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Bring the Rain (The Godsword Dynasty Book 1)

Sunday, January 06, 2019Sunday, January 06, 2019 admin

Reaching out to USU. So with the many job openings that are becoming available and with the problems that the school district is having at filling them I reached out to my alma mater. This is the email that I sent out.

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Even if you are not a USU student perhaps you should consider coming to Pinon for the same reasons. Tonight I held the wrestling banquet and honored my student athletes from the middle school who worked so hard with me this last season. It was a great success thanks to my wife Pamela who helped plan the event and even made two cakes for it. Living in Navajo Nation things are done very differently than in the rest of the world. It is customary to start any event with a prayer in Navajo. I felt excited for the opportunity since it would be one of the final times that I wo.

Today I submitted my end of the year report to the district office in order to get my stipend. I also submitted my end of the year report to district for my CTE program. All in all, pretty much the same thing. It feels strange that it is coming to an end so soon. I have always wanted a long and varied career in teac. Scenic Trip Through Navajo Nation. We had the chance to see my brother Keith on Sunday. We have not seen him since It was a great time getting to meet up with him for breakfast as he was on his way to Utah to possibly buy a house.

It's kind of funny that the two of us are both moving this summer. He is moving a week before we are. After seeing Keith and doing a little shopping for necessities we took the boys t. Xander plays in his room with his toys. Gradually things are getting packed up and ready to go. I'm not sure how much he understands what is going on. He definitely knows that something is happening. Through it all he is being a little champ. Dropping him off at preschool is becoming very difficult though. He doesn't want me to leave. Once I do leave he plays with his friends and has a great time.

Mother's Day with the Boys. To give Pamela and Jane a bit of a break I took the boys out for a couple of hours to play. Xander was very talkative with the animals. He said, "Chicken, I like chicken. This last picture could not have been more perfect. I think it is the best photo I have ever taken. It was a great day with my boys. It was quite an experience. During that visit the dome of the capital building was under construction as well. Monument to Grant This is the plane used in the movie Planes as Skipper.

Seeing it made me miss my little boys. Xander helps me make brownies Xander and Curtis look at the ducks on the pond. Xander Goes to Preschool. Xander started preschool at Pinon Elementary! He has been saying many more sentences and has really opened up as a result. He really likes his teachers and has a great time playing with the other kids. I am excited for this new experience. I have wanted to do more with my ESL certification for a long time. At the end of the day its th.

Washington DC and Job Hunt. We are now waiting for our first flight out of Phoenix Sky Harbor. It is such a great opportunity to travel with this student and her mother as we go to our nation's capital! It is also a very nice break for me. Since Pamela obtained her job I applied for over jobs in and around Memphis. The "I Zone" sc. To Memphis we Go!

It is official the Maynard Family will soon be leaving our lovely Navajo Nation for the big city. My beautiful wife has signed a contract with Green Dot, a charter school organization. She will be a Dean of Students at Woodale Middle School, a school that the charter school is taking over. We will be moving as soon as her contract ends with Pinon. I am very excited for this new chapter in our lives. I have been diligently job hunting. I have filled out. Reading so far in Anyone who is even remotely serious about being a writer knows that one of the most important things that a person can do is read.

Sometimes I have a lot of time for reading and others I'm lucky to have time to read a few news articles here and there. Luckily I've been able to read quite a bit thus far. Intrigued by the trial and. Xander and I Greet the Spring. Today is the first day of Spring! Pamela is returning from LA, so Mom and Curtis went to pick her up at the airport, which left Xander and I on our own for the day. What better way to celebrate the new season than by going out and enjoying a nice day! Xander and I spent about four hours outside today to greet the spring of ! Xander likes to walk backwards, his brother has picked up on this habit.

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Although Curtis seems to just be chasing his shadow most of the ti. As I have contemplated leaving Pinon I have become very reflective. My wife mistakes this for melancholy, but it is a mixture of emotions that are too many to give just a single name to. Pinon has been our home for five years.

It is where we met and where we started a beautiful life together. It is where we have started to raise two fine young boys. Though Xander is in a bit of trouble today for getting Daddy's shavers stuck in the toilet. Back in the Stroller. I decided to go on another walk around town with the boys to get more photographs of Pinon. To get these photos we walked almost to the clinic and then went around to the post office.

