How to Study the Bible

There can be little doubt among Christians that the Bible is the beginning place for spiritual information and growth. Our prayer lives are important, but we must never take for granted the Holy Scriptures as we learn about God and his will for our lives. The Bible serves as the foundation stone for everything else that we believe, do or value. We have spent time discussing the importance of reading and studying God's word, and we have considered some tools that will assist us in understanding the background and meaning of the Bible. Now let's consider how to study the Bible.

To begin with we need to reiterate the importance of reading the Bible. In the words of the famous Nike ad, “Just do it.” You do not need to learn everything before you start reading the Bible. Just start reading it. There are a lot of aids at this point. Find a schedule that will work for you. There are many online resources to help with this. In addition, we have a schedule that we are following as a congregation for 2012. Choose something and get started.

Now that you are started, ask yourself the following questions about your reading each time you read.

• What does this passage say? Decide what it is that the Biblical author is trying to communicate. You can do this by using some resources that will assist you in understanding. A study Bible or a commentary might be helpful. It could be that you will want to read the passage in some different translations. Start by reading the passage slowly. Ask the big questions: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? Learn what is happening and what is being said in a passage before you move on.
• How does this passage apply to me? Bible study is perhaps the most important thing that you can do on a regular basis. But the value of that study is severely limited if you don't follow it up by learning what you should do about it. The Bible calls us to action. It is a great source of information, but more importantly it is a book of instruction. When studying God's word think about what you should do because of what it says. How does a passage affect you? How should you think?
• Why is this passage important? To begin with we need to understand that all the passages in the Bible are important. Some are more or less relevant to us than others, but all are equally a part of God's word to us. With that disclaimer out of the way, pray about the significance of a passage. Not how important it is compared to other passages, but rather, answer why it is important to you. What is God trying to teach you with this passage? What is it's significance in my life?

There was a Christian song that was pretty popular several years ago. The hook of the chorus was “Read the book; don't wait for the movie.” That should be our approach to the Bible. We need to jump in and have a go. Hopefully you are now feeling more prepared to do that.

Why Read the Bible

For this year we have been focusing on getting everyone (as many people as possible, anyway) to read the Bible. To that end everyone is encouraged to read from the New Testament every day. By reading for just a few minutes each day we will have read the entire New Testament by the end of this year. What a great accomplishment for any Christian, but especially for those who are trying to learn as much as they can about God and his word.

The question that we haven't addressed yet is “Why should we read the Bible?” Most of us agree that the Bible is good, and that we feel like we should read it, but too often we don't think about it beyond the 'ought to' of it. Let's change that, shall we? Here are some reasons to read the New Testament. You can take them as that, or view them blessings that we receive when we read and know God's Word.

• Reading the Bible gives us valuable information. When we know what God has said in the Scriptures we can use it to help ourselves and others.
• Reading the Bible can help keep us from falling into error. It is easy to listen to some one's explanation of the 'truth', but if we have studied what the Bible says we know what the truth actually is. Compare the teachings of others with God's Word.
• Reading the Bible gives us information and context to share with others, those who are believers and those who are not yet Christians. One of the calls that all Christians shares is to teach and admonish others with the Word of God.
• Reading the Bible is the best way to learn about Christ. You can listen to sermons, attend Bible studies, read Christian books, but the way to learn the most and to grow the quickest is while reading the Bible.
• Reading the Bible is perhaps the best way to receive comfort in times of trial. In times of grief, stress, discouragement or loneliness we can turn to God's word for patience and comfort.
• Reading the Bible is a way to be approved by God. The expectations of the Lord for his followers are often too high for us to grasp, but a great starting place is to learn the Bible.
• Reading the Bible also builds us up, spiritually, intellectually and emotionally. Scriptures are a source of healing, strength and encouragement.

There are a lot more ways that we will benefit from Bible reading and study, but that will give you a few ways to get started. If you haven't begun this incredible journey yet, now is the time.

