The Bible---God's Anvil

The Bible




Born in the East and clothed in oriental form and imagery, the Bible walks the ways of all
the world with familiar feet and enters land after land to find its own everywhere.

It has learned to speak in hundreds of languages to the hearts of men.
It comes into the palace to tell the monarch that he is a servant of the Most High,
 and into the cottage to assure the peasant that he is a son of God.

Children listen to its stores with wonder and delight, and wise men ponder them as parables of life.

It has a word of peace for the time of peril,
a word of comfort for the time of calamity,
a word of light for the hour of darkness.

Its oracles are repeated in the assembly of the people and its counsels whispered in the ear of the lonely.

The wicked and the proud tremble at its warnings, but to the wounded and the penitent it has a mother’s voice. The wilderness and the solitary place have been made glad by it, and the fire on the hearth has lit the reading of its well-worn page.

It has woven itself into our dearest dreams; so that love, friendship, sympathy and devotion, memory and hope, put on the beautiful garments of its treasured speech, breathing of frankincense and myrrh.

No man is poor or desolate who has this treasure for his own. When the landscape darkens and the trembling pilgrim comes to the Valley named in the Shadow, he is not afraid to enter; he takes the rod and the staff of Scripture in his hand; he says to friend and comrade:

“Good-by, we shall meet again,” and comforted by that support,
 he goes toward the lonely pass as one who walks through darkness into light.

~Henry Van Dyke



Dear Friend:

As the time is not right for us to meet just yet, and as my hearts greatest desire is that you would know me,
 I have made a way for this by inspiring a group of loyal and dedicated men,
 who have walked and talked with me and known me intimately, to write about me.

Out of love and devotion they have honored my request,
and I must say they did an excellent job as they left not a word out that I said,
and were very careful to give an accurate and complete account of my life and purpose.

I am most pleased with their finished work, The Holy Bible,
and have blessed it with my eternal seal of approval.

If you read this Book you will come to know me. Through every word you will hear my voice, and when my word touches your heart, your eyes will be opened and you will see my face in every line
 Indeed, if while reading this Book you feel someone looking over your shoulder, don’t be afraid, it is only my spirit with love leading and guiding you to my truth.

Through reading this Book you will learn of the miracle of my birth, my victory over death, and the miracles in-between. You will come to know me in the most personal way, my hopes and dreams, my
 heartache and tears, the things I love and hate.
 You will visit Nazareth where I grew up and many of my favorite places
 where I often taught and preached the Word of God.

You will meet my mother and father, my brothers, my friends, and my enemies,
those who sought to destroy me and those who struggled to lift me up.
You will hear of the battles I’ve fought, of victory and defeat,
 times of great rejoicing and of deep sorrows, and will be introduced to a people I love,
 a nation I cherish, and the promises I have made unto them.

As my destiny unfolds, you will listen in on my prayers,
 and walk with me on the journey of my life,
 and as an eye witness, share with me the happiest and worst times of my life.

Within the pages of this human drama you will come face to face with every emotion and situation
known to mankind, and as no great book is complete without a love story,
 within its pages you will read the greatest love story of all.
 It is the soul gripping story of a father and His beloved Son, the special bond they shared,
 love that transcended heaven and earth, and their daring plan to save the world.

I promise you that it is a story you will never forget.
It will change your life forever.

And now for the good news!

Although many (including myself) have paid a great price for this Book,
 some with their life, I am sending it to you free of charge.

It is a gift from me to you.
I humbly only ask that you will read it often,
treasure it always,
and will share it with your friends.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.
 I am only a prayer away and I would love to hear from you.
In fact, if I don’t hear from you it will break my heart.
I will be very hurt and disappointed, and will feel like a failure, as its main purpose is to draw you near so we can develop a close rela ionship.

I promise if you contact me that you will receive a personal reply.
Be assured I take my promises seriously and always keep my Word.
 I will be looking most forward to hearing from you my friend, and I hope to see you soon.

All My Love,
Jesus

(Author Unknown)



The Books Of The Bible

“Now these are the commandments, the statues, and the judgments..” (Deut. 6:1)
The Bible is a beautiful palace, built up out of sixty-six blocks of marble—its separate books.
 In the first chapter of Genesis we enter the vestibule, which is filled with the mighty acts of creation.
The vestibule gives access to the law courts, the five books of Moses.

Passing through these we come to the picture gallery of the historical books.
 Here we find hung upon the walls scenes of battlefields, representations of heroic deeds, and portraits of eminent men belonging to the early days of the world’s history.

Beyond the picture gallery we find the philosopher’s chamber, the Book of Job.
Passing on we enter the music room the Book of Psalms,
where we listen to the grandest strains that ever fell on human ears.

Then we come to the business office, the Book of Proverbs,
 where right in the center of the room stands facing us the motto:

“Righteousness exalteth a nation;
but sin is a reproach to any people.”
From the business office we pass into the chapel Ecclesiastes, or the preacher in his pulpit,
 and thence into the conservatory, the Song of Solomon, with the rose of Sharon,
 the Lily of the Valley and all manner of fine perfumes fruits, and flowers.

Finally we reach the observatory, the prophets with their telescopes fixed on near
and distant stars, and all directed toward the Bright and Morning Star that was soon to arise.

