The Importance of Scripture and a Testimony

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Questions that arise

Several years ago, shortly after I began reading and studying the Bible, a woman I'd met through work told me about a minister that she followed, and how his teachings were very different from the typical church teachings. She spoke about this often, so I asked her if there was a website where I could listen to some of his teachings. There was, and she emailed me the link.

This was back in 2006.

So I went to the website and listened to a few of his sermons.

He certainly sounded good, and some of the things that he said shook me because up until that point, I'd been studying the scriptures and reading the bible, and was being blessed by what I was learning through prayerful study.

The minister said that people make an idol out of the Bible and that they needed to repent. He added that we don't need the scriptures if we are abiding in Christ.

Well, there I was, studying the scriptures and believing them, but I certainly didn't want to be an idolator. After going over what the minister had taught, I was feeling a bit confused and so I took it to God in prayer. I asked Him if what the man said was true, and I told Him that I'm sorry if I was an idolater because I studied and read the scriptures every single day.

The next morning after I prayed those things, I picked up the bible as I usually did each morning, and I just opened it and began reading. I had no idea that what I would read that day would answer my prayer and would lead to even more over the next several months.

This is what I had opened my bible to and read that day.

"Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." Matthew 4:1-3

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Matthew 4:4

Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, Matthew 4:6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Matthew 4:6

Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Matthew 4:7

Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Matthew 4:9

Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Matthew 4:10

Three times, Jesus answered the tempter with "it is written," and three times Jesus quoted those written things.

It was amazing to me reading this and knowing that it was His answer to my question, "Do we need the scriptures?"

I thanked God for showing this to me, and teaching me how to answer temptation by what is written.

I still wondered about what the minister had said about those who trust in what the Bible says being idolatry.

So I continued to pray about this without question that I needed to continue reading and studying the word.

At that time, I was reading through the Old Testament, and I read account after account where the nation of Israel had disregarded God's word. Each time they did this, God's protection over the nation was removed, and difficulties for the entire nation arose, even to the point of being taken into captivity to Babylon under King Nebuchadnezzar.

This is a repeated theme contained all through the scriptures.

God never once chastened a person for studying His word, nor did He call those who were faithful seekers of Him through what is written, "idolators."

In fact, God sent prophets to them over and over again with messages of repentance and to turn the hearts of the people back to Him.

God has a way of answering our questions when we seek Him in it. He doesn't only answer, but He confirms His answers over and over again.

He doesn't leave anyone confused when they trust in Him and seek HIm. He does just what the scriptures say.

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Matthew 7:7

There are no questions that we can't take to Him in prayer, and through patience on our part, He always answers.

Psalms 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Psalms 34:22 The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

Psalms 37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

Psalms 40:4 Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.