This brief 2-minute video clip eloquently presents us with the "What?" and "Why?" of our study we're about to begin.



Please join me on a journey of self-discovery in pursuit of the truth.

In my quest for advice on how to go about studying the Bible there was one thing that was consistent regardless of the website I visited or the people I talked to - - begin with prayer.

Certainly, I don't want to go about this lightheartedly (or foolishly for that matter!), and I want to make the most of my time spent with the Lord each and every day.

So, I want to share with you the prayer I will begin each Bible Study with. Feel free to use it verbatim or to come up with your own variation. The key is to make sure it comes from the heart and that you mean every word that you're saying.

"Heavenly Father, bind my will to your will, my hands to your hands, my eyes to your eyes, my heart to your heart. Please plant my feet firmly on the path you have designed for my life. I pray this in Jesus' name, and ask you to loose the enemy from doing any more harm in my life. I am your child of faith in the shed blood of your one and only Son Jesus Christ, saved by grace through faith, and Satan is nothing! He is a liar and thief, and he comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. But you have given me Jesus - - the Word as flesh - - so that I might have life to the fullest! I pray that you clear my heart and mind and prepare it to receive the truths I'm about to read and digest. Help give me a new heart and mind with new desires that are in line with your will for my life. I pray that your Word nourishes my soul, builds me up, and brings me closer to you. Your will be done. Amen."

We've already looked at a couple of tips on how one should begin to study the Bible. Now, let's consider one final piece of the puzzle - - memorization.

Memorizing can be very helpful to a person in witnessing, and it's also helpful to us in that it internalizes valuable truths into our very being.

Some people have a very good ability to memorize. Others have a more difficult time. Some can study a verse for a few minutes and memorize it. Others may have to take several days of going over it and over it in order to memorize it. Don't take any of these as a "sign" that you are any "more religious" or even "less religious" than anyone else.

Again, everyone is different, but your best approach is to write the the verse(s) you are trying to memorize down on paper. Each day, go over the verse(s) you have memorized, and each day add another verse. After, perhaps two months of going over these verses every day, reciting without looking, it should be well-embedded in your memory. Thereafter, continue to go over them once every two days, gradually decreasing how often you practice, down to once every two weeks.

After a long period of time, you may have memorized many parts of Scripture. What's amazing is how in times of need the Holy Spirit will recall the exact memorized verse(s) to mind to help you when you need it most. This is an experience that I thoroughly enjoy each and every time it occurs!

Remember, when reading, studying, and memorizing God’s Word, Satan can be expected to fight you in many unexpected ways to try to stop you. Do not be discouraged. If anything, realize that you're doing something right because he's trying his best to keep you from that path in life.

Now, why would he do that if there was no truth to this entire Christian slash Jesus thing?

Exactly.

In the last post, we briefly touched upon a general approach to studying the Holy Bible. In this post, we'll be going deeper.

What you'll find as you study God's Word is how remarkable it is on many different levels. You'll begin to see that there are so many different things one can focus on and study about this Great Book (all of which will enrich your life!), and that no one part ever contradicts the other. In fact, they all work together to make the message that much more powerful and true.

For instance, consider that you might decide to study the Bible in a cultural context. You might be intrigued by how God operates and interacts with His people in times past, and how those historical cases can give us a better understanding of how He operates and interacts in the same way with us today - - many generations and thousands of years later.

You might decide to study a particular person in the Bible. What you'll find is that human nature was the same then as it is today. This gives us assurances that God understands our wants, needs, fears, desires, hopes, and dreams because there were men and women of ancient times he had the exact same feelings that they expressed to Him.

The best way to study a certain topic in the Bible is to consider every verse in the entire Bible dealing with that topic. For example, if you want to study “sin,” research every verse on it in the Bible. This will give you a fuller and more accurate understanding of the topic, and this holds true for any topic you might choose to look at.

There are other ways to study the Holy Bible. It is recommended that you seek God earnestly in prayer as to what He would have you do regarding studying. Nevertheless, I recommend that you try to read through the entire Bible at least once each year. In addition to your reading, do various Bible studies as God directs. The closer you get to God, the more humble you should be, and the more childlike to God’s correction you should become. Any sort of pride is a good indicator that you are getting further from God, not closer to God. Consider carefully.

Ultimately, as your relationship with God grows deeper and becomes more personal you'll find that you'll begin to have a heart and mind that truly desires to know as much about Him and His ways as you possibly can. When this begins to happen it won't be long before you find yourself reading extra-Biblical sources (i.e. novels; biographies; documentaries; etc.) that will help you expand your understanding of our Lord and Savior.

