Tag Archives: the Bible

Open Minds and Open Bibles

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I love what Scripture tells us about the Bereans in Acts 17. It says they were open-minded when they listened to Paul talk about Jesus. Then they studied Scripture themselves to see if what Paul was saying was true.

I think that’s a recipe all Christians should follow. Everything we read or hear should be checked and double checked to see if it aligns with what is already written in the Bible. Not just in a verse or two, but in the entire Bible as the complete Word of God. People can sound religious, spiritual, even Christian when they pull a verse out of the Bible to support some notion. But that doesn’t necessarily make it true.

Let’s face it. There is always something to learn. It’s impossible for us humans to know everything there is to know about God. He is constantly revealing more of himself, answering questions as we are ready for answers.

But some of us have closed our minds toward any further revelation. We go to church and listen to the teaching, read a blog, watch a TV preacher, or hear a song on the radio, and we either accept what is said without question, or we filter it through what we’ve already been taught.

I wonder how many of us open the pages of the Bible and study it to find out if what we’re hearing or reading is really the truth. I wonder how many of us allow a preacher or teacher to do the studying for us and just accept whatever it is they say. I wonder how many blessings we’ve missed, how much of God we’ve missed because of it.

Let’s determine to be like the Bereans. Let’s soak up the teaching, the music, the inspirational books with open minds, knowing there are things for us to learn. But let’s not stop there. Let’s dig into Scripture and find out what the final authority has to say about it before we accept it as truth.

Another “How To Read The Bible” Post

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The Pharisees wanted Jesus dead. These men knew the Old Testament Scriptures like no one else, and here right before their eyes was the very One the Old Testament writers talked about. They knew how many prophecies were being realized in Jesus. But Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath. And for that, the Pharisees wanted to kill him. (Matthew 12, Mark 3, Luke 6)

Sounds a might drastic to me.

But the Pharisees had convictions, they believed they knew the mind of God and they would not consider the possibility they were wrong.

If we read the Bible in an attempt to find verses to support our beliefs, we are like the Pharisees. We try to make God’s Word conform to our idea of right and wrong. We need to read God’s Word with an open heart and mind and allow the Holy Spirit to teach us through these precious pages.

Someone I love asked me if I didn’t think that opens up the possibility of misinterpretation and heresy. Don’t we need to supplement our study of God’s Word with the wisdom of those who have published books on the subject to keep us in check?

How incompetent do we think the Holy Spirit is?

Sure, if I need to read the Bible so that it lines up with the theology of my church or denomination then, yes, I guess I need those commentaries. But if I read the Bible in its entirety, depending on God to reveal himself, I’m pretty sure he can.

I have many commentaries and Bible studies in my library. But none of those are the final authority. And, yes, I believe that the Bible is all we need to know God, and understand what he wants us to know about this life and eternity.

We just need to read it, study it, think on it, love it, memorize it, and talk about it. We need to approach our time in the Word bathed in prayer, with an open heart and mind, and allow God to teach us exactly what it is we need to know for today. We need to put aside our preconceived notions and ask God to show us the Truth according to His Word. And we need to be willing to let the Holy Spirit break down some walls if they need destroyed, to convict us when conviction is necessary, and to build us up to be the people he needs us to be in a world that is lost without him according to Scripture.

The Bible Hurts My Feelings

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God is speaking through Jeremiah concerning those prophets who claim to speak for God  – but don’t. (Jeremiah 23) These liars are preaching a health and wealth gospel at the same time Jeremiah is telling them how angry God is, and how God is going to punish them for their disobedience. 

The false prophets tell them they are ok: “Don’t worry! The Lord says you will have peace!… No harm will come your way.” (23:17)

The thing is, God’s Word is not a “feel good” book. In fact, in verse 29 of the same chapter, God asks, “Does not my word burn like fire?… Is it not like a mighty hammer that smashes a rock to pieces?”

I think that’s why there are so many different religions out there. I mean, who wants to worship a God who makes you feel bad about yourself? So let’s make up a theology that tells us how great we are, how worthy, how powerful we are in and of ourselves to become better and better. We want to believe we are ok just the way we are. If you listen, you’ll recognize those lies in some of the most popular churches spewed by some of the most famous preachers of our time. Maybe even in your home town, in tiny churches, that go unnoticed expect for the faithful few who attend.

But have you ever experienced that heavy blow that comes from the realization that you are wrong? Have you felt the convicting fire of the Holy Spirit over unconfessed sin? It’s not comfortable, is it? It might even hurt your feelings, big time.

When you are at that point, you have a choice. You can tell yourself you’re ok, you can repeat a mantra to make yourself feel better, you can self-medicate, or even learn to live with the discomfort. Or you can accept what Jesus died to give you.

Forgiveness.

Then you can know the spiritual health that comes from having a pure heart. You can enjoy the wealth of having the God of Creation living in you, the sure hope of eternity with him. No false theology can come close to it!

