•10:48 AM
Since I'm writing this for my kids, I want them to understand the importance of the word of God.
A lot of folks when talking about the Bible write it this way: the Word of God. But I don't do that unless it is in a title (like the title of this post). Why not? Because the Bible differentiates between the 'word' of God and the 'Word' of God. The capital 'W' refers to Jesus. The lower case 'w' refers to the Book.
The Bible is very important to me.
When I was first saved, every book and pamphlet that I read was pro-KJV (King James Version). I learned about the textual families, the translators, and the histories of the different texts. After hundreds, no, thousands of pages of study, I am still convinced that the KJV is the Lord's word for today.
Ps 12:6-7 says that the Lord will preserve his 'words,' not just the ideas behind those words. There are many similar passages in the Bible; all of them stating that God will keep his 'words', fulfill his 'words,' etc. The VERY WORDS are important.
With this as my background, I trust every single individual word in my Bible is 'thus saith the Lord.' This has been a great source of faith for me over the years.
For some, this attention to the words becomes a stumbling block. They see themselves as keepers of the Book. They become legalists, straining at gnats and swallowing camels. God never reveals a truth to you so that you can lord it over the brethren. Never.
Many believers, GODLY believers, read the NIV or the ESB, or some other book. They believe it is the word of God, and, guess what?, God meets them where they are! If the Lord speaks to them through their book, then who am I to condemn them? Nevertheless, I am still responsible for what the Lord has shown ME.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, The Lord showed me that knowing the Word is the point of knowing the word. The word is merely a signpost pointing us to Jesus. And Jesus is the bridge, the door that leads unto the Father.
This has kept me Jesus-centered even as I was Scripture-centered.
At one time, I was reading 50 chapters of the Bible every day. I have memorized a bunch of it, and more than that, I have had the Lord give me understanding over many of the passages in the New Testament. The words have been engrafted into my life, and changed me.
I believe in reading the Bible, meditating over the verses, studying, etc. For many years, I had verses written down on index cards, and I would go over and over these verses as I drove back and forth to work. I have printed out chapters of the Bible, placed them inside big zip-loc bags and kept them in the shower.
The words of God are life. They reveal the Lord of life to us.
The first church that I attended after getting saved (about 3 or 4 years after I accepted Christ as my Saviour) had a wise gentleman who was one of the elders. He told me something that I will never forget. He said,
"Chris, I've seen many Christians come and many go, those who stay in the Book make it."
After 20 years of salvation, I still read the Bible every day. I still experience the Lord every day.
The word of God is the key. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
A lot of folks when talking about the Bible write it this way: the Word of God. But I don't do that unless it is in a title (like the title of this post). Why not? Because the Bible differentiates between the 'word' of God and the 'Word' of God. The capital 'W' refers to Jesus. The lower case 'w' refers to the Book.
The Bible is very important to me.
When I was first saved, every book and pamphlet that I read was pro-KJV (King James Version). I learned about the textual families, the translators, and the histories of the different texts. After hundreds, no, thousands of pages of study, I am still convinced that the KJV is the Lord's word for today.
Ps 12:6-7 says that the Lord will preserve his 'words,' not just the ideas behind those words. There are many similar passages in the Bible; all of them stating that God will keep his 'words', fulfill his 'words,' etc. The VERY WORDS are important.
With this as my background, I trust every single individual word in my Bible is 'thus saith the Lord.' This has been a great source of faith for me over the years.
For some, this attention to the words becomes a stumbling block. They see themselves as keepers of the Book. They become legalists, straining at gnats and swallowing camels. God never reveals a truth to you so that you can lord it over the brethren. Never.
Many believers, GODLY believers, read the NIV or the ESB, or some other book. They believe it is the word of God, and, guess what?, God meets them where they are! If the Lord speaks to them through their book, then who am I to condemn them? Nevertheless, I am still responsible for what the Lord has shown ME.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, The Lord showed me that knowing the Word is the point of knowing the word. The word is merely a signpost pointing us to Jesus. And Jesus is the bridge, the door that leads unto the Father.
This has kept me Jesus-centered even as I was Scripture-centered.
At one time, I was reading 50 chapters of the Bible every day. I have memorized a bunch of it, and more than that, I have had the Lord give me understanding over many of the passages in the New Testament. The words have been engrafted into my life, and changed me.
I believe in reading the Bible, meditating over the verses, studying, etc. For many years, I had verses written down on index cards, and I would go over and over these verses as I drove back and forth to work. I have printed out chapters of the Bible, placed them inside big zip-loc bags and kept them in the shower.
The words of God are life. They reveal the Lord of life to us.
The first church that I attended after getting saved (about 3 or 4 years after I accepted Christ as my Saviour) had a wise gentleman who was one of the elders. He told me something that I will never forget. He said,
"Chris, I've seen many Christians come and many go, those who stay in the Book make it."
After 20 years of salvation, I still read the Bible every day. I still experience the Lord every day.
The word of God is the key. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
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