Bottom line, enjoy the ride!

There are many, many programs that will help you study the Bible. The most popular are the "Bible-In-A-Year" programs.

There's no "right way" or "wrong way" when it comes to studying the Bible because the important thing is that you're actually making time each day to read it. Plus, what works for one person may not work for another, which is why everyone will have their own preference and approach.

Personally, if you're recently born again I suggest starting with the New Testament. Start with the Gospel of John, and you may even want to read it a few times in a row before moving on to the other books.

When you're ready, go to the beginning of the Bible and read the entire Bible through completely, from Genesis 1:1 to the end of the Book of Revelation. It is extremely important for a Christian to have a good overall understanding of the Bible.

Many people wrongly study the Bible - - a little here and a little there. Don't get me wrong, any amount of time that you spend with God's Word each day is meaningful and good, but what can happen is that you'll never really have a clear, overall view of the entire Bible. You don't want to lack a good, Biblical understanding of God, of God’s judgments, and of how Satan deceives because this gives a place for the devil to deceive you (think of the popular phrase: "If you give the devil and inch he'll become your ruler...").

For these reasons, it is highly recommended that a person tries to read the entire Bible through from cover to cover at least once every year. It won't be easy (even I haven't been able to achieve this yet!), but nothing truly worthwhile ever is.

So, whether or not you follow a similar Bible Study program like the one I will be using is immaterial. My hope is that together we can accomplish the feat of spending more time with God and His Word on a daily basis.

Won't you join me?

The political and social world of the Bible was very different than our modern world. The world of the church was different as well.

There's a church on every block in many Western cities. There are small churches and big churches and loads of different denominations. As they grow, they often add buildings to their campuses. Sometimes they build gyms or family life centers. They add libraries, coffee shops, and book stores. That is nothing like the early church!

In fact, the early church had nothing to do with buildings at all. The early church was just the people who believed in Jesus and the miracle of His resurrection. They were identified by the cities they lived in. They united to spread the Gospel and to encourage one another. They didn't meet because it was what they always did. They met because they needed each other. They didn't have buildings, which worked out ok back then because during times of persecution, a church building would've been the most dangerous place to be.

When you read the books of the New Testament that are letters (called epistles), you'll realize that most of the churches were called by their city names. The Ephesian church was all the believers in Ephesus. The Philippian church was all the believers in Philippi. They hadn't divided into denominations. They were just the followers of Christ who were willing to admit their faith and join together to continue Jesus' ministry. You've probably heard ministers today encourage the modern church to become more like the New Testament church in this way.

Another major difference was the ministry. What do you think of when you think of someone who is "in the ministry?" Do you think of clerical collars? Hospital visits? Preaching from pulpits? Church offices? Today, we often think of a Pastor who goes to one church for awhile, then goes to another church, probably in the same denomination. That church probably pays him a salary and probably provides some kind of benefits package.

Ministry for the prophets of the Old Testament and the early church leaders of the New Testament was a whole different thing. They were most often "itinerant," which was like being a Freelance Pastor who traveled around to different congregations. They were often in a dangerous profession. They withstood persecution. Often their were other religions in their area that were as fervent in their beliefs if not more so. There were no salary packages or benefits. The Pastors and teachers depended on the people of the congregation to sustain them. Many, such as the Apostle Paul, were bivocational, which means they had a day job (like tent-making) that they used to support themselves so they could minister in their off time.

What a major difference compared to today!

The Bible was written in another time. Understanding that time will help you understand the Bible better. Understanding what the Bible means includes understanding the world at the time the Bible was written. Here's a quick history tour.


A TIMELINE: A BIBLE-IN-HISTORY LESSON


Sometimes we forget that while the events recorded in the Bible were taking place, all the rest of world history was happening as well. We need to understand the Biblical events in light of everything that was going on around the world.

To add some context, you can find various timelines on the Internet. Keep in mind, there are A LOT of differing opinions about the dates. In fact, with a lot of these events, we don't know the exact year. For some, we know of a range that could be as short as 300 hundred years or as long as 1,000 years. So, remember the figures that you come across are always ballpark figures.


GEOGRAPHY


Most of the story of the Bible takes place around the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. If you have a map, find Africa. In the northeasternmost corner, you'll find Egypt. Let your finger follow the shoreline eastward up and around and you'll find Israel. Israel was Abraham's home, called Canaan. Later, it was called "The Promised Land" for the Hebrews who were set free from Egypt. If you continue up and around the shoreline, you'll find Greece. This is the path covered by much of Paul's missionary journeys, even as far as Rome, Italy.

