Psalm 119:133
Guide my steps by your word, so I will not be overcome by any evil.
Now before you bow up on me and call me old....out of touch....stuck in the past...hear me out. I know that I am all of those things, but sometimes the more things change, the more we need the foundational truth of the word of God. In other words, we need to be not only biblically literate...but the need to translate into our lives the idea of being biblically obedient. One cannot stand without the other, for how will we know how and what to obey unless we know the Word of God.
I am simply stating what is important to me. Times have changed and reading and studying the word of God isn't in vogue anymore. In an age of Techno-Video devices that do everything but curve your spine and win the war, the thought of actually picking up a book.....especially the Bible is completely foreign to some folks.
There is a pace and voice to the Scriptures that bring great peace to me when I study them. Let me say this....The Bible is a practical book for practical living. If it isn't, then there is no reason for me to read it or study it.
Do I chunk the Word in order to latch on to the latest fad or hottest new speaker making the religious rounds? Nope. Enjoy the latest offering by your favorite Christian author, but don't neglect Scripture.
I cherish the Bible. I relish the times I get to open up those pages and let the Spirit of God speak to me through the words. I have several different translations and each one is marked and highlighted and dated and has more notes than Carter has pills ( if you get that reference....well your up in years like me....if you don't get that reference....just look over me...).
Seems to me that folks today had rather go by their feelings and their experiences when it comes to following God. No matter what, shouldn't you always go to the Word to verify the truth to what you have felt or the experience you encountered?
I am all up in "Feeling" the presence of God. But that feeling goes away and I find myself living back among the mortals with my own set of problems and circumstances. It is during this time that I find my comfort in the Word. Like I said, the Holy Spirit speaks to me through my study.
I have written here in the past about my love for this gentleman above....One Dr. J. Vernon McGee. He is host of the radio program Through The Bible. Dr. McGee goes through the entire Bible in 5 years, teaching and expounding on the word of God. Sounds boring doesn't it? Well it's not. If you have ever avoided books such as Leviticus or Deuteronomy...I and II Chronicles....it would serve you well to take a look at them. Did you realize that Jesus quoted more from the book of Deuteronomy than any other book. Why? What was it about that particular book that Jesus saw the value in learning it? Take the journey and find out the truth for yourself.
Now I'll give you this one. Dr. McGee is an acquired taste because of his accent. He was from Texas, living in California and somewhere along the way....his accent got all twisted. I don't always agree with Dr. McGee on every point, but he does offer me new ways of looking at verses. Dr. McGee died in the early '80's but his program continues to this day. What's more, Through the Bible broadcast to over 100 countries around the world. I particularly enjoy the letters that are read during the program from people who live for this broadcast. It is the most important thing in their daily life. Think about it! It is just one man teaching the Bible for 30 minutes, going line by line.....We sometimes forget the power of the Word of God.
Psalm 119:162 reads: I rejoice in your word, like one who finds a great treasure.
It's not a treasure if you don't find the value in it.
Continuing in Psalm 119, we come to the 130th verse -- The unfolding of Your word brings light and understanding. Even the simple can understand them. I like the term "Unfolding" of Your word. I think of the way my wife folds bath towels. She can take these humongous hunks of towel and fold them down until they are minuscule. Once you start unfolding the towel the true size of it is revealed, just as God's word is unfolded, we see that it is bigger than our understanding. Larger than our problems and yet opens our minds and spirits up to God's eternal truth.
Find a version of the Bible that works for you. One you can understand.
Join a Bible study...
Make sure your church teaches the word of God and not simply "feel-good" messages that have no real substance to them. Pray and ask God to give you a hunger for His word.
Then jump in!
Jump in over your head and enjoy.
God on you....
mb
1 comment:
Well put my friend.
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