The Word of God - Quotations and Illustrations | Precept Austin

The Elementary School Our poor puppy, Buster, has a hard time getting past the cattle guard, he always falls in. He makes me carry him over it. In the distance is the Middle School and the High School. I have seen several coyotes since living here, but not many in the last two years. Many of the stray dogs mate with coyotes and have coy-dogs. Knowing who wrote a book often determines whether we'll pick it up and read it. The Bible, with its divine origin, not only ought to be read, but it demands our respect, our trust, and our obedience.

It comes "with compliments of the Author. Your thoughts are here, my God, Expressed in words divine, The utterance of heavenly lips In every sacred line. Study the Bible to be wise. I have known many outstanding leaders who made the Bible their guide. Taylor, former president of Rotary International, told me he began each day by reading the Sermon on the Mount aloud. Let the Bible be your firm foundation. Let it be the staff of life that nourishes your soul.

Let it be the sword of the Spirit that cuts away sin. Many years ago I heard these words: Catholic bishop Tunstall of London bought up most of Tyndale's first edition in order to stamp out Tyndale's "heresy" but the proceeds financed new editions! There's more to the story. In her youth, Elizabeth had been watched over by her tyrannical father.

When she and Robert were married, their wedding was held in secret because of her father's disapproval. After the wedding the Brownings sailed for Italy, where they lived for the rest of their lives. But even though her parents had disowned her, Elizabeth never gave up on the relationship. Almost weekly she wrote them letters.

Not once did they reply. After 10 years, she received a large box in the mail. Inside, Elizabeth found all of her letters; not one had been opened! Today those letters are among the most beautiful in classical English literature. Had her parents only read a few of them, their relationship with Elizabeth might have been restored. In a very real sense, God's Word is his love letter to us. Nothing has the power to free us from destructive behavior and revitalize our relationship with him like his Word.

In his lifetime he produced books, edited 28 others, and contributed many more shorter writings to the church. In spite of his thorough studies, however, he once said, "The quarry of the Holy Scriptures in inexhaustible. I seem hardly to have begun to labor in it; but the selection of the next block, and the consideration as to how to work it into form, are matters not so easy as some think. Bruce noted the following about the Bible: The Bible was never intended to be a book for scholars and specialists only.

So they agreed to share room number 19 that night. When one asked permission from the other to keep his light on so that he could read his Bible, a discussion ensued about the dearth of religious reading material available. Then and there was born the Gideons , the purpose of which was to place a Bible in every hotel room in the United States.

That was ninety-two years ago, and today the Gideons supply Bibles in 60 languages to hotel rooms in countries. The Boscobel Hotel is now years old, been vacant for years, and it's for sale. But one thing more: Passing through Boscobel, he asked for a place to rest and freshen up. Of course the town had only one hotel, so Senator Kennedy and his wife, Jacquelyn, were assigned to historic room History records that their son John was born precisely nine months later.

After nine mutineers, twelve Tahitian women and six Tahitian men put ashore on Pitcairn Island in , jealousy, treachery, drunkenness and murder took over. Ten years later, only two white men survived, surrounded by native women and half-breed offspring. When one of them died in , he was the first man on the island to die a natural death. When the sole remaining mutineer was discovered in , it was found that he had at one point discovered a Bible.

By reading it and teaching it to others, he had instituted a simple, pious little community with no jail, no whiskey, no crime, and no laziness. Such is the transforming power of the Word of God. But when Lot's wife looked back, she turned into a pillar of salt. Although we believe that every word of Scripture is inspired, this doesn't mean we should take every word literally regardless of its context. Some people seem to do this and thereby miss the true meaning of many Bible passages. The Bible is filled with images—word pictures we call similes and metaphors.

The book of James gives us a classic example, calling the tongue "a fire" James 3: We know it doesn't mean that we have a literal flame in our mouth. Jesus used figurative language too. He said, "If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out" Mt. What He meant, of course, is that we should take strong measures to keep ourselves from sin. We need to listen carefully to what God is saying in His Word so we can put it into practice. His Word is a "lamp" for our feet and a "light" for our path Ps.

What does the context say? What does the text mean? What does it mean to your life? Tom tries to persuade his friend Huck to join him in his plans to form a band of robbers and to take captives much like pirates used to do. Huck asks Tom what pirates do with the captives they take, and Tom answers, "Ransom them.

But that's what they do. I seen it in books; and so of course that's what we got to do," explains Tom. The people were also quoting and repeating things they had found in a book--the Old Testament. But they were merely mouthing words. The ideas had been separated from the spirit of the original revelation. By misapplying Mosaic principles of conduct, the people were justifying their sinful attitudes and actions Mt. This should be a reminder to us.

