GIVE ME THAT BOOK 
                                      By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.

    “Oh, give me that book. At any price, give me the Book of God! I have it: here is knowledge enough for me. Let me be a man of One Book.” - John Wesley

    JOHN WESLEY founded the Methodist Church in England after losing his parish in the Anglican Church, for preaching the true evangelical Gospel of Jesus Christ. He stood on his father's grave and preached to the people. They asked him,       “What will you do now that you have lost your parish?” He answered, “The world is my parish!”

   Before long, he was preaching to 50,000 people in cow pastures and elsewhere and the Revival swept England, and Methodist Churches were springing up everywhere!                    Historians now believe that John Wesley's Revivals could well have kept Britain from a similar fate of that which almost destroyed France during their revolution.

     In his great humility, that mighty man of God wrote, “I am a creature of a day, passing through life, as an arrow through the air. I am a spirit come from God, and returning to God. Just hovering over the great gulf; till a few moments hence, I am no more seen! I drop into an unchangeable eternity!

    “I want to know one thing, the way to Heaven: How to land safe on that Happy Shore. God Himself has condescended to teach the Way; for this very end He came from Heaven. He has written it down in a BOOK! 

     "Oh, give me that Book! At any price, give me the Book of God. I have it: here is knowledge enough for me. Let me be a man of one Book!

    Many religious books were available, but JOHN WESLEY wanted none of them. He wasn't in the habit of reading nonsense, false prophecies, mere speculation and down-right lies! His heart was set on the Holy Bible,which promises a man eternal life if He seeks God with a true heart and sincere spirit!

  Jesus Christ declared: “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again.” (John 3: 3, 6, 7)

                   THE HOLY BIBLE IS THAT BOOK!

   The Bible says: “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the Light of men.

    “He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name. 

    "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1-4,10,12,14)

     You cannot divorce Jesus Christ from His Word. He is the Living Word and the Holy Bible is the Written Word! JESUS the Word became flesh, incarnated (God in human flesh) so that He could be God's Paschal Lamb and die vicariously for the sins of the world! He was born to die so that we could live. His death was victorious and His Resurrection was glorious!

   Some people ask: “On what basis have you derived that the Holy Bible is the inspired, sacred, inerrant Word of God?” I could cite hundreds of reasons but I only need one. 

   Jesus Christ the Son of God, Who is all Wisdom and all Knowledge, believed it to be the very Word of God and quoted from it regularly!

    St. Paul enumerates some of His grandeur, power and attributes: “In Whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the Head of all principality and power.” (Col. 1:2: ,9,10)

    The Bible records the historical birth of Jesus of Nazareth in Bethlehem, as was prophesied by Isaiah the prophet seven hundred years earlier. His vicarious death by crucifixion was recorded by Jewish Scribes and officials of the the Roman Authority.

     His glorious resurrection from the dead was recorded and magnified by the Holy Spirit through the ministries of His Apostles, disciples and followers, who preached the Gospel, healed the sick and cast out devils in His name. The Roman guards who were overcome by the presence of God's angels at the tomb of Jesus, quite possibly secretly spread the news of what happened that morning.

    The Roman Centurion who witnessed the earthquake and verified Jesus' death to Pontius Pilate, undoubtedly investigated the damaged temple including the torn veil which had opened the Holy of Holies to public view. 

   The Empty Tomb proved that Jesus had risen from the dead on the third day. There was no trace of a body, but His burial clothes and napkin were left behind.

   There are three things that humanists, atheists and Christ haters can't figure out. It almost drives them crazy, namely the Empty Tomb, the Missing body of Jesus and the Conversion of the Saul of Tarsus, the Jewish Enforcer!

                JESUS CHRIST THE WORD OF GOD!

   Our Saviour stated: “No-one knows the Father except the Son.” (Matt. 11: 27); “My teaching is not Mine, but My Father Who sent Me.” (John 7:16); “Verily, verily I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

    “If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man has ascended up to Heaven but He that came down from Heaven, even the Son of man which is in Heaven.

