From Coleraine in County Londonderry we present Let the Bible Speak It's good to have you join with us as we spend 15 minutes around the Word of God preaching Christ in all his fullness. And this is Leslie Curran saying hello and welcome to the program. It's good to have you tuning in as Gospel Minister and Evangelist in Coleraine, the Rev. Roger Higginson is here to let the Bible speak. Now we're finishing off our little study that we've been thinking about over the last three weeks about questions, questions about the Lord, questions about God, questions of a spiritual nature, things that are very, very important to each and every one of us. Because the questions that we have been considering not only affect time and the lives that we're now living, but they also affect eternity, death and what lies beyond the grave. For each and every one of us there are certain things that we need to be sure of. We need to be sure that we know where we came from. We need to be sure that we know why we're here. And we need to be sure and certain that we know where we're going. And those questions can only be answered whenever we bring God into the equation. Without God, we don't really know why we're here. And without God, we don't know where we're going. And we've been thinking just about some of these important questions. Is there a God? What is God like? Is God interested in me? We thought about that first question, is there a God? The Bible says that there is. It makes that declaration in Genesis chapter 1, in the beginning, God. The Bible doesn't try to prove the existence of God, it just makes the statement that God is. Because this is a fact, this is truth. I don't believe that the Lord has to try to get us to believe that he's out there somewhere because the very heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth his handiwork. So from the plan of creation we know that there's a God. And then we all have a moral compass within our hearts, within our minds, within our souls. We somehow have the ability to make rational choices. We know the difference between right and wrong. We have a fear of death somehow. And that shows us the presence of conscience. Something the animal world doesn't have. So there's the plan of creation. There's the presence of conscience. But then there's the person of Christ. You cannot explain the person of Jesus Christ without God. Because Jesus Christ was God. In Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. He did works that nobody else could do. He lived in a way that nobody else could live. He pointed men to God. He spoke with truth. He spoke with authority. Lives were transformed as they listened and followed the Lord Jesus Christ. Then there's the power of the cross. The power of the cross. Study the scriptures. Study the cross work of Jesus Christ and historical fact. and the very fact that lives today are being changed by the power of the cross indicates that yes, there is a God. So there's a God. Then we thought about what is God like and we considered some of his attributes, his purity, his holiness, his goodness, his truth, the fact that God is eternal, unchanging and infinite, that he's everywhere present, he's all-knowing and he's all-powerful. Then, last Lord's Day, we ask a very important question of a practical nature. Is God interested in me? We thought simply about some people in Scripture that the Saviour went to, showing very clearly that the Lord is interested in individuals. And the fact that God sent the Son to be the Saviour for the world shows again that, yes, God is interested in people. And more personally, God is interested in you. The last question we want to consider In the light of these other questions, is there a God? What is God like? Is God interested in me? And if we can answer all of these questions in a positive manner. Our last question, how can I know Him? Is it possible for me, as a fallen individual, as a sinner with faults and feelings and doubts and fears and regrets, there's many things that we do not see, do not know, do not understand and cannot comprehend. But in spite of all of those things, Is it possible for me to know God? Whenever I was a young boy, I always purposed in my heart, and I believe it was the Spirit of God working, that if there's a God out there, and it's possible for me to know Him, then I certainly want to know Him. Let me read a few verses from John chapter 17, one of the greatest prayers that's recorded in Scripture. It's the great high priestly prayer for Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. These words speak Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour is come. Glorify thy son, that thy son also may glorify thee. As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal. that they might know thee, the only true God whom thou hast sent." Or the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. Think about those verses. This is life eternal. that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. If there's a God, and there is, and if God is who he says he is, and he is, then I want to know him. We ask ourselves the question, how is it possible for a sinner to get to know God? How can we do that? Well, the answer, very simply, is through the Word of God. John chapter 5 and verse number 39, the Savior said, Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think that ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me. And the Lord said that to the religious people of His day. He told them to search the Scriptures with all of their ceremony, with all of their sacrifice, with all of their feast days, and ordinances, and laws, and religions, and customs, and dress code, and with their synagogues, and their temple, the Lord called them back to the Bible. Search the Scriptures, for they testifyeth me. And through the Scriptures you can have life. And in John 17, the Lord said that the eternal life that we have is knowing the Lord. This is life eternal, that they might know Thee. And whenever we search the Scriptures and we study the Word of God, we discover that there are certain things that are vital for us to come to know the Lord. We can't know the Lord outside of the Word of God. Outside of the Bible, we might know that there is a God. We might have an inkling in our hearts that there's a God. Our conscience and creation might tell us that there's a God. but we need the Word of God to guide us into all truth and it's the entrance of the Word of God that gives life. Now the Bible says in order for us to get to know God we need to be born again. In John chapter 3 a man called Nicodemus came to the Lord by night. The Bible says he was a leader or a ruler of the Jews. He was religious But religion is not enough to bring a person to know the Lord. We need regeneration. We need reality. And we need relationship. And so the Saviour said, Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. And except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of God. And regeneration, being born again, is receiving spiritual life. Whenever the Spirit of God, the Holy Ghost, comes upon a person and regenerates that spirit that was dead in trespasses and in sins, and the principle of life begins. There also needs to be faith. Faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith is to believe. Faith is to trust. Faith is to rely upon. It involves the mind, the heart and the will. That is to say that whenever a person has faith in Jesus Christ, the intellect must be involved. They must understand why they need to have faith, because of their sin. They must understand something of the One of whom they are putting their faith in. It also involves the heart. There must be that sense of need. There must be that wholehearted trust. It involves the will. There must be a decisive putting faith in the Lord. In Hebrews 11, verse number 6, it says, But without faith it is impossible to please him. For he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. All throughout the Bible, we are called to put faith in God. Faith in Christ, we're called to trust in the Lord with all our hearts, lean not onto thine own understanding, in all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths. The Bible says, for by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it's the gift of God. Scripture exhorts us to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Repent and believe the Gospel, 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. So the challenge just now is, have you ever been born again? Have you believed in the Lord Jesus Christ? Have you put your faith and trust in him? Is your confidence in Christ and in Christ alone to get you to heaven? And then there's also repentance. The Saviour said in Luke chapter 13 verse 3, except you repent, you shall all likewise perish. And to repent is to make a change of direction, to turn around 180 degrees, to make a U-turn. And again, it involves the mind, it involves the heart, it involves the will. There needs to be a change of mind about sin, a change of mind about Christ. There also needs to be a change of heart about sin. We need to feel sorry for our sin. We need to realise what it is in the sight of God and we need to also execute obedience and we need to turn with our will from sin and turn unto the Lord. Christ's first word whenever he preached was the word repent. And one of his last words to his church in Revelation chapter 3 was the word repent. And so for us to get to know God We need to turn to the Scriptures, get back to the Bible, we need to be born again, and we need to exercise faith and repentance. May God help you to do that today, and may you discover that yes, God is real, and may you enter into newness of life. Thank you so much for listening. If we can be of any help or assistance to you, don't hesitate to get in contact with us. You've been listening to Let the Bible Speak. If we can be of any further spiritual help, or if you'd like to receive some free gospel literature, we invite you to write to us. Our mailing address is Let the Bible Speak, Rev. Roger Higginson, 30 Knockland Grove, Coleraine, BT 52-1WR. Let the Bible Speak, Rev. Roger Higginson, You may hear Reverend Higginson preach each Lord's Day at 11.30am and 6.30pm at his church here in Coleraine on the Cloy Finn Road just at the Bushmills roundabout. For further information, you may phone us on 7032 02666. 7032 02666. We assure you of a warm welcome at all of the services, and we look forward to having you visit with us. Thank you for listening today. May the Lord richly bless you. And don't forget to tune in on this same station at the same time next week, when once again we turn to the Scriptures and let the Bible speak. you