Category: Bible

The Bible and a Cell Phone

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I find the truth of this post quite enlightening and wanted to share this and keep it as a reminder of my priorities:

Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone?

  • What if we carried it around all day?
  • What if we flipped through it several times a day?
  • What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
  • What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
  • What if we searched through it to find useful information?
  • What if we treated it like we couldn’t live without it?
  • What if we talked about it with our friends and family?
  • What if we shared the discoveries we have made?
  • What if we told others about the helpful things it does?
  • What if we gave it to kids as a gift?
  • What if we used it when we traveled?
  • What if we used it in case of emergency?
  • What if we used it as a GPS to tell us where we are?
  • What if we used it for navigation to help us get to where we want to be?

This is something to make you go….hmm…where is my Bible? Unlike our cell phone, we don’t have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill.

Does this make you stop and think about priorities? And never a dropped call!

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Applying Scripture is Not Easy

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Read this today and it seems right on target:

Applying Scripture to our lives isn’t easy. Think about it, if it were easy, more people would be doing it. Most people who read the Bible don’t really apply what they read to their lives. Why? Because it’s hard work!

So what makes applying God’s Word so hard? Here are three reasons it’s hard for you and me to apply Scripture to our lives.

Application Requires Serious Thought:
It takes long periods of concentrated prayer and thought before you can apply the Scripture you’re learning. You won’t always understand the application immediately. You have to think about what you’ve read. You have to meditate on it. That takes time most people often don’t want to give.

Satan Fights Application:
The devil’s strongest attacks are going to come in your personal devotional time when you’re trying to apply what you’ve studied. Satan knows that as long as you’re content with merely hearing the Word or reading the Word, you are not much of a threat to his plans. But as soon as you get serious about making changes in your life, he’s going to fight you tooth and nail because he hates doers of the Word (James 1:22).

We Naturally Resist Change:
It’s human nature; no one likes to change. But that’s God’s main purpose with his Word; he wants it to transform our lives. He wants to make us more like Jesus. The key to making us more like Jesus is applying God’s Word. That’s why most churches focus on interpreting Scripture and learning about the Bible’s background. Most people are happy to do that. You can learn all about the people of the Bible, the background of the Bible, and the doctrines of the Bible, and still live like the rest of the world. We’re happy to apply God’s Word to other people, but we don’t like doing it to ourselves.

We grow spiritually and become mature Christians by applying God’s Word to our lives. You and I need to ask the Holy Spirit to give us the strength, because we don’t have the strength on our own to obey (John 15:5). The Bible calls us to ask God to empower us through his Spirit: “I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit” (Ephesians 3:16).

These obstacles will get in our way every time when we act in our own power, but God has “unlimited resources” to help us apply his Word to our lives. We just have to ask him.

So, what are the distractions today that are keeping you from deeper meditation on God’s Word? When you pray for strength, God may use people in your life to provide the support you need. Do you have people in your life with whom you share your struggles and who will hold you accountable to grow spiritually?

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Common Phrases from the Bible

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I can imagine that nearly every newspaper and magazine in the English-speaking world uses a word or phrase in every issue that originated in the Bible. Consider how many of the following words and phrases, all first found in the Bible, have made their way into our everyday conversation. (Note the phrase may be from the King James Version rather than what you see in the popup window).

