Tag: daily devotional

  • The Bible is a library bound in a book

    Library of Congress

    The university library was massive.  It had shelves of books on virtually every imaginable topic (and many that I had never conceived of) from every possible perspective. A person could read there for their entire lifetime and never even make a dent in the total number of books.

    Fortunately, I was interested in reading only some of the topics. Some areas held no interest for me whatsoever, and I don’t even have the expertise to decipher or understand others. For example, I’ve never been able to grasp the fundamental concepts behind simple differential/integral calculus, so any book on that topic or any topic that uses that knowledge as a foundation would be beyond me. 

    The foreign language section would be beyond my grasp. I took some French in high school and university, but to be generous, it’s rusty. I can make out the occasional phrase in Latin, German, Italian, Spanish, and a handful of other languages. Still, I am not fluent in any of them. I can say I don’t “speak the language” in French, German, Italian,  and Spanish.

    I headed towards the seminary section of the library, looking for the topics I was interested in researching. Again, there was a bewildering array of books. For example, there were hundreds of biographies on Jesus (and I know they only have a sampling), some of which start with the belief that the Bible is true (as do I) and others that believe that there is no truth in the Bible at all. Theological perspectives from the extreme liberal to the middle of the road and onto the ultra-conservative were available on many topics.

    The topic of God, the claims of Jesus, and the path to salvation are some of the most vital issues of all. It’s no wonder so many books have been written on these subjects.

    Some people look at all those books and think, “Why should I read the Bible?” If the “experts” can’t agree, why should I even try? Some denominations or congregations even try to maintain control by encouraging this point of view.

    The Bible is an incredible book. It contains truths that are so simple that a young child can understand them. It contains truths so vast that theologians have been arguing for thousands of years over the interpretations. If you are a believer, you have a built-in guide to help you understand the truth (Holy Spirit). No matter how much you read, you will never truly understand Scripture if you’re not a believer. 

    Yet, I know of many cases where people who weren’t believers but had open, honest, searching hearts asked God to reveal Himself to them when they read the Word, and He did.

    I have thousands of hours of Bible reading and study under my belt. I have thousands of hours of readings commentaries, dictionaries and other books about the Bible. I still have only begun to tap into the wealth of knowledge the Bible contains. There is more wisdom and truth in the Bible than in all the books in the university library for the person who will earnestly seek it.

    I’ll never know it all, but with a bit of reading, anyone can sit down and learn through the Bible that Jesus loves them and will save them if they only ask. The Bible will teach you what God is like and what He wants from us. It will teach you, rebuke you, correct you, and embrace you if you only open the covers and begin reading it.

    The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. Proverbs 1:7 NIV

    All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.  2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV

    Not sure where to begin reading your Bible? There are many plans available for daily Bible reading. Here’s one I recommend to people

    Read Genesis – it will help you understand creation, sin and God’s lan for the world.

    Read the Gospel of John through two or three times

    Read the four gospels through twice. By this point you’ll have a good idea of who Jesus is.

    Read the New Testament through twice. You’ll have a good basic knowledge.

    Follow this by reading all of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation.

    Repeat…Repeat… Repeat

    Reading twenty minutes daily will enable you to read through the Bible in a year. Reading a book a day will get you through cover to cover in 66 days.

    Don’t worry that you don’t understand it all at once—no one does. You will find, though, that you gain new wisdom and insights every time you do. 

    The more time you spend in the Word, the more you will realize its importance and the more you will want to do it. Don’t be discouraged; it’s often hard to form new habits. If you slip, just pick yourself up again and keep on going.

    Until next time, don’t be intimidated. Read the Bible. God had written a wonderful love letter to you within the pages of that book. He’s waiting for you to read it.

    Kevin

    Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.

    You might also like

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    The gift of fear – fear the Lord

  • Gift of Fear – Fearing The Lord

    skydiver

     I moved from inside the aircraft cabin to the little step under the wing with great fear. It was my first jump from a plane, and while I had great confidence in my parachute, I still had some small nagging doubts.

    Then came the moment I had to let go. By then, my heart was pounding so loudly that I was sure they could hear it in the little Cessna I had just stepped out of. The jump went without major incident. The next time required a trip to the emergency room, but that’s a story for another day.

    Fear has many negative connotations in today’s world, and there are undoubtedly many unhealthy fears. Yet fear itself can be a gift from God.

    Physiologically, fear can start the body’s fight-or-flight reflex. This change in physiology can make us stronger and faster than we ever thought possible, all in a split second as the body automatically prepares to defend itself from danger. If you’ve ever been in a situation where that reflex was needed, you know it was a gift from God.

    Because of the negative connotations fear has and the incomplete picture of God that people hold, there are passages in the Bible that they struggle with. These passages tell us to fear God. Some random examples:

    Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, that you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. Deuteronomy 6:1-2 

    So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied. Acts 9:31

    Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. 2 Corinthians 5:11 

    Fear God? What’s up with that? Doesn’t God love us? Isn’t God our Father? I hear those kinds of questions often.

    YES! FEAR GOD! If you don’t know Him, you must fear His wrath and the consequences of your sin. The thought of eternal damnation ought to scare you. If it doesn’t, you need to shake your head. This kind of fear can be a gift from God as well. It ought to drive you into His arms, crying out for mercy. If it does, you’ll have salvation, which will be wonderful.

    Those of us who know Him should also fear Him, but it’s not the same. When you check out the dictionary, you’ll find that to fear also means to have deep and reverential awe of Him. Yes, He’s our Father, but He also created and controls everything in the universe. He brings life. That kind of awesome power deserves respect and awe.

    When it comes to fear, rejoice. Fear of danger produces a healthy bodily response. God will drive out unhealthy fear. Fear of His wrath sends us to His mercy. Knowing Him creates a healthy fear. 

    Ironically, fear is nothing to be afraid of.

    Until next time, may you know the deep reverence and awe from knowing God the Father.

    Kevin

    Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.

    Some posts you might enjoy

    Chipped chisels – being made into God’s image

    Your identity in Christ

    Lost and Found

    Grace and space