Today, we can travel across oceans and continents in the course of a day. It's hard to imagine that so much of the history of the Bible happened in a relatively small space of land. This points out, too, the beauty of God's timing, entering humanity at a time when the hub of the world was small and the good news could disseminate worldwide very quickly and easily.

That's the big picture. Let's get more specific. Here are the places that the people whom you'll read about in the Bible encountered as they walked through their everyday lives:

Houses And Homes
During the Old Testament days, most people traveled with their flocks and herds, so the most common homes were tents made of poles, stakes, and skins. In New Testament times, Middle Eastern homes were built of mud bricks, usually on a stone limestone foundation.

Tabernacles, Temples, And Synagogues
Church buildings are not as important in our communities as they once were, yet we see them everywhere. The phrase "a church on every corner" still translates well in a lot of western civilization. Religious buildings were far more important in ancient time, but were not so ever-present.


FOOD


Keep in mind that this was not a world of meat packaged in cellophane and aisle after aisle of canned foods. This was a time when variety was not at a premium. People often grew their own food. When they shopped, it was at open-air markets. There was no refrigeration, so meat was often cured with salt and dried (like jerky). Spices were not the everyday items that we find in our cupboards today, but some common spices were dill, mustard, and mint. Sugar wasn't even present.

On a wider view, grain was the universal food source in Bible times. In fact, grain was so valuable that it was often used as money. While the men planted, tended, and harvested the crops, the women and children worked to prepare the family's meals.


FASHION


There were obviously no "name brands" back then. Today, we have different kinds of clothes for different occasions. We have sports clothes, casual clothes, work clothes, dress casual work clothes, dressy clothes, formal clothes, and so on. Men wear ties for some events and T-shirts for others. Women wear high heels for some events and flip-flops for others. We have a lot of variety in the kinds of clothes we wear. It wasn't that way in the time when the Bible was written. The difference between fancy and casual was just a matter of color and decorative accessories. That was also the difference between the clothes of the wealthy and the clothes of the poor.

The most basic item of clothing for both men and women was a tunic. The tunic was covered with a long, wool garment called a cloak. Most people owned only one cloak at a time, and people never left home without their tunic. They were expensive and time consuming to make, and so it was a valuable and versatile possession.


SOCIETY


This might hurt a bit, ladies, but the Bible reflects a culture in which women didn't really have full rights as people. They were not even considered reliable witnesses in legal matters. Often when you'll read an account of a crowd in the Bible, you will just be given the number of men in the crowd. That makes the event mentioned in Matthew 14-19-21 even more amazing when you add in women and children. Basically, in Bible times, men were trained for farming, hunting, and fighting in wars. Women typically tended the children and cared for the needs of the home.

There were exceptions though. When you understand the typical role of women in the ancient world, then you understand how revolutionary Jesus' life and ministry was. He honored women as people (John 4:7-9). He allowed them to minister alongside Him, and even support Him in His ministry. He was a radical!

The ancient world described in the Bible also had its share of barbarism. You can be sure of that! Prisoners of war were often horribly mistreated, tortured, and killed. If they weren't killed, then they were probably taken into slavery. The kind of treatment they received as slaves was probably dependent upon the ruler of that time. However, while this was the reality of the world those who lived in Biblical times experienced it was revolutionary to find that every time slavery is mentioned in the Bible it does not have the connotations of cruelty and inhumane treatment. While Paul taught over and over again that we are free in Christ, slavery, as a societal role, was an accepted part of that culture.

The Bible also has a lot to say about marriages and mistresses. To the modern female mind, the concept of the concubines can be quite hard to take. A concubine was a woman who became part of a household in much the way a wife would. The husband and head of the house assumed the obligations of a husband to this woman, but she didn't have the legal rights and privileges of a wife. She was responsible for part of the household. She bore children by her "husband," and her sons had the same right to inheritance as the sons of the wives. She couldn't be sold away or gotten rid of, but she was always a concubine rather than a real wife.

In the Bible, polygamy (having more than one wife) and concubines are mentioned as a matter of course. It's important to note, though, that the Bible also lists the negative outcomes of households with multiple wives and concubines. It was not a happy or healthy arrangement.

The accounts in the Old Testament also describe a society that is war-filled and barbaric. Sometimes as a reader you can feel like you're reading the stories of "Conan the Barbarian" or the Klingons from "Star Trek." The truth is that the ancient world was full of mutual hatred and intense rivalries. The globe that would fit that time had no set boundaries drawn in. Land was always up for grabs. "Conquer or be conquered" was the law of the land.