    He declared: “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3: 11-16)

    The reason that I trust Jesus Christ is because He is the Word of God and is the Author of the Bible. Even though He was incarnated (God in human flesh), He was still in “the bosom of the Father” (John 1:18) and as verse 13 confirms: “even the Son of man which is in Heaven.” 

    In the natural, this is beyond human reasoning because the Mystery of the Triune God is incomprehensible. He does not ask us to understand Him, however, but simply to believe Him. And that is not difficult!

   The Bible declares: “For the Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Heb.4: 12).

   “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Tim. 3: 16, 17);       “For prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2 Peter 1: 21)

           JESUS CHRIST: CREATOR OF ALL THINGS!

    “Who hath delivered us from the power of Darkness, and hath translated us into the Kingdom of His dear Son: In Whom we have Redemption through His BLOOD, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

    “For by Him were all things created, that are in Heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: ALL things were created by Him, and for Him: and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.

   And He is the HEAD of the body, the Church; Who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell.

   “And having made Peace through the BLOOD of His Cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in Heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works,yet now hath He reconciled. 

   "In the body of His flesh, through Death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight.” (Col. 1: 13-22)

    MOSES stated: “Ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is or hath been heard like.” (Duet.4:32)

    ISAIAH declared: “For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God Himself that formed the earth and made it; He hath established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord and there is NONE else. Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together:

     “Who hath declared this from ancient time? Who hath told it from that time? Have not I the Lord? And there is NO God else beside Me; a just God and a Saviour; there is NONE beside Me. Look unto Me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is NONE else.” (Is. 26:18, 21,22)

   “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is NONE else; I am God and there is NONE else, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My Counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure.” (Is. 46: 9, 10)

    King David stated: “For ever, O Lord, Thy Word is settled in Heaven.” (Ps. 119:89). And St. Paul commanded: “Preach the Word; be instant in season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. 

   "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” (2 Tim.4: 2-4).

   PROF. FREDERIC HARRISON, in a lecture given at Oxford, stated: “The English Bible is the best that our literature can give us in simple noble prose.” SIR WALTER SCOTT stated: “In the whole world it is THE BOOK; all other books are mere leaves, fragments.”

    PROF. DYSON HAGUE said: “Yes, it alone is the universal Book, the eternal Book. It is a Voice; all others are merely books for the hour. The Bible is the book of all time. It stands alone; unapproachable in grandeur; as high above all other books as heaven is above the earth, as the Son of God above the sons of men.”

                      A REALLY GREAT QUESTION!

    “Who is a God like unto Thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He retaineth not His anger forever, because He delighteth in Mercy. He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities. And Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7: 18, 19)

    The prophet asks the question: “Who is a God like unto Thee? That is a really great question. First, no other God exists. There may be imitators, demon impersonators or man-made gods, but there is only one TRUE GOD! Second, look at what He does. 

  He is Righteous, Just, Good, Merciful, Long suffering, Patient, Forgiving, Gracious and Compassionate!

    He pardons iniquity, meaning He has power to forgive Sins. He retains not His anger forever. He knows our weaknesses. He overlooks our errors when we repent. He delights in mercy. He doesn't delight in punishing us because     He loves us. He has compassion on us. He subdues our iniquities by giving us power to overcome sinful habits. He forgets our sins when He forgives them. He shows great mercy upon us! There is no god like God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Son and the Holy Spirit!

   Jesus Christ says: “Come unto Me all ye who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11: 28); “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My Words shall not pass away.” (Matt. 24: 35); “All power is given unto Me in Heaven and on earth.

    “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matt.28: 18, 20).

     JOHN WESLEY stated: “Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin, and desire nothing but God, and I care not a straw whether they be clergymen or laymen; such alone will shake the gates of hell and set up the kingdom of heaven on Earth.” Amen.