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?Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge; For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; Let them all be fixed upon your lips, so that your trust may be in the Lord.? - Proverbs 22:17-19 NKJV
This Bible is really a manual for living. We most often think of a manual as having instructions with pictures of what knobs to turn or buttons to push to get results from a newly purchased product. The Bible is that and more.
Unfortunately we treat it like a manual for our lawn-mower. We are sure we won't need it and if we do we're not sure where to find it.
Most of the first half of the Bible (the Old Testament) tells us who we are and how we got here. In very picturesque stories it shows us the spiritual and moral development of individuals and nations. Quiet often, showing how we should not live. The 10 Commandments and Levitical Law is the foundation of Judaism and Christianity which became the foundation of America's laws. It is very interesting to read them and compare.
The second half (the New Testament or New Covenant) shows how Gods made a provision for our inability to keep those laws. He sent His Son to die in our place. The door to our cell on death row has been unlocked and it is now up to us to walk free, to repent of our old ways, to make a 180% turn and start a New Life!
2 Timothy 3:16, 17 says all the words of God are to teach and grow us in this New Life.
Today, there many programs to help us read or listen to the Bible. Crosswalk.com has a plan that takes you through the entire Bible in 365 days. Of course you can listen to as much as you want, for example, at BlueLetterBible.org. (Note: in the pop-up player there is a drop down window to select any book of the Bible you wish to listen to).
Another good habit to develop is to find a nice quiet spot in your local library and set aside an hour to read/listen to the Bible. You can Contact us for free CDs of Books of the Bible.
In a nutshell, God's Word shows that He made us - He made us for fellowship/relationship with Him. We rebelled wanting to be equal to Him (much like our teen age years) - we wanted to do it our way. That brought on the problem of disobedience, or sin. Romans 3:23, Isaiah 53:6.
Examples in the Bible teach us the consequences of rebellion. We can see this in a very practical way in our current legal system. One, like it or not there are laws. Two, if I break one of those laws I will be arrested/stopped and given a penalty for that violation. Three, there is nothing I can do about it - it must be paid.
I can try to negotiate; I can work off the fine in jail; or get someone else to pay it for me. One way or another it must be paid. Our rebellion and defiance toward God is no different.
We are cut off from God - locked up until judgment. It brings separation from God and an early death (Romans 6:23). There is nothing that we ourselves can do - we must pay with our souls. The payment of our souls (that we can't see or feel) is like using a credit card - we will always take care of it "later."
When a child sincerely asks for forgiveness for breaking something, they're forgiven and restored back into the good graces of the family.
No matter how good we are or what acts of sacrifice we make, we cannot erase our acts. There are people who give their lives (we have sons and daughters fighting for freedom in Iraq right now) to ensure that others may continue to live.
The passengers who over powered the terrorist and crashed the plane on 9-11-01 are another example. There were live saved that day because they paid the price.
Because you and I have failed to keep God's laws, we are sentenced to death. That is not an "after thought" decision - we were told what the penalty was going to be before we ever disobeyed. God is a just Judge - there are no loop-holes - no high priced lawyers to plea-bargin.
The penalty is greater than we can "fix". The law states - the soul that sins shall die. Ezekiel 18:4 Someone has to pay. There is no way out from under that law. Your/my Life is required.
Jesus came, stepped into our place, and paid the ultimate price (His life) for our penalty, so we could walk away free. (Romans 6:23). It is the Gift of God - we could never buy. God loved us so much that he sent Jesus, His only Son, to die in our place (John 3:16).
Jesus paid the penalty of our sins. We can now restore our relationship with God. (I John 4:10) Jesus is the only solution for our sin problem (John 14:6).
The ONLY thing we are asked to do is make a decision. If we don't decide to reach out and take the Pardon we can set in our prisons with the door open for the rest of our lives; die and go into eternal punishment. You must choose to put your trust in Christ, to receive this free gift of salvation that God offers (John 1:12).
To help us along the way, God gave us the instruction book.
What a majority of new believers (and even some older ones) don't realize is that the Word of God is alive! The Word can really affect and have a life-changing impact on your day-to-day living. God reveals Himself through His Word.
Settle in your mind that, while the Bible is God's inspired Word, it is also meant to be down-to-earth. Don't just reverently give it a place of honor on a bookshelf, but treat the Word as your personal hands-on reference Book on life?a how-to Book for everyday living. Get rid of the negative idea that it is just a set of rules.
Until you are able to value God's Word as it affects the choices available to you, you will not be able to make quality, Godly decisions. We apply the Word to the now?to those things, circumstances, and situations facing each of us now.
WHAT DOES THE WORD SAY?
You might have a deep hunger for God, but if you don't attend to His Word (make it an intimate companion), you will not be vitally united with Him. Remember Jesus in the Word! (John 1:1 & John 1:14) The Spirit of God does not lead us apart from the Word, for the Word is of the Spirit of God.
We apply that Word personally to ourselves and to others?not adding to or taking from it?in the name of Jesus.
What will you do with Jesus Christ? If you think you won't decide - you just decided...
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