YWPMI

©1999 Anna M.K. Hazen

Believing in the Bible as the inspired Word of God is like choosing between a salad and a slice of chocolate cake. Sure, you could go for the salad — it’s got that wholesome, “look at me, I’m making great life choices” vibe. But that cake? Pure, unadulterated happiness! However, unlike your dinner plate, this decision is a bit more consequential; it determines whom we’ll serve. Will it be the world and its ever-shifting, questionable practices, or Almighty God, who awaits us with open arms and maybe even a heavenly cupcake?

As Joshua boldly declared in Joshua 24:15, “Choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods of the ancient world, which sound like a bad game of risk, or the gods of the Amorites, known to hang out in really questionable neighborhoods. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Yep, Josh made it clear: our daily allegiance requires some serious consideration, and your morning coffee might just need a side of divine deliberation.

Now, let’s face it: trying to please God while tiptoeing through the worldly muck is about as effective as trying to eat soup with a fork. Romans 8:8 lays it out: “So then, they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” It’s like trying to park a car in a space meant for a bicycle — just ain’t gonna to work. Ephesians 6:12 reminds us that our struggle isn’t against flesh and blood; we’re up against a cosmic wrestling match with spiritual darkness. Cue the dramatic music as you prepare to choose wisely!

The Bible is like a cosmic telescope, bringing the unseen universe into focus, inviting us to believe it’s basically the ultimate cheat sheet to God’s Truth. If we embrace its teachings, we learn to unlock the power to save our souls, kind of like finding that last piece of pizza in the fridge. But to deny it? That’s like tossing out the pizza in favor of last week’s salad, which, let’s be honest, no one really wants to do.

Romans 1:20-23 nails the importance of faith with a warning: “For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen…” Yes, it’s a bit of a tongue-twister, but it means we are without excuse! Ignoring God’s brilliance is like pretending you can’t see a rainbow after a rainstorm. Vain imaginations do creep in, turning some folks into self-proclaimed geniuses while morphing the glory of God into… well, things that belong more in a petting zoo.

Let’s talk faith: it’s that glorious act of trusting what the Bible says before everything else, kind of like believing the Wi-Fi is fixed before you’ve actually tested it. James 1:21 encourages us to ditch the nonsense and accept the good stuff — the God given wisdom that saves our souls.

Jesus comes in with a beautiful, heartfelt command: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me” (John 14:1). Simple, right? It’s like the ultimate “trust the fall” where you’re not really falling at all, because HE has you! He’s the net that catches you before you hit ground!

First Peter 1:21 declares, “Who by Him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead… that your faith and hope might be in God.” The world says “seeing is believing,” but God says, “Nah, believe ME first, and you’ll get vision that rivals a hawk’s!”

We accept the existence of atoms and economic laws — both invisible forces dancing around us—yet we doubt God’s invisible handiwork. Remember, even brilliant minds like Darwin and Einstein caught glimpses of divine truth. Scientist rumor has it that Darwin had a late-life “Oops” moment about his theory, but society loved the drama of man’s wisdom over God’s wisdom and kept that theory in their minds. Even Einstein broadcasted that everything created had a designer – God Almighty! Adonai! Romans 13:1 reminds us that every power is ordained by God. So, if you acknowledge His existence, why hesitate to believe He’s given us inspired guidance through Scripture?

Hebrews 11 highlights remarkable folks who chose to believe, scoring divine blessings along the way. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1-2, KJV). In layman’s terms, it’s like having the VIP ticket to your heartfelt prayers!

By faith, we see the cosmos shaped by merely God’s whisper (don’t you just wish we had that superpower?). The faithful exemplars acted on their belief; think of it as divine performance that earned them awesome ovations!

Each story, whether it’s Abraham setting off on an epic road trip or Moses chucking the riches of Egypt for his people, teaches us profound lessons about choices. It’s even said that Abraham was prepared to sacrifice Isaac! Hebrews 11:17-19 narrates how “by faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac,” and it leaves us wondering: how’s that for commitment?

The need to choose sounds all through Scripture, with Deuteronomy 30:19-20 reminding us: “I set before you life and death, blessing, and cursing; therefore choose life!” Simple enough, and a reminder that even the Israelites had their moments of indecision–kind of like choosing between movies or rock climbing.

In closing, our faith isn’t blind or naive; it stands strong on the reliable foundation of God’s Word. We are called to make a choice — to believe and embrace His guidance, or get swept up in the distractions of the world. When we recognize God’s omnipresence, it becomes a no-brainer to trust in Him.

Let’s choose wisely, walking bravely in faith and obeying His Word while keeping warm in the blessings that follow.

And remember—keep your wicks trimmed and your lanterns lit! The KING is coming soon, and He’s definitely bringing the divine cupcakes!