So I challenge you read the Bible for yourself. But get ready to have your feelings hurt. If you ask God to speak to you through his Word, he will. He will tell you you are lost without him. He will tell you you are a sinner. He will tell you you are wicked, self centered, unclean. But he will also tell you about his love and his grace. He will tell you about how he went to the cross to pay for your sins. And he will ask you to come to him, to say you’re sorry and mean it, to allow him to turn your life around…

And bless you beyond what you could ever ask or even think.

God, thank you for tearing down all my defenses, for making me look at myself the way you see me. I am a sinner. There is nothing good in me. And I have to tell you, that hurts my feelings a little. But, God, I also want to thank you for lifting me up, for forgiving me when I asked you to, for blessing me with yourself. Thank you for your Word that cuts… and heals. Thank you for you!

Psalm 22

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God revealed to David what Jesus would experience hundreds of years later. There is such detail in Psalm 22 that I am amazed anyone would think the disciples could orchestrate Jesus’ death as a hoax. 

David tells us Jesus’ enemies would lie about him. Beat him. Pierce his hands and feet (and that was written before crucifixion was an accepted form of capital punishment). David saw Jesus thirst. His strength gone. His life poured out like water as Jesus’ side was pierced. God showed David the guardsmen casting lots for Jesus’ clothing. And David heard Jesus cry out to God – why have you forsaken me?

Coincidence? I think not.

Only God could have whispered those details in David’s ear. Is this book I am reading alive, active, powerful, true? Absolutely! Does it reveal a God who loves me and gave himself for me? On every page!

Dear God, may your Holy Spirit find fertile ground as people read your Word today. Touch hearts. Break wills. Hear our prayers as we cry out to you. Forgive us in Jesus’ name. Thank you for the cross. Thank you for your Word.

A Blessed New Year

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Ok. I said I wasn’t going to blog every day in 2014 but I guess old habits die hard. I just want to encourage all of us to be in God’s Word this year. I pray you will read it, meditate on it, pray over it, and apply it to your day-to-day so that your faith will be strengthened and others will find the Savior through you. We have a treasure in these pages. God’s Word, God’s love letter, God’s rules for living are here. It truly is a gift. Let’s not squander it.

May you know his blessings this year. May he keep you and yours safe. May you lean on him in whatever circumstances you find yourself. And may your relationship with the Lord blossom as you spend time in the pages of the Bible.

December 31

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Revelation 19-22

“It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty, I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.” (21:6-7)

John’s description of heaven in 21:11-21 is something, isn’t it? Jeweled foundations, a city of pure gold, twelve gates made of twelve single pearls. It sounds pretty amazing. But you know what thrills me more than all that glitters? Jesus will be there!!

Revelation 21:1 says there will be NO MORE SEA. Remember when Solomon built the temple in the Old Testament, the ark was surrounded by a trough filled with thousands of gallons of water? That was so no one could get to where God lived. 

But John tells us that in heaven there will no longer be that separation. God will be as accessible as a husband to a wife. I will be able to touch Jesus’ side, put my fingers in the holes left by the nails that hung him on the cross. When he wraps his arms around me I will feel his warmth. God will be my father and I will be his child. 

No more sea! No more separation! I will finally be in the presence of the One who loved me and gave himself for me. I will know him as I am know. Now that’s truly amazing!

I want to thank you for stopping by my blog in 2013. And if you went on this journey with me to read through the Bible this year, I trust your walk with the Lord has matured. I don’t feel God would have me continue this daily blog in 2014. I’m going to begin again tomorrow with Genesis 1 with the goal of reading the end of Revelation one year from today. And I will continue to journal what God is teaching me each day, but I won’t be posting every one.

I am going to keep this blog active, however, and if I feel led to share something I’ll add it to what is already here. And I will continue reading so many of your blogs, ones I look forward to and learn so much from.

My prayer is the same prayer I’ve said every day this year. And that is that you, dear ones, will make reading the Bible a priority every day. That you would open these precious pages with open hearts and minds and allow God to encourage or convict. I pray that you will find yourself eager to share your Savior with lost souls around you. As you read God’s Word, I pray that you will allow it to penetrate, to strengthen, to draw you closer to the Lord.

God bless you in 2014. I’m praying for you.

December 21

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2 Timothy 2-4; Hebrews 1

I love baseball. I am a die-hard Cleveland Indians’ fan and am one of my nephew’s biggest fans whether he is on the mound, behind the plate, or covering second on his high school’s team. 

I played softball for a lot of years. But the older I got, the longer it took me to get from one base to the next. So I came up with a great idea. If the goal of every batter is to wind up at home plate, it makes more sense to hit the ball, then run to third. Why waste time and effort and take the chance of making an out while going to first, then second, then third in order to get home? I figured if I cut out the first two steps I’d have a better chance of scoring.

Well, that might seem logical to someone who doesn’t know the game. But the game has rules. And so does life. Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:5 that an athlete doesn’t receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules. He is talking about the Gospel, about God’s Word. 

Here is the condensed version:

1.  You are I are sinners. There is no one righteous – not even one.

2.  The wages, or the result of sin is death, hell, eternal separation from God.

3.  You and I can never be good enough to erase the sins we’ve committed. We need a Savior.

4.  Jesus lived, died, rose again, and ascended into heaven so that anyone who accepts his grace can be saved from the sentence of hell.

