Grant Phillips

The Book :: by Grant Phillips

Published on: by RR2

It has always been my argument that we should go to the source to find the answers we need in life. If I want to know about creation, I go to God, not scientists or theologians. If I want to know what is beyond the grave, I go to God, not some ego induced Hollywood personality. If I want to know about anything, God will tell me what I need to know in His Word, the Bible. It is the only source that can be depended upon 100%.

About 4 ½ years ago I wrote a song simply called “The Book” referring to the only book, the Bible. It is as follows:

How does God speak to us in the days we’re living in

Is it through a mighty storm or the gusting of the wind

Does He use the mouth of others or a feeling we once knew

Or does He simply use His Word He gave us by the Jew

Why do we listen for God in all those other places

When we can always find Him in the Bible’s pages

Why is His Word sometimes the last place we go

When in the pages of His Word is all we need to know

It’s really not a mystery that He’s trying to hide

He made it very clear that in His Word we abide

Other things are gimmicks and not the way to go

Only in the Word of God can we ever grow

CHORUS:

The Book has long been finished and now it should be read

To really hear from God and know just what He said

It’s the one true way to listen to our Lord

It’s the Living Word and the mighty Sword

It astounds me that even Christians will go to other sources to get the “facts.” They read a book some man or woman wrote. They watch a documentary on television. They form their own opinion from how “they” think things should be.

I appreciate those who are reading this article, but don’t use me as a barometer. I would never write anything that I don’t very strongly believe, but I am not the final authority. Use me only as a spring board to the final authority, the Word of God, the Bible. Anyone who writes for the glory of Jesus will say the same. If any proclaim not the same Gospel that Jesus gave the Apostle Paul and the other Apostles, then as Paul would say, “Let him be accursed.”

“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (Galatians 1:8-10)

For many centuries the common man did not have the written Word of God since there were no printing presses and later because the “church” of that time would not allow anyone but the priesthood to have a copy. Today, the Bible can be in the hands of anyone, except those who live in dictatorial nations where it is banned, but even yet, brave Christians try to get the Bible to those too.

Here is the dilemma. In this country, not to mention others, ignorance of God’s Word knows no bounds. A Bible can be had by ANYONE. It can be read without fear of the Bible police knocking on your door and hauling you off to prison … so far.

We call this period of time the “enlightened age,” but are we really? Knowledge knows no bounds in every area, except where it involves the knowledge of the Bible. Christians today should be the most enlightened group of people of any age prior to us concerning the Word of God, but the opposite is true.

I wonder if I have offended any Christians yet. I hope I have, to the point of your getting in the Word, and actually reading and studying it on a daily basis. I can just hear some Christians now, “How dare you!” Those with that attitude will be the very ones who would have to blow the dust off their Bible, if they can find it, in order to pick it up and read it. Those who actually do read and study it daily know exactly where I’m coming from.

Why are there so many different “opinions” about spiritual matters? I’ll tell you why. They are just that. They are “opinions” formed from the mind of man instead of the Truth obtained from God’s Word.

To know the Word of God requires effort. A casual reading is good, but not what God has in mind for the Church. He said through the Apostle Paul,

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)

To study the Bible takes effort, a lot of it, and that is what the Lord expects from us. However, if one is lazy, he/she is too sorry to actually study the Word.

Wrong conclusions can be developed even from casual reading. This is why some Christians are “so heavenly minded they are of no earthly good.” They are those who open their mouth but have nothing to say. Oh, they think they do, but nothing comes forth but worldly claptrap.

I see three types of Christians in this age of apostasy, the Laodicean age, (1) those who don’t read the Word, (2) those who read just enough to not know what they’re talking about, and (3) those who actually obey 2 Timothy 2:15. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it is exasperating trying to get Christians, of all people, to get serious about really knowing God’s Word. I’ve even heard preachers proclaim, in their ignorance, that “Bible study is not necessary. We need to concentrate on getting people saved.” That has got to be one of the most asinine remarks I have ever heard coming from the pulpit.

To effectively witness, we must know the Word. To grow in Christ, we must know the Word. To know His will for our lives, we must know the Word. To face life and all its “curve balls,” we must know the Word. To combat the atrocities of Satan’s lies, we must know the Word. To have a close, personal relationship with our Savior, we must know the Word.

Jewish children were taught the Scriptures at an early age. God seems to think that is important, for He says,

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)

In another translation it says,

“Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.” (Proverbs 22:6 NLT)

How can we train up a child in the way he should go, or direct our children onto the right path, if we don’t even know what God is telling us to relay to them? We must know His Word. Could this be why little hoodlums are being raised even in Christian homes?

Folks, for your own benefit and the benefit of your children, get in the Book. You will find such pleasure, you will wonder why you waited so long.

