“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” Isaiah 40:8

Does it feel like our world is coming apart at the seams – morally, culturally, and spiritually. Chaos dominates the headlines, outrage fills our social media, and the pace of change in our world is making us feel disoriented and discouraged.

Is there any hope of a strong anchor for our emotions? Is there any help for our roller coaster feelings? These are great questions, and I believe that there is an answer for us! It’s an ancient answer to our anxieties, it’s a relevant answer for our regrets, it’s a healing answer for our hurts, and it’s a penetrating answer for our problems!

The Bible is our answer! It’s our light in our season of darkness. It’s our guide to get us out of guilt. It’s our peace that overwhelms our perplexities. And it’s our salve for the scars of our sin. Above all, the Bible is our source of salvation through the Savior sent to us from heaven. Jesus Christ was the Word in the flesh, and He was God in the flesh so He could put the Father’s love on full display like a bright neon sign that shined from the cross.

The Bible provides us permanence in a world defined by drastic change. Our lives are ruled more and more by apps that are outdated in a month. New and improved software constantly stress us out. I want to encourage you that the words of Jesus carry authority over our ever spinning thoughts. Jesus’ words don’t scroll away, expire or needs updating. They have endured for two thousand years because they answer the questions every generation asks: “What is right and wrong?” “What gives meaning to life?” “How do we endure suffering and still find hope?”

The Bible offers us a solution for our ever increasing sense of isolation. We are now living in a culture of isolation that is leading us into a loneness never experienced by a society. The letters of Paul, the Psalms of David, and the stories of those who walked with Jesus remind us that faith isn’t only an individual experiment, but our faith is a shared experience! The Bible tells us that we are not alone in our loss, our failure, and our sorrow.

The Bible invites reflection instead of reaction. Our digital life rewards speed. We tend to scroll through the Bible without reflecting on the power of the word! The Bible calls us to quietness and humbleness. When we pause and listen to Scripture it helps us resist the distraction that tempt us. The Bible gives us permission to breath while facing anxieties that try to suffocate us.

As you may have heard that Bible sales are way up with all ages in America. Now I realize that skeptics may call this a fad, but history shows us that this is when the culture comes back to a firm foundation of faith. After wars, pandemics, and cultural revolutions, I think Americans are starting to realize that texting and scrolling leave us with the same old emptiness and loneliness. The time tested truth and wisdom in the Bible help us rediscover the moral and spiritual grounding we need in order for our lives to be fulfilling.

God bless you,

Pastor Dave