Which Book Of The Bible Should You Read
| Inspiring stories I can apply to my own life | Ingredients for living like Jesus |
| An example of what to do & what not to do | Lessons or concepts to think about |
| Background information about Christianity |
| Writing |
| Preacher |
| Ask my friends for advice | Read instructions or a how-to book |
| Guess-and-check |
| Approach a mutual friend to help | Sort through your emotions internally |
| Examine the facts, and try to map a solution | Confront them to work it out face-to-face |
| Theyâre a good person | Having shared experiences |
| Chemistry, itâs difficult to define | They’re honest |
| Comedy |
| Reading | |
| Spending time with a significant other | |
| Spending time with friends | Exercising/Working Out |
It Explains How To Share The Gospel
Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
Not only is the Bibles main message focused on the gospel, but the Bible also gives instructions for how to share the gospel with others. The verse quoted above is called the Great Commission, and it is one of the last statements Jesus made to His followers.
After hearing Jesus command, they preached in churches, shared about Jesus with strangers and taught people from all backgrounds about Him. If you are a Christian and want to learn how to share the gospel, living out the Great Commission in your life is a good place to start.
Ask Yourself What Dont I Like About What I Am Reading
I got this question from Francis Chan, and I love it! It comes from a chapel message Chan recently delivered to Azusa Pacific University students:
Chan went on to say that, over the past 20 years, he has noticed a change at APU and in Christian culture in general. While he was clear that he knows he is generalizing, he said he has noticed a trend of people elevating their own thoughts and feelings over the authority of Gods Word. He challenged his audience to evaluate whether there is anything they believe from the Bible that they actually dont want to believe. Or are they comfortable with all their beliefs, meaning they are probably interpreting the Bible to suit their feelings? 7
The Bible is not written the way we like to hear it. The Bible will often speak that which we dont want to hear. Many were those who did not wish to hear what the Old Testament prophets had to say, just as they rejected the words of Jesus and His apostles. But if our interpretation of Scripture is always what we want to hear, we will probably end up with a hearing problem. When we do disagree what we read in the Old Testament, or the New, we should pause to reflect on where our culture stands on this matter. If we are simply reflecting our culture when we disagree with Scripture, then we are on the wrong side.
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It Is Full Of Gods Promises
The LORD Himself goes before you and will be with you He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid do not be discouraged.
What an encouraging verse! Repeat this promise to yourself daily until youve memorized it. Every time you feel anxious or worried, remind yourself of this verse the way you remember Gods promises is by memorizing them. After you have memorized the verse, see if the truth in it helps you resist anxiety better.
Faith : Where Should I Start Reading The Bible
Salt& Light // May 28, 2019, 1:50 pm
An overview of the entire New Testament of the Bible in pictures. This is one of many charts created by The Bible Project which produces animated videos. Photo by The Bible Project.
The Bible is the worlds best-selling book of non-fiction, according to Guinness World Records!
That, in itself, may not be a compelling reason to read the Bible. But more compelling is this: The Bible is where you can encounter God.
Literally speaking, the Bible is a collection of 66 separate books 39 books under the Old Testament, and 27 books under the New Testament. These books are ancient scripts of different writing styles, including narrative, poetry, songs, and prose, in forms ranging from letters to laws. They were originally written in Hebrew and Greek, but have since been translated into a multitude of languages.
You will find timeless wisdom in the Bible for living, and a treasure trove of truths about God and the world we live in, both seen and unseen.
To find out more, check out The Bible Project an animated video guide to reading the Bible.
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Look Back At The Continuing Context
Since the Bible was written over time and spanning several centuries, we must look back in the story to discover how a given passage relates to what preceded it . We need to discern the deeper shape and flow of the story, understanding the movements of characters and events and how they relate to the underlying structure of the Bible.
But how? One way is simply to work through the Bible, starting at the beginning with Genesis. But this has limitations because the Bible isnt necessarily compiled chronologically as we often think of books. Instead, Hunter and Wellum suggest we concentrate on tracing two of the Bibles major divisions: its plot movements and covenants.