Simple Bible Study Tools

This year I have been (and will continue) trying to encourage you (and me) to think seriously about developing spiritually. The focus of my articles (and sermons) has been to give you some practical tools for growing in faith. My hope is that by the end of 2012 we will all have matured as disciples of Jesus Christ.

There are two primary ways that we are looking at this year: Prayer and Bible Study. The more time we spend in each, the more we will find ourselves becoming like Christ. The problem that we have is that too often we are clueless about how to go about praying. We get easily overwhelmed by trying to read the Bible.

First of all, let me say that I believe it is a misconception to think that the Bible is hard to understand. In earlier English versions we find language that has become archaic. Consequently, since the language is difficult we assume that the concepts are difficult as well. This is a very easy issue to overcome. To understand the text of the Bible with complete clarity, get a Bible in a translation or version that you can understand. I use the New King James Version, but some more accessible versions include the New Living Translation, the Message and the New International Version.

There are some other resources that will easily help you as you learn more about God's Word. The internet has become a tool for many things, including the Bible. Some of my favorite, and most helpful websites, include http://www.biblegateway.com/ . Bible Gateway is a collection of Bibles that can be searched by word, topic or verse reference. I use Bible Gateway on a weekly basis. Another excellent resource is net.bible.org. It is a new translation that includes a multitude of study notes and explanations.

There are many other resources to consider in your Bible study as well.

• A study Bible comes complete with commentary, explanatory notes and concordance.

• A concordance will help you find a verse by know a word in the verse.

• A Bible commentary will help to explain a particular passage in a way that makes it easier to understand and apply to life.

• A Bible dictionary will offer definitions for hard to understand words and concepts.

All of these items are available for loan in the church library or the church office in addition to be available for purchase at any Christian bookstore or at christianbook.com.

Happy Bible reading! Understanding God's word will make a world of difference in your life.

A New New Year's Resolution

It's that time of year again. Like it or not the pressure is building to change your life, make a difference, do something new, right, better. You may have already decided what you want to do for this coming year. Hopefully you are not trying to accomplish the same thing that you failed to do last year. I resolved to lose weight for several years in a row before I finally gave up.

I have a suggestion for your resolution this year. It is something new for most of us. It will not take much time or sacrifice but it will dramatically change your life. It is simple and almost anyone can do it. In fact, if you are reading this, you are qualified to take part in a congregational resolution. I want for all of us to read the New Testament this year. There is a schedule in this newsletter to help guide you.

If you are conscientious to follow this program each day, by the end of the year you will have finished all 27 books of the New Testament. There are 260 chapters in the New Testament. That means that you will have to read less than one chapter each day. There are 7,956 verses and 138,020. Don't even ask me how many that would be each day. This seems like a very manageable challenge.

But I can already hear those who are hesitant. The resisters will argue, “I just don't have time to read the Bible.” I fully appreciate how busy people are these days. I am busier than I have ever been. But with around five minutes a day, reading the New Testament doesn't seem impossible to me. So let me give you some suggestions for getting your reading in.

Mute the television when the commercials come on and read your Bible then.
Do your daily ready while you are waiting in line at the BMV, the doctor's office or the WalMart checkout lane.
Set your alarm and get up five minutes earlier each day.
Give up reading People Magazine and devote that time to the Bible.
Do your reading while you are waiting for the movie, concert or ball game to start.
Do the daily reading as a family before anyone gets up from the supper table.
Take your Bible with you to work and read it on your lunch break.
Do your daily reading while in the restroom.
Read your Bible while waiting to pick your kids up at school.

You get the idea, right? In fact, I bet that you could come up with some suggestions of your own to accomplish this resolution. I am hoping that everyone will be reading the Bible in the New Year. I will be.

Limited Government vs. the Bible

Here is a problem that I have: People who believe the Bible and want to severely limit government. To a certain extent I understand this. After all, governments, at least in the USA, seem to limit the reach of the church, or other faith-oriented organizations. Free exercise of religion may be tolerated, but often its advancement is impeded. This happens as the state tries to restrict the ability of public school teachers to express their faith, or even their opinions on issues of ethical or moral significance. In another instance, municipalities are prevented from displaying any form of faith expression, even as it represents the culture of the community, around holidays.

