February 9

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God. 2 Timothy 3:16.

Inspiration means "breathing into." Thus on the Day of Pentecost the disciples were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. They spoke by inspiration. Similarly the Spirit moved the holy writers to speak and write and gave them the thoughts, and with the thoughts the words they were to utter. God operated with and through their minds and hands, and thus what they wrote was wholly the infallible Word of God.

However, the holy men of God who wrote and spoke were permitted to retain their own individuality with all its marks and touches. The Holy Ghost filled the sacred writers in such manner as to let every one of them follow out his own line of investigation and to allow him to keep his own characteristic style. But though the Bible was written by a number of men; though we find in it a great variety as to form and contents; though the holy writers were shepherds, fishermen, physicians, priests, prophets, artisans, statesmen, generals, kings; men with a great diversity of culture, some writing prose and others poetry, — yet we note a most wonderful harmony of the entire Scriptures. This points to one Intelligence. "Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." "They spoke not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth." This alone accounts for the fact that the Bible, though written by many, is strictly a unity.

The real Author of the Bible is God. The words of Holy Scripture are God's own words. All that the Bible says is true. We may fully trust in all its historical and astronomical data as well

as in all its prophecies, in the account given of the creation of the world as well as in all its records of heavenly things. In short, the whole Bible, from cover to cover, is true. God cannot err.

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus Christ, reign in us and rule over us and bring into complete captivity every thought to the obedience of Thee and Thy Word that we may be ready to believe all that the holy men of God spoke by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost and increase in the knowledge of Thee, and be strengthened with all might, according to Thy glorious power, till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of Thee, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of Thy fulness. We thank Thee from our inmost hearts for the precious gift of Thy inspired Word. Amen.

The Word they still shall let remain And not a thank have for it; He's by our side upon the plain With His good gifts and Spirit.