  1. Adoption (Romans 8:15)
  2. A drop in the bucket (Isaiah 40:15)
  3. A fly in the ointment (Ecclesiastes 10:1)
  4. A man after his own heart (1 Samuel 13:14)
  5. A multitude of sins (James 5:20)
  6. A thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7)
  7. All things to all men (1 Corinthians 9:22)
  8. Am I my brother’s keeper? (Genesis 4: 9)
  9. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth (Matthew 5:38)
  10. As old as Methuselah (Genesis 5:25-27)
  11. As old as the hills (Job 15:7)
  12. As you sow so shall you reap (Galatians 6:7)
  13. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust (Genesis 3:19)
  14. At his wits end (Psalms 107:27)
  15. Beat swords into ploughshares (Isaiah 2:4)
  16. Bite the dust (Psalm 72:9)
  17. Blessed are the peacemakers (Matthew 5:9)
  18. By the skin of your teeth (Job 19:20)
  19. Can a leopard change its spots? (Jeremiah 13:23)
  20. Eat drink and be merry (Luke 12:19)
  21. Faith will move mountains (Matthew 21:21)
  22. Fall from grace (Galatians 5:4)
  23. Fight the good fight (1 Timothy 6:12)
  24. Flesh and blood (Matthew 16:17)
  25. For everything there is a season (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
  26. Forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:3)
  27. From strength to strength (Psalm 84:7)
  28. Give up the ghost (Acts 12:23)
  29. Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-33)
  30. Holier than thou (Isaiah 65:5)
  31. House divided (Luke 11:17)
  32. How are the mighty fallen (2 Samuel 1:19)
  33. Liberty (Leviticus 25:10)
  34. Living off the fat of the land (Genesis 45:17-18)
  35. Love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8)
  36. Love of money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10)
  37. Man does not live by bread alone (Deuteronomy 8:3)
  38. Many are called but few are chosen (Matthew 22:14)
  39. My cup runneth over (Psalm 23:5)
  40. Neither a borrower nor a lender be (Jeremiah 15:10)
  41. Network (Exodus 27:4)
  42. No rest for the wicked (Isaiah 57:20)
  43. Nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9)
  44. O ye, of little faith (Matthew 6:30)
  45. Out of the mouths of babes (Psalm 8:2)
  46. Pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6)
  47. Physician heal thyself (Luke 4:23)
  48. Scapegoat (Leviticus 16:10)
  49. Sour grapes (Ezekiel 18:2)
  50. The apple of his eye (Deuteronomy 32:10)
  51. The blind leading the blind (Matthew 15:14)
  52. The bread of life (John 6:35)
  53. The fruits of your loins (Genesis 35:11)
  54. The powers that be (Romans 13:2)
  55. The root of the matter (Job 19:28)
  56. The salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13)
  57. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak (Mark 14:38)
  58. The hand writing is on the wall (Daniel 5:5-6)
  59. To cast the first stone (John 8:7)
  60. Two-edged sword (Proverbs 5:4)
  61. What God has joined together let no man separate (Matthew 19:6)
  62. Woe is me (Isaiah 6:5)

Surprised? Don’t be. The influence of the Bible can be found in every area of society. There is an interesting incident recorded in the Bible. In the story God is speaking to a man named Isaiah. God poetically declares the power and reach of His life-giving language. “That’s how it is with my words. They don’t return to me without doing everything I send them to do.” (Isaiah 55:11)

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What to Do With the Bible

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The Bible is a great book because it divinely inspired and supplies us with the knowledge of God, His plan of redemption and mission for the world, as well as the knowledge of the nature of mankind, and of the universe. No other book can be compared to it on these topics. It not only informs us about these important truths, but it also tells us what we are to do with this information and truth. The Bible is our only source of faith and practice, so we ought to:

1. “Read it” (Nehemiah 8:8). May we read slowly, carefully, prayerfully, in large portions, repeatedly, reverently and with a willing spirit to follow what it says.

2. “Believe it” (Romans 10:8). Since it is the Word of God, it has been given to us to increase our faith in God and His working in the world.

3. “Receive it” (James 1:21). It is the grafted word that is to be received as the soil received the seed, or the tree receives the graft. Taking the Word of God in our lives, allowing it to grow and to bear its own fruit in motives and actions.

4. “Taste it” (Hebrews 6:5). It is the good Word of God. Some seem to be afraid of the Bible for fear it will require them to do something they do not wish to do. Don’t be afraid; it is good and right in all its requirements.

5. “Eat it” (Jeremiah 15:16). Eating it suggests that we not only taste but actually live by it, as Jesus said, “You shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

6. “Hold it fast” (Titus 1:9). The Bible is faithful. All the promises are true and will come to pass. All its history is true and has been or will be confirmed. All its statements are true, about God, mankind, living and salvation. Therefore we are not to put our in it, but put our faith upon it.

7. “Hold it forth” (Philippians 2:16). The Bible is the Word of Life. All who come under its teaching will feel its life giving power.

8. “Preach it” (2 Timothy 4:2). Here it is called simply the Word. It suggests that we are not to preach just parts of it or any one section of it, but to preach it in its entirety and fullness.

9. “Search it” (Jeremiah 29:13). This word “seek” suggests work and patience (Endeavor, Inquire, Inquiry, Require, Seek). The Greek word carries the idea of “ransack” as the housewife goes through the home at housecleaning time; or “to track” as the hunter laboriously follows the game through the brush, so we are to search for truth and run down the tracks of God’s revelations to man.