5.  There is no other name by which we can be saved. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, the Life and no one can get to God except through him. Period.

You might be tempted to take another route. But, just like in baseball, if you hit the ball and go to third… you will be out. God has put it all out there, he wrote and rewrote the rules in every book of the Bible. There is no excuse. And like it or not, there is just no other way.

Heavenly Father, I thank you once again for your written Word, the Bible in which you have so lovingly spelled out the rules. May we recognize our helpless condition and turn to you. May we confess our sins, accept your grace, and live lives that honor you in every way. Forgive us if we are tempted to take short cuts. I pray you will find us, the soldiers in your army, the athletes on your team, pleasing our commander, our coach, our Savior and Lord by following your rules.

November 6

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Matthew 27:1-14; Luke 23:1-12; Mark 15:1-5; John 18:28-38

Years ago my dad bought a CB radio for his truck. I was a teenager at the time and thought it was great fun to hear him talk to other drivers with their funny language. Dad’s “handle” was PlumBob. He was a plumber. And his name was Bob.

We were on a divided highway going north when I saw a white panel truck with the words “TRUTH” painted in big black letters going south. In those days there was a Christian musical group by that name and I figured it was their equipment truck. Pretty soon we heard, “Breaker” on the CB and then, “Does anyone see that truck? What is the truth?” No one answered. Again we heard the question repeated and still no reply. To this day I wish I had told that seeker about Jesus.

At Jesus’ trial Pilate asked, “What is truth?” People have been asking that question for centuries. Some even deny the existence of truth.

Do you believe that 2+2=4 every time? It does. Do you believe the earth rotates so that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west? It did this morning and it will again tomorrow. 

Herod was excited about seeing Jesus. He was looking forward to seeing Jesus pull a rabbit out of a hat. He believed Jesus could do miracles but he didn’t believe Jesus was the Truth.

Do you? Whether or not you believe that truth exists, or that the Bible is God’s infallible word or that Jesus is God and the only way to the Father doesn’t change the Truth.

But knowing the Truth will change your life.

Dear God, I want to pray for that man who asked “What is truth” over the CB that day. I pray that if he didn’t know you then, that your Holy Spirit will find a place in his heart. May he know Jesus, the Truth. I pray the same for everyone reading this blog today. Reveal yourself to each of us, may we recognize that what we read in the Bible is True, and that Jesus died so that we might live. May the Truth take up residence in our lives and pour out into the lives of everyone we meet.

September 21

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Psalm 119:73-176

I think it’s amazing that the psalmist could come up with 176 reasons he loves God’s Word. He uses words like “laws”, “statutes”, “precepts”, “promises”, “commands”, “decrees”, and in 119:105 he says:

Your word is a lamp to my feet and light for my path.

And yes, that’s where I got the name for this blog. Back in the day (late 50’s early 60’s) I was a Pioneer Girl. It was the church’s equivalent of Girl Scouts. Psalm 119:105 was our signature verse, and we recited it each week with some pretty nifty hand motions. It’s a verse that has stayed with me for somewhere around 50 years.

It has been my experience that this verse is true. I am thankful for learned scholars, pastors, ordinary men and women who have written commentaries, Bible studies, and insightful books. I have been encouraged by the writings of C S Lewis, Eugenia Price,  John MacArthur and others. But if I lost my library today I’d be ok. I would not, however, be ok if I lost my Bible.

Nothing gives me more insight into God’s heart and mind, a deeper understanding of his will for me. Nothing gives me more encouragement or conviction. And nothing gives me more joy than the precious Word of God.

Dear one, let’s continue to dig into these pages. Let’s commit to memory verses that are meaningful for us at this time of life. Let’s seek God’s face and his wisdom above all others. As you read Psalm 119 today make these words the desire of your own heart. 

Father, thank you for your Word, these precious pages that share your heart. Give us understanding as we read. Give us direction as we seek you. And use us as you will. May we cherish this Book as your intimate love letter to each of us.

September 20

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Psalms 111, 112, 117, 119:1-72

The psalmists knew how important it is for us to be in the Word, to know what is there and to live by it. These authors loved God’s Word and trusted it completely. Do I? Really?

I have to say I am a woman who looks forward to reading God’s Word each day and finding out what he would reveal to me through it’s pages. But I also have to admit it is much easier to be faithful to that since I retired from teaching. If I look back at the journals I kept during my working years I would see an irregular pattern. And sometimes days and weeks would go by when I wouldn’t even open the Bible.

I think back then I thought of my daily Bible reading as just one more thing on my already busy “to-do” list. It has turned into thinking about it as a privilege these days, though.

I encourage you to read these psalms today and catch the love of Scripture these men had. Do you realize the words recorded here are God’s words to you, personally? Every time I open these precious pages I can envision a letter addressed, “Dear Connie” and signed, “Love, God”. It’s that personal.

What would God say to you today? Open his Word and find out. Catch the excitement of a child opening gifts on Christmas morning. In these pages is something amazing just for you. I pray you won’t miss it.