When we quote the Bible, let's be sure we understand its meaning and context. Then we won't get things "all muddled up. A text taken out of context can be a dangerous pretext. Reportedly, Crowfoot put the pass in a leather pouch and wore it around his neck for the rest of his life—but he never once availed himself of the rights and privileges it spelled out. What a tragedy it is when Christians do the same thing with the Word of God, using it as a decorative badge of Christianity, but never availing themselves of the wealth of access to God's thoughts it affords.

In times of need it would be helpful to know where to look in the Bible to find the Lord's help. My custom is to read four or five chapters every morning immediately after rising from my bed. It employs about an hour of my time, and seems to me the most suitable manner of beginning the day. In what light soever we regard the Bible, whether with reference to revelation, to history, or to morality, it is an invaluable and inexhaustible mine of knowledge and virtue.

When my husband came home, my 4-year-old daughter told him, "The Bible used to be written on squirrels! If you have the Word without the Spirit, you dry up. If you have both the Word and the Spirit, you grow up. Perhaps the best New Testament texts on this subject are 2 Timothy 3: The former verse tells us that all Scripture is inspired breathed out by God and therefore of immense usefulness in our lives.

These two entities comprise the two greatest gifts ever bestowed on humanity. Jesus is like no other person the world has ever seen, and the Bible is like no other book the world has ever read. He came down from heaven yet made His appearance through the instrumentality of a human being who was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit. The Scriptures are both fully human and fully divine. They came down from heaven yet were given through the instrumentality of human beings who were borne along by the Holy Spirit.

And so these 3: What Does God Say? That is, he started from scratch. He just started from the beginning. I let the New Testament tell me what I was to do.

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This is what I would like to see in our church—the New Testament order of letting Scripture decide matters. When it comes to a question—any question—what does the Word of God say? All belief and practices should be tested by the Word; no copying unscriptural church methods. We should let the Word of God decide. Special cameras reveal that what appears to be a steady gaze at someone is actually a series of rapid scans of the face. Eye movement is essential because the nerves in the eye need a constant change of stimulation if we are to see properly. Studies show that if we look at the same spot continuously, the rest of our visual field will go blank.

We can experience a similar problem in our study of the Word of God. If we "stare" exclusively at certain biblical truths while excluding other important doctrines, our spiritual vision will begin to blur out. Some people, for instance, tend to look only at the love of God, or the wrath of God, or evangelism, or church growth, or the end times, or the devil, or sin. No matter what particular truth we are interested in, we need to be careful lest we lose our perspective. Only as we see the big picture—how the many biblical doctrines fit together—will we avoid staring at some truths and becoming blind to others.

God's Word was given for our good And we are to obey; Not choose the parts that we like best, Then live in our own way. You can't enjoy the harmony of Scripture if you play just one note of truth. Fully Equipped - All Scripture is given by inspiration of God. Karl Elsener, a Swiss designer of surgical equipment in the 19th century, worked for years on perfecting a military knife. Today his Swiss Army Knife is associated with excellence in blades and a variety of utilities. One model includes knife blades, a saw, scissors, a magnifying glass, a can opener, a screwdriver, a ruler, a toothpick, a writing pen, and more—all in one knife!

If you are out camping in the wild, this one item can certainly make you feel equipped for survival. We need something to equip us to survive spiritually in this sinful world. God has given us His Word, a kind of spiritual knife for the soul. The Bible contains the nutrients we need for a healthy soul. We do not worship the Bible for that would be bibliolatry, but it is the only authorized textbook of our faith. Jesus said, "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life" and those words are recorded only in the Bible.

The Book is God-breathed and when we explore that Book we feel, as Dr. Phillips puts it, like one wiring an old house where the power has not been cut off. Some get a charge, some a shock, for it is wired from heaven! Does the Bible Work? Isn't the Bible God's inerrant Word? I've tried it and it doesn't work. Don't we have the leading of the Holy Spirit, and Christ indwelling to guide and empower us? It seems that today we have tossed out the counsel of God's Word as irrelevant and are searching for solutions elsewhere. The same God that stopped the mouths of lions for Daniel, comforted Job in distress, delivered a son to Abraham, gave courage to Peter at Pentecost, and filled Paul with joy in prison is now being labeled as "out-dated" and "old-fashioned.

