Sharper than a sword!

I have several friends who have come to me lately with questions about Bible study. They want to know what version of the Bible that I use and whether or not I know of good reference materials that might assist them. I am aware that many people are frustrated because they do not understand the Bible as well as they would like.

I have read the Bible through many times and I have read most versions of the Bible that I have seen including the King James, New King James, International version, American, and the Living Bible. I do not have a preference aside from I do not like to use the King James and other versions that preserve words like thee’ and thou’ (on a daily basis). Those versions are great for preserving the poetic side of the Bible, but I am more interested in understanding the meaning and the modern day versions are easier to understand. My favorite is the Living Bible; however it is difficult to find anymore and I have given away every copy that I have to various people through the years. It is purportedly not an approved’ translation and the introduction points that out; however I cannot tell the difference from the literal translations and it is extremely easy to read.

My favorite reference material is Through the Bible with J. Vernon McGee’. He thoroughly’ explains each verse. The author was a great historian and well versed in the Greek and Hebrew languages in which the Bible was written and he relates it well to today’s languages. It took me two full years of hard study to make it through this study course and I learned more about the Bible and the history of the people who lived at the times being described than ever before.

The Bible states that it is “living and sharper than any two edged sword”. I believe that literally. The more that you study it, the more it will be opened and understandable to you; God will see to that. Think of a sharp two edged sword. It slices through everything in its path. Like a sword the Bible will cut through to your heart and open up God’s wisdom to you; the living Holy Spirit of God will help you to understand. Pray about it and treat it with serious’ careful thought. The Bible is the holy word of God and it is the method of His choice with which to communicate to us. It is our primary way of learning about God and what He wants us to do and how we are to behave.

I became a Christian by reading the Bible. There are parts of the Bible that I still do not understand and may never understand. The Bible states that it was written for people who lived at different times and that is understandable. Perhaps if people today worshipped Molech and we were very familiar with their belief system and then we read about them in the Bible, we could more easily relate to why God considered them an abomination, (idol worshippers would build fires and heat up the arms of an idol of this God’ (Molech), and then sacrifice their children to it by placing them on the idol’s arms which would burn them to death; God was not happy with them). Through the Bible with J. Vernon McGee will detail that kind of stuff for you and I highly recommend it, but if you just want the basics, I suggest you begin by reading the New Testament. Skip the parts you do not understand and soak up what you do.

I do not know how many times I have completely read the Bible, but it is several and every time I learn something new, (remember it is living’ and God opens up more and more to us as we have capacity for understanding).

I believe the Bible to be God’s word. I have had many a debate with those who think it is written just by men. Men wrote down what God wanted to be in there and God preserved His holy word through the ages. If He was incapable of doing that and preserving His only communiqu with mankind, He would not be much of a God and not very powerful, would He? Read it every morning and see what God opens up for you each day!

I always include a verse of Scripture after each WFTD. I randomly look through the Bible until I find the verse I want to share. This morning my Bible fell open to the verse below; it is the first thing I read. Like I say the Bible is “living and sharper than any two edged sword”. God sums it up far better than I could ever do

John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God,