Reading the Bible

[Guest]

2 hours ago, johnthebaptist said:

I think one needs to read the entire Bible at least once. Starting at the beginning and reading straight through might be the best way, since that way we read chronologically.

Good point. It's just that rather overwhelms me. But the 'Alpha Bible in one year' being a guided method is i feel a good way for me, and i am giving it a go. 

[Jayne]

9 hours ago, Melinda12 said:

So each one i get i incorporate into my system. Simply pick a section and place a bookmark there, putting tiny pencil ticks as i finish each section. 

Of course i aim for a balance between old and new testaments. It seems a random method but means i have variety and freedom. I am building knowledge daily. 

Do you have a routine daily and weekly, purely for your Bible reading?

Don't worry about "randomness".  After you read the Bible through, then you can go back and read chronologically.  Just read it, I say.  I used to worry - no, really, I worried - that I wasn't reading the "right" passage for that day that God wanted me to read.  I got over that.

I have a routine.  I read daily some weeks and 3-4 times other weeks and take notes in my Bible.  Lots of notes.

 

[johnthebaptist]

2 minutes ago, Melinda12 said:

Good point. It's just that rather overwhelms me. But the 'Alpha Bible in one year' being a guided method is i feel a good way for me, and i am giving it a go. 

The Bible isn't that long of a book, and it's interesting.

[Guest]

16 hours ago, Alive said:

Melinda--nowadays with what we have at our finger tips, it doesn't matter if you can read the Greek or Hebrew/Chaldean. You can compare the texts with side by side or interlinear tools and go word by word if you so desire.

Even if you could read it fluently, there are still the nuances of language and the absolute need for the Holy Spirit to shed light.

With the Paraclete, you are not at a disadvantage. Believe this and trust.

Hmm. I even had to look up 'paraclete'. I think my intellect is possibly akin to a chimp compared to some here! Lol! 

However, i am willing to learn and have always nurtured friends who are very capable so i can learn from them. 

[Guest]

13 hours ago, Jayne said:

Don't worry about "randomness".  After you read the Bible through, then you can go back and read chronologically.  Just read it, I say.  I used to worry - no, really, I worried - that I wasn't reading the "right" passage for that day that God wanted me to read.  I got over that.

I have a routine.  I read daily some weeks and 3-4 times other weeks and take notes in my Bible.  Lots of notes.

 

Indeed we are so lucky. With Google i can look up anything as i go along, or ask on here. I make notes too and like the freedom of learning freely as i have time. I wish i could read the bible and classic novels all day long. If only. 

[Guest]

10 hours ago, DustyRoad said:

Every time I'd pick up a bible and open it in my hands I found myself looking at the first page of the book of Job. After my birth in Spirit the Lord led me to read the book of Job which had a startling effect... I suddenly realized that even a righteous man can fall to the curse! That's what happened to me: I started wasting away and dying. I had no family and no friends, no property or home and not a penny to my name. But our Father never forgot about me! 

Job's restoration reminds me of what happened when I became a new creation in Christ... God has given me more than I can possibly say! 

Me too. A few years ago my life threatened to fall apart. I found myself alone and vulnerable. Yet through Jesus Christ my cup now overflows and i have a better life than i could ever have hoped for. All glory to God. 

Book of Job is fantastic. Si much food for our souls. 

[Coliseum]

11 hours ago, DustyRoad said:

Every time I'd pick up a bible and open it in my hands I found myself looking at the first page of the book of Job. After my birth in Spirit the Lord led me to read the book of Job which had a startling effect... I suddenly realized that even a righteous man can fall to the curse! That's what happened to me: I started wasting away and dying. I had no family and no friends, no property or home and not a penny to my name. But our Father never forgot about me! 

Job's restoration reminds me of what happened when I became a new creation in Christ... God has given me more than I can possibly say! 

It is interesting which verses and books in the Bible seem to attract new believers more than others. When I first examined the first page of Genesis before becoming a believer, I was angry that in the 25 times I reread the same page, I could not understand it, and threw the Book down. After I became a believer, I opened to the Book of Romans. I could not at first believe it was making sense, so I closed the Book. Upon opening it again, I was further astonished, and closed it to try to make sense of what was happening. When I opened it a third time and realized that to my shock I really was understanding it, I began to cry. I could barely compose myself, but I realized that God was writing to me a love letter---a personal Word from God. 

[Coliseum]

4 minutes ago, DustyRoad said:

Yes. Of course it didn't happen to me in exactly the same way, brother, but after my birth in Spirit something took place every time I opened the bible or absorbed scriptures others shared. It was making sense to me... I started becoming ecstatic, blind to what was taking place because for the first time in my life my mind was clear and I could see!

God saved my life. He revealed Himself to me, clearing the confusion of my mind and lifting the scales off my eyes so I could know him... this was beyond my reach previously.  Of course I remain speechless that Jesus Christ did this for my sake...  what did I do to deserve our Maker's love and mercy? … but yes, I was naïve in my childish exuberance. God changed me in such an impossible way I even believed that autism, depression, and this living nightmare were over. They were gone!

Ah, but then I learned the truth because we know that the Lord won't permit us to run too far in error. The truth is called my trial of faith: no, I'm still on the spectrum … I'm actually in a depressive state right now (have been for weeks) … and post-traumatic stress disorder never left. 

Here's where God brings me to Jacob's wrestling match with the angel of the Lord (Genesis 32: 22-32), one of those places in the book of Genesis were his Spirit led me. Of course I'd read it before but now it made so much sense I was astonished for a good long while.  Jacob walked with a limp after seeing God (and living to tell the tale). This limp is rather significant, to be certain... 

I want to go see "It's a Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood." Fred Rogers was once a man, in my mind, to be laughed at; now he is the embodiment of Philippians 4:8-9 (NIV)
⁸  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.
⁹  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

He is everything he was lauded to be and people loved him because he went out of his way to love them in their deepest need. The people others laughed at  he embraced. 

 

[Dennis1209]

Studying the Bible or just talking to someone about an event or question I had, I found a problem I was facing. I didn't know whom lived before whom, what events transpired in what order or the chronology of the Bible. So, the last two times I read the Bible cover to cover, I read it in chronological order. I got it straight and it helped tremendously with my understanding and the whole picture. 

I bought reference material on systematic theology, a dictionary of proper names, software programs, ancient maps of biblical times, and a plethora of other study aids, Bibles and materials. Now, when I start to study something or read a book of the Bible; it doesn't take long before I start down the proverbial rabbit trail, and I'm all over the place in history, places and people. Well, what's this guys name meaning and back story, where did he come from, what's the meaning of what's being said, how far was it from there to there, on and on.

I guess the point is; there's many ways to study the Bible. From just reading it for the plain meaning, to in depth research, to systematically reading it by subject. 

[Dennis1209]

On 11/30/2019 at 8:26 AM, johnthebaptist said:

I think one needs to read the entire Bible at least once. Starting at the beginning and reading straight through might be the best way, since that way we read chronologically.

I agree, with one little exception. The Bible and events are not put together in chronological order. For a free daily Bible reading plan in chronological order, I would suggest the website "Blue letter Bible". It can be printed out.