The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Dear Editor, More and more people today are basing their faith, beliefs and closeness to God on feelings, emotions, traditions, supernatural events, "miracles", "healings", special signs and dreams, etc. In addition, they are putting less and less emphasis on studying the Bible for themselves. It is very dangerous for people and churches to base their beliefs mainly on traditions and on the things that they feel, see or hear, etc. instead of on the teachings of the Scriptures. More and more deceptions are coming into many churches today. The time has come when we must not rely on our senses and traditions; we must instead study and live by the Word of God. Jesus warned, "You are in error because you do not know the ScripturesÉ" (Matthew 22:29 - NIV). This is even more important when considering the number of weather disasters that have occurred in our world recently. It is also very dangerous when people believe that they are being lead by the Holy Spirit so they no longer need the Bible. It is essential to remember that the Holy Spirit will never lead or teach anyone to do or to believe anything that is in contradiction with the Word of God. He brings to our minds the things that we have read in the Scriptures and if we have not read them He cannot bring them to our minds. The Bible says, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." and "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth." Jesus said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds (comes) from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4 - NKJV) During the Christian Reformation, from 1517 to 1648, millions of Christians risked, and even sacrificed, their lives rather than disobey the teachings of the Bible. It is very sad that they made these great sacrifices so we could have Bibles available today and yet so few people take time to read, let alone study, the Bible for themselves. Believing what others, even if they are religious leaders, say is in the Bible, without checking it out for ourselves, could easily be a fatal mistake. Like the Reformers of long ago, our motto should be "Sola Scriptura" Ð "the Scriptures alone" Ð as a source of our beliefs. Today is the day for every person, whether they are a Believer or not, to carefully read the Bible for themselves, while praying to God to help them understand what they are reading; our eternal destiny is at stake. Why not start by reading the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John? David Ogram Swan River (Former resident of Flin Flon)2/18/2011
