Tag: Bible

WELL, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU

Posted on by Northstar Devotional

“An honest heart loves the truth.” – A.W. Pink.

The Bible is a brutally honest book. If we read the Bible looking only for positive role models, we’ll be quickly disappointed.

Jesus was brutally honest, but He coupled it with compassion. He spoke the truth in love. Jesus said many things that if we are honest, we find uncomfortable. Jesus was stern, firm, strict, and uncompromising.  Yet, He was fair and straightforward. You can’t look at His interactions with the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees and not conclude that He was brutally honest with them. The religious leaders felt insulted by the truth because they often believed they were right and the truth is wrong. They were highly defensive of their views, values, choices, principles, philosophy, and behavior. They believe that no one has the right to dictate or tell us how to live our lives.  The question is are we all that different today,  Can we handle the truth or speak the truth in other people’s lives?

Today, honesty can seem like a gray area: All of us expect honesty from those around us, but when it comes to our own success in this area often we rationalize times when we think it might be okay to be less than honest.

The Bible teaches us to be honest and practice honesty at all times. “Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.” (Ephesians 4:15.)  We have to ask ourselves, do my words ring true? Do I speak the truth in love or do I fudge and fade the facts now and then, or exaggerate for emphasis? Honesty is a direct reflection of a person’s heart. If we expect other people to have the courage, to be honest with us, then wouldn’t anything but honesty from us be promoting a double standard?

Try to imagine just for a moment what a different place this world would be if there was no lying or deception. Lying has infected all parts of our lives. God is pretty straightforward about lying in the Bible. There is not too much gray area when it comes to this because God says, “Don’t lie,” period! There are no ifs, and, or buts. There is no gray area in stretching the truth as far as God is concerned. In our own personal lives, we need to learn the importance of telling the truth, believing the truth, and living the truth.

As followers of Christ, we try to be as honest as possible because we have different standards. Honesty is the norm for Christians. Honesty is best cultivated, like most virtues, when exercised regularly. When we get into a habit of telling the truth we won’t be tempted to depart from the truth quite as often.   

God is looking for some honest people. People whom He can trust. People who will be honest in all their dealings. People who reflect God in their lives.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What does honesty mean to you?
  2. I would challenge you to deliberately be honest for the next day or two. In that time refuse to lie, deceive or speak half-truths. It will not be easy. It will require your total effort and concentration, and a lot of help from the Holy Spirit.

IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD

Posted on by Northstar Devotional

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”  – John 1:1-5 (ESV).

John says, in the beginning, was the word. People know that Jesus lived on earth for 33 years in Israel. But John is reminding us that even before the beginning of what we know is time, Jesus, the Word was eternally God. This should make you stop for a moment because when we start to say that Jesus is the Son, some people think He was a created being, but John is saying no. We believe the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God. Think about that for a second. Jesus is fully God and fully man, not half and half.  Jesus was on a rescue mission to save us.

One of the most beautifully written passages about Jesus is found in Colossians 1:15-19: “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ.” 

Have you ever thought that God is this big, impersonal force out there, and we can’t know Him? As believers in Jesus, we know that’s not true. We know God is a knowable God, a personable God, and He chose to be known by the Word coming to the earth, taking on the form of a servant, and being hung on a cross. That is our God. If we want to know what God is like, we just look at Jesus in the Scriptures.

Jesus is the eternal Word of God who was with God and was God. The Word reveals God and is the power of God in His creative and redemptive mission and we are invited to put our faith in Him.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How does John 1:1 help us understand the divine nature of Jesus and the trinity? 
  2. What are some reasons that it is important for our faith that Jesus was not just some created being like a human teacher or an angel? 

THE MOST IMPACTFUL BOOK IN HISTORY

Posted on by Northstar Devotional

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” – Hebrews 4:12

The Bible is the single most important book ever written. It is an eyewitness account of historical events that have shaped the world in which we live. This book is a priceless, fascinating, and incomparable treasure. People have died torturous deaths simply to gain access to the Bible in countries where this book is discouraged or even banned outright. It raises the dignity and rights of every human being ever born. It is truly an amazing and remarkable piece of writing that will astonish and surprise you. Consider the following:

First, the Bible was written over a period of 1,600 years by 40 different authors and in multiple languages yet it speaks with a common voice.  On days when movie producers have a hard time recreating a scene exactly from day to day, the Bible has an internal consistency and theme that is nothing short of amazing.

