Post by Zac Loh on Apr 20, 2008 10:16:15 GMT -5
Defining The Difference …Taking The Trouble To Draw The Fine Line Of Difference.
2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
There was a story that goes about a Communist who accepted Christ. He went to a church meeting for the first time, and was shocked watching the conditions of Christians there. He exclaimed alarmingly: “when I wanted to become a Communist, I had to master a few books of Communism before I was qualified and given acceptance into Communism. And you Christians don’t even read the Bible!”
How many of us know that the Word of God is the final authority that settles all issues? If it is so, we need then to lay down a scriptural foundation in whatever we are doing.
1. Read The Bible Systematically
Let’s get the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:26-27). How can we obey the Word of God rightly and fully …if we don’t read the Bible from cover to cover? How many Christians today have read the Bible from cover to cover at least once?
Do you believe that JESUS DOES NOT HAVE A SCRIPTURE? If you are given today chance to see Jesus face to face today and you happen ask Jesus, “Jesus, which is Your favorite scripture?” He will answer, “I AM THE WORD!”
The Bible should be taken as a whole. It was not meant to be fragmented, broken up into pieces and extracted as we like!
Some have said, quite assertively, that certain scriptures are mere theoretical and some others are more practical. I would like to ask: “who has appointed you as judge on what scriptures which are merely theoretical, and which scriptures which are practical?”
The whole Bible is both profound and applicable!
2. Read The Bible Devotionally
The fundamental reason why we read the Bible is so that God can speak to us.
God speaks to people everyday through the Bible. If you don’t open the Bible and read it, you have stopped the No. 1 communication line between God and His people.
It’s an awesome responsibility that you and I have.
There are many Christians today who want God to speak to them but are not willing to read the Bible systematically, devotionally and faithfully.
Please know that the Bible was not written specially for theologians and scholars. It was written primarily for the ordinary people, like you and I. God had used people like fishermen to write it, how then can it be exclusively meant for theologians alone? It was made so that ordinary people would understand it.
The Bible had been dry for me even as I tried to look at it from every angle I could. It had been dry for me when I looked at it as a teacher…and not as a child of God!
Have you ever wondered why the Bible is so dry for certain people? While others who read it …it is miraculously alive to them?
If you find yourself not understanding scriptures at all, humble yourself and seek God earnestly from your heart. If you are not hearing God and the Bible is not alive to you, it may mean that you are not hungry. As somebody said, you will always get what you hunger for,.
Just as rice is the staple diet to many Asians, the Bible is the staple diet, or the standard way that God speaks to people.
Jesus had said, “it was written: Man does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)
About bread, which is the staple diet of the people of that place, Jesus told who followed Him that they came not because they saw miraculous signs but because they ate the bread and had their fill. He exhorted them not to work for food that spoils, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which He will give them.
And they asked Him, “what must we do to do the works God requires?”
And guess what Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.”
What an extraordinary answer!
He went on to say, “I am the bread of life.”
Now further on, He said that, “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” (read John 6:25-64)
BELIEVE THAT THE LORD WANTS TO SPEAK TO YOU!
It’s all about believing the One Who can speak to you …and He loves you.
It is about a relationship.
How can anyone have a relationship with someone who doesn’t talk to him?
I do not know of any good earthly father who doesn’t speak to his children, do you? How much more our heavenly Father who loves us! (Luke 11:9-13)
HIS SHEEP SHALL HEAR HIS VOICE (John 10:3-4, 16). IT IS A PROMISE!
‘God speaking’ is very much more than just the technical. It is about a Father-son relationship. The Jews knew the acts of God. Moses knew the ways of God. But Jesus knew the heart of God. The heart of God is to fellowship with man.
God does not change. No matter how you turn it, He draws deep joy from fellowshipping with His sons. No one and nothing should stop you from hearing God yourself. Contrary to what some people may think, God has great happiness in speaking to you one to one…God is not a grandfather and He has not grandsons …HE IS YOUR FATHER!
Nobody and nothing should rob God the joy of fellowshipping and speaking to you personally.
With God’s voice, comes the strength to obey. Have you ever tried obeying the scriptures using your own understanding and your own strength? Have you ever succeeded?
3. Read The Bible Faithfully
a. Be faithful in context
God would not use the Bible to speak to you that is contrary to its context. It would be unrighteous for God to break His own scriptures. Wouldn’t it better for God to use other means to speak to you rather than breaking His own scripture? One of the greatest acts of lawlessness is being lawless in handling the Holy Scriptures of God. (Revelation 22:18-19)
b. Be faithful in consistency
Just as rice or bread, it is supposed to be a staple diet – which you take a lot, and consistently. Many Asians are hooked on rice, just as many Middle Easterners are hooked on bread. We ought to get hooked on the Holy Word of God.