THE JOB MARKET


The days described in the Old Testament were mostly agricultural. In New Testament times, both agricultural industries and service industries began to organize. Importing and exporting were a part of the trade. Much like today, cities produced livelier trade and more career opportunities than villages and small towns. Also, cities that were built around ports or trade routes had a greater variety and more accomplished technology. Here's a list of some of the jobs people had in the Middle East during Biblical times:

Farmers
Fishermen
Artisans
Craftsmen
Potters
Carpenters
Tanners
Masons
Coppersmiths
Goldsmiths
Silversmiths
Weavers
Herdsmen
Shepherds
Priests
Bakers
Barbers
Diviners
Merchants
Physicians
Scribes
Politicians
Singers
Soldiers
Tax Collectors


CURRENCIES, WEIGHTS, AND MEASUREMENTS


For all our societal evolution, two things about the marketplace are the same now as they were back then: (1) Shoppers wanted to get the most for their money and (2) Merchants wanted to get paid well for their products/services. Because of this, from the beginning of civilization, money and measurements were developing into standard systems.

During Old Testament times, everything was subjective as standard weights and measurements varied from one place to another. In New Testament times, everything in life was more standardized because more of the world was under one rule.

Earlier today, we looked at the story of the Bible - - as a long version (with a focus on the Old Testament). Now, I thought it would be helpful to briefly look at the story of the Bible - - the long version (with a focus on the New Testament).

What is it all about? Why should we care?

The Holy Bible is made up of 66 different books, but it's really all one story, a master plan.


LONG VERSION (NEW TESTAMENT)


Let's continue by looking at the New Testament.

The New Testament opens with the life of Jesus. He was God in the flesh, having put humanity on so that He could give Himself up for our wrongdoings. He enraged the religious leaders of His day because (1) He claimed to be God and (2) He confronted their hypocrisy and (3) He threatened their authority and power within the community. He said to them in so many words, "God is not about your 'do's' and 'don'ts.' God is about how you live your lives, and connect with Him, and love other people." If they gave up their do's and don'ts, then they didn't have a way to control.

At the age of 33, Jesus was sentenced to death through a true conspiracy instigated by religious leaders. Jesus died as He was hanging on crossbeams of wood. This kind of death was called a crucifixion. It was a painful and agonizing execution typical of that period of history. It was amazing enough that an innocent man was willing to suffer such a death. More amazing than that, while He surely did die on the cross, He came back to life a few days later. He spent some more time with the people He was closest to and then He was gone again, no longer living in a physical body. Before He left the last time, He promised to return again one day to set the record straight once and for all. He also commissioned His followers to spread the message of His sacrifice and to love each other along the way.

Those followers became the first missionaries or church-planters. They went to all the surrounding regions spreading the new and exciting message that Jesus had paid the price for our failure to stay in a right relationship with God. They preached grace and faith. They started churches in major cities. Some of them wrote letters back to the churches they had started to help them understand their role in society until Jesus' return.

That's the story of the Holy Bible. It's the story of God's creating us and wooing us into a relationship with Him. The Old Testament asked a question - - How can we be right with God since we've chosen our own way? The New Testament answered it - - Through the grace of God given through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

How does this large piece of the Bible fit in with the whole Bible? What is the context into which it fits?

The first 4 books of the New Testament record the events of Jesus' life and ministry. The fifth book records the organization of the early church. The next twenty-one are letters explainin faith and encouraging people and churches. The last book is the prophecy of the end of the world as we know it.

Now, let's take a short breath and review.

It's like a grocery store coupon. When people talk about God's plan for keeping us in relationship with Him, they talk about God "redeeming" us. They sometimes talk about His plan of redemption. That is really what the big, cohesive plan of the Bible is about - - God's process of redeeming us.

Think about it this way. You know those coupons that you (be honest, you do clip coupons!), or somebody you know, clips out of the paper. You take them to the store and you try to buy the things you have coupons for. When you get to the register, you try to remember to show the coupons to the checkout person, then you hope they'll remember to ring them in. If you do remember and they do remember then what you are doing is REDEEMING those coupons.

