janbear
03-10-2009, 09:35 AM
Completely Booked - Reading Your Bible
The instruction of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy,
making the inexperienced wise.
Psalm 19:7, Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Bible sure is a big book, isn't it? And if you try starting logically in the Old Testament -- page 1 -- and barreling straight through to the end, you're likely to bog down somewhere in Leviticus or Numbers, not quite sure how the cleansing ritual for leprosy is going to factor into your life.
So start by reading one of the foundational books of the Bible -- like the Gospel of John, or Paul's Letter to the Romans, or the Book of James. If you want to tackle more, you could set off on a journey through the New Testament, starting with Matthew. Read as much as you can, but only as much as you can understand, not being afraid to read only a verse or two a day as long as you mingle it with prayer that God will use it to shine His truth into your life.
As you read, you'll begin picking up hints of what God's nature is like, plus new understandings of the Bible's overall message. Little by little -- but quicker than you think -- you'll start develop ing a mind that thinks like God thinks, because you know what God says.
This Week's Look-Up Verse
Psalm 19:7-11
Lifeway.com
The instruction of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy,
making the inexperienced wise.
Psalm 19:7, Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Bible sure is a big book, isn't it? And if you try starting logically in the Old Testament -- page 1 -- and barreling straight through to the end, you're likely to bog down somewhere in Leviticus or Numbers, not quite sure how the cleansing ritual for leprosy is going to factor into your life.
So start by reading one of the foundational books of the Bible -- like the Gospel of John, or Paul's Letter to the Romans, or the Book of James. If you want to tackle more, you could set off on a journey through the New Testament, starting with Matthew. Read as much as you can, but only as much as you can understand, not being afraid to read only a verse or two a day as long as you mingle it with prayer that God will use it to shine His truth into your life.
As you read, you'll begin picking up hints of what God's nature is like, plus new understandings of the Bible's overall message. Little by little -- but quicker than you think -- you'll start develop ing a mind that thinks like God thinks, because you know what God says.
This Week's Look-Up Verse
Psalm 19:7-11
Lifeway.com