First, the Bibles story can be outlined in four major plot movements, which explains the story of reality: creation, fall, redemption, and new creation. These four plot movements are helpful because they follow the Bibles own plot and help us think about the Bibles unique worldview against other worldviews , which answers four major questions:
- Where did we come from?
- What went wrong?
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Ground Level: The Historical Books
The bulk of the Old Testament primarily covers a period of time from about 2500 B.C. to about 400 B.C., in the area of the world known by scholars as The Ancient Near East. It specifically focuses on Gods historical and prophetic interactions with the Hebrew people. There are 39 books or sections written by a number of different authors.
The Old Testament is divided into at least three major sections. The first part contains the history of the Jewish people. Its roughly chronological, and all the narratives fit into the times described in these history books.
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Moms Raising Sons To Be Men
Mothers of boys have the special calling to shape future men of God. Popular speaker Rhonda Stoppe, mom to two sons, knows this opportunity is a challenge, a joy, and probably the most important work of a womans life. Drawing from years of experience, this inspirational resource will revive the faithfulness and fortitude a woman needs to partner with God as they shape the character and heart of a future godly man.
Praying The Scriptures Over Your Children
You will discover how using the Bible to shape your desires and requests opens the door to Gods provisionand frees us from things like worry and fear in our parenting! This expanded edition of the bestseller features updated content on issues like technology and identity, and comes with new material designed to invite children into the family prayer circle. Purchase now and receive 10% off your product.
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Bible Verses About Reading The Bible Importance Of Reading The Bible
Reading the Bible is like reading the manual of life. Its our #1 way we can learn about God and who he is, and its the #1 way we learn who we are and how we are called to live life.
And for most Christians, reading God’s Word is the biggest way we can develop our personal relationship with God.
If you are looking to build your relationship with God, download a free, Spiritual Goals Worksheet, which will help you define how you are going to grow spiritually.
This worksheet includes examples of spiritual goals to consider that will help you set your own plan for reading the Bible and growing closer to God.
The Word is God himself, and the more we read the Bible, the more we understand the heart of God.
God speaks to us when we read the Bible through the Holy Spirit reading the Bible is one of the primary ways that God speaks to us.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1 ESV
Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. Matthew 7:24 ESV
Gods Word teaches us how to live and guides each one of us personally as we seek Gods guidance for our lives.
It doesnt matter what decision or situation you are facing. If you are praying about whether you should take that job, marry that person, or move to a new city God will speak to you as you pray and read his Word.
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17 NKJV
The Five Most Popular English Translations:
According to the Christian Booksellers Association, the five best-selling Bible translations in June 2013 were as follows:
This post will focus largely on these “Big Five” translations and their merits and shortcomings.
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A Letter To Believers: Ephesians
Unlike the gospel of John and the book of Acts, Ephesians is a letter from the Apostle Paul to the believers in Ephesus.
Christianity begins not with a big DO, but with a big DONE God has already blessed us with every spiritual blessing.
Watchman Nee, a Chinese church leader and teacher, distils the essence of Ephesians into three simple words: Sit. Walk. Stand, and says Ephesians abounds with spiritual riches, and yet is intensely practical.
He writes: Christianity does not begin with walking it begins with sitting.
For Christianity begins not with a big DO, but with a big DONE. Thus Ephesians opens with the statement that God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. And we are invited at the very outset to sit down and enjoy what God has done for us not to set out to try and attain it for ourselves.
Introduction to the book: In the book of Ephesians, we see how the Gospel story affects believers everyday lives. God, the Father, planned throughout history for Jesus to create a multi-ethnic community of followers. Consisting of Jews and non-Jews, these followers form the family God promised to Abraham. They live in unity as one body in their families, neighbourhoods, and churches because of Gods grace.
Understanding The Root Of Your Child’s Misbehavior
Often, children act out because they are used to getting attention through bad behavior. Dr. Kevin Leman offers advice to help parents transform their childs behavior. He discusses the benefits of allowing your kids to learn from real-life consequences and describes the importance of understanding your childs temperament based on his birth order.
