Wednesday, May 5, 2010

BIBLE that is the book for me!!

But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
2 Timothy 3:14-17



Some things (like getting a drink water) are best done when we feel thristy. Other things (like saving money) are best done over time in a disciplined manner, whether or not we feel like doing it. Listening to God speak to us through the Bible is like saving money. It is best done over time in a disciplined manner.



The Bible is God’s gift to us. Certainly God can speak to us through music, through many types of literature. There is no end to the ways that the Spirit can tweak us with signs of God’s presence and loving power. But there’s nothing that speaks with the authenticity, or the authority, of the Bible.

Together with prayer, listening on a daily basis to “the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ” is a crucial discipline for spiritual growth.



So how do you do it?



After a few years of personal experience and working with others in growing their understanding and appreciation of the Bible, I have come to understand that the biggest hindrance is the idea that we have to “understand” all that we read in the Bible. People begin to read in a burst of spiritual enthusiasm and good intentions…and then quit because they “just don’t get it.”



But that really is not the reason why they quit.


The real reason is not that they did not “get it”, it is that they did not “do it”! Their plan was faulty. They thought that reading the Bible was something they would do as long as their enthusiasm lasted. When they came to a day where they no longer felt like reading the Bible, they quit.



I have come to believe that the real key to using the Bible is just that – using the Bible. Nothing beats actually spending time reading (or listening if you get a Bible on CD for your car) to the Bible.


First, you begin with a goal, a specific, measurable, attainable goal. “I will read the entire Bible this year.” “I will read the New Testament from Matthew through Revelation three times in six months.”



Second, you create a means of marking your progress. You draw a chart that you fill in, a calendar that you mark off, or some other means of keeping track. For a few years. I have used an handout from Church. Whatever works for you, the point is that you mark your progress toward a goal.



Third, you do it. You don’t worry about not understanding, you just concentrate on filling in your chart, doing your daily reading. You might also have opportunity for more disciplined Bible study if you are in a Sunday School class, a small group Bible study or, after you’ve been at it for a few years, you might be doing more intentional study on your own. But it’s best to begin at the very beginning – putting in the time, doing the work, to develop a sense of familiarity with the scope and sweep of the Bible’s stories.



I remember one day when I was driving down the road on the way to visit someone in the hospital. As I wondered what was going on with me(back issues)and as I was preparing for my visit, a Bible story from John 9 popped into my head.The healing of the blind man, now I was not going blind, but it reminded me of the "Great Healer" It asked the question I was asking. Jesus spoke words which encouraged me. Had I not made the investment of growing in my use of the Bible, I would not have had that story in my “spiritual bank”, available to me when I needed it.



Just do it.



Let us pray: Your Word can be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. It can also be a complete mystery leaving us feeling inadequate and uninformed. Certainly there are Christians who live an entire lifetime and never develop much familiarity, appreciation or understanding of the Bible. But their spiritual lives are impoverished and they are missing out on one of the means of knowing you better. Create a fire in us to listen to you through the words of scripture in a daily, disciplined way. In Jesus’ name.
Amen.

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