I DIDN'T KNOW THAT! 6/3/12

AS A CHILD I was filled with questions and the one I use the most was; why! My mother told me she should have given me “Why” for my middle name. Children always have questions. As we grow older we hate to ask too many questions because we don’t want to give the impression that we are not in the know. I remember watching the Dick Van Dyke show, where he was running for office. The two candidates were asked to have a question and answer time. Dick felt okay because he was encouraged to run by those in the know. They surely thought he could do the job! AS DICK’S opponent would answer the questions, Dick would get that amazed look on his face and say; I didn’t know that! By the time the question and answer period was over, Dick was convinced that he should drop out of the race and vote for the other guy. I can’t remember how it all turned out, but the point is that we should ask questions if we don’t know the truth. SEARCHING out the truth takes time but is rewarding in the end. Through the years I have discovered that many are ignorant of God’s Word because they don’t know how to read, understand or study the Bible. I know this because once I was there! When I discovered that many Sunday School materials did not teach what I believed, because they were geared to be used in all churches, it was up to me to bring the truth into my lessons. I LEARNED then to look at the scriptures in a personal way, so that I could teach it in a more personal way. I began to ask myself questions like; “what does it say?” “How does it apply to me today?” “Does it convict me in any way?” “What will I do about it?” “When will I begin?” I discovered that asking the whys and how’s; the scriptures would give me the answers. Today I have learned another question to ask; “what did this passage mean to the people who were living at that time?” This question helps immensely when studying Revelation. I REMEMBER Harry, an elderly friend who has since gone home to be with the Father. His greatest desire during the few years we knew him, he wanted to witness to others about His Savior. Just being Harry, was a witness! I think of him when I want to talk about “How to witness.” The life we live is our greatest witness to our Savior. Harry could hardly talk above a whisper but that didn’t keep him from sharing. He carried cards in his pockets when he would talk with you. He had usual questions like; “how are you?” But he also carried scriptures that he could show to others. HERE are a couple of questions that I hear often but the answers are never quite what God’s Word says. “Have you come to a place in your spiritual life where you know for certain that if you should die today you would go to heaven?” Today you say a prayer and then you can be certain. 1 John 5:12-13 says; “He who has the Son has life; he who has not the Son of God has not life. I write this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.” To have the Son you must accept Him as your personal Savior and be baptized to receive the Holy Spirit. THE SECOND question is; “Suppose you were to die tonight and stand before God and He were to say to you, Why should I let you into my heaven?” Again, today you can say a prayer and then you know. John 3:16 says; “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” God has made it possible for all to enter into His heavens through His Son Jesus, but belief is not enough, because this scripture says “should not perish.” This is where my questions come into play. If I truly believe and seek His face through repentance and forgiveness, and am obedient to His Word, I can claim His promises. OH BE careful little hands what you do; little mouths what you say; little feet where you go; little eyes what you see and little ears what you hear; for the Father up above is looking down with love! BY Jane Ann Crenshaw 6/2/12