 

Grant Phillips

God’s Greatest Gift :: by Grant Phillips

Published on: by RR2

We in America live in one of the most beautiful countries on earth with so many varying types of topography. God has blessed all of mankind with so many things we often take for granted.

The very air we breathe comes from God. He waters our lands with rain which produces crops to keep us fed. He provides the sun that we may see during the ‘daylight’ hours and be warmed by its presence. At night He gives us light, not too much, but just enough that we may sleep and still be able to see what is around us. He provides remedies via earth’s plants that we in turn call “medicine” to heal our many infirmities. Even our very bodies are a work of art that works perfectly in our stay upon this earth.

Speaking of art, who could draw and/or paint a better picture than the one and only God our Creator? Millions of songs and poems have been written of sunsets, sunrises, the moon glowing at night, and the stars in the sky. Earth’s landscapes could never be appreciated as much on the canvas as they are in person.

Even among all the heartache and garbage Satan has brought upon this world through sin, nothing can match the beauty of God’s creations. Only He could display such grandeur. Are we thankful?

Matthew 5:45 says, “… for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”

Consider what this verse is saying. Good people and bad people, scoundrels and saints, all people reap the benefits of God’s blessings in His creations. Through His handiworks He announces that He is. He blesses all alike, whether appreciative or not.

However, by and large, man has charged right out of the gate, full steam ahead, thinking only of himself and not His creator. Man has shown little to no interest in the things of God let alone give Him thanks for all that we so rudely take for granted.

We in the 21st century are really no different than those in previous centuries, in that we ignore the beauty at the hands of the Creator and make a god of His creation. Let me explain.

Instead of appreciating the medicines He has provided us, we, at the expense of others, make billions from the sick and afflicted. We also use His blessings as drugs to get us ‘high’ so we can be sucked in to the devil’s deeds.

God’s creations have been used in very creative ways by gifted geniuses to make our lives easier. That’s fine, but we in turn have allowed the luxuries of life to push God aside. Not only is there no room in the inn, but there is no room in our lives for God anymore.

Another example is sex. There is nothing sinful about sex. God designed it. It is His creation for all that live to procreate and continue to replenish the earth. However, man has turned it into filthy jokes, and back alley rapes. Every perversion of sex imaginable by man blasphemes a holy God every time it is abused and turned into sin. How should sex be used? Read the Bible. It’s in there.

All too often, we take what God has created for our good and use it for our own evil greedy intentions. I find it interesting that God uses nature as an example to get His point across in the following verses:

“For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.” (Hebrews 6:7-8 ESV)

Out of all the millions of blessings God has provided to all mankind, one stands out above all the rest. That blessing is the sacrifice of His own Son, Jesus Christ, provided for all who will come to Him to be saved.

In the verses above, the land that “produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated” are those who have accepted Jesus as their sacrifice and have asked Him to save them.

In the verses above, the land that “bears thorns and thistles” are not fit for God’s blessings and are “worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned,” because they have rejected Jesus Christ, the one and only way to God.

There is coming a day, and I believe it to be very near, that God is going to judge this world. It is commonly called the seven year Tribulation. The Scriptures also call it Daniel’s 70th week and the time of Jacob’s trouble. For simplicity, I’ll simply refer to it as the Tribulation.

In reading the book of Revelation where the Tribulation is detailed, three sources of judgments are listed. They are from seven seals, seven trumpets and seven bowls. From these 21 judgments, notice how they relate to the blessings God has provided mankind and mankind has not even had the decency, in general, to say “Thank you.”

In the beginning of this article I mentioned the sun, moon and stars. Instead we show no appreciation to the Creator, but make these lights of the sky, gods.

“And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.” (Revelation 8:12)

For those who do not appreciate the bodies God has clothed us with:

“And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.” (Revelation 16:8)

“And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.” (Revelation 19:10)

“And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.” (Revelation 16:10-11)

Maybe we don’t appreciate the fresh water God has provided.

“And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.” (Revelation 8:11)

“And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.” (Revelation 16:4)

We have abused the medicinal herbs and plants provided us by God.

“These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.” (Revelation 11:6)

Do we really appreciate the earthly beauty God has provided?

“And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.” (Revelation 11:13)

“And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.” (Revelation 16:18)

“The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.” (Revelation 8:7)

Those who have spurned the blessings of God and in particular have regarded God’s greatest gift, His Son, as not worth considering, will be judged.

“And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” (Revelation 6:12-17)

But for those who have bent their knees and bowed their heads to the Son have come to the Father and will be blessed.

“And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. Revelation 22:1

For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:17)

The Tribulation will be a time when God will not only draw Israel back to Himself, but will also level His judgment upon mankind. Not having the decency to at least thank Him for all His many blessings is one thing, but to deny His greatest gift is disastrous. Again, that greatest gift is His Son, Jesus Christ. Come to Him now because,

“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:31)

Grant Phillips