I spent this past weekend driving from Northern California to Fresno to San Luis Obispo back to Fresno and then finally back to Northern California.

Fresno is where I grew up and where my parents and one of my sisters still live. I like Fresno. I love the agricultural setting, and the closeness to the national parks. Being in Fresno brings back a lot of good memories, and I have some good friends in the area. Fresno holds a fond spot in my heart.

Then what is NOT to like about San Luis Obispo. My sister and her family live there. The weather is beautiful, the town exudes that college town energy, it has a vibrant downtown area and just enough history to hold anyone’s interest. 


However, even though I was with family and in two places I love to be, I still felt a sense of unrest. That disquietude did not disappear until I made it over the final hill a little over five hours later and saw MY town. Suddenly, there was a peace, a comfort, a sense of security. I have lived in this town for more than 26 years, longer than anywhere else. This is home. I know the landmarks, the names of the mountains, rivers, and even creeks. I can find my way around. Most of my friends, my colleagues, golfing buddies, bible study sisters are all here. My house, too, is a haven.

I know Heaven is going to be beautiful beyond belief, and I can’t wait to actually see Jesus face to face. But what I am most looking forward to is that overwhelming sense of peace and comfort and security that comes from finally being home.

     Last week I shared with you a few of the reasons why I believed the Bible was reliable and the inspired word of God. Today I would like to conclude by sharing why I believe Tenny’s acceptance of Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior has secured her eternity.
     First, once I accept that the Bible is true, then I must accept what the Bible says in totality. It is either all true or none of it is true. The option to pick and choose truth from the Bible would call into question everything said and leave us unsure as to which parts are true and which aren’t.
     Second, review any major religion and what you will find is a description of man’s attempt to reach God by man doing something to merit heaven and salvation. This is why Christianity cannot rightly be called a religion. It teaches that God did everything; all man can do is accept the free gift. Christianity focuses on the relationship between the believer and Christ.
     According to the Bible, Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. Only His death and resurrection justifies us before God, and only by accepting this free gift can man enter a Holy God’s presence. The following are only three of the many verses that convey these truths.

John 3:16 reads, “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.”

In John 14:16 Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Ephesians 2:9 asserts, “It is by grace you have been saved . . . it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

     But I think what is most compelling is the biblical proof that Jesus is the promised Messiah, the Savior of the world. In He Chose the Nails by Max Lucado, Lucado states that there are 332 distinct prophecies in the Bible about the Messiah. Jesus fulfilled every one of them. The mathematical possibility of one man fulfilling all of them is . . .

                                                                                               1
                                                                      ______________________________
                                                                  840,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
                                                              000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
                                                           000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
                                                                           000,000,000,000,000,000

      Every belief system has an element of faith in it, and faith by its very nature has doubt; otherwise, it wouldn’t be faith. However, I am hard pressed to find another belief system that has so much factual support for it. Add to that the very real presence of a God who is personally involved in my life, and like the apostle Paul, I can say with assurance, “I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed.” (2 Timothy 1:12)

I was speaking with a friend of mine who had recently lost his mother-in-law and he was saying that this (her death) was why he told his sons to always  do the right thing and be nice and kind to people--because you never know when you might die and you want to make sure you go to heaven. I asked him how he could be sure they had been good enough. He just shook his head and said he just hoped they were and at least they were better than a lot of other people.

Likewise, last week I mentioned that I knew with assurance that Tenny was now in heaven with the Lord. Peter says in 1 Peter 3:15 to “be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you,” so I thought I would follow up my statement with a few of the reasons why I believe Tenny’s faith in Christ has secured her eternity.  Since my assurance stems first from my belief in the Bible, I thought I should start there. My assurance begins with my belief that the Bible is the inspired word of God and is reliable and true.

First, it was written over a 1500 year time period by 40 different authors, from 3 different continents, and from completely different time periods and cultures, yet all the books are in complete agreement and unity.

Second, using the secular tests for determining the accuracy and reliability of ancient documents, secular historians have determined that the New Testament far surpasses any other ancient document as far as reliability:

• It has 24,630 copies still in existence. Its nearest rival, a work by Sophocles, has only 193 copies still in existence.
• For some partial books, there are only 25 years separating the original source and the actual copy. (For example, if the original document were written in 50 or 60 AD, then the copy we still have access to was written in 75 or 85 AD.) One complete book (“Mark” I believe) is separated by 80 years. Compare this again to its closest rival, Sophocles, and the difference between the original and the closest copy (not sure if this is partial or complete) in existence is 1400 years.
• In addition, all the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) were written close enough to Christ’s death and resurrection (A.D. 50 or 60; A.D. 64 or 65; after A.D. 70; A.D. 90 respectively)  that people were still alive who could either refute or validate their claims. (They even mention names of people to go to in order to substantiate their claims.) There are no works written during this time period to refute any of their claims.
• Secular writers of the same time period support many of the claims (Josephus and Tacitus are two.)
• There is archeological support for the places and events which occurred in the Bible.

There is more support for the Bible than any other ancient document (by Homer, Julius Caesar, etc), yet many people claim not to believe the Bible while they do believe these other documents. I hope these individuals have a solid foundation for their disbelief and don’t choose not to believe just because they don’t want to or don’t like what it says. That would be tantamount to someone saying I don’t believe in the California Vehicle Code because I don’t want to or don’t like the rules. Unfortunately, if they (the Bible and the Vehicle Code) are true, it doesn’t matter if you believe them or not. You are still subject to what they say.

     For those of you who did not see my Facebook post, a dear 25-year-old lost her life in a single car accident last week.
     Now, I know many of the verses, such as . . .
     “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways.” Is. 55:8
     “Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.” Ps. 30:5
     I also know with assurance that this vibrant, Christian woman is now with the Lord and enjoying riches beyond belief. But I still have so many questions and very few answers, and I still feel the pain. I still hurt.
     I hurt because my niece has lost her neighbor, friend, college roommate, maid of honor, and soul sister in what from a human perspective seems so untimely.
     I hurt because my sister and brother-in-law lost someone who was like another daughter to them.
     I hurt because there is a family I don’t know very well that is in deep pain, missing and mourning their daughter and sister despite their strong faith.
     Yes, I still have the questions. I want to know why? But I do know that God is faithful and trustworthy, and “He will never leave [us] or forsake [us].” Deut. 31:6, and that one day I will know why. All my questions will be answered.
     If you would like to learn more as to how to pray for the family or help the parents (who are overseas missionaries and now working their way back to the States) cover these unforeseen costs, you can do so by clicking on the link below. 

https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/8vm9/love-amp-support-the-arlen-family