The problem is not with the Bible, but in the hearts of men and women who refuse to follow God for answers to life. Those that claim the Bible doesn't work have never actually tried to use it. Nothing needs to be added or taken away or embellished. There it stands—one Book! We can't say that it just happened. No thinking person would honestly say it was an accident. The unity of the Bible is one of the most wonderful proofs of the inspiration of God's Word—that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God In addition to the frontal attack against the Bible from those who deny it, and in addition to the rear attack by those who substitute their experience for the Word of God, there is an attack from the flank by people who want to replace it or prop it up with psychology, philosophy, and other things—as if the Bible is not good enough on its own.

But, friend, the Bible is true. If you're looking for truth, you can be sure to find it there. As it says in 2 Timothy 3: Our Daily Bread - One spring day, Jordan began asking questions about Jesus' resurrection as his mom was taking him to preschool. Realizing he thought Jesus was rising from the dead for the first time this Easter, she tried to correct him. She pulled the car over and told him all about Jesus' death and resurrection.

She concluded, "Jesus rose from the dead a long time ago, and now He wants to live in our hearts. Unsure how she could make it any clearer, she said, "How about if we stop by the bookstore? I saw some books about Easter when I was there last week. We'll get one and read through it together. Jordan's idea was right. Commentaries and books about the Bible are helpful tools. But they should never be used as a substitute for God's revelation of Himself—His Word.

No other book has been given to us "by inspiration of God" 2Timothy 3: As author Eugene Peterson says, "God's voice [is] speaking to us, inviting, promising, blessing, confronting, commanding, healing. Let's follow Jordan's idea and go first to the ultimate source of truth—the Bible. Go to the Bible for your protection, correction, and direction. George Gallup, the foremost religion pollster in the US, agrees: The average household has three Bibles but less than half the people in the US can name the first book in the Old Testament.

Join me in a commitment to read the entire Bible through in the coming year. It will take about 15 minutes a day to follow the reading guide in this booklet. Are we too busy for that? The goal is not information, but transformation. Someone summarized 2 Timothy 3: It tells us when we get off track reproof ; how to get back on correction ; and how to stay on instruction in righteousness.

If you've never read the Bible through, There's a special joy awaiting you: You could start the new year out just right Walking with the Lord and in His light. The more you read it, the more you love it; The more you love it, the more you read it. I was driving on the outskirts of Orlando, searching for the little town of Zellwood.

I had carefully located it on the map, but I discovered that I was on an unfamiliar road. A glance at the compass attached to my windshield, however, assured me that I was headed in the right direction and would eventually cross the highway leading to Zellwood.

The Bible is our map. Paul assured Timothy that Scripture lays out the route of sound doctrine and righteousness 2 Tim. But where is the compass in this passage? Perhaps Bible reading, prayer, and Sunday worship were once part of your childhood, but you no longer practice them. Look to the map and compass again! Read the Bible and recall the life of parents, ministers, or friends who walked with Christ. With God's Word as your map and His Spirit as your compass, you're sure to stay on course. Researchers studying eye movement during normal conversation have found that sustaining eye contact for any length of time is difficult, if not impossible.

Some people, for instance, tend to look only at the love of God, or the wrath of God, or evangelism, or church growth, or the endtimes, or the devil, or sin. You can't enjoy the harmony of Scripture If you play just one note of truth. The first morning I heard the mockingbird practicing his bagful of imitations outside my window, I was thrilled by the beauty of his songs. Gradually, however, I began to take this early morning songster for granted.

One day as I awoke, it dawned on me that I no longer appreciated my regular visitor. He was still there.

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As believers in Christ, we may have a similar experience hearing God speak to us in His Word. When we are first saved, the Scriptures, with their soul-stirring instruction and vital spiritual food, are deeply satisfying. As time goes on, however, we routinely read those same portions over and over in a manner that no longer speaks to us. Are you reading the Scriptures out of a tired sense of duty?

Or do you still possess the fresh expectancy you had when you first believed? I scanned the Scriptures thoughtlessly— My haste had closed my ear; Then prayerfully I read once more— This time my heart could hear. Without a heart for God, we cannot hear his word. No book can do what this promises. But the advertisement made me stop and think about another book that makes a similar promise. The apostle Paul was saying that God gave us the Bible to teach us about Himself, to give us practical instructions on how to live, and to equip us completely with everything we need to know in order to live a godly life on this earth.

The Bible delivers on its promises. It covers all aspects of life. Its pages contain essential truths, instructions, and teachings. It alone is the book for every need. Have you read it lately? The Bible gives us all we need To live our lives for God each day; But it won't help if we don't read And follow what its pages say. Internationally acclaimed novelist Thomas Mann wrote a whole series of books on Joseph , the person who is the focus of Genesis 37 through So we know that Mann had more than a superficial acquaintance with the Bible.

