Showing posts with label The Bible. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Bible. Show all posts

Poetry: A New Life

A NEW LIFE

Your scriptures are so wonderful.

They energize my soul.

I love to read the stories

Of the patriarchs of old.


And also of the women

Who were prominent in Christ.

Who prayed and gave in faithfulness.

No fleshly guile or strife.


But most of all the thing I love

Is what your Word doth do.

It changes all the heart of me,

Transforms and makes me new.


For through the daily cleansing Word

I'm changed to be like you.

The Word restructures all of me.

I'm living life brand new.


***


(c)Sandra Johnson/Draw Nigh To Hope

Poetry: I Love Your Word

I LOVE YOUR WORD


I love your Word.

What can I say

About the fears

It does allay.


Your Word is sweet,

A joy to me.

I eat and drink

Your Word with glee!


***


(c)Sandra Johnson/Draw Nigh To Hope


Why Read The Bible Daily?

Reading the Word of God is essential to growth in Christ Jesus.

The Word is living. It is alive.

Putting it into our minds and hearts daily is the only way for ongoing transformation.

Over time, we develop a taste for it and must have it everyday.

There is no better addiction than to the vital lifeline to God. This is through the revelation of his Son via the Holy Scriptures.

Like our daily meals, scriptures need to be put in daily. We must eat and drink them, for man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4)

*****

The Word Refutes Negativity

The Word of God refutes negativity, stubbornness and fear in us. It's blunt statements correct our thinking. No matter what we are experiencing, the Scriptures direct us on how to think about it. 

We judge God by what we understand through our flesh and challenged minds. The Holy Bible says it will give us understanding because we are simple-minded (Psalm 119:130). We are not simple-minded in a child-like way but in a rebellious, anxiety-ridden and faithless way. 

The Word of God is all-encompassing. Until we leave this world, whenever and however that occurs, it will continue to tell us that all things are possible to whomever can and will believe (Mark 9:23). 

Despite our challenges, barriers, hindrances and handicaps, the Holy Scriptures insist that we can see miracles with faith the size of a mustard seed (Matthew 17:20). That's why when we faithfully put that Word inside of us everyday, we notice over time that we are changing. We are thinking more positively. We feel more hopeful. We believe more. (Romans 12:2) It's the power of The Living Word. 

You don't think that God heals and will heal you? You don't feel that God prospers and will prosper you? You don't believe that God hears you and is making a difference in your life? The Word refutes that. It says the same thing, over and over and over again. 

It says that this is the type of trust that we can put in him, that if we ask anything according to HIS will he hears us. And if we believe that he has heard us, then we know that we have what we have asked him for, (I John 5:14-15) because we asked according to HIS will. Cut and dried. Plain and simple. No ifs, ands or buts.

It does not matter what did not happen for Christians that you know. It does not matter what hasn't happened for you. The Word of God refutes negativity, stubbornness and fear in us. Its message is consistent and unrelenting. The promises in the Word elevate us. The Scriptures lift us to a higher level of thinking and living, closer to and more like Our Father and what he wants for us. 

 


Seeking To Know God?

All of us who believe speak some truth and understanding when sharing The Gospel. Mixed with that we also speak our opinions and preferences and promote them as Gospel. No one Christian or group of Christians are perfect in what they share with others. 

All non-Christians who are seeking The Gospel Truth ask questions about the practices of Christians. They want to know what does being a Christian mean. Christians all over the world, when they share the Gospel with others, make a big deal of many things that don't matter to God. This confuses those who are seeking.  

You can choose to read any religious book in the world, adopt and believe it. If you want to know what the only God that there is wants you to know, just start reading the Holy Bible, a little bit each day. You can get the King James Version, the New King James Version, the New International Version, the Revised English Version, or one of the other translations that you feel would be easier for you to understand. 

Go to a bookstore and flip through some to see what resonates with you. There are Bibles geared towards men and women and journal Bibles where you can write out your thoughts. There are also Bibles geared towards youth and teenagers if you are in that group.

