The Process Of Inspiration
Concerning the verbal inspiration of the Bible, Paul Enns writes:
Peter . . . acknowledges his belief in verbal inspiration inasmuch as it was the Holy Spirit who guided the writers of Scripture in their selection of words. This truth could be illustrated by a man who goes to the department store in a shopping center. Because he is in a hurry to get to the second floor he walks up the escalator. Although he is walking, the escalator is carrying him along, bringing him to the second floor.
Mr. Enns concludes:
Similarly, although the writers of Scripture penned the words according to their educational abilities and their own distinctive styles, the Holy Spirit was carrying them along, ensuring the accuracy of all they were writing.
"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 complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NKJV).
"And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:19-21, NKJV).
Keeping Our Eyes on the Banner of Freedom
When the Americans first occupied Manila, many prisoners that had been imprisoned for "political offenses" were set free. One of these crimes, according to the Spanish government, which then ruled the Philippines, was reading the Bible. One day a man came to famed Christian missionary Dr. Homer Stuntz, and asked to see him in strict privacy. He then asked in a whisper if it were true that he could now read his Bible without danger of imprisonment. Dr. Stuntz took him to the door and asked him to look at the American flag floating near by. Then he said, "So long as you see that flag floating over your country, you can sit on the ridgepole of your house, if you want to, and read the Bible, and no one can molest you."
Surely the American flag -- the banner of our freedom -- can offer one measure of assurance. Yet there is an infinitely (and eternally) greater banner under which we can claim not just our freedom, but our boldness to excercise such freedom, and that is the Cross of Christ. It is the symbol of our freedom from the bondage of the world, the flesh, and the devil. And it is likewise the symbol of our calling to boldly persist against pressure, persecution, and even penalty.
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery" (Galatians 5:1, NIV).
"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:36, NIV).
Filling Cupcakes and the Spirit
Cupcake aficionado, Jamie, of My Baking Addiction has this to say about the two best ways to fill cupcakes:
One way is to use an apple corer. You take the apple corer and gently push it into the center of the cupcake about halfway down, rotating the corer to cut a full circle. Then, pull the corer out of the cupcake. Push the small cake round out of the corer. Once all of the cupcakes have been hollowed, pipe or spoon in your favorite filling, use a small knife to cut the top from each of the cupcake centers, place on the tip of the filling, and top with your favorite frosting.
The other way is by inserting a paring knife at a 45-degree angle just off-center of the top of the cupcake, insert it about halfway down into the cupcake. Keeping the knife at an angle, cut a circle around the center of the cupcake. Lift out the cake cone that you have just cut. As with the other method, once all of the cupcakes have been hollowed, pipe in your favorite filling and top with our favorite frosting.
Each of us have our own stories and unique experiences of how we came to faith, some "this" way and some "that." But the end result is the same. Upon salvation we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit and are called to be "filled" with His abiding presnece and influence.
It is in yielding ourselves to the sweetness of the Holy Spirit within that we find our purpose and power.
"And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us" (Romans 5:5, ESV).
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law" (Galatians 5:22-23, ESV).
"To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good" (1 Corinthians 12:7, ESV).