In themselves they aren't really worth much. They're just a piece of paper. Dead tree. But put that manufacturer's seal on them and they're worth so much more! How much? They're worth whatever the manufacturer says they're worth. That's how much. God has put into place the necessary scenario for our redemption. He manufactured us. He paid the price - - His life. He gave us worth. But we have a part in it. That's why it's not called God's redemption; it's called God's plan for our redemption. He did the work. He made the coupons. He paid the price. He wrote a book to tell us how to get to the right checkout line. He gave no date of expiration, but we have to choose, through faith, to receive the redemption.

It's something to think about next time you're sitting on the floor with sales inserts spread out around you and a pair of scissors in your hand on Sunday morning.

Coming full circle, all the way through the story so far there was the promise of One coming who would fix what had been broken when people chose their own way rather than God's way. That's what Jesus' life was all about.

So, to recap, the Old Testament asked a question: How can we be right with God since we've chosen our own way? The New Testament answered it: Through the grace of God given through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ!

Earlier today, we looked at the story of the Bible - - as a short version. Now, I thought it would be helpful to briefly look at the story of the Bible - - the long version (with a focus on the Old Testament).

What is it all about? Why should we care?

The Holy Bible is made up of 66 different books, but it's really all one story, a master plan.


LONG VERSION (OLD TESTAMENT)


Let's start with the Old Testament.

The Bible opens with the story of the creation of the world. God created the world and everything in it, including two people known to us as Adam and Eve, as well as a great garden paradise called Eden, which was almost like Heaven on Earth. He gave one guideline: Don't eat of this one, certain tree in the garden.

The importance of that guideline was not the tree, nor what kind of fruit grew on it (which, by the way, probably wasn't an apple). The importance of that guideline was their choice to either walk with God or to walk their own way. From the beginning, God asked people to show their love and devotion through their obedience. Adam and Eve chose to walk their own way. That changed everything.

Adam and Eve had children (the Cain and Abel fiasco that we'll look at soon), who had children, who had children and so on. Each generation ignored God more than the generation before. Of Adam and Eve's descendants, one of the most notable was Noah. By the time of Noah, God regretted even making people. Noah was the one guy of the population who had any concern whatsoever for his relationship with God. God gave humanity another chance and another opportunity through Noah. A worldwide flood destroyed everything on earth except the animals and people who moved into Noah's big boat. After the waters receded, the world started over, this time with Mr. and Mrs. Noah, their three sons, and the three sons' wives.

Noah's children had children, who had children, who had children, and so on, but things didn't get a whole lot better. God gave humanity yet another opportunity, but this time by making a promise kind of agreement with a man named Abraham. God promised He would give Abraham many descendants and that one of those descendants would be the Messiah, the One who would make right this thing that Adam and Eve had messed up. Abraham's part of the promise was that neither he nor his descendants would take their relationship with God lightly and that they would all be circumcised as as physical sign of their commitment. It was from this agreement that the people we call the Jews or Hebrews descended. The Hebrews are Abraham's descendants.

Abraham had a son, who had twin sons. One of those twins (whose name "Jacob" was changed to "Israel") had twelve sons. Those twelve sons were the patriarchs of the twelve tribes of Israel. They all moved their families to Egypt during a famine, and it was there in Egypt that they began to grow out of an "extended family" and into a "great nation."

Most of the Old Testament is made up of the history of the descendants of these twelve sons. Eventually, they became a nation of slaves in Egypt. Through a seeming fluke, a Hebrew baby named Moses escaped slavery and was raised in the king's (Pharaoh's) palace. Moses grew up and led a God sponsored rebellion, helping his people escape from Egypt. The plan was for Moses to lead his people back to the land that Abraham had settled, way back when. That land was called Israel (after one of Isaac's twin sons), or you might have heard it called "The Promised Land."

Forty years later, through miracles, mishaps, and misunderstandings the Hebrews finally reached that land. You may have guessed already that the land had been resettled by other people. Even today there are conflicts in that SAME AREA about land ownership, which proves there's a spiritual element to it all. Under the leadership of a man named Joshua, the Hebrews set out to reclaim the land. God warned them, actually, to make everyone else leave that land. The Hebrews did reclaim much of the land, but they didn't make absolutely everyone leave. That's important to remember.

The reason the Jewish people were supposed to run everyone else out of the land is because everyone else worshipped idols (false, evil gods) of some kind. During their travels, God had given the Jewish people the Ten Commandments, which began with "You shall have no other gods before me..." You know how human nature is. If they let idol worship stay in their land, eventually they would be influenced by it.

And that's EXACTLY what happened! The Hebrews kept getting their worship mingled in with the idol worship around them. When they did this, they became weaker and weaker as a nation. As they became weaker (politically and spiritually), they became prey for the surrounding nations. The kingdom divided into two kingdoms. The southern kingdom was Judah and its capital was Jerusalem.

