- With Compliments of the Author –

[Mikey]

2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”
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The story is told about a young boy named Charles who was planning to give his grandmother a Bible for Christmas. He wanted to write something very special on the flyleaf but wasn’t sure what to say. So, he decided to copy what he had seen in a book his father had received from a friend. Christmas morning came and Charles’ grandmother opened her gift. She wasn’t only pleased to receive the Bible, but she was amused by the inscription he had written in it. It read, “To Grandma, with compliments of the author.” Even though the boy was unaware of it, he had suggested a unique fact about the Bible. In 2 Timothy 3:16 the apostle Paul shares what each human author had in common. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God. . ." Why is knowing this important? Because regardless of what kind of men authored the Bible, the true author is God Himself. From shepherd boys to mighty kings, fishermen to scholars, the authors of the Bible came from various backgrounds and occupations. God, in writing His special message of love to you moved the heart and pen of men from many different walks of life. But each man was God's unique messenger. 

Thus, God drew from varied backgrounds, skills, and interests because mankind is unique and varied. Whether poetry makes your heart race or if your mind is intrigued with the logic of skillful reasoning, God desires for His message to reach your heart.  Moses, trained in Pharaoh's courts with all the education available to a prince, penned the first five books of the Old Testament. David, a shepherd boy who read God's love in skies, meadows, and star-filled heavens, wrote from a poet's heart. His words dance with life, and joy, and sorrow, and unparalleled praise. Solomon, the wisest man to ever live, penned life messages that still speak as relevantly to the needs of man today as they did when the words first flowed from his pen. These were the kind of men who served as authors of the Bible. From a simple farmer, to seaworthy fisherman, to Paul, a scholar's scholar, God's voice speaks. He speaks to you of His love, of His willingness to do whatever it takes to reach your heart. He speaks of His own heart that you might know Him and love Him as He loves you.
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Closing thoughts:

My friend and brethren, let's make time in our hectic daily schedules to study God's Word with diligence and purpose. You may ask why we should do this! Well because without the knowledge of God and His purposes revealed in Scripture and in His Son, Jesus Christ, we finite humans with our deceitfully wicked hearts and sin-darkened minds have at best a blurred picture of the invisible and all powerful Creator.  However, when we pick up the Bible and encounter a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the Man who was God-in-the-flesh, the blurred picture fades away as we study and are obedient to His statutes and commandments.  To illustrate my point, I read a story some time ago wherein a young woman had laid aside a certain book she was reading because she thought it was rather boring.  As time went on she became engaged to be married.  One evening as they were sitting on the porch watching a beautiful sunset she said to her fiancé, "I have a book written by a man with the same name as yours.  Isn't that a coincidence?"  The man replied, "That's not a coincidence, you see I wrote the book you have!"  That very night she sat up until the wee hours of the morning reading the book she once found to be boring.  It was now the most exciting book she had ever read.  You see she had fallen in love with the author.  Thus, knowing who wrote a book often determines whether we’ll pick it up and read it. The Bible, with its divine origin, not only ought to be read, but it demands our respect, trust, and obedience for you see it comes “with compliments of the Author.”
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Your thoughts are here, my God,
Expressed in words divine,
The utterance of heavenly lips
In every sacred line – Bonar
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The Bible is a gift from the Author – God.
 

[Caretaker]

Another great message!!!

Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

I studied theology under Dr. Harold Wilmington, 20 years ago. He once made the analogy in his lectures that the Word of God is like Albert Einstein wanting to publish his theory of relativity. He picks up the phone and calls a local reporter, and tells him that he has a new theory. The reporter sets up a time to meet with the Dr. They meet and Dr. Einstein tells him his theory. He reveals his theory to the reporter. The reporter begins writing down the theory in his own words. He repeats it back to the Dr. and the Dr. corrects any errors he might have made. The reporter goes back to the paper and publishes Dr. Einstein's new theory of Relativity in the local newspaper.

Dr. Einstein told the reporter his theory......Revelation
The Dr. corrected any errors.....................Inspiration
The reporter publishes the theory..............Illumination

2 Peter 1:
20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Exodus 24:
1 And he said unto Moses, Come up unto the LORD, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off.
2 And Moses alone shall come near the LORD: but they shall not come nigh; neither shall the people go up with him.
3 And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do.
4 And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.

The Word of God was revealed by God to His servants, the writings inspired by God through the Holy Spirit, Who today illuminates it in the hearts and lives of His children from the pages of Holy scripture.

[Mikey]

Good analogy. I'd never thought of it that way before. I'd like to take this time thanking you for your uplifting and encouraging words regarding my devotionals. May the Lord bless and keep you and your family in His most perfect care.

His Servant - Mikey

[Caretaker]

Good analogy. I'd never thought of it that way before. I'd like to take this time thanking you for your uplifting and encouraging words regarding my devotionals. May the Lord bless and keep you and your family in His most perfect care.

His Servant - Mikey

God bless you so much Brother!!!

Each of us has such special gifts and a ministry as our Lord leads, and a special part of the ministry is when in some small way we can be of some encouragement to our Brothers and Sisters in Christ.

1 Thess. 5:
11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

NIV
1 Thess. 5:
11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

[Chipper]

Each of us has such special gifts and a ministry as our Lord leads, and a special part of the ministry is when in some small way we can be of some encouragement to our Brothers and Sisters in Christ.

1 Thess. 5:
11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

NIV
1 Thess. 5:
11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

;Dso agree!