life is death, his resurrection and his ascension 300 prophecies have already come true and they were written. Of course, before the time of the event. So we consider the prophetic more than one quarter of the Bible when it was written with prophetic that we all pick on the weatherman. Sometimes they prophesy that it's going to rain and it's funny were happy then sometimes they say that it will be sunny and a great were not happy then but you know the Old Testament criterion for a profit, was that he was always correct 100% of the time. In fact, the Old Testament records brought it up a profit was ever wrong. He was assumed to be a false prophet taken out of the city known none of suggesting we do that to the local weatherman but you need to understand that the people would not place any credibility upon the prophet unless he was always correct and there was a certain thing that the prophets had to do the first if they declared themselves to be a prophet of God. They had to declare something prophetic in the near future and something that surrounded their city or their people and that would come true, then the people would trust him for prophetic event would take place in the years to come. For instance, McAuley of the property and first King 22 though they had that if they have with the battle he would not only lose but he would lose his life and they had false prophets told another story. They said they had. If you go to battle when and of course Ahab being the humble man that he was decided to believe in the false prophets not only them but he took my kayak controlling jail and told his guardians to give them only bread and water, and he said to my kayak when I returned victorious from battle will take care of you and the Kia's words were, if you return from battle you will know that the Lord is not broken through me and we know from the Old Testament recording that they have indeed lost the battle. The Scripture says that he not only lost the battle but as the battle was nearing an end, Scripture say that a soldier on the enemy forces had a venture took from his quiver and arrow and shot into the air and had a had name on it. What that means is, the battle was coming to a close and this soldier on a venture that is all I got one arrow left. Well, why not and he just plugged it into his body should sit Justin Aranda finds Ahab, and it kills him. We know then that that prophet was a prophet of God and today the question comes. In fact, I've been asked this question more than perhaps any other other prophet living today. Are there people receiving revelation today, would you turn for just a moment will have to get off of this passage into another, but would you turn the Hebrews chapter 1.

It is as clear on the nose as the nose on your face that there is no such thing as a prophet living today receiving revelation from God. Whether it is one who claims to know Christ or one from another religious belief system because Hebrews right God, after he spoke long ago to the father through the prophets in many diverse ways, as in these last days did you notice that in these last days.

The prophets are past 10 but present tense in the last days he has spoken unto how by his son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the world.

So if someone suggests that there are prophets today they would oppose the clear writing of Scripture that the prophets are past 10.

The present tense. It is the living word and it is the written word of Jesus Christ. That is a revelation from God to us. And ladies and gentlemen, my head, suggesting here that God would break the sound barrier and think today he would repeat something that he has already said one of the reasons that I believe the Bible is entirely true because of fulfilled prophecy. But secondly, because of its preservation and this is an objective proof but yet it is marvelous.

Jeremiah tells us that on one occasion the king was handed a copy of the Old Testament writings that he took out his life and he cut it the pieces and that attitude is come down through the centuries and even today, when men outlaw the Bible from our school they would outlaw and attack the Bible from our court they would outlaw or attack the name of God from every institution of our land, they are still attacking this book and yet God miraculously continues to preserve his word. I have in my library. A copy of two ancient manuscripts to go back to the time of John the apostle, there was no one that would even question the writings of Homer and yet you have to go more than a thousand years past the time of Homer B.

Or you find a manuscript of his writing and all work goes all the way back time of the apostle and from that time till this God is miraculously preserved, although they burned thousands of copies, although they have outlawed it although they have tried to stamp it out. His preserve his word probably go this point. My suggesting is that Satan has another strategy for America.

It is not stamping it out. It is flooding the market with something that is legal so that you and I will take it for granted and rated as little as someone who does not own a copy, but the word is been preserve. I love the story of Voltaire, the atheist who once bragged you and seen what a little fellow by the name of Paul is done for Christianity. Now I will show you what one Frenchman will doing this writing Christianity and yet to this very day. The Geneva Bible. Printing society has its headquarters. Ballplayers own home and they print Bibles in his living room God preserve his work. The third thing that I would suggest you the proves to me that the Bible is entirely true, is that of transformative live. The Bible is the only book they can turn the center into a sink. I member reading just this past week.

Someone brought a book to the office and I began paging through it. It was stories of men and poems that they wrote the story was about John Newton who was born in London in 1725. His father was a sea captain's mother was a devout believer and she had an illness that she knew would take her life. Soon so she invested every spare moment teaching her young son John. The word, and when he was seven. She in fact died and he became a cabin boy on a sailing vessel.

He began a life of terrible sin that would one day CM Capt. of a slave ship. He was a drunken center in fact is true, consider him nothing more or less than an animal that was exemplified on one occasion when John Newton fell overboard in his crew didn't even let down a boat to rescue him, and instead they took a wailing harpoon and fluid data and it caught him in the hip and they pulled him back on board as they would a large John Newton limp the rest of the days of his life, but the grace of God gripped his heart and the one they came to Christ, remembering the words of his mother.