In these cases, and others like them, I agree fully that government, federal or local, should be prevented from limited any expressions of faith. We should always remember that a fundamental principle of American independence is freedom of religion, not necessarily freedom from religion. However, we must take care to not place restrictions or limits on government that will cause us to compromise our Christian, biblical principles.

Here is what I am driving at. People are bad. Christian theology is based on the biblical ideal that humans are fundamentally flawed. We all inherit sin from our ancestors, beginning with Adam. We call this original sin. The New Testament puts a specific spin on this concept. Romans 3.10 say that there is no one who is righteous. Romans 3.23 affirms that "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God."

And that is exactly the problem with limiting government. The Bible teaches that if we are left to our own devices we will sin. Eventually, our sin will cause harm to others. That means that your sin will eventually cause the loss of my property, health or life. We need government, therefore, for protection. Government is necessary because we are basically evil.

If our government limits itself too much, we will all suffer because of it. Anarchy will be the natural result of this. We must be wise in our calls for limited government.

Mid-Life Crisis, part II

Last month I wrote about my “mid-life crisis” when I turned 40. At that time I asked God to reveal to me what I should be doing with the rest of my life. I am very concerned that I do not waste my time, my energy, or the gifts that God gave to me. I want to be found worthy of God's call on my life and to do his work with all my heart.

To that end, God gave me the mission to do three things with the rest of my life. I wrote about the first of those last month, “Renewing worship in the church.” Today, let's turn to the second part of this renewed call; “Teaching the Bible and instilling a love for God's Word in God's people.”

A big part of what I have devoted my life too is learning God's word. I read the Bible every day. I have made a commitment to read it through at least once each year for the rest of my life. I regularly read books about the Bible. I take classes and listen to sermons on the Bible. I am resolved to base my sermons, lessons and writings on God's Word. It will be the basis from which I orient my priorities in living, teaching and planning for the future.

This is all true partly because,

1. The Bible is the best place to get information on how to live in God's will. Without a foundation source, we cannot really know what God wants, or how to measure ourselves.

2. The Bible comes to us as the actual, revealed Word of God. God has spoken to us so that we can know his ways, his works and his will.

3. The more we know and study the Bible, the more we will want to know and study God's word. Knowing about the Bible causes us to want to know more about the Bible. Reading His word, makes us want to study it more. We will learn that we can never know too much Biblical information. God's word is addictive, in a good way.

4. The Bible reveals to us how we can grow in our faith. There are too many Christians who struggle just to maintain their faith experience. Many more have no clue how to experience the abundant life that Jesus promises (John 10.10). To grow in your faith, spend time with God studying his Word.

I promise you, that to the best of my ability, I will teach you what God teaches in the Scriptures. I will challenge you to read, study and meditate on the Bible so that you can experience God in new ways. How about joining me on this journey into God's Word?

Problems I Have with the Bible

I know that it probably seems like heresy to some, but I do have some problems with the Bible. Now before you get too worked up with me, let me explain that I believe in the divine inspiration of the Bible. I believe that it is the word of God. Whenever I need to know God's will, be reminded of his way, or be refreshed by his words, I turn to the Bible. I own dozens of copies of the Bible. There are very few people I know who love the Bible more than I do.

That is why I have mixed emotions about what I am about to write. I love God and I love his word. I do not want to seem disrespectful, but there are some issues that I want to raise with the Almighty at the first opportunity. I have some questions that maybe only God can answer.