In the 1st half of the Bible, the Old Testament, you will come to know God The Father. In the 2nd half, the New Testament, you will come to know God The Son, who is Jesus The Christ. 

God has direct knowledge and answers for you that you'll never be able to get from anyone else. Through his Spirit helping you, he will show you what the Bible is saying and how it all works together. God does care and he wants you to get the understanding that you are seeking. 

Get a Bible today and just take baby steps and start reading.



Listen To The Holy Spirit & The Bible

This morning at the Lakewood Church service, Lisa Osteen Comes said: 

If you don't know The Word, Satan will use that against you!

Many of the answers that you are seeking are in the Bible. Just open it up when you feel discouraged.

When I open up the Bible each morning, I feel like I am sitting with Jesus.

I feel that the Bible is the closest thing that we have to God on earth. I know we have the Holy Spirit and He is the presence of God in us. I can feel him but I can't touch him. I can touch the Bible.

Fall in love with the Bible. It will change your life. As you read, the Holy Spirit will help you to understand. Get a version that is easier for you to understand. The Holy Spirit will give you spiritual wisdom and insight.

What the Holy Spirit hears from the Father he will transmit to us. We sense the answer in our spirits and it's registered in our minds. Like a thought, something we need to know, something to pray for or an answer to a prayer. It's like an impression that you can't get away from and that you know did not come from you. A still, small voice.

The Apostle Paul describes God's voice as a perception. Everyone was saved on the ship during a hurricane because Paul listened.

Philip, the disciple, heard the voice of The Spirit that sent him to help the Ethiopian man in the chariot. Because Philip listened, he was able to explain the Gospel to him and he was saved and chose to be baptized on the spot.  

God's plans are higher than our plans. There were many times that God interrupted my plans and the outcome was much better than I could ever have imagined.

**********

We Need The Entire Bible For Transformation


It is important to read several scriptures, a whole chapter, a complete passage and over time, the entire Bible. We must also try to read it everyday. We learn the context of points, lessons and stories and get a more accurate understanding about what is being said.

Christians who only read and quote favorite scriptures do not grow. 

We need all of the Word over a period of time for our minds to be renewed and to begin to be transformed. 

As we daily read the Bible the conversion begins. This is through the Holy Spirit. He took up residence in our reborn spirits when we acknowledged and accepted Jesus Christ as God's ordained Savior. The Holy Spirit is a person, like Our Father and Our Savior. He's not a dove, a tongue of flame or a breeze, though he can use these things to operate. 

Working with the Holy Spirit through acceptance and obedience, and eating and drinking a variety of Bible scriptures daily starts the miracle transformation within us. We can then learn to apply the Word to our daily lives in a practical and beneficial way.



Peace

Thank you, Father, that our peace is not based on our circumstances, which change. Our peace is based on the truth in your Word.

Listen To The Bible Read Outloud


I love my Bible audio electronic device. I turn it on every morning as I get ready for my day. It's really wonderful to listen to. If you've never had one you are missing a great opportunity to hear the Bible come to life everyday.

I bought mine from USA Okeba Industries at Walmart: Bible Audio Player King James Version Old and New Testament Audio Book. I like the clear crispness of the male voice. Some who have ordered an electronic Bible from various places have complained of a reader with an accent, maybe foreign or something.

I was so happy that mine came with an understandable person reading it. I was also happy that it has the golden Cross painted on the speaker. I've seen some online that do not. Some buyers have complained that when they got theirs it did not have the cross.

My Bible audio has worked just fine. It charges easily and the volume can be set very high. It's easy to use the guide booklet to scan to specific books and chapters in the Bible. It's lightweight, stands upright and is easy to carry. It's one of the best purchases that I've ever made.

In separate orders, I bought one each for my two sisters and one for my nephew. After I bought mine and a second one, Okeba raised the price. I bought a third one and the price went up again. This annoyed me so I decided not to buy from them again. After a while, the price went back down to near where it was when I bought the first one. That's when I bought the fourth one.  