All during this part of Hebrew history, the prophets cried out to their people to turn back to God and let Him protect them from their enemies. But eventually, both the northern and the southern kingdoms of Israel were defeated and taken away from their land into exile. The prophets continued to call out to them even when they were in captivity, asking them to become wholehearted about their relationship with God again. And finally as they started returning and rebuilding, the prophets were reminding them to keep from making the same mistakes again.

How does this large piece of the Bible fit in with the whole Bible? What is the context into which it fits?

The first half (roughly) of the Old Testament is all about God's following through on that promise agreement that He made with Abraham: first in Abraham's backyard, then in Egypt, then in the desert, then in their new land. The rest of the Old Testament really revolves around Israel's struggle to worship God and only God. The historical books describe Israel's struggle with idolatry, then with keeping their land, then with returning to their homes after being taken away as prisoners to other lands. The books of wisdom are the truths that carried them through all those difficult times. The books of prophecy record sermons and visions regarding Israel's unfaithfulness and the bad things that would happen to them because of it. These books also prophesy of the coming Messiah, who would deliver them from their physical and spiritual slavery.

All the way through the Old Testament, from the first time Adam chose his own way to the last time the ancient Jews rebuilt the temple, there was God's promise. The promise ALWAYS started with an understood, "One day..." In the Garden of Eden, this promise was to the serpent: One day..."he will crush your head" (Genesis 3:15). Later, this promise was to Abraham: One day..."all peoples on Earth will be blessed through you" (Genesis 12:3). Later, the promise came through the prophets: One day..."the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14).

Now, let's take a short breath and review.

All the way through the story so far there was the promise of One coming who would fix what had been broken when people chose their own way rather than God's way. That's what Jesus' life was all about.

The Old Testament asked a question: How can we be right with God since we've chosen our own way? The New Testament answered it: Through the grace of God given through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ!

I thought it would be helpful to briefly look at the story of the Bible - - the short version.

What is it all about? Why should we care?

The Holy Bible is made up of 66 different books, but it's really all one story, a master plan.

SHORT VERSION

First, God created an ideal world and put people in it. He gave them the choice to build a relationship with Him or not. That choice still exists to this day. Those first people he created - - Adam and Eve - - made a mess of things because they made the wrong decision.

Then humanity sort of started all over again. Noah and his family became the only survivors of a worldwide catastrophic flood. Noah's descendants had the same choice, to build a relationship with God or not. Within a few generations, things were in a mess again.

God has remained intent of building a relationship with the people of the world, though. He established a contract like, covenant agreement with a man named Abraham. Abraham promised to cherish and obey God and to teach his family to do the same. God promised to give Abraham many descendants. God also promised that out of those descendants would come a Messiah, a man who would give His own life on behalf of humanity. That man was God in the form of a human. We refer to Him as Jesus Christ.

Jesus lived and died and lived again. When He left our world, He left behind the message that having a relationship with God requires faith, rather than perfection, on our part. He left behind a group of people who were supposed to keep His message going. He left behind a promise that He would come again, that the world wouldn't always be a broken and disappointing place, and that one day all the messes would be cleaned up.

In that sense, the Holy Bible has often been called God's "Love Letter" to the world.

We wait for that time, in faith, trying to keep things as tidy as we can by striving to develop a deeper relationship with Him each and every day while also sharing His message with others who haven't heard it before.

That's the story of the Bible as a short version.

One of the most commonly asked questions that new believers have is: What about different translations? This is an excellent question because you need to be warned that not all "translations" of the Bible are accurate translations especially these days.

There are many different English translations of the Holy Bible. Though many of these often provide for easier reading, no translation has been found to be more accurate than the Septuagint. The problem is that it's not widely distributed, and that it only includes the Old Testament. Therefore, the King James Version (KJV) is the way to go.

While the KJV may seem "old-fashioned" and more difficult to read at first, after spending time with it, it becomes as familiar and easy to understand as any translation thanks to the Holy Spirit of course.

That brings up another important point to take note of. When it comes to ease of reading versus accuracy, the accuracy of the text is far more important. This is why the KJV Bible is recommended above the others especially when studying subjects such as Bible prophecy.

Other popular translations include the New King James, the New American Standard Bible, the New International Version, and the Complete Jewish Bible. Just be wary of those modern-day translations that try to make God's Word more palatable to this politically correct world. You know, the kinds that will change it completely by stating that God is a "She" or that sin is "acceptable" to Him. Pure nonsense!