Because it is the Word of God and therefore the Word of Truth, the Bible is to be read with reverence. Its timeless teachings should elicit a response of gratitude and obedience, but certainly not amusement. How do you and I read Scripture? As a harmless diversion, like a piece of pulp fiction? Or do we read it as a priceless source of light and hope that daily demands our concentrated, prayerful attention? Read the Bible as if God were speaking to you. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,. A friend of mine is a gifted handyman, but for years he was unable to develop his gifts.

The reason was simple: He lacked the right tools. So for his birthday I gave him a tool kit that opens like a large book, containing the basic tools a handyman needs. As he examined each tool, his eyes shone with anticipation. He understood that the most practical tool kit for meeting spiritual needs is the Word of God. In 2 Timothy 3, he declared that all Scripture is God-inspired v. Experience the deep satisfaction of finding in it the right tool for each spiritual task you have to do.

You cannot be successful as a worker Unless you have the tools to fit your trade; And you cannot be effective as God's servant Until God's holy Word you have surveyed. The Bible has all we need to know, so we can do all God wants us to do. The Bible is an amazing book, a living book. It provides information which can be found in no other book. The Nature of the Bible 2Ti 3: The attributes which make the Bible a unique book include its author, authority, accuracy, adequacy, appeal, and agenda. The Need for the Bible 1Pe 1: The Bible addresses all the needs of the human being. It is essential for life, likeness, liberty, light, and labor.

The Nourishment from the Bible 1Pe 2: The Bible reveals and regulates the development God planned, the diet God provided, the disposition God prescribed, and the diadem God promised. The Neglect of the Bible 1Co 3: Neglect of the Bible leads to dullness, drifting, disobedience, despising, denouncing, and departing from the Lord.

Christians need to peruse, ponder, and pray over the Scriptures. This takes time, thought, toil, and tenacity. We need to pray—Father help me hear, heed, hold, honor, and herald the Word of God. The Word of God - Quotations and Illustrations. I have read many books, but the Bible reads me. One who uses the Bible as his guide never loses his sense of direction. The Old Testament altar points to the New Testament cross. The old covenant is revealed in the New, and the New Covenant is veiled in the Old.

Paul Hovey The new is in the old contained, and the Old is in the New explained. To understand the Word of God, rely on the Spirit of God. The roots of stability come from being grounded in God's Word. Bible study is like eating peanuts. The more you eat, the more you want to eat. We cannot bear fruit without the water of God's Word. Pierson Other books were given for our information—the Bible was given for our transformation. If you're too busy to read the Bible, you're too busy.

Opening your Bible can be a real eye-opener. A well-read Bible is a sign of a well-fed soul. The Bible breaks hard hearts and heals broken hearts. A Bible that's falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn't. Sin will keep you from the Bible or the Bible will keep you from sin. It's better to live one verse of the Bible than to recite an entire chapter. Scripture has but one sense, which is the literal sense. Queen Elizabeth II In this one book are the two most interesting personalities in the whole world—God and yourself.

Torrey Centuries of experience have tested the Bible. Packer My own experience is that the Bible is dull when I am dull. Ryle I know the Bible is inspired because it finds me at a greater depth of my being than any other book. Wilson I never had any doubt about it being of divine origin. The value of the Bible is not knowing it, but obeying it. Those who spiritualize tell spiritual lies, because they lack spiritual eyes. When the Bible becomes a part of you, you'll be less likely to come apart.

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The Bible is simple enough for a child to read and too deep for a scholar to master. A Bible that has frayed edges usually has an owner that doesn't.

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Trying to absorb the depths of the Bible is like trying to mop up the ocean floor with a sponge. Meyer The Christian is bred by the Word and he must be fed by it. The Word of God is the candle without which faith cannot see to do its work. When the Word of God dwells in you, the love of Christ shines through you.

Study the Bible to be wise; believe it to be safe; practise it to be holy. I have known many outstanding leaders who made the Bible their guide. Taylor, former president of Rotary International, told me he began each day by reading the Sermon on the Mount aloud. Let the Bible be your firm foundation.

Let it be the staff of life that nourishes your soul. Let it be the sword of the Spirit that cuts away sin. Many years ago I heard these words: Catholic bishop Tunstall of London bought up most of Tyndale's first edition in order to stamp out Tyndale's "heresy" but the proceeds financed new editions! There's more to the story. In her youth, Elizabeth had been watched over by her tyrannical father. When she and Robert were married, their wedding was held in secret because of her father's disapproval.