10. “Study it” (2 Timothy 2:15). Here is a word that means close application to the Word of God, as the builder carefully studies the plans of the architect before building the structure.

11. “Meditate on it” (Psalm 1:2). This word has much the same meaning as “eat” because it means literally “to chew the cud.” Turning the Word of God over and over in the mind until the sweetness of its message feeds our souls.

12. “Compare it” (1 Corinthians 2:13). We don’t often do this. It is not so much what we do with the Scriptures as what the Holy Spirit does with them in our hearts. This is a divine commentary always at hand. Or as John puts it (1 John 2:27) “Now as for you, the anointing that you received from him resides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things, it is true and is not a lie. Just as it has taught you, you reside in him.”

13. “Rightly divide it” (2 Timothy 2:15). This is not an arbitrary division of subjects but following a line of truth from the first place mentioned to the last place mentioned; noticing it in relation to other truths and as the word literally means “the cutting of a straight line” of truth in the Bible.

14. “Delight in it” (Psalm 37:4, 119:92). Seven times in this Psalm the Psalmist speaks of delighting in God’s word. This should always be the heart ambition and attitude.

* Based on “What to Do With the Bible” by the Reverend W. H. Pike, frontier preacher and pastor from Ontario to Alberta, Canada around a hundred years ago.

The Gift of Teaching

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God has given each believer at least one spiritual gift to build up the body of Christ and to minister in our hurting world. If your gift is prophecy, go ahead and proclaim God’s view of right and wrong. If it is service, desire to meet others’ needs. In the motivational list in Romans 12:4-5, 6-7, 8-9, I personally score high in encouragement, service and teaching. As I lead teachers at King’s Grant, I hope inspire them to take a serious look at what God has called them to do. Here’s what Paul had to say to Titus:

As for you, Titus, promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching. Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience. Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good. These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God. In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely. — Titus 2:1-6

There is a lot of teaching going on in this passage, and I have discovered that the gift of teaching has a few characteristics:

Teaching is Organized: Whether in conversation or in a more formal setting, we will seek to communicate information clearly so the listener can follow. God has wired teachers to analyze material and present it logically.

Teaching is Thorough: We want others to understand not simply the conclusion but the steps leading up to it. We also desire to help them think matters through. It’s not just teaching what we must do, but why we must do it.

Teaching is Accurate: Our priority is to know the truth, so teachers ask questions in an attempt to discover the accuracy of what we learn. We will also inquire about the trustworthiness of our source of information.

Teaching is Studious: We get joy from studying and researching the Bible and are strongly motivated to share what we learn. Truth is presented not simply to share knowledge but with the goal that God will transform the hearer’s life.

Teaching is Bible-oriented: With this gift comes a strong desire to know what the Lord has to say. While we may recognize the value of others’ experiences, reading about them is not our main concern, nor are teachers especially motivated by personal illustrations. I like biblical examples.

All of the spiritual gifts can be used in the workplace, in our communities, and in our homes. Allow the Spirit to direct your teaching ability for God’s glory and the benefit of others.

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Careful Disobedience

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Solomon and his workers carefully followed God’s instructions (1 Kings 9:4-5). As a result, the temple work was blessed by God and completed in every detail. Here are a few examples of people in the Bible who did not carefully follow one of God’s instructions, and the resulting consequences. It is not enough to partially obey God. Good intentions, honest mistakes and half-hearted obedience is still disobedience.

Adam and Eve:

  1. Don’t eat fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16-17)
  2. Satan tempted them, and they ate (Genesis 3:1-6)
  3. They were banished from the Garden of Eden; pain and death were inflicted on all mankind (Genesis 3:24; Romans 5:12)

Nadab and Abihu:

  1. Fire for the sacrifice must come from the proper source (Leviticus 6:12-13)
  2. They used unauthorized fire for their sacrifice (Leviticus 10:1)
  3. They were struck dead (Leviticus 10:2)

Moses:

  1. “Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water” (Numbers 20:8)
  2. He spoke to the rock, but also struck it with his staff (Numbers 20:11)
  3. He was not allowed to enter the promised land (Numbers 20:12)

King Saul:

