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Aug 14, 2012
How important is it to know the scriptures?
Besrmadter
How important is it to know the scriptures?
Besrmadter
When it is taken from us we will realize how important it was to know the scriptures and I say let the scriptures know us!
God has been revealing to me as of late that it is much more important to be a DO-er of His word rather than a KNOW-er of it. I can read and know all I want (as can atheists!), but if I do nothing, it hurts the body.
Not to put down knowing the Word, though. I emphasize Scripture reading to my wife every single day! We should read and know it, indeed. To place this priority above that of living it out is where I claim to draw the line.
How else are we going to 'know the Father' if we don't spend the time to read the Word and get to know Him? Reading the Word is not a hassle, it's a great joy!
You cannot 'know the Lord' without 'knowing the scriptures' not just in your mind but in your heart as well. Sure, I've heard countless people talk about not having the bible available due to lack of resources however, if the resources are available and folks choose not to learn, and desire to learn, then we are just lazy.
"Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit." ~Matthew 15:14
Lack of studying the Word has lead to mass deception here in the US. Folks would rather hire out the job of knowing the Lord (or knowing something). Christians do not regard themselves as priests, and when you are not a priest (a royal priesthood) someone else is always responsible to carry out 'the ministry'.
Even the 'good' ministries here in the States are the same, they might talk about THE BELIEVER being a priest, but every Sunday a priest still gets up and preaches a message and everybody claps and goes home. You can't speak one way and then operate another, people will rightfully sense the hypocrisy and you lose credibility since you are not walking out your own message. If you don't believe your message, and walk it out, why should others?
Please hear the heart of how I wrote this and give me some mercy for my lack of writing ability. :-)
Finally, look at this quote, frankly I can't believe it myself, this is AW Tozer, not some kook. Amazing how true it is!
"I see the time coming when all the holy men whose eyes have been opened by the Holy Spirit will desert worldly Evangelicalism, one by one. The house will be left desolate and there will not be a man of God, a man in whom the Holy Spirit dwells, left among them… As the Church now stands, the man who sees this condition of worldly evangelicalism is written off as somewhat fanatical. But the day is coming when the house will be left desolate and there will not be a man of God among them. I would like to live long enough to watch this develop and see how things turn out. I would like to live to see the time when the men and woman of God-holy, separated and spiritually enlightened-walk out of the evangelical church and form a group of their own; when they get off the sinking ship and let her go down in the brackish and worldliness and form a new ark to ride out the storm"-AW Tozer
Joh 5:37-39
37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.
39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
I have noticed in recent months that threads started on the Bible die very quick deaths in the forum. A few years ago there were threads started that ran for several posts refecting Bibke study, scripture memory, and Bible reading. But anytime a thread is opened up on Bible reading or the importance of the Bible I can hear the collective yawn of the forum. And saying what else is new.
I found it providential that after opening up this thread I read this moths issue of the VOM magazine. In it were reports on what the Bible meant to the persecuted church. One prisoner for Christ was reported as saying to his wife. Please get a Bible to me. I cannot live without a Bibke.
Are we so arrogant in America to believe we can live without a Bibke. Did not the Savior say man does not live on bread alone but one every word that comes from the mouth if God. Yet our arrogance presupposes that we do not need the living bread if Christ himself. Jesus himself said it us the Spirit who gives life. The flesh counts for nothing. He said his words were spirit and life.
Several years ago I visited Bedford where John Bunyon was born. I would see statues or pictures of him a book in his hand. One would suppose the book is the Bible. Spurgeon said of Bunyon that if you would cut him he would not bleed blood but scripture.
We have been saying persrcution will soon be opon our land. The very book we take for granted may be declared a hate book. When we are arrested the authorities will not allow you the comfort of a New Testament. But only what is stored in your heart will sustain you.
So again I ask this forum. Is it important to know the Bible? Somehow I think I know the answer.
Bearmaster.
Is it important to know the Bible?
_____________________________________________
I think it is vitally important to know JESUS the person. To have a real relationship with HIM, to walk with HIM submitting and obeying HIM daily. I think one way of getting to know JESUS is by reading HIS WORDS. I also think prayer, worship, singing praises to HIM, and having fellowship with other believers is important and helpful in getting to know JESUS. I think listening is important too, that is one I am learning now :)
God bless
maryjane
Bearmaster,
". . . . The very book we take for granted may be declared a hate book. When we are arrested the authorities will not allow you the comfort of a New Testament. But only what is stored in your heart will sustain you.
