The Bible: A Handbook for Living

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Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.  Psalm 119:105

    Do you believe the Bible is a handbook for living?  Can the Bible really give you the answers for every decision you face?  Does God care about how we live our day-to-day lives? What about the social and cultural issues that are so divisive in the world we live in? Does God have anything to say about them or does He just want us to all get along as best we can? Is there a bigger purpose to our lives than what we can see?
    The answers to all of these questions is a resounding, "YES!" God created and established the world in beauty and order.  When sin entered the world in the Garden of Eden, that beauty was disrupted for a time.  However, the Bible gives us the blueprint for the way that God ordained for us to live.  If Christians will return to a Biblical worldview -- that means living our lives with the unchanging Word of God as our handbook, believing that God is the all-powerful Creator of all things and sustainer of all life -- we will see a revival of epic proportions overtake our nation and even the world.  You see, if we believe that God is the Creator of all, then we acknowledge that He has the masterplan for how His creation should live.  
    Years ago, our entire education system was based on the Bible.  Reading, writing, recitations and more relied heavily on Scripture and scriptural principles.  As this has been slowly "revised" over the years, we can trace the downward spiral of morality, the family unit and more.  Now, many churches barely teach these basic principles of Godly order and the beauty of God's design for family and daily living. Where is a person to go to learn God's design?  There are many faithful teachers and organizations that can assist with this -- our own church being one of them.  But, when you have questions, I encourage you to look at your own Bible, even as you seek out godly mentors and teachers.  It truly is a handbook for living a life to the glory of God.
    Returning to Biblical Manhood and Womanhood is a desperate need in the church today.  As each of us works together to accomplish God's design for us, the beauty of God's order and design is seen.  Taking marriage, for example, we can see that God designed marriage for much more than individual benefit and enjoyment, although that certainly is included.  Ephesian 5 tells us that godly marriage is a depiction of Christ and the church.  Living out roles as God outlines in Scripture is a witness to the world of Christ's love for His bride, the Church.  This shows us that our individual lives are called for a higher purpose than to just "live a good life."  We are called to show the character and purposes of God to a depraved and dying world.  Following God's design enables us to do this to the highest degree.  
    As our children grow up in a generation that despises God and twists everything to selfish and evil ambitions, it is critical that we teach them God's design for themselves, for families, for churches.  The world throws them so much information that is a distortion of truth.  They desperately need the secure foundation of being rooted in the Word of God as their source for all answers. They are our church of today and tomorrow.  God's design was that families pass on His Word from generation to generation.  In order to do this, we must educate ourselves in the Word of God.  As we yield ourselves to His design, He brings blessing and revival in our hearts.  The world will see.
    This week, I am praying for the church to return to God's design for individuals and families.  I am praying that through this, the fires of revival will be rekindled in our church, our community and in our nation.  

💓Heather Sparks💓



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