Welcome to Maple Grove serving the Lord since 1875

If you wanted to know something about someone, would you read their autobiography, or a biography written by someone else? Well, what if someone wanted to learn about you, personally, and get a truthful picture of who you really are? Would you prefer they talk to your friends and relatives, or talk to you directly? What is there’s a person you are just dying to ask a particular question? Do you approach them, or folks they might happen to interact with at work? If you want to develop a relationship with someone, do you only talk to their friends, or do you actually talk to that person?

I would hope everyone would choose the personal approach – getting to know someone directly and interacting with them personally. Isn’t that how we want to function in everyday life? Isn’t that how we want our relationships to develop if they are to be lasting?

Well, a question – why should our relationship with God be any different? Why wouldn’t you go to God’s autobiography, the Bible, if you want to find out more about Him, and develop a relationship with Him? Why wouldn’t you talk to Him directly to learn more about Himi and develop that relationship?

Today, people turn away for the Bible and seek to “find God” in all kinds of other ways, when the best source of knowledge and understanding is right before their eyes. God’s Word says this in Hebrews 1:1-3:

“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”

Where do you find the words of Jesus, God’s Son? In the Bible, of course. Want to know the Father? Jesus said this in John 14:9:

“He who has seen Me has seen the Father;”

Please understand that the Bible is God’s revelation of His Son, in whom He was well pleased. God meant us to understand what He has revealed in Scripture. Deuteronomy 29:29 says:

“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever,..”

God wants us to understand them. He gives us wisdom to understand if we ask Him. James 1:5.

So, get into the Word. Learn about Him – get to know Him. Read the actual Scripture – not just a commentary, or not just a website about the Scripture. Can some things be hard to understand? Yes, they can. But, it has been said that “Scripture is the best interpreter of Scripture.” So, think about our initial questions once again. You want to know something about why someone did something – their motives. Would you read their autobiography – obviously written by them – or something written by others? The best source of information comes from the person – just as it does with God. The Bible tells us who God is – and lets us get to know Him. It answers the biggest “why” question of all – who was Jesus and why did Jesus have to come and die for my sins? John 3:16 says:

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

God wants you to understand – He wants you to believe – He wants you to be secure and assured in Whom you believe so that you can share His love. Go straight to the source – God’s Holy Bible.

I know this is a simple post – but folks, sometimes we need to go back to the basics, so to speak. We don’t need to overlook what God has given us because we prefer something else. We’ll hear challenging things from God – things that make us feel uncomfortable.  But remember God’s promise about Scripture in 2 Timothy 3:16:

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,”

It’s there to be discovered – it’s there to change our lives! It’s there to show us the mind of God.  Join us at Maple Grove to spend time in the Word of God leaning what God has revealed about Himself! We hope to see you soon!

Bro. Parks