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Mothers And Sons: Being A Godly Influence
Rhonda Stoppe describes her early motherhood challenges of raising a son, which was intimidating to her. She found help through group of older women mentors. She urges moms to see their role as ministry in shaping sons to be good and godly men. Rhonda outlines several practical suggestions to moms about spiritual training, how to communicate with boys, and supporting the father-son relationship as a wife.
How To Read The Bible: Pray Before You Begin
Pause before you open your Bible and ask God to speak to you. Remember, the Bible is Gods Word it is Gods love letter written to His people, which includes you.
Ask God to help you understand His Word. Ask God use His Word to teach you, to direct you and even to re-direct you, when necessary. Ask Him to use His Word to help you know Him and love Him.
Jeremiah 29:13 says, You will seek me and find Me, if you seek Me with all your heart. God loves to reveal himself to those who seek Him.
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What To Do When You’re Not Okay
Life can be pretty stressful. Between work, relationships, and other obligations, the pressure builds, and we lose sight of who we are. Counselor Debra Fileta helps you better understand your emotions, assess your mental, physical, and spiritual health, and intentionally pursue a path to wellbeing. In dealing with anxiety, depression, and panic attacks, Debra understands the importance of self-examination as well as the benefits of seeking professional help. She offers biblically-based advice, tools, and encouragement to help you get on a path toward healing and wholeness.
How To Read The Bible In Context
- Jeremy Bouma
The Bible is not just any book. It is Gods Word to us, given using a number of literary genres, through the stories of a cast of rotating characters, and over the span of a few thousand years.
So how do we read such a book?
This question is important when picking up any document, from paperback to newspaper. You wouldnt read a historical novel on WWII the same way you would a nonfiction historical account of the same time. And we read the newspaper’s front page differently than the opinion-editorials .
How, then, should we read the Bible? It starts with context.
In Christ from Beginning to End, authors Trent Hunter and Stephen Wellum outline six different contextsthree specific, three generalto help you read the Bible well. For Hunter and Wellum, understanding these 6 contexts is like reading the directions before playing a board game:
If you know the rules, the game will make sense and you might even enjoy it. But learning the rules can be a bit tedious and frustrating until you start to see how they fit into the larger game.
The same is true for the Bible. Grasping these rules will help you read the Bible in context and therefore help you better study the Bible.
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Look Up Words You Dont Know The Meaning
One of the biggest reasons people stumble with Bible study theyre not sure of the meaning of all the words. Thats ok! Instead of wondering about a word, try using the dictionary feature of Biblegateway.com. This will help you better understand the words or discover what it means in relation to the culture of the time.
Some Books Have Multiple Genres
Theres definitely some genre-hopping going on throughout the books of the Bible. Daniel is both historical narrative and apocalyptic literature, and Acts works as both history and Gospel. Proverbs is a wisdom book that includes poetic elements. But the point is that learning to see these books through the lens of genre can help make Scripture reading a lot easier.
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Interpretation What Does It Really Mean
Put yourself in the shoes of the author and the original audience. Interpret the passage with their culture and circumstances in mind.
TIP: A question you should ask yourself is, Would my interpretation of this passage make sense to the original audience? If your answer is no, you probably want to do some more digging!
Why Should I Read The Bible
Do Christians have to read the Bible? Maybe youve tried, got overwhelmed or discouraged, and gave up. Why should you read it anyway?
Many people asked Billy Graham that same question over the years. Heres his response:
Today, many people keep the Bible a closed book. One reason is because we dont realize how much we need it. If I suggested that you stop eating for a few months, youd ignore meand rightly so. We need food in order to survive, and without food well grow weak and eventually die.
Yet many Christians are spiritually starved and weak because they ignore the spiritual food God has provided in the Bible. The Bible is not an option it is a necessity. You cannot grow spiritually strong without it.
Job said, I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread . Is the Bible this important to you?
Dont look on the Bible as a bad-tasting medicinethink of it instead as a delightful food that God has given us to strengthen our souls! The Psalmist said, Blessed is the one whose delight is in the law of the Lord .
You see, God wants you to grow in your faithand one of the ways that happens is through reading Gods Word and letting its truth sink deeply into our hearts and minds. Through the Bible we learn how God wants us to live, and we learn too what He has done to save us.
> > Tips for reading and understanding the Bible
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