Anyway... When you think of the Bible, do not make the common mistake of thinking of it is a collection of small stories. It is not! It is one "big beautiful" story running like a scarlet cord (
Joshua 2:12-21 & 6:20-25) from the opening sentence of Genesis to the closing of Revelation. It is all one thought of God. It is the
beautiful solution to all humanity's problems, but, you have to be aware as you seek it: The Bible explanation of God's solution is combined and intermixed with his personal instructions to help mankind, as he has dealt with them over the
centuries along the way here to this revelation of truth. Remember, though, the Bible's primary purpose is to reveal God's solution to you. (
2 Chron 16:9;
John 6:44 of 41-48;
Mat 17:5;
Acts 4:8-13;
John 3:16-21) As you read the Bible, then, you need to recognize the solution for you, which is to work the works of God. (
John 6:28-29) That means you need to separate out and understand his solution for your protection; and to distinguish that from the supportive background of his dealings with groups of mankind over the centuries; as He gave them what they needed at the point in time they lived. Many of them were, after all, being used to bring to birth and deliver his solution:
The Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
[The Jewish Nation, for example, was given the Law Code some 1500 years before Christ; during the period they were being used by God to give birth to Jesus as the promised Messiah. (Luke 1:30-33; Gen 3:15) Their Law Code, you see, kept them clean enough in God's eyes to accomplish that task. The Law Code included keeping their ancestral history so we can all know Jesus was a descendant of Abraham and of King David (Mat 1:1) and thus had the legal right (Eze 21:25-27) to the throne of David his father. (Luke 1:29-33) Christ's Kingdom is now being installed on the earth to rule forever. (Rev 21:1-4) So, spending time studying and learning the behavioral rules of Jewish Law is of little value and can even be harmful (Gal 3:10-14) to Christians; except in their properly viewing the Law and other Bible history as a tutor leading to Christ. (Gal 3:23-25) What Christ taught when he arrived some 1500 years after the Law was given, then, that's the important thing for us all! (Mark 9:7)]
So, you should now begin to see, every single verse of scripture you learn and
understand [really know what it means] might be thought of as a spark of brilliant nurturing and protecting light. Since each spark or facet is part of the one thought of God, they all combine to form an overwhelming cloud of light and beauty of truth. Putting on the words of Christ is like putting on the mind of
יהוה. It helps us be like Christ in knowing what his Father loves and hates... (
1 Cor 2:14-16;
2 Cor 5:17-6:2;
Eph 4:12-32;
Eph 5:1-9;
Rev 3:17-18) Hence, my vision of the brilliant light approaching and surrounding me seems logical to help me explain what I believe. While often a rowdy and insolent person in youth, I have respected and tried to understand God always
[since I have memories]. Finally, now in my old age, I see the knowledge gleaned from the Bible as this brilliant light and "my" solution I have been searching for. (
Heb 11:6) My lifetime study of the Bible has coalesced to form a cloud of brilliant light that surrounds and protects and nurtures me.
Please know and clearly understand, however:
I see that light as my very real and literal deliverance and protection... And, it is
available to everyone who wants it! Like Manna from heaven, (
Exo 16:14-31) you can't buy it or earn it; but you can freely take it. (
John 7:37-38) Learning and taking to heart the words of Christ is taking in God's Spirit (
John 6:63) and the Waters of Life, as well as the act of worshipping in Spirit and Truth! (
Rev 22:16-17;
John 4:7-26)
You then perceive the light is moving toward you rapidly. As it approaches it gets larger and larger and you start to fear being struck by it. As it gets closer and larger, it starts to overwhelm or overtake you and you find it is not really one light at all. It is a great cloud or fog or mist of smaller lights or light particles that do no harm as they envelop and surround and carry you along. You are bathed in the light as you are soothed by it. The Light just is... (Exo 3:14) It is the light of life! (John 1:3-5; John 8:12) The light is just only good and comforting and peaceful and healing for all that is good; but burns what is bad. There is peace and contentment and the overwhelming desire to remain in the light forever. (Rev 4:6-8)
That is a dream or vision I had in the last few days. It was actually in response, I believe, to my pondering how to describe my website to a news paper editor who said he is considering an article on my website: JustBibleTruth.com. [It is God's website, really, I am convinced.] Since my attempt in creating the site is to encourage everyone to see and treasure the beauty found only in the truth of the Bible; the answer I seek as to my sites purpose and value actually extends or applies to the brilliant beauty of the Bible as well. I'm sure you can by now guess, I want to believe my vision of light is from God. Many very religious people, some of them maybe even sincere, (Luke 13:23-28) will surely want to assert what I say is not true or even that my efforts are the work of the Devil. (Mat 12:22-37) Truth is, while I do think my dream or vision is the work of God, I do not say that is so. To proclaim that my vision "is" from God is impossible for me; because I know God has in times past spoken to us in dreams and visions, but in these last days, he has spoken through his son. (Heb 1:1-6) God's only later day command is to listen to Jesus. (Mat 17:5) In my mind, that means the only absolutely reliable way God speaks to us today is through the Bible, and more specifically, the words of his Christ. (Heb 1:1-2; Mat 17:5) Anytime we look beyond the words of Jesus Christ, it becomes easy to deceive ourselves by our emotions; (Jer 17:9) thinking or "feeling" we are being blessed by God when we are not... So, I do my best to keep Jesus Christ as the only source of truth and God's Spirit I direct people to. (John 6:63) I still believe my vision is from God on a personal level; but I "direct people" only to the words of Jesus Christ! It is Jesus only you must put your faith in. (Acts 4:12 of 8-12)
All Religionist leaders want to keep things as they are, to keep the money they are after flowing. They have all given their sect a name to keep them segregated and elevated [keep you imagining your need for "them"], so your valuables will keep flowing in. People talking about these being the last days, (Dan 8:23-26) about these being the end of days or Armageddon, (Luke 21:25-28) and about your "only need" being the words of Jesus Christ, would surely disrupt their business. Their failure or refusal to recognize the fulfillment of the warnings Jesus gave (Luke 21:25-28; Mat 24:23-28; Eph 5:6-17) doesn't negate the fact the Great Tribulation of the last days is coming on apace. (Luke 17:23-30; Acts 17:22-31) If you doubt, just keep watching what is happening to the world. My understanding of Jesus's words is it will keep getting worse until the only ones left alive are those being actively protected by יהוה; being protected by their faith in the words of His Christ. (John 11:26 of 21-27) One thing of note in the midst of the churche's misleadings and the world's turmoil, however, true Christians have only one name, and it is Bible given. All true followers of Christ call themselves by their Bible given name of "Christian"... (Acts 11:26) What do your call yourself? "That" is who you worship! I work to warn all Christians they should abandon religion. No Christian who reads Acts 11:26 would likely want to be called a Muslim or a Jew or a Catholic or Amish or Methodist or Jehovah's Witness or Baptist, or any of the other names of the many Protestant sects. It's just so simple, really: All the followers of Jesus Christ are Christians. Even if they do know truth themselves, church leaders don't want to hear someone sharing this simple Bible truth! They really don't want "their followers" hearing it. All Religionists share the goal of convincing those foolish enough to follow "them" that salvation is somehow tied to approval by them and their named sect; and maybe, to "their sheep's" contributions...