Second, think about its circulation. The Bible is the most published book in history. It has been at the top of the best-seller list yearly for 200-300 years. It is impossible to know exactly how many copies have been printed in the roughly 1500 years since the Bible contents were standardized, but research suggests that the total number is somewhere between 5 and 7 billion. And that does not include all the digital versions that people have on their various devices. The Bible in its entirety has been translated into over 700 different languages and more happen each year. No book comes close to this.

Third, we can trust in its reliability. The Bible is the Word of God and has been miraculously preserved through the years of copying and translation so that we can be sure of its trustworthiness and reliability. The same goes for the Bible’s durability. Some have tried to eliminate it. All who have tried have failed.  The Bible has survived bans and burnings, ridicule and criticism by opponents.

Fourth is the Bible’s effect: people who start reading the Bible never finish reading it. They want to keep reading it over and you keep seeing new things. People have multiple versions. They study it and carry it around. What people learn transforms their lives and values like no other book ever has. The Bible is truly a gift.

If you are a Christian, the Bible is an indispensable book. Our walk alongside God takes a thousand twists, turns, and obstacles. Fortunately, the Bible is the map for that journey. Take time every day to read this remarkable book. Read it with an open mind and open heart. It contains pure truth about God, about life, grace, love, and an eternity with God. You’ll be amazed at what you discover about God, and about yourself.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What makes the Bible so unique in your mind?
  2. What can we do this week to spend more time in the Bible?

Encounter God In His Word

Posted on by Northstar Devotional

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” – Colossians 3:16  (ESV)

How do you view the Bible? Do you view spending time in the Bible as an obligation on your to-do list?  “When I finish the three chapters in Galatians then I can check off today’s reading list.” It is easy to relegate reading the Bible to church or small groups. You imagine that is the best place to study the Bible.

What we have failed to realize is that God is not just restricted to a church, small group, or book. podcast, etc. He’s always with you and always available to talk. While going to church and small groups are important in themselves, we can literally encounter Him anytime and anywhere.“How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word. I have tried hard to find you—don’t let me wander from your commands. (Psalm 119:9-10)

The purpose of reading the Word is to get to know the One to whom the Word points. Jesus said “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!” (John 5:39) The Word is what displays God’s character and nature so that we can encounter God. Before you spend time in the Word, invite the Holy Spirit there to give you understanding of Who God is. “When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies.” (Jeremiah 15:16)

The Bible remains the only source of divine revelation and power that can sustain you as a Christian in your walk with God. The Bible provides us with the incredible privilege to know God personally through His Word. Bookstores are filled with books attempting to help us figure out this life. There are countless self-help books on marriage, parenting, relationships, and personal growth. There are countless other books on addiction recovery and the ups and downs of life. Still more give views on life after death, good and evil, and the human condition. But only the Bible gives us answers to those questions directly from the God who created us. The Bible is God’s inspired words to us. No self-help book can come close to the words of our Creator.

Regardless of what season of life you are in, there is still so much to learn about God. Reading the Bible reminds us that our knowledge of God can always be improved. Reading the Bible completely forces us to reflect upon all aspects of God’s character and allows us to know Him in new ways.

Reading the Bible daily enables you to experience the gospel in a new way. God will meet you each and every time you read through His Word.

Discussion Question:

  1. Read Psalm 119:103, 105, 114, and 160: What do these verses say to you about studying the Bible?
  2. What can we do this week to improve how we read and study the Bible? 

  

Knowing God Because He Has Made Himself Known

Posted on by Northstar Devotional

“May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself through his marvelous glory and excellence.”  – 2 Peter 1:2–3.

I think one of our issues as followers of Jesus is that too many people know about God without really knowing Him. The danger is we may know Him in our heads but not our hearts. It is possible to be steeped in the Bible or theology or history while having little or no intimacy with God. Certainly, there is no shortage of materials to fill our minds about God – many different Bible versions, sermons online, and on and books by the hundreds – but that does not necessarily translate into a heartfelt experience of God.