Some Bibles are not translations, but interpretations, or paraphrased versions of the Bible. Such Bibles include the Good News for Modern Man and The Living Bible amongst others.

These are not recommended at all.

"I would read and study the Bible, but I can't understand it!"

This is typically the most common objection from people as to why they do not engage in serious study of this immensely important and life-changing Book. Would it surprise you to learn that it's actually supposed to be that way at least at first?

Many people have a difficult time understanding the Bible, so they shy away from reading it. This may be, because they do not have God’s Spirit inside them yet. Specifically, they are not converted; they are not born-again.

How do we become converted? How do we become born again? How do we receive the Holy Spirit (our Helper who will help us interpret and understand God's Word)?

We are to believe and have faith in Jesus Christ. We must recognize our sins and our need for forgiveness from the Savior Jesus Christ, and His finished work on the cross. From the moment we receive salvation, the Holy Spirit indwells within us, and we are born again into a new life with new desires!

Once that process has begun you will be amazed how how the Scriptures seem to light up and take a life of their own as they almost leap off the page and profoundly impact your heart and mind! It's almost as if someone begins to shine a light on the words and you begin to finally see them in a different way; a way that you begin to understand them for the first time.

When you have difficulty understanding the Bible simply ask God to help you and to give you understanding. As we read,

John 16:13 : "THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH…WILL GUIDE YOU."

John 14:26 : "THE HOLY GHOST…HE SHALL TEACH YOU."

Luke 24:45 : "THEN OPENED HE THEIR UNDERSTANDING, THAT THEY MIGHT UNDERSTAND THE SCRIPTURES."

Never approach the Scriptures with a “know-it-all” attitude. Approach God with a humble attitude. Become as a little child before God. God hates pride and arrogance. It is an abomination to Him. That's why I will ALWAYS pray for Him to "please speak to my heart and mind and help me recognize the truths I am about to read..." BEFORE I begin my readings and studies.

Besides, how can God reveal things to people who are wise in their own eyes? It is written,

Matthew 11:25 : "THOU HAST HID THESE THINGS FROM THE WISE AND PRUDENT, AND HAST REVEALED THEM UNTO BABES."

Job 17:4 : "THOU HAST HID THEIR HEART FROM UNDERSTANDING."

So, the first step is to become saved. The next step is to ask the Holy Spirit for help before you even begin to invest your time and energy so that it will be maximized to its full potential.

How do you know if you're saved or not? If you're not sure, try this prayer right now:

"Father God, I know I need You because I am a sinner, but also know that I can never get to You on my own. There's nothing I can do on my own to make up for my sins; nothing I could do on my own to earn favor and forgiveness from You or to secure my place in Heaven when I die. The only thing I can do is to make a conscious decision that You sent Your one and only Son Jesus Christ, and that He came to this world for me. He took my sins upon Himself, was crucified in my place, died for me, and was resurrected so that I may live forever. I accept Him and His sacrifice, and desperately want to receive Your Son Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. When He conquered death for my sake He gave me access to You. Thank You for Your grace and Your mercy. Thank You for forgiving me and for sending the Holy Spirit to transform my life from this moment forward. I pray that You transform my life from this day forward and give me a heart and a mind that desires to not only get to know You, but to be with You as much as possible. Teach me how to live, and teach me how to share this message with others before it's too late for them. Amen."

One of the most important questions you can ask yourself is: Why is independent Bible study important?

We've already shown why God wants us to read and study His Holy Bible, but let's go a step further in considering why this is not only a noble, but essential pursuit.

Sadly, there are many churches that do not preach much of God’s Word. That might seem strange, but when you consider what Jesus said about the end times this is hardly surprising.

Just think about it for a moment. Many churches today do not even encourage their members to bring their Bibles to church. Some actually discourage people from bringing their Bibles and even from reading them. Worse, some churches don't even preach the Gospel and instead choose to offer their congregation more of a "self-help" or "pop psychology" type of message. In fact, many of the mega-churches in existence today fit this definition.

Instead of preaching about sin and our need for repentance and forgiveness they would rather talk about things that aren't as "offensive" to people because, after all, they're more concerned with winning another member to their ministry than they are about winning another soul for Jesus Christ.

It's sad, but true. How many of you reading this right now belong to a church that offers more style than substance on Sundays? When did the inclusion of book stores, coffee shops, and self-help seminars become the norm at church, and things like Bible study groups, mission trips, and the like become the exception? This is the predicament the world finds itself in today.

