When all else fails, read the Bible!

[Originally posted Thursday, March 29, 2007]

When you doubt, when you question, when you wonder if you've heard the voice of God...read the Bible. I am charismatic. A lot of people don't know that. I believe that the Lord wants to bless us abundantly through spiritual gifts and revelations. But I also believe in the sufficiency of Scripture.

The problem with charismatic Christians is, many don't find the Bible sufficient. Well, guess what? When dreams and visions are questionable, the Bible is ALWAYS reliable. ALWAYS. So, when all else fails, read the Bible! Regardless of "extra" blessings, the Bible is always always always foundational. No spiritual gifts or revelations that are from God will EVER bring into question the truths of the Bible. The Bible comes first. The rest is secondary, and even arbitrary. So, here's what I've learned:

God is good. No matter what happens, the goodness of God is essential, even central. God is good. When all else fails, God is still good. When the world collapses, and God feels absent, God is still good. The goodness of God is unchanging. When the world is bad, God is good. God is good, God is good, God is good.

Nothing is impossible with God. I have a hard time with this one. But face it - all things are possible with God. Old women have babies and mute people speak. Bones are healed and the dead come alive. A horse with ovarian cancer is healed (it's true! I was there!). Nothing is impossible with God.

"May it be unto me as you have said." Whatever the Lord requires of you, do it. Complete submission. No matter what. Just do it.

"Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!" Most of the miracles Jesus did in the gospels were a direct result of belief. Trust in the Lord, and believe. Believe what the Bible says. Believe that God is good. No matter what. Believe. The Christian religion is a religion of faith. So if you're a Christian, you're required to believe. And blessed are you who believes!

When you don't know what to believe, those 4 things are a good place to start.