How I know the Bible is real.

Bible reading did not become alive for me until my late 20’s. I remember going through a really confusing time in my life. I left a really good job in Louisiana and moved back home to Mississippi. I really didn’t know what direction my life was going in until I started to pick up the Word of God. Every day, day and night I read the Word and it became hard for me to put it down. Each and every book in the bible spoke to some aspect of my life, personally and professionally. The more I read, the more dreams I began having and open visions I received. There were visitations from angels who told me about my next move, and the Holy Spirit gave me strategy, insight and instruction. The bible says in Psalm 119:105, Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Reading the Word enabled me to hear clearly what path God had for my life.
In reading the Word of God, I also became more aware of my sins. The bible says in 2 Timothy 3:16, All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. The Word helped me to see what really pleased and displeased God. Now I know that God did not create the commandments to prohibit me, but He created them to protect me and my family line because sin has consequences. Numbers 14:18 says, The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation. Knowing the Word of God brings absolute freedom!

Paula, thank you for sharing such a reflective post. I love the Psalm 119 scripture reference as I have definitely been led by God through His word. His word is powerful and I can feel the difference in my day to day when I am not engaging with the Bible. Our God is gracious towards us and it is evident within your testimony. God can remove us from what seems good to the unknown, which ultimately helps us get to His best.

Paula, God is so good like that to always show right up when we need him. Your testimony is evidence of that, thank you for sharing. The beauty of God's word is that when he wants us to get it, he loves us so much he doesn’t mind repeating himself. Exodus 34:6-7 And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.

Paula, I understand what you shared with us to be true in my life as well. The word of God is all-encompassing when it comes to shaping, forming, and molding us in every facet of our lives! When we are open as you were with the leading of the Holy Spirit God can do so much with us! Like the dreams you began having and the open visions. He will send to us what we need to increase the faith we already have to strengthen the gift(s) we already have and prepare us for the ones that He wants to add to us! I loved the scripture you shared Psalm 119:105, Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Reading the Word enabled you to know what God desired for you in the past and desires for your future! I also agree one hundred percent, that God brings absolute freedom through His Word!