• The Prodigal Son (Luke 15). The story of the Lost Son is pretty straightforward and familiar to everyone. But I wonder about the older brother. He gets all the reward? His father insists that all he has belongs to the older brother. On the one hand this is only fair, but on the other, the father is to serve as a picture of God. Is this the loving Father that we are to believe in and hope for? When we turn from our sins can we anticipate forgiveness but no reward?
• The Wedding Feast (John 2). This was Jesus' first miracle- commonly referred to as turning water into wine. The servants in the story obeyed Jesus' directions to fill the jars with water. Why? No one had ever seen Jesus do a miracle, surely they did not expect one now. Why would they? Whose wedding was this? Why was Jesus so interested?
• Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 22). God called Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac. We know how the story turns out. We know that God provides a sacrifice in place of Isaac, but what a state of discomfort we go through on the way to the end of the story. Why does God do that? It seems like some sort of sick game that God is playing.
• Wrathful War. There are numerous instances in the Old Testament in which God orders his people to kill everyone of their enemies, including women and children. The Israelites, in fact, are punished when they do not completely kill everyone. Why would God order this? Isn't there a better way?

The Four Most Important Things

One of the themes of my life has been what I call "the four most important things." I believe that these things are all essential to a successful life. You cannot grow and succeed as a human, and certainly not as a Christian, without these four elements in your life.

Careful attention must be paid to each one. There is not one that is more important than the others. Likewise, you should not try to start with only one of these things. You must jump in with both feet and get a little bit of all of them.

The Bible is full of admonitions and examples on each of these things. History is full of accounts of people whose lives are enriched by these four items. You will find the same to be true for you.

• Bible study. Even if you are not a Christian believer, the Bible is the greatest piece of literature ever produced. Western civilization has been formed by the stories and teachings of the Bible. Whether this (USA) is a Christian nation or not, it is hard to understand our history and culture without a basic knowledge of the Bible. And for the Christian it is even more important. To know God, you must know what is in his book.
• Prayer. No one should be without prayer. There should be time everyday devoted to prayer. In prayer we build a relationship with God, even as we get in touch with ourselves. Prayer is not a recitation of our wish list for God to fulfill, but a way for us to establish communication with someone greater than ourselves.
• Fellowship. It is important that people spend time with one another. Humans were built to be in relationships. We are social beings. Christians, especially, need the support that can only be gained from other Christians. Surround yourself with like-minded people when you need to accomplish something (a team), or overcome something (support group, 12-step group). Fellowship is crucial.
• Ministry. Take all of the good stuff in your life, and share it with someone else. The only way to survive is to reach out to others. Feed the hungry. Care for the sick. Shelter the homeless. Clothe the naked. You will be surprised at how much you gain from doing just a few simple things for someone else.

What I Believe About the Bible

Many of you are aware of the high view I have of Scripture. I read it, study it, and meditate on it on a regular basis. I have made a commitment to read the Bible through every year for the rest of my life. I am committed to teaching others the Bible and helping to nurture in them the same love for God’s word that I have. It is with that in mind that I offer the following thoughts about the Bible.

• The Bible is inspired by God. It was written, copied, translated, carried, distributed and read by humans, but God was behind the whole thing from the very beginning.
• The Bible is encouraging to readers. If you allow yourself to spend even the shortest amount of time with the Bible, you will find that you can be inspired, challenged and comforted by its words.
• The Bible is consistent with itself. It took hundreds of years for the Bible to be written. Dozens of authors were used in its composition, and yet the Bible is consistent from front to back in doctrine, history and theology as well as lifestyle guidelines and commands.
• The Bible speaks to all who will listen. Although God still speaks to individuals, he continues to use the Bible to get his message across. If you want to hear from God, read his word.
• The Bible is a significant historical document. To get a full view of ancient history, as well as a context for modern life, be sure to read the Bible.
• The Bible shows us how to live. Rules for conduct, worship, relationships, morality and more are all contained in the Bible. It is not only an historical document, it also is a guidebook.
• The Bible has changed our world and shaped our culture. Hospitals, universities, children’s homes, governments and more were all created in response to God’s word. The Bible has had more impact than any other book, ever.
• The Bible teaches us about God. To know what God thinks, who he is, what he wants, or where he is from, read the Bible.
• The Bible is the biggest selling book of all time. New translations and versions come out every year. And every year more Bibles are sold than any other book.