The good news is that God wants to be known. So while God can never be exhaustively understood, He can be known truly, personally, intimately, and sufficiently. We can obtain a genuine, compelling, and accurate knowledge of God. God has shared with us the secret of who He is in scripture. God has revealed Himself to us with the most clarity and detail in the person of Jesus Christ. He is the living, breathing, flesh-and-blood, human presentation of God: “So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.” (John 1:14).

The signs and wonders Jesus performed revealed the glory and power of God. The way He lived, the miracles He performed, and His teachings and parables all demonstrated how much the Father cares for us. The way to know the Father and have a relationship with Him is to know the Son.

The best way we have to know Jesus is through the Word of God. The Bible is God’s revelation of Himself and His purposes throughout history. Jesus Himself taught that the Scriptures reveal who He is: ”You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!” (John 5:39)

The Bible presents us with eyewitness testimony of the revelation of God in Jesus Christ: “ For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes when he received honor and glory from God the Father. The voice from the majestic glory of God said to him, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”We ourselves heard that voice from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain. Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts.” (2 Peter 1:16–19)

Discussion Questions:

  1. What does it mean to you to “know” God?   
  2. What can we do in the short term to better know God?  

The Gospel Changes Everything…Including Me

Posted on by Northstar Devotional

“If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.” – Romans 10:9-11. 

You may be thinking that the gospel is pretty abstract. Yes, it applies to me but it doesn’t seem tangible, practical, or applicable. The gospel is all those things. The gospel comes to life in the stories about people who were heroes of the Kingdom. We want to be brave like David, who slew the giant with a stone. We want to be as faithful as Abraham, who did not hold back his only son. We want to be righteous like Noah, as wise as Solomon, and unwavering like Paul. But if we spend too much time reading stories of the heroes of the Bible, we may miss the greater story those heroes are pointing us toward.  

Throughout the Bible, God is telling one story: God’s plan to rescue His people from sin through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. This is the gospel. And the gospel changes everything. 

 Somewhere along the line, we underestimate the role of the gospel. The gospel is words – we need to use words, and the word of God, to explain the gospel. But they are powerful words. God-breathed words. But the gospel is more than merely religious words and ideas that we get out and admire in church on Sunday, then we put them back on the shelf till next week. The gospel is a message of power, a message used powerfully by the Spirit of God, to convict people of their need for Jesus. The gospel message has the power to change lives.

We believe that it is just about us and Jesus and our external home. But the gospel is so much more. The gospel transforms societies, renews families, and heals relationships. It is a message of action. The gospel is not to merely inform but transform. The gospel should change our lives. Otherwise, we are left with mere words, mere facts, and mere formality.

1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 says, “We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people. For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true. And you know of our concern for you from the way we lived when we were with you.”

We know that God not only loves you but has selected you for a special purpose. The gospel in action to the world is simply being real in love towards all men, women, and children: smiling, looking them in the eye, giving way to them, being truly kind, telling them God loves them, and praying for them. This is the gospel in action. 

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you think of the gospel on a daily basis? If not why not?
  2. What can we do this week to make the gospel a part of our daily lives? 

Living The Generous Life

Posted on by Northstar Devotional

“ But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne…Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.” – Matthew 25: 21, 34-36. 

Generosity is commonly associated with tithing to a church or an organization. When we look at the generosity of the Bible, though, we see it goes deeper than just the amount of money we’re willing to donate. It starts with the generosity of God. 

Many people do not view God as generous. Somehow we got the idea that if we begged God for help and if we were good enough, He might show us a little mercy. The opposite is true, God is amazingly generous. He made the first move of generosity toward us. And the second move and the third. God was the first and is the most generous Giver of all.  

He went above and beyond anything we could have imagined.  God loved people so much that He gave. He gave His best (John 3:16). He gave His Son for you and for me. This act of generosity began in His heart first. He loved so He gave. Titus 3:4-6 says, “When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior.”