I searched electronic Bible at Walmart online and it showed over 30 listings. A lot of people are selling them. I am not an affiliate of any of the listings. I also saw one listed at Ebay. 

------------

Being Proactive About God's Word


Life comes from the spirit. Healing starts in the spirit. Hope grows with a spirit that is fed every day.


 

We feed our reborn spirits by reading God's Word every day, meditating on it, remembering it and choosing to believe it. We grow the most when we are proactive about God's Word.


 

What Are Your Favorite Bible Translations?

 

From What Bible Translation Do You Like To Study?

What Translation Best Helps You To Memorize Scripture?

Naturally as a researcher and writer, I like using various Bible translations. Some Christians feel that certain translations are not reliable. They mainly base their opinion on the origin of the translation. Others focus on promoting only the KJV (King James Version) of the Bible. They are pretty aggressive in insisting and demanding that this is the only Bible version that any Christian should read. 

By the way, you probably don't know that the King James Version of the Holy Bible belongs to the Crown of England or the Church of England. It is owned by the British Royal Family. I discovered this through my research on what types of permissions I would need to use Bible scriptures in my digital and printable products for sale.

The operative words here, that we have never really thought about, are King James Version = King James of England. He was instrumental in bringing about the existence of our KJV Bible, which originated through ancient scrolls and documents.

I was disappointed to learn that all versions of the Bible belong to the publishing companies that publish them. Permission to use those scripture versions has to be obtained from these companies. The guidelines and restrictions can often be complicated and frustrated.

The King James Version, however, being owned by the Royal Family, can be used freely, without permission, by anyone outside of Great Britain. Anyone residing with GB has to obtain permission from the Royal Family administration.

I wondered why I should have to get permission to use the words of God in any way. Afterall, the Bible belongs to God and as a Christian, I felt that the Bible belongs to me. The practical truth is that without the efforts and expense of many people who discovered, restored, preserved and translated the Dead Sea Scrolls and other ancient documents, we would not have the Bible today.

According to the laws of our societies, those persons/companies are entitled to the rights of the properties that they created. In other words, they created another version of an original property. They had to get permission through whatever document they started with to create their version. These procedures are often lengthy and expensive.

For my Christian products, I simply use the KJV version. It's easier and faster in that I don't have to ask anyone for permission. I also paraphrase scriptures, which is breaking down the meanings to more simple language that anyone can understand. 

For daily reading and memorizing scriptures, I prefer the King James Version because it is what I was raised on. It uses difficult language that frustrates the average Christian but I am familiar with it. I feel that my scriptures have more power when I memorize them in KJV. Again, that is only because I am so familiar with it from childhood and, somehow, my spirit embraced the language.

I also use many Bible versions, and other books, in my research, including the NKJV (New King James Version), NIV (New International Version), the RSV (Revised Standard Version) and the GNB (Good News Bible). I like the very simple, contemporary language of the GNB and the line drawings.

I've heard several Christians renounce the NIV, stating that it is inaccurate in some ways. I still refer to it for illumination alongside my KJV. For me, the bottom line it that I can learn from anything, because I have God's Spirit within, who leads and guides me to all truth.

I use everything I can to grow in Christ, knowing that God is the final authority. I don't have to agree with everything but I can learn from them. Everything belongs to God and can be used by him. I don't ever want to reject any source of knowledge.


 

Bible Power Is Between The Lines

The Bible Can Be More Than Just An Icon To You
Without the Holy Spirit, the Bible is just a book with words on paper like any other book. God's Word is the spirit of what is being taught in between the lines of all of those scriptures.

The true meat is what we can only discern through the power of the Holy Spirit within us. This Power opens our spiritual eyes and gives us revelations, secrets and keys.

The True Bible Is The Spirit Between The Lines

What the Bible's words do in our spirits and in our hearts is the most important thing, not the Bible itself. That's why we should read it everyday and regularly memorize the scriptures.

If the time should ever come when Bibles are being confiscated and burned in the country where we live, we'll have much of it inside of us.