After the wedding the Brownings sailed for Italy, where they lived for the rest of their lives. But even though her parents had disowned her, Elizabeth never gave up on the relationship. Almost weekly she wrote them letters. Not once did they reply. After 10 years, she received a large box in the mail. Inside, Elizabeth found all of her letters; not one had been opened! Today those letters are among the most beautiful in classical English literature.

Had her parents only read a few of them, their relationship with Elizabeth might have been restored. In a very real sense, God's Word is his love letter to us. Nothing has the power to free us from destructive behavior and revitalize our relationship with him like his Word.

Bruce noted the following about the Bible: The Bible was never intended to be a book for scholars and specialists only. So they agreed to share room number 19 that night. When one asked permission from the other to keep his light on so that he could read his Bible, a discussion ensued about the dearth of religious reading material available.

Then and there was born the Gideons , the purpose of which was to place a Bible in every hotel room in the United States. That was ninety-two years ago, and today the Gideons supply Bibles in 60 languages to hotel rooms in countries. The Boscobel Hotel is now years old, been vacant for years, and it's for sale.

But one thing more: Passing through Boscobel, he asked for a place to rest and freshen up. Of course the town had only one hotel, so Senator Kennedy and his wife, Jacquelyn, were assigned to historic room History records that their son John was born precisely nine months later.

Such is the transforming power of the Word of God. But when Lot's wife looked back, she turned into a pillar of salt. Although we believe that every word of Scripture is inspired, this doesn't mean we should take every word literally regardless of its context. Some people seem to do this and thereby miss the true meaning of many Bible passages. The Bible is filled with images—word pictures we call similes and metaphors. The book of James gives us a classic example, calling the tongue "a fire" James 3: We know it doesn't mean that we have a literal flame in our mouth.

Jesus used figurative language too. He said, "If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out" Mt. What He meant, of course, is that we should take strong measures to keep ourselves from sin. We need to listen carefully to what God is saying in His Word so we can put it into practice. His Word is a "lamp" for our feet and a "light" for our path Ps. What does the context say?

What does the text mean? What does it mean to your life? Tom tries to persuade his friend Huck to join him in his plans to form a band of robbers and to take captives much like pirates used to do. Huck asks Tom what pirates do with the captives they take, and Tom answers, "Ransom them. But that's what they do. I seen it in books; and so of course that's what we got to do," explains Tom. The people were also quoting and repeating things they had found in a book--the Old Testament.

But they were merely mouthing words. The ideas had been separated from the spirit of the original revelation. By misapplying Mosaic principles of conduct, the people were justifying their sinful attitudes and actions Mt. This should be a reminder to us. When we quote the Bible, let's be sure we understand its meaning and context.

Then we won't get things "all muddled up. A text taken out of context can be a dangerous pretext. Reportedly, Crowfoot put the pass in a leather pouch and wore it around his neck for the rest of his life—but he never once availed himself of the rights and privileges it spelled out. What a tragedy it is when Christians do the same thing with the Word of God, using it as a decorative badge of Christianity, but never availing themselves of the wealth of access to God's thoughts it affords.

It's good to check up on our knowledge. For example, which of the following are biblical quotations? While some of these statements are truisms, none of them, as quoted, are found in the Bible! So before you quote the Bible, make sure it is in the Bible. Stifling her urge to reprimand the child for defacing the book, the mother quietly asked, "Why are you doing that? In times of need it would be helpful to know where to look in the Bible to find the Lord's help. My custom is to read four or five chapters every morning immediately after rising from my bed.

It employs about an hour of my time, and seems to me the most suitable manner of beginning the day. In what light soever we regard the Bible, whether with reference to revelation, to history, or to morality, it is an invaluable and inexhaustible mine of knowledge and virtue. When my husband came home, my 4-year-old daughter told him, "The Bible used to be written on squirrels!

If you have the Word without the Spirit, you dry up. If you have both the Word and the Spirit, you grow up. Perhaps the best New Testament texts on this subject are 2 Timothy 3: The former verse tells us that all Scripture is inspired breathed out by God and therefore of immense usefulness in our lives. These two entities comprise the two greatest gifts ever bestowed on humanity.

Jesus is like no other person the world has ever seen, and the Bible is like no other book the world has ever read. He came down from heaven yet made His appearance through the instrumentality of a human being who was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit. The Scriptures are both fully human and fully divine. They came down from heaven yet were given through the instrumentality of human beings who were borne along by the Holy Spirit. And so these 3: What Does God Say? That is, he started from scratch. He just started from the beginning.

