Amy's 'momentary trouble'

Amy woke up at 1:00am and couldn’t get back to sleep until 4:00am. We’re not really sure what to attribute this sleeplessness to, but I will be sure to ask her oncologist about it next Monday. We had a good meal of Steaks on the grill and corn on the cob for supper last night and other than having to take a break in eating, she ate quite well and I didn’t see or know of any gastric pain because of it. We are obviously still adjusting Amy’s diet and learning. This is probably the most trying and frustrating part of her post-surgical adjustments and it makes mealtimes difficult. Well, it is with a mixed bag of feelings that I announce that Brittany now has her Drivers Permit. I am proud of her passing her test, but I’m not ready to believe that my little girl is old enough to drive. I am nervous and elated all at the same time!

Do you believe that the Holy Bible is literally true and the Word of God? By literal I mean that although written by the hand of men, that the Bible was indeed inspired and God breathed. According to the results of a 2005 Rasmussen survey, in the face of the overwhelming majority (85%) of Americans claiming to be of the Christian faith, this is what was polled concerning the above question:

63% of Americans believe the Bible is literally true and the Word of God. 24% disagree and say it is not.

Among Evangelical Christians, 89% believe the Bible is literally true and 4% say it is not.

Among other Protestants, 70% believe the Bible is literally true.

58% of Catholics believe the Bible is literally true.

65% of women believe the Bible is literally true compared to 61% of men.

77% of Republicans believe in the literal truth of the Bible while 59% of Democrats and 50% of those not affiliated with either major party hold the same belief.

82% of African Americans believe the Bible is literally true and is the Word of God.

59% of White Americans share that view along with 71% of other, primarily Hispanic, Americans.

If we don’t believe that the Bible is the living, breathing Word of God, why do we bother calling ourselves Christians? Why do we go to church each Sunday and listen to our ministers preach from it and read from it if we don’t hold any of it’s teachings to be true? In 2 Timothy 3:16 it says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” I can hear you say ‘But I do believe it to be true, some of it at least..’ Therein lays the problem, you can’t believe just some of it. You see, you can’t pick and choose which parts to believe and which not to because this Book claims to be THE Word of God, all of it, not just some or just the parts that you or someone else are comfortable with! If there is even one sentence in it that isn’t truth, then NONE of it is. His Word isn’t just an old book of do’s and don’ts that doesn’t have any relevance today, it’s a field guide on how to live life in such a way as to be pleasing and honoring to God. It’s a map that shows you the one and only way to get to heaven which is through His Son, Jesus Christ. In John 14:6 it says, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Think that through…no one past, present or future can get you to God except Jesus. Think of it another way, you’re in a corridor full of doors…you’ve been searching and clawing for a way to feel complete for longer than you care to admit…you know something has been missing in your life and you’ve tried many of the doors in the corridor like; humanism or fame. Maybe even drugs or mysticism…but each one has always left you empty, lonely, looking for more and eventually you find that you’re back in the same corridor full of doors…consider the one door called Jesus, it’s the last door you will ever need to open because He will complete you…and comfort you…and while all other doors led to disappointment, Jesus NEVER will.

So, why do some people believe in bits and pieces of the Bible? I think it’s because of unconfessed sin and the never ending need for humanity to justify their Godless, anti-moral lives. If they can disprove or lower the importance of the Bible, then they can also discount the moral values taught and modeled within it.

Romans 1: 18-32 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

This is Amy's story as seen and told by me - V