Crossing the court we come to the audience chamber of the King, the Gospels,
 where we find four lifelike portraits of the King 
Next we enter the workroom of the Holy Spirit, the Acts of the Apostles,
and beyond that the correspondence room, the Epistles, where we see Paul and
Peter and James and Jude busy at their desks.
 Books open for all to study.

Before leaving we stand for a moment in the outside gallery, the Revelation,
 where we look upon some striking pictures of the judgment to come and
 the glories to be revealed,
 concluding with an awe-inspiring picture of the throne room of the King.
(W. Duns)



The Bible

It is the traveler’s map,
The pilgrim’s staff,
The pilot’s compass,
The soldier’s sword,
And the Christian’s character.

Here Heaven is opened,
The gates of hell disclosed.

Christ is the object,
Our good it’s design,
The glory of God its end.

It should fill the memory,
Rule the heart
And guide the feet.

Read it carefully,
Frequently, prayerfully.

It is a mine of wealth,
And a river of pleasure.

It is given to you here in this life,
Will be opened at the judgment
And is established forever.

It involves the highest responsibility,
Will reward the greatest labor,
And condemn all who trifle with its
Sacred Contents.



A Tribute To The Bible

The Bible is not an amulet, a charm, a fetish or a book that will work wonders by the very presence. It is a Book that will work wonders in every life, here and hereafter. If acted upon and obeyed in faith and sincerity, it is God’s inspired revelation of the origin and destiny of all things, written in the simplest human language possible so that the most unlearned can understand and obey its teachings. It is self-interpreting and covers every subject of human knowledge and need now and forever.

As a literary composition, the Bible is the most remarkable book every made. It is a divine library of 66 books, some of considerable size, and others no larger than a tract. These books include various forms of literature, history, biography, poetry, proverbial sayings, hymns, letters, directions for elaborate ritualistic worship, laws, parables, riddles, allegories, prophecy, drama and others. They embrace all manner of literary styles in human expression.

It is the Book that reveals the mind of God,
The state of man,
The way of Salvation,
The doom of sinners, and
the happiness of believers.
It’s doctrines are Holy,
Its precepts binding,
Its histories true,
And its decisions immutable.

Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy.

The Bible contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff. The pilots compass, the soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s charter.

Here Heaven is opened, and the gates of hell disclosed.
Christ is its grand subject, our good is its design, and
The Glory of God its end.
It should fill your memory, rule your heart, and guide your feet
 in true righteousness and true holiness.

Read it slowly, frequently, prayerfully, meditatively, searchingly, devotionally,
 and study it constantly, perseveringly, and industriously.
Read it through and through until it becomes a part of your being
and generates faith that will move mountains.

The Bible is a mine of wealth,
The source of health,
And a world of pleasure.

It is given to you in this life, will be opened in the judgment, and will stand forever.
 It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the least to the greatest of labor,
 and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.

“For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book.
 If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away
 his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and the things which are
  written this book.”
(Revelation 22:18-19)

"Heaven and earth shall pass away but
my words shall not pass away."
(Matthew 24:35)



THE ANVIL

Last eve I paused beside a blacksmith’s door
And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime;
Then, looking in, I saw upon the floor
Old hammers worn with beating years of time.

“How many anvils have you had?” said I,
“To wear and batter all these hammers, so?”
“Just one,” said he; then said, with twinkling eye,
“The anvil wears the hammers out, you know.”

And so, I thought the anvil of God’s Word
For ages skeptic blows have beat upon.
Yet, though the noise of falling blows was heard
The anvil is unharmed---
the hammers gone!

~Anonymous


“I Am The Bible”

I am God’s wonderful library.
I am always—and above all—The Truth.
To the weary pilgrim, I am a good strong staff.

To the one who sits in gloom, I am a glorious light.
To those who stoop beneath heavy burdens, I am sweet rest.
To those who have been hurt by sin, I am a healing balm.

To the discouraged, I whisper glad messages of hope.
To those who are distressed by the storms of life, I am an anchor.
To those who suffer in lonely solitude,
I am a cool, soft resting on a fevered brow.
O, child of man, to best defend me, just use me!

~John Clifford



The Bible—Yet It Lives

Generation follows generation—yet it lives.
Nations rise and fall—yet it lives.
Kings, dictators, presidents come and go—yet it lives.
Torn, condemned, burned—yet it lives.
Hated, despised, cursed—yet it lives.
Doubted, suspected, criticized—yet it lives.
Damned by atheists---yet it lives.
Scoffed at by scorners---yet it lives.
Exaggerated by fanatics---yet it lives.
Misconstrued and misstated---yet it lives.
Ranted and raved about---yet it lives.
Its inspiration denied---yet it lives.

Yet it lives---as a lamp to out feet.
Yet it lives---as a light to our paths.
Yet it lives---as the gate to heaven.
Yet it lives---as a standard for childhood.
Yet it lives---as a guide for youth.
Yet it lives---as an inspiration for the matured.
Yet it lives---as a comfort for the aged.
Yet it lives---as food for the hungry.
Yet it lives---as water for the thirsty.
Yet it lives---as rest for the weary.
Yet it lives---as light for the heathen.
Yet it lives---as salvation for the sinner.
Yet it lives---as grace for the Christian.
.....To know it is to love it.
.....To love it is to accept it.
.....To accept it means life eternal.

~Willard L. Johnson