  1. Completely destroy the evil Amalekites (1 Samuel 15:3)
  2. He spared the king and kept some of the plunder (1 Samuel 15:8-9)
  3. God promised to end his reign (1 Samuel 15:16-26)

Uzzah:

  1. Only a priest can touch the holy furnishings and articles (Numbers 4:15)
  2. He touched the ark of the covenant (2 Samuel 6:6)
  3. He died instantly (2 Samuel 6:7)

Uzziah:

  1. Only the priests could offer incense in the temple or tabernacle sanctuary (Numbers 16:39, 40, 18:7)
  2. He entered the Holy Place in the temple where only priests were allowed to go (2 Chronicles 26:16-18)
  3. He became a leper (2 Chronicles 26:19)

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In the Beginning

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The Bible does not discuss the subject of evolution, rather, its worldview assumes God created the world. The biblical view of creation is not in conflict with science, rather, it is in conflict with any worldview that starts without a creator (or an uncaused first cause of everything else that was caused).

Equally committed and sincere Christians have struggled with the subject of beginnings and come to differing conclusions. Students of the Bible and of science should avoid polarizations and black/white thinking. Students of the Bible must be careful not to make the Bible say what it doesn’t say.

The most important aspect of the continuing discussion is not the process of creation, but the origin of creation. The world is not a product of blind chance and probability; God created it.

Logic dictates that at the very least there is an intelligent designer (like a watch maker) that designed the complexity of the universe. Irreducible complexity tells me that at some point a complex system, such as sight, can only happen when there are 100 percent of the component working. Remove any one component and sight does not happen. This complexity happening by accident and change takes more faith than recognizing a divine creator. A God powerful and creative enough to get all this done sounds a lot like the God of the Bible.

The Bible not only tells us that the world was created by God; more important, it tells us who this God is. It reveals God’s personality, his character, and his plan for his creation. It also reveals God’s deepest desire: to relate to and fellowship with the people he created. God took the ultimate step toward fellowship with us through his historic visit to this planet in the person of his Son, Jesus Christ. We can know this God who created the universe in a very personal way.

The heavens and the earth are here. We are here. God created all that we see and experience. The book of Genesis begins, “God created the heavens and the earth.” Everything after that statement begins the most exciting and fulfilling journey imaginable.

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Bad vs. Good Shepherds

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The Bible is full of what is called, word pictures. These are word descriptions that bring up a vivid image of something greater than the mere words. The saying is true, a picture is worth a thousand words. Look at this comparison between good and bad shepherds of God’s people:

Bad Shepherds

  1. Take care of themselves
  2. Worry about their own health
  3. Rule harshly and brutally
  4. Abandon and scatter the sheep
  5. Keep the best for themselves

Good Shepherds

  1. Take care of their flock
  2. Strengthen the weak and sick, search for the lost
  3. Rule lovingly and gently
  4. Gather and protect the sheep
  5. Give their best to the sheep

Great Shepherding Verses:

Numbers 27:17, 2 Samuel 5:2, 1 Kings 22:17, Psalm 23:1, 28:9, 77:20, 78:71, Isaiah 13:14, 40:11, 56:10-11, Jeremiah 3:15, 10:21, 23:1, 23:4, 25:34, 50:6, Ezekiel 34:2, 5, 10, 11-12, 23, Zechariah 11:4-17, Matthew 2:6, 9:36, 25:32, 26:31, Luke 15:1-7, John 10:1-21, Acts 20:28, Hebrews 13:20, 1 Peter 2:25, 5:2-4, Jude 1:12 NLT, Revelation 7:17

A Collection of Attitudes

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The story of the Good Samaritan is pretty well known, but we might be able to boil it down to a collection of attitudes. Note these different attitudes toward the wounded man.

  1. To the expert in the law, the wounded man was a subject to discuss.
  2. To the robbers, the wounded man was someone to use and exploit.
  3. To the religious men, the wounded man was a problem to be avoided.
  4. To the innkeeper, the wounded man was a customer to serve for a fee.
  5. To the Samaritan, the wounded man was a human being worth being cared for and loved.
  6. To Jesus, all of them and all of us were worth dying for.

Confronting the needs of others brings out various attitudes in us. Jesus used the story of the good but despised Samaritan to make clear which attitude was acceptable to him. If we are honest, we often will find ourselves in the place of the expert in the law, needing to learn again who our neighbor is.

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