2021.02.26 Giving a Reason for the Hope that is in you…

Last week we talked about the “4R’s” of education that the Founders used to Learn and to Teach that produced brilliant thinker and writers. They are:

Research
Reason
Relate
Record

We covered how important it is to start every project and learning endeavor in the Word of God and how the Bible is up to the task to give wisdom and to make us prosper.

The second R is Reason. I actually thought that reasoning was opposed to faith when I first got saved and so I was under the impression that we were NOT supposed to reason. But the Bible says:

Isaiah 1:18, “‘Come now, and let us reason together,’ says the Lord, ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.’”

Acts 17:2, “Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,”

Acts 24:25, “Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, “‘Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.’”

I Peter 3:15, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.”

When we search the Word for the Lord’s Will and Way and then reason with Him how to walk this out in our lives, a wonderful blessing comes upon us. As the Lord promises Joshua in Joshua 1:8&9,

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

What a wonderful blessing! Do our children deserve less? Is it worth taking time to renew our minds so that we can pass such a wonderful heritage to our children!

Look at Psalm 78:4, 6, 7 GNV:

“We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done… That the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children, that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments…”

If there were any time that we needed to reason with our children to know the character of God and to urge them to trust Him in our current circumstances, isn’t it now? If we cannot reason from scripture, why read it? Conversely, maybe people aren’t reading the Bible because they are not hearing Christians that do reason from His precious Word.

Let’s be the people who do. Let’s ask God Almighty to help us so that we can help others, much like Jesus asked His Father to glorify Him so that He could glorify the Father! (John 17:1)

May we be like the nation of Israel when they found the Law after not following it for years. This is Nehemiah 8:8-10

“So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, ‘This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep.’ For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law.

“Then he said to them, ‘Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’”

Father, will You open the Heavens for us? Will You give us revelation? Will You help us to read Your Word afresh and anew. Help us to receive fresh manna from You. We need You so desperately, so we ask in faith, believing that You hear our prayer and will not give us a stone, but the Holy Spirit.

Thank You, Abba Father!

Renewing our minds is a transforming process which begins right at our commitment to Christ’s salvation and Lordship of our lives. We receive His Salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. We then begin this wonderful journey to know Him and the power of His resurrection. We grow as we read His Word, begin to understand, know and practice it. What an adventure!

Would you like to join me in a study to do this? This is the first baby step that we guide you into to develop your own Biblical Philosophy of Education.

I hope you join us!