The Greatest Book in the World

To my son's delight school began this week. He enjoys his vacations and breaks, but loves the whole 'adventure' concept of going to his school. It's been a long, hot and frankly life changing summer this year. I haven't even logged onto this blog for months now, so let me begin by saying, "Hello friends! Thank you for taking a moment to visit!"

Staying true to the forum, this post is advocating education through reading. Even though I am a life long avid reader as well as a believer of both God and Christ Jesus, I have never read the longest lasting number one best seller of all time - the Bible!

I fell back on the oft used lame excuse, "I can't get past all the 'thee's' and 'thou's'". During the last week of school in May, I stopped by my favorite book store to stock up on summer reading materials. That day, for the first time no new author or new work by a favored author stood out. Instead, I felt compelled to pick up a copy of the Bible in the New King James Version. Flipping it open to the approximate center, it fell open at Psalms 91. I stood there and began to read. "Wow!" I thought. "This is really good! Powerful! And really readable!"

Encouraged and inspired, I picked up the book next to it. It was 'An Inspirational Study Bible' with study guides. What a find!

The Introductions to each chapter were very well written. There were interesting and informative footnotes as well as 'Life Lessons' in the margins for every few chapters of every book. And each Life Lesson contained a Situation (giving a quick look into the context of the chapter), an Observation (going beneath the action to explain the truth or lesson to be learned from the action), an Application (which brought the message home, suggesting how we can use what we've learned in these verses) and an Exploration (which lists other Scriptures related to the same theme, for future study. It provided a strong sense of the Bible as a complete story, rather than just a collection of short stories and a list of rules.)

Scattered throughout the text were full page devotional thoughts on topics such as Grace, Strength, Victory, Freedom, Eternal Life, Forgiveness, Faith, Hope, Love and Joy, to mention just a few. There's a Concordance in the back of the book which gives the translation of the original keyed words from both the Greek and the Hebrew.  All of the study helps were streamlined for ease of use. The comments were quick and tightly written to give the most information in the briefest format possible, to assist in the search for understanding.

Without a single doubt, I can now recommend first hand these two particular books as the best literary investments I have ever made! By no means are they 'quick summer beach reads', but to be savored slowly and prayfully. As you read, you'll uncover a saga of suspense and intrigue. Poetry and Romance. Tales of clashing conquerors, brave shepards and a captivating Carpenter. There are Chronicles of faith, miracles, misdeeds and good deeds. Kings, queens and peasants. The common and the uncommon. Stories of real people, with real problems, real joys, and a real Savior. In reading it, you'll discover that what happened back then is still happening today - that the truths of old are still truths for our age.

The book is old, dating back over five thousand years. It is bizarre, telling tales of incredible floods, fires, earthquakes and people with supernatural ablities. It is radical, calling for undying devotion to a carpenter who called himself God's Son. Logic says it shouldn't have survived. But not only has it survived, it's thrived!

There is no way on earth to explain it. Which is perhaps the only explanation. The answer? The Bible's durability is NOT found on earth; it is found in heaven. For the millions who have tested it's claims and claimed it's promises there is but one answer - the Bible is God's book and God's voice.

Before you begin reading His Word, pray. Ask God to speak to you through His words. Don't read it looking for your own ideas, go searching for His.

Study the Bible a bit at a time. Hunger is not satisfied by eating twenty one meals in one sitting once a week. The body needs a steady diet to remain strong. So does the soul. What can reading and studying the Bible do for us? The clearest answer is found in the words of Jesus. "Ask" he promised "and it shall be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." Matthew 7:7.

My own observation has been that all the education in the world is nothing more than a candle's flicker compared to the pure brilliance of Wisdom. And Wisdom comes only as a gift from God. Open your heart. Open your mind. Read His Word. Study it. Savor it. Pray on it. Walk it. Live it. Teach it to your children. Tell others about it. Then reap the reward. It is finer than the purest silver or gold, more precious than the most priceless gemstones. And unlike them, it IS something you CAN take with you! PRAISE THE LORD!

As I have begun sharing with my son what I've been learning, I've realized that this may likely be the greatest gift I'll ever give to him!

Happy reading and Blessings to you all!

D