What I believe about the Bible
It was written by about 40 different people as they were led by the Holy Spirit. It has been translated from the oldest Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek texts in existence by groups of well-known and respected Biblical scholars. I believe that a lot of the problems we have in our country and many parts of the world today are because many people don’t know about the Bible or have abandoned or rejected the Word of God as the standard by which we should all be living. Christians in other parts of the world are crying out to have their own copies because they know its value.
It’s the Word of God and everything we believe, speak, and write when it comes to being Christians should be consistent with it. It is the absolute truth and is the only authorized book by which we should all be living.
2 Peter 1:20-21 “No prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”
2 Tim. 3:16,17 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God (or God-breathed), and is profitable for doctrine (or teaching), for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
I know it’s living and powerful because reading it over and over has literally changed my life. And if my wife was here, she would tell you that. I lead a home group and we’ve been reading and studying the book of Ephesians. As I’ve read it and studied it, I can sense the power that’s in it. It moves me in a way I can’t explain.
I urge you to start reading and studying God’s word, the Bible and see how it changes your life. It offers hope and is the only living guidebook and blueprint for living.
Why is my website named Yucca-network? Almost everywhere my wife and I lived, there were Yucca plants of some variety, even when we lived in northern Montana. In one place we lived, our house was built into a hillside where there were many yucca plants. The name of our street had “Yucca” in it. The plant is resilient, adaptable, and hard to get rid of if you don’t like it. For some reason, it has become one of my favorite plants. Along with writing, I’m also an artist who likes to draw or paint pictures of yucca plants. I recently acquired a painting that my maternal grandmother painted when she was probably in her 90s. It’s a desert scene with several yucca plants in it. It’s a treasured possession.
In my research into the different varieties of the yucca plant, I discovered Yucca whipplei (aka Hesperoyucca whipplei). It grows mostly in the southwestern United States. One of its common names is “our Lord’s candle.” That name intrigued me. According to what I learned from my research, it’s towering, flame-like, white inflorescence (flower cluster) “glows like a divine beacon.” Thus, the term “candle.”
A candle, when lit, produces light. I am an ardent believer in the Bible, God’s Word. I’ve read through it many times and studied it for many years. One of my favorite verses is Psalm 119:105 which states, “Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path” (NIV). God’s word shows us how to live our lives according to His will and plans for our lives. Another of my favorite verses is Hebrews 4:12. It states that God’s word is “living and powerful.” As I’ve read and studied the Bible seriously and intensely for over forty years, I can testify that my life has been literally and dramatically changed, for the better. My late wife would also testify to the changes that have taken place in me. It’s my prayer that every person would read and study God’s word. People in other parts of the world are begging to have their own Bible.
So, to me, “our Lord’s candle” is a symbol of God’s word. The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 1 that God’s divinity and power can be seen in His creation. Yucca whipplei is one of His many creations.
Uncommon Grace.
A story of adventure, drama and romance
“Disillusioned and angry at God for what happened to his family during the Civil War, young Frank Duncan leaves his home in rural Georgia to escape the memories and find his own way in life. Though wise in some ways, he encounters many challenges that shake his own personal confidence and his belief in God. What will he find as he travels to Texas and beyond? See how he learns about forgiveness.”
It is available as an eBook or paperback on Amazon.com (Amazon.com: Uncommon Grace eBook : Taylor, Lamar: Kindle Store). If you read it, please add a review to the Amazon site. Thank you.
Hi! I’m Lamar Taylor
For 20 years, I worked in several western states as a Rangeland Management Specialist, overseeing livestock grazing on Public and Forest lands.
At 44 years of age, my wife (she was a science teacher) and I left our jobs and went to Bible college for two years. We were pastors and assistant pastors for several years, all in the western US.