I could go on, but I think that you get the gist of it. Read the Bible! Do it now!

Saul's Stumbles

The story of King Saul in the Bible is fascinating and terrible. It is fascinating in much the same way a television soap opera is. The story is filled with beautiful people who have lots of advantages. But it is terrible in that those beautiful people keep making mistakes. Saul's mistakes cost him is family, his throne and his life.

You need to know, first of all, that Saul was the first King of Israel. The people had clamored for a king, and God finally obliged them with Saul. King Saul's reign was initially marked with success, growth and faithfulness to God. But ultimately, paranoia, power and distraction caused Saul to lose sight of the God who put him on the throne to begin with. There are at least eight mistakes that Saul made.

• Saul made an unlawful sacrifice (1 Samuel 13.9-10). Saul grew impatient waiting for Samuel, who was the priest, to arrive to make a sacrifice. It is an instance of Saul believing himself above God's established leadership in the priesthood.
• Saul did not kill the Amalekite King, Agag (1 Samuel 15.9). Although God had given explicit orders to destroy the people and possessions of Amalek completely, Saul did not. This is a certain sign of disobedience to the law of God.
• Saul made a rash order for his people (1 Samuel 14.24ff). The story is long and a little complicated, but the basics are this; Saul ordered his people to fast until they gained victory over the Philistines. Jonathan, his beloved son, was not aware of the command and ate. In this instance, Saul showed a lack of reason and a self-will that was unacceptable to God.
• Saul made a monument to himself (1 Samuel 15.12). Saul was so full of himself that he did what so many other kings before and after have done. He began to believe that he was invincible. As such he built himself a monument so that he would be remembered. This is anathema to the God of the humble.
• Saul opened himself to various kinds of spirits (1 Samuel 16.14). It may be a natural consequence of disobedience and self-exaltation, but when a person rejects God, he opens himself up to other powers. Saul became oppressed (maybe possessed?) by demons.
• Saul lost his faith in God (1 Samuel 17.11). In the story of David and Goliath we often focus on the faith of the young boy. David believed that God had called him and would deliver himself and all Israel from the giant. The contrast that is often overlooked is that Saul, the King, the chosen one of God, was filled with fear. 2 Timothy 1.7 reminds us that fear cannot come from God.
• Saul became jealous of David (1 Samuel 18.7-9). Rather than celebrate the fact that God was working in David's life, Saul chose to be jealous and bitter. How sad for him that he could not enjoy and be blessed by God's obvious blessing on another.
• Saul was left by the Lord (1 Samuel 18.12). One of the saddest thoughts of any life is that God could leave. Saul had been disobedient for too long, he had neglected his faith too many times. The blessing of God was gone forever.

The problem for most of us is that we can see ourselves in the mistakes that Saul made. Maybe we have decided that the way God wants us to worship doesn't 'feel' good to us. Perhaps we have been disobedient, or have thought too highly of ourselves. It could be that we are jealous of the work of God in the life of another. Whatever the situation, it is time that we wake up and return to God. Do not become the next in a long line of spiritual "Sauls."

The 4 Most Important Things

I believe that it is very important that every person, especially those that follow Jesus, grow in their faith and understanding of life. It is my conviction that if you are not growing, you are moving in the wrong direction. A relationship with God is like every other relationship. It takes work. That is why I believe that the 4 most important things are crucial for every human.

1. Bible reading. To know God, you must read about God. The Bible is the best source for material about God that is available.
2. Prayer. To know God, you must talk with God. Prayer goes both ways; it is equal parts talking and listening.
3. Fellowship. To know God, you must spend time with God people. God people will challenge you to be more like what God intended you to be.
4. Changing the world. To know God, you must do what God wants. It is God's desire that everyone should know Him, and that our world more closely resemble His.

A regular discipline of these practices will make a great difference in the life of any and every person.