During my morning walks to our two block downtown I often stop in the used store. In the last couple of weeks I've noticed many bibles ending up on the used store bookcase, and to say the least it troubles me. Now a few of them should have been burned or thrown away, they have mold and extensive damage. But others are in wonderful shape still. I tried ignoring it,I told myself that they might me "extras" but I'm still troubled. So today I stopped and bought the best of the bibles and new testaments. I plan on giving them to whomever needs one, and it only cost me 80 cents.

I live in a town with more churches then anything else. It seems to be such a God centered town. Of course I've discovered in the last 4 yrs that that's not necessarily true, which is sad. But the idea of God's word being tossed out with such irrevrence disturbs me. There are so many that dont know of His all encompassing love! And to just blithly ignore it... Well, it's incomprehensible to me.

For me, the Word of God is quite literally life itself. Many times it's been the bible that's kept me on the sane side of depression. The bible is something I've always needed on hand, even as a small child. But then, for me it's like breathing. I may not always think about it, but for me it's always there. And when it's not there what is there is suffication. It's only been in this last yr that I started to understand that not everyone feels Christ's presence so literally as I do. The bible is more then a book of stories, it's personal messages written in Jesus' own hand! For me at least.

But I don't know how to explain to those who have not just what it is I do have. God's word, however confusing at times, is breathing. And any non medical person would be very hard put to discribe breathing to someone else. How does one bring another into the intimate relationship of God's handwritten word? How does one express that innate need of the bible? How do you teach another to breathe when they've only held their breathe? Breathing God's presence should be for everybody, not just those few who are like me.

Perhaps there's a positive reason for so many Bibles in the used book store - maybe people in that town love buying new Bibles, long before the old one is worn out.

But you are blessed to be in the position you are, as you are now well equipped to start a Bible ministry. I used to operate such a ministry, and it's a great ministry. Here's what I'd do: I'd collect used Bibles from any available source, Goodwill, used book stores, donations, whatever, and I'd put them in a box on the back seat of my car where anyone walking by could see them. You'd be surprised how many people would approach me and ask if I was a preacher, or simply ask why I had so many Bibles. I'd tell them that I had a ministry of giving away free Bibles, and would they like one? I gave away a lot of Bibles that way, and touched a lot of lives.

A Bible ministry is a wonderful ministry. I pray your opportunity to purchase all these Bibles will lead you to spread the Word of God in a very personal way. God bless.

I originally posted this as a response to another message, but I felt it appropriate to share in a wider capacity:

"Why do bad things happen to good people?" Who says these things are bad? Just because we don't like them, or are grieved by them, does NOT, necessarily make them BAD. It is my understanding that this world belongs to God, and we're just 'passing through'. I also understand that God does not, EVER, make mistakes. There is definately a reason for the things that happen, weather we like them or not, and we may NEVER know the reason. We have to take it on faith that somewhere, somehow, someone has increased in thier spirit even if we feel as though we've decreased. If we stop measuring our spiritual progress in terms of the flesh, we will be more accepting of God's will for us. Thus making 'bad' things, simply, things. Just wanted to add a new perspective to an ageless topic.

Your brother in Christ,

Pastor Mark

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