In our last post, we mentioned that the work of God’s Holy Spirit is from the inside out. You are being transformed and, in the process, trusting more and more in Jesus. Trusting in Jesus is what faith is all about!
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It is important to know God! What He expects of us as well as what we can expect from Him. If we wanted to know how to operate a piece of equipment like a car or a computer, we would look at the owner’s manual. To be successful in God’s eyes we need an owner’s manual written by our creator. God did not leave anything to chance, He provided us with the His owner’s manual the Bible. If we look at the word bible as an acronym it might say “Believers Instructions Before Leaving Earth”!
The intellectual approach to the Bible
When I was a young man in college, I read the Bible as part of my course work. I wasn’t a believer at the time and looked at the Bible as a piece of classic literature. My conclusion after reading the Bible for a semester was that it, the Bible, made no sense whatsoever! It was sheer foolishness!
Then some years later, after accepting Christ into my life, I started to read the Bible again. I must admit that I didn’t understand it all, but something about it compelled me, or drew me, to read and re-read the Bible. Over time I discovered timeless truths that changed my world-view and changed my life.
Looking back, I now understand that when l was in college I was trying to comprehend the Bible with my mind or my intellect aloneand this caused me to miss the spiritual significance of the Word of God.
The Bible must be spiritually discerned
Listen to what the Apostle Paul says in 1 Cor 2:13-14, “These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man (non-believer) does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned”. We need to learn how to rely on the Holy Spirit to discern the truth.
Isaiah says in chapter 55:8-9, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts”. In a nutshell, God is saying we cannot fully understand his thoughts and ways because they are much higher than ours. After all, He is the creator of the Universe, what have you created lately?
Because God is higher than our minds can fully comprehend, He provided us His Holy Spirit to communicate without spirit everything we need for this life and living in godly ways (it says that in 2 Peter 1:3).
The Bible is not just a book written by the imaginations of men, but it is a God-inspired book, God breathed as it were. All that is in the Bible was imparted to a group of people by God and what God wanted us to know can be found in the Bible or Scriptures. 2 Tim 3:16-17 says the following, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine (truths), for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (right living), that the man/woman of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work”. So, the Bible shows us the truths of God, what is the wrong way to live life, and the right way to live so that we would be fruitful and blessed as a Christian.
The Bible is broken up into two major parts
The Old Testament followed by the New Testament. While it is important to understand that the entire bible is inspired by God it is also important to recognize that the Old Testament was written for the Jews who lived under the Law of Moses. The New Testament was written for those who put their trust in Jesus Christ.
As Christians, the New Testament was written for us who live under Grace (God’s gift). Now most people who try to read the bible begin at the beginning in Genesis, that makes human sense, but I would suggest you begin in the New Testament since what is found in it applies to Christians. Later you can tackle the Old Testament from the perspective of the New Testament.
If you have not read the Bible or read the Bible lately I would urge you to try again. This time before you begin, ask God to reveal Himself to you in His Word. I would also suggest you start in the Gospel of John and then read, meditate, ponder, think about what you have read throughout the day. Try to read one chapter a day. After completing the book of John continue on to the book of Acts, Romans and etc. to the end of the Bible which is the book of Revelation.
If you are sincere in trying to understand the bible I can promise you that God will truly amaze you.
Here is an interesting question, “Can the Bible speak?
There are 2 important things we must remember and accept by faith about the Bible.
- One, it is the inspired word of God, God breathed the words that we find in the Bible. 2Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is given by inspiration (God-breathed) of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work”.
- Two, it is a spiritual book and can be understood by believers who recognize that they are themselves spiritual. 1 Corinthians 6:19 says the following, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own”? in other words the Holy Spirit lives in you!
Here is some exciting news! God promisedin 1 Corinthians 2:6-16, that he would give us spiritual “eyes to see, ears to hear and a heart or mind to comprehend the things of God”. That means every person is capable of understanding the Bible to the extent they need to.
So, how can a book thousands of years old be relevant and “speak to us” for our lives today?
The Bible is not meant to be simply an intellectual book about times, places and people, but a guide for living life. Psalms 119:105 “Your word (Bible)is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path”. The primary purpose of the Bible is to guide you into living a peace-filled, purpose-filled, and joy-filled life or in other words a blessed life.
Illumination
Bible scholars use the term “illumination of the scriptures”to mean that as we read the Bible certain verses or phrases come “alive” or seem to “jump off the page” and are relevant to what we are going through in life.
Let me illustrate this concept of “illumination” with an example from my own life.
As a new Christian, I used to have a problem with anger. I would get angry over the simplest situations and that created a tense environment in relationships especially with my family. Looking back, I would get angry over the silliest things. Now, my anger was such a part of my life that I was not aware of the “angry man” I had become. One day as I was reading in the book of James (1:19) the following verse “jumped out”, “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God”.
Immediately, through that scripture verse, I saw myself for who I was, a very angry man. I didn’t take the time to listen, I would speak rashly and become so easily angry. I also saw the impact I was having on my family. It was then I began a journey, with the help of God’s Holy Spirit, to get to the root of my anger and deal with it. I knew enough that anger leads to bitterness and bitterness is an emotional poison.
To make a long story short, God showed me that I had made a foolish decision as a teenager, I decided that I would not let anyone hurt me, emotionally, but that I instead of feelings of hurt I would get angry instead. The hidden vow I made was forgotten but the decision I made had a long-term effect on me.
All of this happened because God didn’t want me to live my life hurting myself and others. You see “hurting people hurt people”! The Holy Spirit illuminated that verse in James and it had a profound and personal impact upon my life. Today I can say anger is not a part of my life, but love is, and I can assure you those around me appreciate that!
In conclusion, the Word of God, the Bible has many interesting characters, places, and events, but its primary purpose is to reflect who you really are, not who you think you are, but who you really are and then to show you, lead you and help you become the person God has always intended you to be, more like Jesus in every way. Let me paraphrase 2 Corinthians 3:18, “But we, with all our masks, removed, looking into a mirror and seeing the Lord Jesus
I cannot overemphasize the importance of developing the habit of spending time in the Word. The length of time is not as important as spending time. Five minutes is better than zero!
Don’t be concerned in the beginning that you don’t understand the characters, places, and events… that will come. Just read the New Testament with an open mind and heart and you will see the scriptures illuminated for you personally. I am confident of this because I know that God loves you and wants to bless you in every area of your life… just trust and follow Him.
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