I let the New Testament tell me what I was to do. This is what I would like to see in our church—the New Testament order of letting Scripture decide matters. When it comes to a question—any question—what does the Word of God say? All belief and practices should be tested by the Word; no copying unscriptural church methods. We should let the Word of God decide. Special cameras reveal that what appears to be a steady gaze at someone is actually a series of rapid scans of the face. Eye movement is essential because the nerves in the eye need a constant change of stimulation if we are to see properly.

Studies show that if we look at the same spot continuously, the rest of our visual field will go blank. We can experience a similar problem in our study of the Word of God. If we "stare" exclusively at certain biblical truths while excluding other important doctrines, our spiritual vision will begin to blur out. Some people, for instance, tend to look only at the love of God, or the wrath of God, or evangelism, or church growth, or the end times, or the devil, or sin.

No matter what particular truth we are interested in, we need to be careful lest we lose our perspective. Only as we see the big picture—how the many biblical doctrines fit together—will we avoid staring at some truths and becoming blind to others. God's Word was given for our good And we are to obey; Not choose the parts that we like best, Then live in our own way. You can't enjoy the harmony of Scripture if you play just one note of truth. Fully Equipped - All Scripture is given by inspiration of God. Karl Elsener, a Swiss designer of surgical equipment in the 19th century, worked for years on perfecting a military knife.

Today his Swiss Army Knife is associated with excellence in blades and a variety of utilities. One model includes knife blades, a saw, scissors, a magnifying glass, a can opener, a screwdriver, a ruler, a toothpick, a writing pen, and more—all in one knife! If you are out camping in the wild, this one item can certainly make you feel equipped for survival. We need something to equip us to survive spiritually in this sinful world.

God has given us His Word, a kind of spiritual knife for the soul. The Bible contains the nutrients we need for a healthy soul. We do not worship the Bible for that would be bibliolatry, but it is the only authorized textbook of our faith. Jesus said, "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life" and those words are recorded only in the Bible. The Book is God-breathed and when we explore that Book we feel, as Dr. Phillips puts it, like one wiring an old house where the power has not been cut off.

Some get a charge, some a shock, for it is wired from heaven! Does the Bible Work? Isn't the Bible God's inerrant Word? I've tried it and it doesn't work. Don't we have the leading of the Holy Spirit, and Christ indwelling to guide and empower us? It seems that today we have tossed out the counsel of God's Word as irrelevant and are searching for solutions elsewhere. The same God that stopped the mouths of lions for Daniel, comforted Job in distress, delivered a son to Abraham, gave courage to Peter at Pentecost, and filled Paul with joy in prison is now being labeled as "out-dated" and "old-fashioned.

She pulled the car over and told him all about Jesus' death and resurrection. She concluded, "Jesus rose from the dead a long time ago, and now He wants to live in our hearts. Unsure how she could make it any clearer, she said, "How about if we stop by the bookstore? I saw some books about Easter when I was there last week. We'll get one and read through it together. Jordan's idea was right. Commentaries and books about the Bible are helpful tools. But they should never be used as a substitute for God's revelation of Himself—His Word. No other book has been given to us "by inspiration of God" 2Timothy 3: As author Eugene Peterson says, "God's voice [is] speaking to us, inviting, promising, blessing, confronting, commanding, healing.

Let's follow Jordan's idea and go first to the ultimate source of truth—the Bible. Go to the Bible for your protection, correction, and direction. George Gallup, the foremost religion pollster in the US, agrees: The average household has three Bibles but less than half the people in the US can name the first book in the Old Testament. Join me in a commitment to read the entire Bible through in the coming year. It will take about 15 minutes a day to follow the reading guide in this booklet. Are we too busy for that? The goal is not information, but transformation.

Someone summarized 2 Timothy 3: It tells us when we get off track reproof ; how to get back on correction ; and how to stay on instruction in righteousness. If you've never read the Bible through, There's a special joy awaiting you: You could start the new year out just right Walking with the Lord and in His light.

The more you read it, the more you love it; The more you love it, the more you read it. I was driving on the outskirts of Orlando, searching for the little town of Zellwood. I had carefully located it on the map, but I discovered that I was on an unfamiliar road. A glance at the compass attached to my windshield, however, assured me that I was headed in the right direction and would eventually cross the highway leading to Zellwood.

