Gotta love the Word

Ohhh....I LOVE GOD!! Check out what I got from a book in my e-library on Bible study, which I'm wanting to focus on this week in line with the theme of discipleship. I hope this helps those of you (myself included) who are continually confounded by your lack of motivation to study the Word of God. My prayer is that this beautiful description will inspire you as it did me to dive into the riches of God's truth. Enjoy. (Oh yeah, and don't forget to praise God for inventing the written word...it's SO beautiful!!)

"The Bible is like a magnificent palace constructed of precious Oriental stone, comprising sixty-six stately chambers. Each one of these rooms is different from its fellows and is perfect in its individual beauty; yet, when viewed as a whole, they form an edifice—incomparable, majestic, glorious, and sublime. In the book of Genesis, we enter the vestibule, where we are immediately introduced to the records of the mighty works of God in creation. This vestibule gives access to the law courts, the passage way to the picture gallery of the historical books. Here we find hung on the walls scenes of battles, heroic deeds, and portraits of valiant men of God. Beyond the picture gallery we find the philosopher’s chamber (the book of Job), passing through which we enter the music room (the book of Psalms). Here we linger, thrilled by the grandest harmonies that ever fell on human ears. And then we come to the business office (the book of Proverbs), in the very center of which stands the motto: “Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” ( 14:34 ). Leaving the business office, we pass into the research department—Ecclesiastes. From there we proceed into the conservatory (the Song of Solomon), where the fragment aroma of choicest fruits and flowers and the sweetest singing of birds greet us. Then, we reach the observatory where the prophets with their powerful telescopes are looking for the appearing of the Bright and Morning Star prior to the dawning of the Son of righteousness. Crossing the courtyard, we come to the audience chamber of the King (the gospels), where we find four lifelike portraits of the King Himself that reveal the perfections of His infinite beauty. Next, we enter the workroom of the Holy Spirit (the book of Acts) and, beyond, the correspondence room (the epistles), where we see Paul, Peter, James, John, and Jude busy at their tables under the personal direction of the Spirit of Truth. And finally, we enter the throne room (the book of Revelation), where we are enraptured by the mighty volume of adoration and praise addressed to the enthroned King, which fills the vast chamber; while, in the adjacent galleries and judgment hall, there are portrayed solemn scenes of doom and wonderous scenes of glory associated with the coming manifestation of the King of kings and Lord of lords."

MacArthur, J., Jr. 1996, c1982. How to study the Bible. John MacArthur's Bible Studies. Moody Press: Chicago

Surrender

I've been reading The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren as part of my church's 40 Days of Purpose spiritual growth campaign. I read chapter 10 last night, in which the topic of surrender as the heart of worship was addressed. I was struck by one particular part, where Rick talked about Jesus Christ being the supreme example of surrender, how He really wanted the Father's will to be done, even on the night before His crucifixion. I couldn't help trying to imagine how it might have felt to know that you were going to be horribly beaten, disfigured and brutally executed as a public spectacle and still honestly want it just because you know it's part of God's plan. I tried, but I couldn't. Jesus was truly human and divine at the same time, that I know for sure. I'm sure His "rational" mind and body completely abhorred even the thought of crucifixion. The Gospel of Luke records that blood came out with His sweat, a sign of extreme mental and emotional torment. He knew what was coming, and yet still willingly surrendered to it, still was able to wholeheartedly say, "Yes" to the Father.
Such was the power of His supreme surrender: the power of Sin and Death was broken forever. The downfall of Lucifer and the dawning of salvation for mankind began in the Garden of Gethsemane, when the "deal was closed", and Jesus signed on the dotted line, willingly placing His neck on the line for us. The effects of that surrender still echoe in eternity and reverbate in every soul that turns his back on Sin. There is immeasurable power in a life wholly surrendered to God. Immense, immensurate power.
My desire is to be used by God, to bring great renown to His name. It seems that the quickest and most effective way to fulfil this desire is to surrender to Him. If only I could really know this truth; if only this incredible truth would capture my heart and mind and soul and drive me to throw everything at my Lord's feet. Perhaps remembering how much our Lord suffered and gave up that night in Gethsemane would motivate me further to surrendering the small things that I find so hard to give up.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. ^Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ^Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Hebrews 12:1-3)