Memorize Scripture And No One Can Take The Bible Away From You

Quote scriptures and defeat spiritual enemies! Strike them down with the precise Words of God! Crush them in the many ways that the Sword of the Spirit provides for you to do it! Speak the Word with accuracy, confidence and power. 

Hide God's revelation Word in your heart so that no one can ever take it away from you! Be quick to draw the real Sword when needed!

If you haven't, start a scripture memory program today!

Guide your children in memorizing scriptures at a very young age! 

It is the very best weapon that you can give to them

to navigate this evil and wicked world!

Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You!

Psalm 119:11 

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.

Psalm 119:105



 


How Do I Get Closer To God?


When I got saved I started going to church consistently, because all new Christians truly need the guidance and regular fellowship of a pastor and congregation. As a babe in Christ, it helped me to become settled in The Lord.  Eventually, I became so enamored with the things of God that I started reading the Bible alone at home. That's when I began to grow up as a Christian and draw closer to God.


The Bible is God's Living Word and through reading it for ourselves we become more like God. When God's words get into us we begin to have victory in all areas of our lives. No matter how good we think we are we need the inner pruning and trimming that God's Word provides. We can't be better people or please God through our own strength. We can't rely upon a pastor, minister, preacher or teacher to please God. We have to seek God daily on our own. Reading His Holy Word is the best way to do that.

Knowing Jesus Christ as our Savior and knowing our heavenly Father God should make a discernible difference in our lives. Many Christians never grow, but continue to be deceived that they are alright and that their own efforts make them better people. In reality, they are the same as they always were and control their lives in their usual selfish, self-centered ways.

The Bible says that what pleases God is a broken spirit and a broken and contrite heart. We can't do that to ourselves. We receive that through the work of God's Word in us and His Holy Spirit comforting and guiding us. The Bible says that The Word of God is quick, and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. It is piercing, even to the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit, and of the joints and the marrow. It is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Reading the Bible will show us things about ourselves. It will bring out things that God wants to be in the open. It will allow us to grow in The Lord. We can't do any of it on our own.
There is also a big difference between a babe in Christ (or a Christian that is not growing) and an advanced Christian who devotes himself/herself to the study of God's Word. They think differently and act differently, not by choice but because The Word is pruning one of them. The other is blindly living by his/her own attitudes, thoughts and feelings.

It's up to each Christian to decide to read the Bible and grow. It's a personal choice. Life is very different when we put that Word into ourselves everyday. Of course, the Bible is not always an easy book to read, but there are many versions that make it easier. I read it everyday, and have been doing so for years. Sometimes I don't feel like reading it and sometimes I may miss a day or two. Despite that, my mind is always on it and I rush to get back on track reading it. So I never go for long without doing it.

There's a world of difference between someone who reads the Bible regularly and someone who doesn't. They don't even speak the same language. The Bible reader is becoming more and more like God each day. This should be the aspiration of all Christians who proclaim to know Jesus Christ. Sadly, it is not. The Bible, however, is there for anyone who desires to partake of it. It's free in many instances, and it is life-changing!


His Love Letters To You


God's Word puts faith in me. If you're not reading God's Word, the Holy Bible, everyday you're cheating yourself. My question is Have you come to truly love God? You see, God's Word is really a love letter. It is a letter from The Greatest Lover to you, the person whom He loves dearly.

Everything in the Bible is not a good story, even though the entire Bible is ordained by God to bless you. Every word in the Bible can benefit us when accepted through the Holy Spirit's guidance.

In the same way that you would read and reread the letters from your fiance/fiancee, companion or spouse, you should be reading God's Word. It should be sweet to you and you should never tire of learning from it. Even though you may not feel like reading as much or at all on some days, you should be anxious to get back to it.

So again, Have you come to truly love God enough to desire to read his Word everyday? You should be feeding yourself the one thing that will grow your faith, strengthen you against the enemy and help you to store up your riches in Heaven.

The Word of God is quick and powerful... Hebrews 4:12

Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one...I John 2:14
 

Dear Lord:
I pray for this reader to receive a hunger and thirst
for the nourishment that can come only
through your Word.
Amen