With God's Word as your map and His Spirit as your compass, you're sure to stay on course. Researchers studying eye movement during normal conversation have found that sustaining eye contact for any length of time is difficult, if not impossible. Some people, for instance, tend to look only at the love of God, or the wrath of God, or evangelism, or church growth, or the endtimes, or the devil, or sin.

You can't enjoy the harmony of Scripture If you play just one note of truth. The first morning I heard the mockingbird practicing his bagful of imitations outside my window, I was thrilled by the beauty of his songs. Gradually, however, I began to take this early morning songster for granted.

One day as I awoke, it dawned on me that I no longer appreciated my regular visitor. He was still there. As believers in Christ, we may have a similar experience hearing God speak to us in His Word. When we are first saved, the Scriptures, with their soul-stirring instruction and vital spiritual food, are deeply satisfying. As time goes on, however, we routinely read those same portions over and over in a manner that no longer speaks to us.

Are you reading the Scriptures out of a tired sense of duty? Or do you still possess the fresh expectancy you had when you first believed? I scanned the Scriptures thoughtlessly— My haste had closed my ear; Then prayerfully I read once more— This time my heart could hear. Without a heart for God, we cannot hear his word. No book can do what this promises.

But the advertisement made me stop and think about another book that makes a similar promise. The apostle Paul was saying that God gave us the Bible to teach us about Himself, to give us practical instructions on how to live, and to equip us completely with everything we need to know in order to live a godly life on this earth. The Bible delivers on its promises. It covers all aspects of life. Its pages contain essential truths, instructions, and teachings. It alone is the book for every need. Have you read it lately? The Bible gives us all we need To live our lives for God each day; But it won't help if we don't read And follow what its pages say.

Internationally acclaimed novelist Thomas Mann wrote a whole series of books on Joseph , the person who is the focus of Genesis 37 through So we know that Mann had more than a superficial acquaintance with the Bible. Because it is the Word of God and therefore the Word of Truth, the Bible is to be read with reverence.

Its timeless teachings should elicit a response of gratitude and obedience, but certainly not amusement. How do you and I read Scripture? As a harmless diversion, like a piece of pulp fiction? Or do we read it as a priceless source of light and hope that daily demands our concentrated, prayerful attention? Read the Bible as if God were speaking to you.

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,. A friend of mine is a gifted handyman, but for years he was unable to develop his gifts. The reason was simple: He lacked the right tools. So for his birthday I gave him a tool kit that opens like a large book, containing the basic tools a handyman needs. As he examined each tool, his eyes shone with anticipation. He understood that the most practical tool kit for meeting spiritual needs is the Word of God. In 2 Timothy 3, he declared that all Scripture is God-inspired v. Experience the deep satisfaction of finding in it the right tool for each spiritual task you have to do.

It is essential for life, likeness, liberty, light, and labor. The Nourishment from the Bible 1Pe 2: The Bible reveals and regulates the development God planned, the diet God provided, the disposition God prescribed, and the diadem God promised. The Neglect of the Bible 1Co 3: Neglect of the Bible leads to dullness, drifting, disobedience, despising, denouncing, and departing from the Lord.

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If you're too busy to read the Bible, you're too busy. Opening your Bible can be a real eye-opener. A well-read Bible is a sign of a well-fed soul. The Bible breaks hard hearts and heals broken hearts. A Bible that's falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn't. Sin will keep you from the Bible or the Bible will keep you from sin. It's better to live one verse of the Bible than to recite an entire chapter. Scripture has but one sense, which is the literal sense. Queen Elizabeth II In this one book are the two most interesting personalities in the whole world—God and yourself.

Those who spiritualize tell spiritual lies, because they lack spiritual eyes. When the Bible becomes a part of you, you'll be less likely to come apart. The Bible is simple enough for a child to read and too deep for a scholar to master. A Bible that has frayed edges usually has an owner that doesn't. Trying to absorb the depths of the Bible is like trying to mop up the ocean floor with a sponge.

Meyer The Christian is bred by the Word and he must be fed by it. The Word of God is the candle without which faith cannot see to do its work. When the Word of God dwells in you, the love of Christ shines through you. Study the Bible to be wise; believe it to be safe; practise it to be holy. Some people make the Bible say what they want to hear To be a healthy Christian, don't treat the Bible as snack food.

A well-read Bible is the companion of a well-fed believer. We must approach God's Word as if our lives depended on it--because they do. If your life depended on knowing the Bible, how long would you last? We must align ourselves with the Bible, never the Bible with ourselves.