I so appreciate the Bible. It is a book that has survived bans, burns and banishments... it has continued to thrive as the world's best selling book in spite of extreme scrutiny, judement and attempts to discredit... and yet... it sits on shelves and in the back seats of many believers' cars... unread and unheeded.
Okay, I'm not trying to make you feel bad, I just want you to understand what an amazing book you, as a follower of Jesus, have in your possession. It consists of 66 books written by over 40 authors in multiple languages over thousands of years and yet maintains consistency and integrity concerning the plan of God for His creation.
Difficult to understand? It can be, yet it's worth the effort to dig in and study. It speaks to all of life's issues, not always in specifics, but definitely in principle.
Translations? Take your pick, there are more than I can count at this time. I prefer a combination of the New American Standard (more literal and accurate) and the New Living Translation (more casual and narrative in it's style).
Why am I telling you this? Because if you don't get into God's Word, then God's Word cannot get into you and like I always say, "No Word, No Power! No Word, No Victory! No Word, No Life!"
Another amazing thing about reading the Bible, is that you are not reading it alone! The Apple Store has the "MacGenuis." These are people who know Mac computers backwards and forwards and can take complex procedures and break them down for those who have made the switch from PC to Mac.
As a Christ Follower, you have the Holy Spirit of God to assist you in reading and understanding the Bible. It's like having Steve Jobs in your living room while you're unpacking your new MacBook! "Hey Steve? Why did you put the x button in the left corner instead of the right? What are these Widgets all about?" Because it was his idea, he can tell you exactly why he built it that way.
It's the same way with the Bible... because it was God's idea, He can tell you exactly why it says what it says! There's nothing like having the author of book living inside of you to help you understand the book! LOL!
So what? Read it. Saturate in it. Ask God to help you understand it and then do what it says! Maybe it's time to fish that Bible out of the back floorboard of your car and sit down with a triple grande, non-fat vanilla latte and dive back in to God's Word for you... and remember to keep it Simple.
Reading Simple,
Jimmy
PS: For a more personal-tone blog you can go to: http://jnapruitt.typepad.com
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