Jesus sees the love in our giving. Jesus was in the home of some friends when a woman came in and poured very expensive perfume over His head. Her generosity was significant because of the value of her gift: it was a great sacrifice and it revealed the depth of her gratitude. Jesus pointed out that this kind of generous gratitude and worship was to be forever connected to His followers.

We are most like God when we are generous and that generosity is tangible. Instead of speaking about money in Matthew 25, Jesus mentions food, water, clothes, and love. In 1 Kings 17, a widow offers the prophet Elijah her flour and oil, even though it’s all she has. It is a tangible, sustainable gift—not a financial one. In the same way, we can volunteer our time and resources in place or in addition to our finances.

Biblical generosity is also cheerful. God doesn’t want gifts motivated by a sense of duty or obligation. He wants us to give out of joy and compassion. If anyone knows generosity, it is God—who gave His Son to us freely, even when He knew we would abuse the gift. Our generosity should be founded in love, not duty.

No one is more generous than God. He’s the greatest giver of all time. And we should acknowledge that fact every day. “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3)

Discussion Questions: 

  1. What excuses do people sometimes make for not being more generous with their resources (time, money, and energy) toward others? What excuses have you made?
  2. Can you remember a time when your resources were very limited, and God provided for you?
  3. Identify one practical way you can be more generous in the weeks ahead. 

What Is Involved In Living The Christian Life?

Posted on by Northstar Devotional

“But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” Exodus 9:16 (NIV).

Our current sermon series is entitled Building a Better Future. It is difficult to build a better future without a sense of purpose and an understanding of the “why” as well as the “what.” What do we live for in the Christian life and why are we doing it?

We probably all have some ideas about how Christians should live in order to please God. We may think we need to try our best to do the right thing, do good works, or live up to some kind of moral or ethical standard.  The Bible tells us that Jesus encourages all believers to grow in relationship, commitment, and obedience to Him. This is the essence of how to live a Christian life. Our relationship, commitment, and obedience are done out of love. John 14:21 says, “Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”

Any discussion of how to live a Christian life should focus first and foremost on the teachings of Jesus Christ. The entire Bible is full of insight into who God is, our sinful predicament, God’s plan to redeem us, and how we should live in light of these realities. As 2 Timothy 3:16 says,  “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.”

Though Jesus taught about many topics, everything comes back to that ultimate goal of loving God and loving our neighbor. The best place to start when seeking to live the Christian life is to prioritize loving God above all else. If at the end of the day we can look back and feel like we loved God well, then we’ve accomplished the most important purpose for which we were created.

One practical thought in seeking to love God is to ask the question, “What does God find most loving?” That question can be a great driving force behind seeking to love God as best as we can every day.

If you want to follow the teachings of Jesus to live a Christian life, don’t overcomplicate things. Focus on loving God and loving others and let them guide the way you live each day.

God didn’t mean for us to live Christian lives in isolation. He calls us to community with other Christians. Together, we can help each other live grace-filled lives that bring glory to God. We need to help each other as we figure out what it means to live a Christian life in this crazy world.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the key to living a victorious Christian life?
  2. Read Philippians 1:18-26: Paul says, “living means living for Christ.” How does for me to live is Christ impact my daily activities.   

How Spiritually Resilient Are You And Your Children?

Posted on by Northstar Devotional

“The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.” – Proverbs 24:16.

One of the reasons for the popularity of comic book superheroes on the movie screen is that they constantly demonstrate resiliency in the face of challenges. A spouse leaves us. A client sues. Unemployment strikes us. Our dreams fail to come true. How can we live a resilient life—a life that can weather these storms, and even grow stronger after them? 

The believer in Jesus Christ is upheld by God’s power and so is naturally resilient. “We are hard-pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8–9). The key to resiliency is faith in the Lord: “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.”  (Psalm 37:23–24).

Paul showed great resilience after his life-altering encounter with Jesus (Acts 9). When he was transformed from religious Pharisee to radical Christian, many were not happy with his message. He was beaten, stoned, criticized, jailed, and nearly killed many times (2 Corinthians 11:24–27). One incident especially shows Paul’s exceptional resilience. In Lystra, he was stoned, dragged out of town, and left for dead, but, when his enemies left, Paul simply got up and went back into the city (Acts 14:19–20). His missionary endeavors continued unabated. Godly resilience enables us to be undeterred from our mission, regardless of the opposition. But what about our children?

