As I've said before,I started reading the Bible as an atheist,starting at the end and working backwards (which was typical,as an atheist I had most things bass ackwards).I found it mortifying to say the least!
My sleep departed from me and the joints of my loins were loosed so that my knees smote the one against the other,so to speak.
I knew nothing of God,the Holy Spirit or the church.Jesus was to me a religious nut who dreamed He was the Son of a supposed God and His name was good for cursing with.
Those Words I read in 'The Revelation of Jesus Christ' haunted me,scared me and just plain nagged and gnawed at me.I could not,for whatever reason,just let them slide away into a fading memory.
For myself,in my beginning with God, at the start of my new life, the Bible spoke for itself.It still does.
We are given at seat at the Kings table,totally on someone elses account and I saw my place as sitting down,shutting my big fat trap and listening to what the King and His court might discuss!
Mighty things,things that I knew not!
The fact that in our hands we hold the very words,the message from the Creator,the cosmic observer,to those created in His image,should make us tremble at the thought that we actually have an extraterrestrial artifact in our possesion.
I can't grasp that so much of christianity seems to try to lessen it somehow,make it subservient to some other supposed authority.That it somehow 'lacks'.
The Words on those pages turned my world upside down.That was 25 years ago.They still do.Maybe to some that might look like I worship the Bible.I do not,any more than I might admire a person through reading their autobiography.The Bible points to it's author and in our great spiritual battle it is the only offensive weapon we have.In that regard our Maker deems it sufficient for He gave us no other.
God bless.
WOW!
Preach it, brother!
The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. (Psalm 19:7-11) The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.