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Understanding What You Read

I have heard people reading the same passage of the Bible and coming away with totally different meanings and applications. This has always been strange to me given that the author of the passage had a very clear message they were proclaiming.

Some attribute this disunity of understanding to the Spirit of God speaking different things to different people. I am open to this understanding, because God is powerful and can do amazing things, but to the original recipients, the author was trying to address specific needs so there was a point they were trying to get across.

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Historical Context in 5 Steps

Have you ever heard someone speaking about the Bible or read a good devotion book and found yourself puzzled by their insights? As a young student of the Bible I would listen to various speakers and expositors of scripture and wonder to myself, “How did they get so much out of the passage they used? I read that same passage and I did not see any of that stuff in there.” It often seemed like magic how these teachers would mine such great insights from seemingly nowhere.

The unseen work done by these biblical teachers is not so difficult to learn. This task is either unknown to the average person or unused because it requires more effort than a casual reading of scripture. It all comes down to one thing. You must understand the CONTEXT.
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5 Ways To Consume God’s Word

I love to read the Bible but I have found that I am in the minority. Many people don’t like to read much at all, let alone read the Word of God. One reason is that audio and video are so much more compelling. If the Bible were on YouTube, I am sure more people would take it in. Reading of any kind takes a lot of time and mental energy which many are weary of doing. This makes the godly habit of Bible intake all the more challenging. How can we consume God’s word when many people don’t enjoy reading much at all?

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3 Ways to Live by Faith

One of the most maddening statements in all of Christendom is, “Have Faith!” I remember being told this quip by many well intentioned friends as a young disciple but it meant nothing to me. If I had a bad day, “Have Faith!” When I was hurt by others, “Have Faith!” When I felt unsure about a course of action, “Have Faith!” When I was afraid to act, “Have Faith!” I felt as if all people could say is, “Pray and Have Faith!” I know prayer is important, but what was this faith thing all about? The following is what my careful study of faith has uncovered.

I remember reading almost 20 years ago from the great biblical teacher Gordon Ferguson that faith was about trust, belief and obedience. This is a great outline to understand what real faith looks like when it is lived out.

As a student and follower of Jesus, I believe that faith in God is the key to a successful and victorious life. This is not the way to get rich or be famous, but it is the way to live that brings you the healthiest outcomes. A life of faith will positively impact your anxiety, relationships, lifestyle, character, marriage, parenting, focus and goals.

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4 Ways to Know God

We live during a time where it seems easy to learn about anything. Using any connected device opens up a world of knowledge at our fingertips. I used to love being good a trivia and learning lots of useless stuff, but who needs to do that today when your cellphone can pretty much tell you anything you want to know. When we talk about God though, this seems so limited. Sure I can look up what a Church believes or read articles and books from Christian authors, but how can I find out more about God, who He is or what He truly wants for me?

We can know about God from the four major sources of knowledge.

  1. Authoritative Knowledge

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6 Guidelines for Reading the Old Testament

Have you ever been reading the Old Testament and found yourself confused by what it teaches? I desire to follow all of God’s word yet some of the teachings seem arbitrary or are not consistently obeyed by many faithful Christians. How is the discerning Bible student to respond personally or help those who are also confused?

We must be careful to properly use the Old Testament (OT) so that we can accurately follow God’s will for our lives and teach others to do the same. The following issues are taken from the OT Law. This is the central portion to the OT scriptures that includes the material from Exodus 20 to Deuteronomy 33.
– It is illegal/sinful to eat rabbit or pork (Leviticus 11:6-7)
– It is illegal/sinful to eat lobster, shrimp, all shellfish (Leviticus 11:9-12)
– It is wrong to wear clothes made of 2 blended fabrics (Leviticus 19:19)
– Certain times of the month, it is illegal to be intimate with a Woman (Leviticus 15:24)
– Tattoos are illegal/sinful (Leviticus 19:28)
Confusion abounds on other issues such as the different classes of people in the OT, the value of circumcision and Sabbath keeping.

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4 Steps to Reading the Bible Better

How many times have you read a passage of scripture and found yourself asking, “What did I just read?” I have often read the Bible and wondered how I would even begin to apply this to my life. While it is great to read the Bible daily, unless we can apply its message to our lives, this is only a religious exercise. I have learned over the years to follow a simple and repeatable process for not only enjoying God’s word, but also to practically apply its message to my life. The following four steps will help to read and study the Bible well.

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