2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
There was a story that goes about a Communist who accepted Christ. He went to a church meeting for the first time, and was shocked watching the conditions of Christians there. He exclaimed alarmingly: “when I wanted to become a Communist, I had to master a few books of Communism before I was qualified and given acceptance into Communism. And you Christians don’t even read the Bible!”
How many of us know that the Word of God is the final authority that settles all issues? If it is so, we need then to lay down a scriptural foundation in whatever we are doing.
1. Read The Bible Systematically
Let’s get the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:26-27). How can we obey the Word of God rightly and fully …if we don’t read the Bible from cover to cover? How many Christians today have read the Bible from cover to cover at least once?
Do you believe that JESUS DOES NOT HAVE A SCRIPTURE? If you are given today chance to see Jesus face to face today and you happen ask Jesus, “Jesus, which is Your favorite scripture?” He will answer, “I AM THE WORD!”
The Bible should be taken as a whole. It was not meant to be fragmented, broken up into pieces and extracted as we like!
Some have said, quite assertively, that certain scriptures are mere theoretical and some others are more practical. I would like to ask: “who has appointed you as judge on what scriptures which are merely theoretical, and which scriptures which are practical?”
The whole Bible is both profound and applicable!
2. Read The Bible Devotionally
The fundamental reason why we read the Bible is so that God can speak to us.
God speaks to people everyday through the Bible. If you don’t open the Bible and read it, you have stopped the No. 1 communication line between God and His people.
It’s an awesome responsibility that you and I have.
There are many Christians today who want God to speak to them but are not willing to read the Bible systematically, devotionally and faithfully.
Please know that the Bible was not written specially for theologians and scholars. It was written primarily for the ordinary people, like you and I. God had used people like fishermen to write it, how then can it be exclusively meant for theologians alone? It was made so that ordinary people would understand it.
The Bible had been dry for me even as I tried to look at it from every angle I could. It had been dry for me when I looked at it as a teacher…and not as a child of God!
Have you ever wondered why the Bible is so dry for certain people? While others who read it …it is miraculously alive to them?
If you find yourself not understanding scriptures at all, humble yourself and seek God earnestly from your heart. If you are not hearing God and the Bible is not alive to you, it may mean that you are not hungry. As somebody said, you will always get what you hunger for,.
Just as rice is the staple diet to many Asians, the Bible is the staple diet, or the standard way that God speaks to people.
Jesus had said, “it was written: Man does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)
About bread, which is the staple diet of the people of that place, Jesus told who followed Him that they came not because they saw miraculous signs but because they ate the bread and had their fill. He exhorted them not to work for food that spoils, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which He will give them.
And they asked Him, “what must we do to do the works God requires?”
And guess what Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.”
What an extraordinary answer!
He went on to say, “I am the bread of life.”
Now further on, He said that, “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” (read John 6:25-64)
BELIEVE THAT THE LORD WANTS TO SPEAK TO YOU!
It’s all about believing the One Who can speak to you …and He loves you.
It is about a relationship.
How can anyone have a relationship with someone who doesn’t talk to him?
I do not know of any good earthly father who doesn’t speak to his children, do you? How much more our heavenly Father who loves us! (Luke 11:9-13)
HIS SHEEP SHALL HEAR HIS VOICE (John 10:3-4, 16). IT IS A PROMISE!
‘God speaking’ is very much more than just the technical. It is about a Father-son relationship. The Jews knew the acts of God. Moses knew the ways of God. But Jesus knew the heart of God. The heart of God is to fellowship with man.
God does not change. No matter how you turn it, He draws deep joy from fellowshipping with His sons. No one and nothing should stop you from hearing God yourself. Contrary to what some people may think, God has great happiness in speaking to you one to one…God is not a grandfather and He has not grandsons …HE IS YOUR FATHER!
Nobody and nothing should rob God the joy of fellowshipping and speaking to you personally.
With God’s voice, comes the strength to obey. Have you ever tried obeying the scriptures using your own understanding and your own strength? Have you ever succeeded?
3. Read The Bible Faithfully
a. Be faithful in context
God would not use the Bible to speak to you that is contrary to its context. It would be unrighteous for God to break His own scriptures. Wouldn’t it better for God to use other means to speak to you rather than breaking His own scripture? One of the greatest acts of lawlessness is being lawless in handling the Holy Scriptures of God. (Revelation 22:18-19)
b. Be faithful in consistency
Just as rice or bread, it is supposed to be a staple diet – which you take a lot, and consistently. Many Asians are hooked on rice, just as many Middle Easterners are hooked on bread. We ought to get hooked on the Holy Word of God.