Don't get me wrong, finding a good church is essential to one's spiritual growth. Unfortunately, it's becoming harder and harder to find one that is based on the solid teachings of the Bible. The religious leaders of these institutions are also not immune to gross misinterpretations of God's Holy Word. These days it seems as if they would rather be politically correct than Scripturally sound. These leaders are the blind leading the blind. It is recommended that you run from such a church. As it is written, COME OUT OF HER, MY PEOPLE (Revelation 18:4). These blind leaders of the blind do not understand they are doing wrong. They are fully convinced they are doing God’s will, even though their actions contradict the Bible.

This is why it's ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL that you read the Bible for yourself. In these last days, a person can no longer simply assume that their Pastor, Priest, or Minister will be feeding them the truth. If you know what God's Word says then you'll at least be able to spot the inaccuracies should they ever present themselves in your church. This is why we're instructed to test everything and hold everyone accountable to see if what we're being told matches with what His Word has to say.

So, why is independent Bible study important? Simply put, because it protects us from all kinds of spiritual deception even if ever so slight.

The sad reality is that despite the fact that we have unencumbered access to God's Word on a daily basis we often neglect our spiritual responsibility and choose to do anything but a serious Bible study. Why is that?

In addition, many churches do not preach much of God’s Word anymore. Many churches today do not encourage their members to bring their own family Bibles to church, and instead have opted to have copies available for all in the pews. Some actually discourage people from bringing their Bibles and even from reading them.

One can only wonder if this seemingly innocent trend has contributed to the decline of morality in today's culture, and if it has also contributed to the prophesied apostasy we now find ourselves in the middle of.

Perhaps that's too dramatic. Regardless, the point is that reading God's Word has taken a back-seat over the past few decades to our own competing hobbies and interests. Again, we'd rather do anything except read and study His Word to enrich our lives.

I've had enough of this mindset in my own life, and have decided it's time to make time for what's really important in my life.

Won't you please join me?

When it comes to the topic of whether or not we should be reading and studying the Holy Bible - - God's Word - - God Himself is actually pretty clear.

The Bible tells us we are to hear and study the Word of God. It is written:

Joshua 1:13 : "REMEMBER THE WORD."

Acts 15:7 : "HEAR THE WORD."

Isaiah 1:10 : "HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD."

Jeremiah 9:20 : "RECEIVE THE WORD."

Jeremiah 10:1 : "HEAR YE THE WORD WHICH THE LORD SPEAKETH."

Joshuah 1:8 : "THIS BOOK…MEDITATE THEREIN DAY AND NIGHT."

Ezekiel 6:3 : "HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD GOD."

Hosea 4:1 : "HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD."

2 Timothy 2:15 : "STUDY TO SHEW THYSELF APPROVED UNTO GOD."

Proverbs 4:4 : "LET THINE HEART RETAIN MY WORDS."

The Scriptures were written by about 39 authors, dating from about 1900 B.C. to about 90 A.D., yet they harmonize perfectly! There is not one contradiction or mistake! There are about 10,385 prophecies, and every single one has come true up to this time without one exception! It is written:

2 Peter 1:20-21 : "Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."

2 Timothy 3:16 : "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,"

Hebrews 4:12 : "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

Romans 15:4 : "For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."

It's also important to note that we are instructed to receive God’s Word in meekness with a humble spirit.

James 1:21 : "Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you."

Please note that it's not uncommon (especially once you show a genuine and committed interest) for Satan to try to keep you from the Word by using things like the various cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, the pleasures of this world, the lusts for other things, as well as persecutions and temptations.

The best advice I can give? Set aside some time to read and study the Bible either as the first thing you do when you get up in the morning or as the last thing you do before going to bed at night. Otherwise. turn off the music, turn off the TV, put down the newspaper, sign off from the Internet, and read your Bible. Forget the party, the date, the movie, or visiting with relatives. Put God’s Word first in your life - - you won't be sorry!

Colossians 3:16 : "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God."

Do you study for school? Do you study for college? Do you study for your job? Can these save your soul for eternity? When do you study God’s Word? If you think these things are more important than God’s Word, then you are deceived. Anything that comes before God’s Word is an idol. Plain and simple.

God tells us in Joshua 1:8, "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." Do you meditate in God’s Word day and night? Are you obeying God’s Word?

According to Proverbs 4:4-5 we are to "let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth."

Proverbs 4:20-22 : "My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body."

Get into the Bible. Get understanding, and do not shrink back from God’s Word. I assure you that it will change your life forever as it has changed (and continues to change) mine!