Wednesday; November 18

How is your Bible study going? While it might be nice to assume that we are all spending the proper amount of time in Bible reading, I imagine that the truth is that most of us are doing less than we could (or should). For those who are doing it, that’s great – but for those who aren’t, today is a good day to get started. Yet, if we are struggling with our Bible study, what can we do to make it easier or better? Here are a few suggestions:

1. Pick a time and place that is conducive to studying. While a good heart is a necessity to a successful study; the physical environment is important as well. Block out a time and find a location that makes reading and contemplation easy.

2. Choose the right “media” for study. Do you enjoy reading a paper book or is an electronic device more to your liking. Does a computer work better for you or are you more of a pen and paper person? We live in a great time for educational options, let’s apply them to our Bible study as well.

3. Find a Bible that is good for you. I encourage you to choose a “translation” over a “paraphrase” and do some research on which of the translations are more accurate. Yet, when it comes to basic Bible study, most mainline translations will work. The question is whether you can relate better to a King James Version or something a bit more modern. By the way, I would suggest using multiple translations that might support a deeper understanding. Take, for example how two good translations handle II Timothy 2:15, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” (New American Standard Bible) and “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (King James Version). Both teach truth, but spending time with various translations can bring about a broader understanding.

Good luck on your studying. When we put our heart into it, we will be blessed.

Think About It 

Popular posts from this blog

Thursday; May 3

I have a fish tank that allows my three Bettas (Larry, Darrell and Darrell) to live in the same structure, but remain hidden from each other – well sort of.   When I go to feed the fish, I believe that one of the Darrell’s can sort of see that the other Darrell is getting fed and he will linger over on that side of the tank even after I put his food in his tank.   I have to tap on the side of the tank where his food is floating to help him refocus and eat.   I get the impression that he is so interested in what is going on in the other Darrell’s tank that he can’t enjoy his own food. I have been told that the brain of a fish is pretty small – which explains their inability to process “blessings”, but are we guilty of the same malady as Darrell?   Are we so worried (or consumed) by what happens to the people around us that we fail to realize what is going on with us?   Are we envious of the blessings that others are receiving and end up missing out on what we have been given?   Are w
Read more

Thursday; February 14

         While most of us are familiar with today being Valentine’s Day, there are some who actually refer to February 14 th as “St. Valentine’s Day”.  This title is often affixed to a criminally historic event known as “The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre” on February 14, 1929 in Chicago, but that is another story for another time.  Not knowing much about the history of “Saint Valentine” I did a little research and found out he was a Roman religious leader who was martyred in 269 AD.  According to my limited research Valentine was killed because of his encouragement of Roman men (especially soldiers) to marry which was in violation of Claudias’ edict that prohibited marriage to keep their minds singularly focused on their task of defending the Empire.  Somehow, from this beginning – and possibly embellished by Chaucer – St. Valentine became intertwined with the concept of romantic love.           I am not really sure how February 14 th became connected with love, but inspired by thi
Read more

Wednesday; December 6

What does it mean to be a leader? I subscribe to the belief that a leader is someone who seeks the best for others and works with them to achieve their potential. There are others; however, who define leadership as the ability to have a vision and the tenacity to get their own way. Leaders who are this way are often portrayed as having developed the maturity to manipulate people to do things their way. However, is the ability to drive people in our direction mature or is it childish? The Christians of the 1st Century came from a lot of different backgrounds and had to work hard to work together. As the Apostle Paul challenged Christians in the city of Ephesus he challenged them to accept individual differences, “… until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. “ (Ephesians 4:13). Bossiness was not to be viewed as a sign of maturity, a willingness to wo
Read more