God has brought me (and my family) through so much hardship that NOT to acknowledge Him at this point would seem cowardly. Through the reading of His Word, I grow in courage hourly, and find that I still have a lot to learn about writing from the greatest author of all time....:-) Whenever I feel I've accomplished something, I only have to go read Job 38-40 to be humbled again.
And I know that one cannot force others to "believe." We can only spread God's scriptural seeds around, point the way, then go to bed. We who have been given the gift of salvation have done nothing whatsoever to earn the gift (Ephes. 2:8), nor could we ever. Our price for the gift? We are commanded to share His word...
God will do what He wills with it.
I do that on Thursday nights in my home, though it is very difficult to persuade folks away from the illusions of this world, even for a night. Ours is not an easy society to share the truth in. Many people argue, "what is truth -- isn't mine as good as yours?" Pontius Pilate used these words to Jesus right before he had Him scourged.
Many folks do not wish to hear the hard line of the Gospel, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved." Many churches, many ministers are called to serve, but inevitably have to contend with financial bottom lines and/or doctrines which sometimes seem to place ecumenical agendas above God's authority. Some councils/churches devise their own comfortable versions of spirituality to keep from frightening away their flocks, or offending them. Designer religions. Other churches/ministers may have just become disillusioned. Some feel the Bible is now archaic, dated, out of step with the times. Some feel it is too narrow, rigid, and intolerant. And still others, for whatever reason, doubt the apparent simplicity of believing on Christ's finished work on the cross, and so think that by adding good works, they can earn more favor with God (toward salvation and/or sanctification), not understanding the concept of, or accepting, faith accounted to them as righteousness. They believe salvation is a tentative gift, contingent upon God's whim and/or their own efforts, never really certain when enough is enough, for Him.
In all cases, everyone suffers when truth suffers.
I perform in many churches around the country. When
I actually began reading the Bible two years ago, I was shocked at how
many church-going people don't actually know what is in this book.
There's just simply no excuse for not knowing. Ignorance is deadly.
In our well-educated society there are plenty of people
who have strong opinions about the Bible, but few who have actually read
it. The only way anyone can know for sure what God says is by reading His
book. Don't trust what others tell you -- read it for yourselves.
At best, those who would discuss something they haven't read, are hypocrites.
(Hearsay isn't admissible in court.)
At worst, many will die for their ignorance.
Look around; look at our young people. Look at violence.
As a musician and a mother, I see large numbers of kids
(and adults), "doing things their way."
This was Satan's original persuasion, "you can be as
God," now translated in our culture as, "have it your way..."
We who believe that the true way to Life is narrow ("I
am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father except
through Me..."), also believe that the way to destruction is broad.
Darkness threatens to overtake us because darkness wears a smiling mask;
it isn't up front about itself - - it comes disguised as that which is
desirable,
offering us what we want, that which appeals to us.
In the music industry alone, the prospect of celebrity has an irresistible appeal. The prospect of success has an irresistible appeal within our society as a whole, where the individual is rewarded not for trying, but for winning. We value knowledge and possessions over service to one another. And it is hard to admit that we are all deeply affected by the omnipresent entertainment industry, and by all other media who constantly glorify success, diminish the existence of God, and generate fear -- TV, movies, the internet, newspapers, magazines, radio. We believe what we see and what we are told. We are stimulated by it (how about CNN, the Jerry Springer Show, and all of the Judge Wopner copycat courtroom dramas?). We are not rewarded for questioning the information we're absorbing. And who's minding the kids? Oh, they're probably just blowing digitally-created persons to bloody bits in a video game somewhere, listening to Sadistic Intent's latest CD...
Take a closer look at POKEMON (see 80's movie archives; "Gremlins"), and Harry Potter, people.
All is not as it seems.
Some of us in this industry do try to use the medium responsibly. Through live music, I try to communicate with, not just "to," people. And while my efforts may appear arguably negligible, I know that God can make much from very little. In return, from Him I receive the strength I need to keep going daily. My joy, therefore, is in doing what I can for Him, whenever I can. Especially telling others about His book to us. And that it is not about a building, nor about a denomination.
It is about a relationship with The Creator, Himself.
Don't take my word for it. I recommend actually reading the Bible, before you blow it off entirely. In it you will find the cure for loneliness, the remedy for death, the means for changing your life, and a reservoir of unending hope. Part of us deep down inside already suspects this. Don't be afraid. It won't bite you. No matter what you've heard. Ignorance, on the other hand, can hurt you.
I recommend beginning with the book of John (the fourth book in the New Testament ), chapter 1, verse 1 - - it reads:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; He (Jesus Christ, His Son, the Same) was with God in the beginning." (John 1:1)
If you are interested in attending a Thursday night get-together
for good food and reading the Bible for the first time (or second!),
please email me with contact information so that we may email or call you
concerning schedules. The button to do that is at the top and bottom of
this page.
(Editor's note 2003: The Thursday night get togethers
have moved to Saturdays.
For more information email us at"FIRESIDE"
INFO@bettyelders.com!
or go to our FIRESIDE STUDY pages,
here in this website, to learn what we are learning! )
And, if you've gotten this far, thank you for reading this long intro...
--Betty Elders (11/1999)
Questions or comments? Write me HERE!