So again I ask this forum. Is it important to know the Bible? Somehow I think I know the answer."
Yes, the answer is clear. Lord willing, the meager collection of verses I know will sustain me should it come to this. I know from personal experience that the 23rd Psalm has in it everything anyone could ask for, as far as comfort and leadership (He truly is our shepherd).
___________________________________
Earl, that quote was a wonderful message, thank you.
"and form a new ark to ride out the storm"
Kind regards to you both,
white stone
Most certainly.
What is interesting is when Jesus was being tempted He Himself relied on the scripture. If Jesus Relied on the written word when he was tempted how much more do we need the written word in our hearts for when temptaion comes on us.
Jesus taught the parable of the sower dealing entirely with our response to the word of God. Several things jump out at me right away.
First, the disciple's question and Jesus' answer found between the telling of the parable and the blow by blow explanation of the parable are not unrelated, but are integral to the understanding of what Jesus is talking about. The punchline if you will of Jesus answer, "to him that hath, more will be given and to him that hath not, even what he has will be taken away", is in the context of one who truly hears and sees. The same statement is used in the parable of the talents. I believe Jesus was teaching the same principle in both places and it has to do with our response to the word of God. It is really the same overall lesson of the parable of the sower. That is that what we do with the word of God when the Holy Spirit gives us revelation of that word is vital (life or death).
Second, we choose our response to the word. We must be diligent in our study, meditation, and response to the word of God. We absolutely must make it first place in our lives. It cannot be a passing thought, but a focus of our existence. It is a seed that is sown in our hearts and must be tended and watered in order to bear fruit. The degree to which we tend, water, and pull out the competing things of the flesh is the degree to which the word will bear fruit in our lives.
hi, it is stated that the word of the Lord should be in your heart and on you lips...not in your hand or on your coffee table.jimp
The same statement is used in the parable of the talents. I believe Jesus was teaching the same principle in both places and it has to do with our response to the word of God.
That's something that kind of jumped out at me as well recently.
Rich insights from your post that are giving me food for thought. I agree that attention to being in the word is a choice. I see this in Luke 10 in the account of Mary and Martha. Mary made a conscience choice to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to his word. Martha could have had that same privilege. But she was distracted by all her preparations. When Martha in frustration asked Jesus to send Mary to help her. Jesus gently chastised Martha and said Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her.
By the way it is my understanding that what Mary was doing was only reserved for men. Women were not allowed to sit at the feet of rabbis. Jesus was the first rabbi to extend this privilage to women.
As I write this a lot of application can be gleaned from Martha and Mary. What I take away from this is being in the presence of Jesus and his word is a choice. And his invite is open to all to come and feast at his table in the riches of his word. I am sure the Holy Spirit will reveal more to ne as I meditate on this account out of Luke.
Just my thoughts.
Bearmaster.
What a great thread.
This reminds of the recent miracle with the Pastor who was captured by terrorists and during his ordeal, he later said that a passage from Acts comforted him in the midst and height of his fear. The Word is the difference between life and death and brings life in the midst of death.
Love-in-Christ,
KP
If Jesus Relied on the written word when he was tempted how much more do we need the written word in our hearts for when temptation comes on us.
This is a good point. One reason to know the scriptures is to resist temptation… and to even recognize temptations for what they are. I don’t mean merely temptations to act wrongly, but temptations to think wrongly. We are constantly barraged with a host of ideas, which may very well seem right. But unless we are well rooted in scripture, we will always be prone to accepting distortions. It is not merely a matter of knowing the bible, content- wise, but of thinking biblically. And that is another matter. Plenty people know that Bible but do not think biblically. A good example is this: thinking “legally” instead of according to grace. That’s the way our society thinks, so it’s hard to recognize it in ourselves – apart from being well rooted in God’s love – through his Spirit and word.
Diane
"And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the Scriptures, neither the power of God" - Mark 12:24
Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"--Matthew 4:4
The Spirit gives life, the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.......John 6:63
If you believe not Bible neither will u be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
Historical criticism is destroying Christianity, It Has destroyed the faith of countless individuals in our seminaries,such as Bart Ehrman.
And even us whom consider ourselves as Bible believers are effected, unaware by Historical criticism.
Luke 16
28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets(the scripture); let them hear them.
30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets (the scripture), neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
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