For by grace are you saved through faith and as an act of appreciation and gratitude was Lord he would write the words that we sing so often amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see a verse that is no longer our hymn books to get was in the original poem written by John Newton. Is this. I like it because it is a direct relation to the transforming power of God's word says this the Lord has promised good to me. His word, my hope secure. He will my shield and portion be as long as life endures. I have the Bible can turn a sinner and was saying the greatest illustration of that my John Newton is the word part of your life. What is another reason that we study the word in its entirety going to give you a second reason that only because it is entirely true, but because it is entirely profitable when you turn the second remedy chapter 3 and let's look at several passages that declare this to every believer. Second Timothy chapter 3 and let's look first in verse 14 to the end of the chapter, you'll notice there are four things that the word does in its profitable sense to the believer second Timothy chapter 3 verse 14, Paul writes to a son in the faith. You, however, continuing the things you have learned and have become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned and that is myself and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings that is from his mother and grandmother which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. And now Paul declares to him, a truth about the word all Scripture is inspired by God.

The word inspiration means the breath of God for his thoughts which means literally God breathed through the author or the human instrument. It was the wedding or the breath of God.

In fact, we find the same original word use that were talks about the wind blowing into the sales of a vessel is that same breath or that same thought the wind, the breath of God blowing through the author the human instrument directing him to write exactly what we find here all Scripture then is breathing by God and profitable for four things for teaching or doctrine that your translation may re-doctrine is what you believe doctrine tells you how to say no. I have heard on many occasion. In fact, I believe that until a couple of years ago when someone would say that we know enough about the Bible we just don't have enough of it applied I now reject that statement because I believe there was a famine in the land as to what the Bible teaches. We do not know enough about this book in the Bible is profitable for that kind of doctrinal foundation that kind of truth, but he goes on to say, it is also profitable not only for teaching or doctrine. But, for reproof, or rebuke. This tells you where you are wrong doctrine tells you what to think or how to believe. Reproof tell you where you are wrong and he goes on to say, not only, for reproof but, for correction, tells you what is right and then for training in righteousness. This tells you how to do what is right.

I think the main plot from this passage of Scripture is that the Bible is the primary source for equipping the believer without it, you stand naked against the attack of the evil one in the world. It is best that will equip you, it is profitable turn over to second Timothy 215 second Timothy 215. It gives us another thought about the profitability of the word of God.

Let's read that verse. Second Timothy 215. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a workman who does not need to be ashamed handling accurately or rightly dividing the word of truth, and I've heard one man say that this is the bottom line of Christianity. This verse right here.

The bottom line is found in two questions. The two questions are MI pleasing to Jesus Christ.

Workman pleasing to God and and secondly is my life measuring up to the standard of Scripture study in such a way that I am not ashamed.

In fact, the literal translation of verse 15 could be a workman's work is never great at the idea and I think the main idea this passage would be, then, that the word is the primary assurance of credibility in your testimony without the study of Scripture, your walk will never match up as they say to your talk. I read a poem that reads the gospel was written a chapter a day by deeds that you do and words that you say men read what you say whether faithless or true say what is the gospel according to you, the only way that gospel will have credibility is if we are in this book.

One other passage Hebrews chapter 5 if you move toward Revelation will run into Hebrews chapter 5 verses 11 to 14 and I think here he is giving us the fact the Bible is the primary guarantee. This virtual maturity, notice what he says in Hebrews 511 the following concerning him. We have much to say but it's hard to explain. Since you have become dull of hearing you say there was a problem with his church for a hearing problem was a spiritual hearing problem they had to have things repeated over and over and over again.

As a result, he compares them to a child for though by this time, verse 12, you want to be teaching you have need again and someone teach you the elementary principles of the basic truth of the oracles of God and you will come to need milk and not solid food for everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness for you as a baby but solid food is for the mature. Now he will be fine. Maturity is in this very x-rays noted carefully. Solid food is for the mature, who the mature. Those who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

He is saying the spiritual maturity is not learning simply about this book.

It is practicing this book, spiritual maturity is an individual begins to live what he is learned and I think the only way that we can have the guarantee that we will in fact live what we learn, which is nothing more than or less than spiritual maturity will come from this book.

Only at one other passage kind of continues the same thought and that is first Peter continue to the right toward Revelation, the book of first Peter chapter 2, and I think he is giving us here are the main ideas of the Bible is the primary method for spiritual growth.

The story verse one.

