Trinitron Posted July 8, 2014 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 6 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 140 Content Per Day: 0.03 Reputation: 42 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/16/2013 Status: Offline Share Posted July 8, 2014 Young's Literal Translation is a great version to start out with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john14:6 Posted July 15, 2014 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 6 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 180 Content Per Day: 0.05 Reputation: 104 Days Won: 0 Joined: 08/06/2013 Status: Offline Share Posted July 15, 2014 (edited) Jerry, I love your answer (post #5). Many years ago, before I became a genuine believer in Jesus, I did not understand the bible, especially about how to "believe" in Jesus for salvation. I had a lot of doubts even about the bible being true. At church I asked my pastor & Sunday school teacher about how to believe in Jesus, and they just quoted more scripture to me which did not help me to understand what "believe in Jesus" really meant. Also, I read several books written by well known Christian like Dr. H. A. Ironsides and Dr. John R. Rice, but those did not help. One night I just gave up on myself finding answers about spiritual matters and asked God to show me the truth about Him, the bible, and believing in Jesus, and I wasn't sure if God even existed. Then I started reading the Gospel of John. Immediately, as I began to read John 1:1 something was telling me that the bible is true, that God is real, and that Jesus is God who created all things and that He became a man. The Holy Spirit was showing me the truth that I was desperately seeking. The Holy Spirit opened my blind spiritual eyes and brought me out of the darkness of unbelief into the light of the truth of God's Way of salvation. Before I finished chapter 37 God had answered all of my questions and I knew how to believe in Jesus for real salvation. I agree that other Christians can also help us understand scripture, but it is the Holy Spirit who leads us to the truth as we study His Word. Edited July 15, 2014 by john14:6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Openly Curious Posted July 15, 2014 Group: Royal Member Followers: 4 Topic Count: 55 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 4,568 Content Per Day: 0.68 Reputation: 770 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/18/2006 Status: Offline Share Posted July 15, 2014 If you are just beginning to learn you will not have instant understanding as with everything new. I would recommend for you to just keep reading the bible. If you read through it once then start all over again but never ever stop reading your bible. The Spirit of the one and true living God will teach you as you do. You may not understand every sentence, word, parables or all the subjects that are in the bible but you will grow and you will increase in the knowledge of God and spiritual things over time as you do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmlusa2000 Posted July 17, 2014 Group: Royal Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 53 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 823 Content Per Day: 0.15 Reputation: 217 Days Won: 6 Joined: 02/01/2009 Status: Offline Birthday: 10/13/1981 Share Posted July 17, 2014 I have to read things out loud for anything to sink in. Pray before you read the word for a better understanding. I also write a lot down. I have to be reminded of this sometimes. Its not about how much knowledge you have, its about devoting your heart to God. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThereIsFreedom Posted July 18, 2014 Group: Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 4 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 48 Content Per Day: 0.01 Reputation: 15 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/15/2014 Status: Offline Birthday: 06/27/1994 Share Posted July 18, 2014 Hello Mick :-) Don't worry I think we have all gone through this. What helped me understand the bible was 1. Believing 100% what is written in it without questioning at all since it is all God's word& God is God we can't question Him 2. Reading it EVERY SINGLE DAY(even if it is just 2 verses), it'll help you if you do it at the sAme time everyday so you get used to it 3. Start with the New Testament in order so from Mathew to Revelation it doesn't matter if you already know the story of Jesus and how the angel came to Mary And how he wAs crucified, read it again... It's never enough. (When i first started reading the bible i wanted to start from the very first book (genesis) & then every time i would start, i would stop because it would get so confusing and i would start questioning everything but now that i have read the new testament and i can understand The bible Nd God's plan better... I can also understand the Old testament... 3. Like other brothers have said: pray before you read it, ask God for wisdom, guidance and understanding 4. Read a version that you will understand, i started with NIV , but now i read NKJV. God bless you very very much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joy and love Posted July 31, 2014 Group: Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 6 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 76 Content Per Day: 0.02 Reputation: 5 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/31/2014 Status: Offline Share Posted July 31, 2014 I have a lot of trouble reading the bible myself. I used to have a bible for teenagers, which is easier worded. Not sure where that is right now. I also bought a new one which is next to me. It is very complicated for me. I can't read it without feeling strongly like I'm reading a text book. It's so mighty hard for me and I get so confused and my head hurts! I'm not smart and everything is so difficult for me to understand, I'm very simple. I know some basics because growing up I had Sunday school and Bible at school. I've also read a small amount of the first book at school. I can't get past the first parts about Adam and Eve before getting annoyed. It does absolutely nothing for me to read the bible. It feels like I'm forcing myself and making myself very uncomfortable Can someone recommend a really good Audio bible I can listen to? I would prefer an app that is free because I'm broke. Thing is, I have no desire to read it. Is there something I can do to feel excited and