Therefore, putting aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy and Auslander like newborn babies long desire the sincere are the pure milk of the word that buyer you might grow in respect to your salvation. Why does God want you and I to study the Bible so that we can become smarter absolutely not, so that we can become transformed so that we can grow up. He is implying that it is possible to grow old in the Lord without growing up, I fear that we have many believers who are five 1015 and 20 years old in the Lord but are still in the nursery, my friends, it is without this book that we ate in the crib without understanding the words of Scripture we become or remain in benefit and someone will come along and Bertha change our diaper. Why because we have long refused to allow this book apart in our lives transform and renew our mind so the Bible is the primary method for spiritual growth of my friends. I would suggest to you that you don't pray anymore that God will help you grow.

Pray that God will give you diligence to study the word because when you do that you will grow. Why do we study the Bible because the Bible is entirely true. And because the Bible is entirely profitable. Now that forms somewhat of a foundation for the reason that I think we should begin in the beginning when you turn in Genesis chapter 1 were going to take just a few moments to introduce the first verse, but verse one of Genesis chapter 1 sort of stand by itself and it ought to. This is a foundational verse. It reads in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. That was just dissect for the sake of studying these words and look at them individually and then put them together into one unit. The first is in the beginning I think this could be translated literally in the beginning of thing. In other words, before there was anything other than God.

This is when he began in the beginning and now I have got to admit to you, ladies and gentlemen, that in my study I so often my head. It wouldn't seem so much better of God is written 100 words instead of 10 witches. What there is in your translation are only seven words in the original Hebrew and I think Lord it would've been so much easier if you just run the block on verse one and told us all the detail but he didn't do that. Perhaps that's what the writer of Hebrews meant when he said in chapter 11 verses three and four. That by saying you believe that God formed the world by the word of his mouth. Because whether it's 10 words or sounds and words. It is all a matter the questions will never be completely understood. Until we get to heaven and then it will take all of eternity to fully comprehend.

In the beginning. In the beginning God. The original is the word Elohim, which is a beautiful, powerful name of God. This name will appear many times in the Old Testament and the word Elohim or the name Elohim is not power. And rightly it is used here because this of miraculously creating the world is an act of great power and so when the writer seeks to express this individual is when God would express himself further writer if he chooses the name Elohim, the God of power and it is this name that always pulls a response from us of one of trust and all in the beginning God knows I read this verse and read it and read it and read it again, it became clear to me that again things are left out.

There is no proof for the existence of God in Genesis 11. There is no argument. In fact, the Bible is silent when it comes to arguing the proof of his existence. Why well I think it's because the only verse that even far-fetched mentions it is the flawless that it is hard.

There is no God. So in other words, to discuss it. All the doesn't believe no God.

What you find in verse one is a simple statement it is not a deduction is not an explanation.

It is a declaration it is Revelation he is simply saying in the beginning I created God take it or leave it. Believe it or don't believe it. This is the fundamental statement it needs no proof.

I think as we study Romans and we begin the study tonight you will find that every man that is ever lived and every woman is without a use according to Romans one why because written on the heart. Every human being is the fact that results God. In fact, if you were to go to the remotest part of Africa you were to go to the jungle and find some tribes. It is never been discovered just what you'll find them doing worshiping something a missionary does not go to the field to tell people there is a God he goes to the field the tell them how to get true God. So he merely states in the beginning God the notice.

The next word created to jot into your notes with the words Barat B ARA may have put that in there but that means created out of nothing Hebrew words that mean to form or fashion. But the Hebrew word used here is the word which means to create out of nothing. Form something that already existed didn't pattern something after something that it already been in existence. He created out of nothing whenever in the heavens.

It says that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth heavens to be translated space in the earth a little reference to this planet or matter that is in the first verse. Ladies and gentlemen of Genesis chapter 1, you find that God created space, matter and time. Space mass time in the beginning time, God created the heaven space and he created the earth mass close you think of the man who designed no geographical dogma test. I believe the Texas is next door to North Carolina foolish some of you would say I'm glad it's not true see the truth of Scripture is as well.

My friend very narrow. In the days of Noah. There was salvation and it was only one way, you're either in the art or your out of your in the days of Moses. Deliverance came only one way. Either you had the blood on the doorpost or you didn't have the blood on the door because today the Scripture tells us that if you believe on the name of the son of God, you will have eternal life if you don't rest of got a bite is on you. Is that simple.

Is that going but I suggest you this verse. Genesis 11 provides the foundation upon which every other verse Bible with you can believe ladies and gentlemen, the first 10 words your in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. You will have no problem believing therefore that he may be in Christ, he is an increase if you can believe in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. You can then believe for God so love this world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him would not care, but have everlasting life. You, by faith and believe his first 10 words you can believe all of Scripture's wisdom for the hearts we've gone back 30 years and brought out this vintage wisdom series from Genesis 1 through 11 called origins if you're not familiar with our resources. I want to make sure you know that we have a collection of Bible study guides and this series is one of them. It contains the text of Stephen's message, along with some discussion and study questions to help you go even deeper into the truth of God's word. You'll find the study guide called origins in our online store@wisdomonline.org that's wisdom online.org. We can also help you over the phone if you call us today at 86 648 Bible.

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