happy about reading it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmlusa2000 Posted July 31, 2014 Group: Royal Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 53 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 823 Content Per Day: 0.15 Reputation: 217 Days Won: 6 Joined: 02/01/2009 Status: Offline Birthday: 10/13/1981 Share Posted July 31, 2014 I have a lot of trouble reading the bible myself. I used to have a bible for teenagers, which is easier worded. Not sure where that is right now. I also bought a new one which is next to me. It is very complicated for me. I can't read it without feeling strongly like I'm reading a text book. It's so mighty hard for me and I get so confused and my head hurts! I'm not smart and everything is so difficult for me to understand, I'm very simple. I know some basics because growing up I had Sunday school and Bible at school. I've also read a small amount of the first book at school. I can't get past the first parts about Adam and Eve before getting annoyed. It does absolutely nothing for me to read the bible. It feels like I'm forcing myself and making myself very uncomfortable Can someone recommend a really good Audio bible I can listen to? I would prefer an app that is free because I'm broke. Thing is, I have no desire to read it. Is there something I can do to feel excited and happy about reading it? Hi Joy and Love. Welcome to worthy I have the NIV Life Application Study Bible. It is very helpful. It gives cross references to verses, because scripture interprets itself. There are also some notes that explain the verses in depth, and help you think about how a particular verse(s) apply to your life, or what it means to you. Pray before you read the word for a deep understanding. I read it outloud, sometimes a few times before it sinks in. Prayer before reading the Word does help. Pray for a deep understanding of the word. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joy and love Posted July 31, 2014 Group: Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 6 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 76 Content Per Day: 0.02 Reputation: 5 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/31/2014 Status: Offline Share Posted July 31, 2014 I love Psalms when I've opened the Bible to it before. Whenever I've read the verses it just seems so meaningful to me. It's beautiful poetry in my eyes. I shouldn't look at it like that though. I'm just an emotional person so it does get to me. I listen to a radio station and the music behind the sermons is all what makes it get to me. I'm like that with movies as well. I wish I could look beyond the background music and really 'feel' the words without the music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joy and love Posted July 31, 2014 Group: Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 6 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 76 Content Per Day: 0.02 Reputation: 5 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/31/2014 Status: Offline Share Posted July 31, 2014 I gave a station I know about a go. The guy speaking is a little scary. It's too quick for me to follow. He is reading from the Bible but I'm not feeling anything from it. Sigh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macs Son Posted July 31, 2014 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 8 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 261 Content Per Day: 0.07 Reputation: 79 Days Won: 1 Joined: 06/07/2014 Status: Offline Share Posted July 31, 2014 I wonder if you’d be kind enough to try and answer another few questions for me. I am struggling to understand the bible. I don’t just mean a given passage, I mean all of it. However I have to admit I have not attempted to read more than a few sections.Can I be a Christian and believe in God, and Jesus, but not understand the bible? This troubles me a little.Hi Mick, I've always been a big believer in letting the Bible interpret the Bible. God, in His Word, speaks of the same things many times and so I also believe His intention is that we should search the Scriptures when it comes to difficult passages. One aid that has helped me is the "Treasury of Scripture Knowledge", which compiles like passages of Scriptures - sort of like a thesaurus. While its not a one stop shopping tool it has helped me innumerable times. But to your question above; Can you be a Christian and still not understand the Bible? That one is easy. How about those first Christians the Apostles of Christ?Matthew 15:17“Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated?Matthew 16:9“Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up?Matthew 16:11“How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?—but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”Mark 4:13 And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?And many more examples all the way through Acts of the Apostles, where at first they did not understand. But keep praying for understanding and seek it with all your heart; for the Lord is kind and distributes wisdom to whom He wills and that is not necessarily those highborn or best educated either for these were simple fishermen who turned the world right-side up in the knowledge and understanding of the Lord. I just find it so hard going. Firstly the old language that is used, but secondly I find it so hard to get any clear meaning from it.This is easier than ever for Christians these days as there are many sites for online Bible use when you get bogged down by translations. I use this one frequently.http://www.blbclassic.org/search/translationResults.cfm?Criteria=The+Spirit+Himself&t=NKJV&sf=5... Was the implication that man was not to study science? Or I wonder if the meaning is different? and what the tree of knowledge symbolizes.It was the tree of knowledge of good and evil. There was no knowledge of evil in mankind before they ate of it's fruit. And in disobeying God they both created their first corrupt action.And if it was God’s will for the apple not to be eaten, I wonder why the serpent tempted eve to do it. Was the serpent inherently evil?No apple Mick - that was mans invention.Satan was not inherently corrupt - there's an allusion to him in Ezekiel.http://www.blbclassic.org/Bible.cfm?b=Eze&c=28&t=NKJV#13This is all I have time for this morning but I'll be praying for you.May God Bless, Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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