The definition for resiliency is the same for a child as it is for each one of us: resiliency is having a faith foundation that is so strong it can withstand anything the world throws at it.  Spiritual resilience isn’t automatic. There are building blocks to create a strong foundation upon which spiritual resiliency can be built. Your kids will need your help if they are to become spiritually resilient. First, they need Bible knowledge and understanding. In order for your kids to bounce back easily when encountering trials, they need to know what God wants them to know about life and how He wants them to live it. They need to understand God’s commands and principles. They need to know God’s character and His promises. No matter how great your church is, your kids will not learn everything they need to know at church. You have to also teach them at home. Don’t forget to help them develop independent Bible reading habits. They will need to read scripture for the rest of their lives to stay spiritually resilient.

They need to pray. To be spiritually resilient, your kids need to be in constant communication with God. They need a thorough understanding of prayer. Your children need to understand that prayer isn’t merely submitting an order to God for the things they want, but sharing their thoughts, feelings, and concerns with God. While praying as a family is wonderful, your kids need to also have personal prayer lives – even when you aren’t there to remind them to pray.

Raising children to be spiritually resilient takes time and effort. Without spiritual resiliency, however, your children will find it difficult to be who God created them to be for their entire lives. It is worth taking the extra time and effort to help them develop it.

Discussion Questions: 

  1. What does being spiritually resilient mean in everyday life? 
  2. What can we do this week to become more spiritually resilient? What can we do to help our kids be more spiritually resilient?

You Asked For It: Do I Really Need To Read My Bible All The Time?

Posted on by Wes M. Ward

“Deal bountifully with your servant, that I may live and keep your word. Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. I am a sojourner on the earth;  hide not your commandments from me! My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times. You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones, who wander from your commandments. Take away from me scorn and contempt, for I have kept your testimonies. Even though princes sit plotting against me, your servant will meditate on your statutes. Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors.” – Psalm 119: 17-24.

Let’s look at an all too common scenario. Pete accepts Jesus as his personal Savior. He quickly comes to the conclusion that if he wants to grow he has to read his Bible regularly. He downloads the read the Bible in a year app on his phone. Pete tears through the Gospels, enjoys the drama of Genesis, the wisdom of Proverbs. But soon he also runs into deeper books like Romans and Hebrews as well as the very confusing Leviticus. His interest starts to dissipate just a little. And then a little more. It’s so easy to drop reading the Bible down the list of priorities just a little bit. There are simply too many things going on. Psalm 119:18 tells us “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.”  There are wonderful things to be seen in the Word of God that will transform you deeply if you really see them and treasure them in you. But only if you read it and then act on what you learned.

Let me give you the bottom line. If you take nothing else from this devotional, my prayer is that this will be it: It is not important that you master the Bible as much as you are mastered by the Bible. Do you see the difference? Just reading the Bible, or even memorizing key scripture, while beneficial, is not as important as what you do with the information. Simply reading the Bible for information is not enough if we want it to have an impact on our lives. “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.” (James 1:22-24)

The Bible is full of verses that contain some kind of direction from God on how we can change our lives for the better and open up to His transformation in our lives. The Bible is applicable to situations we go through on a day to day basis, from dealing with stress to loving those around us. “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)  It’s a huge temptation to only read the Bible with the purpose of gaining more knowledge. And while there’s real value in that, you are missing the point if you never once sit down and read it with the intent to let it guide you to change something in your life. “So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 (AMP)

The words in the Bible can dramatically change your life and heal any hurt, habit or hangup. When we go to the Word of God, we should go with the understanding that we are going to study and apply whatever we read to our own life. It takes time to study the Word of God and understand it, but we will get out of it what we put into it. It’s up to us how much we want to understand God’s Word.

One final, somewhat unconnected thought on reading the Bible. Some people look at the Bible like God’s version of Apple’s “Terms and Conditions” agreement. That’s where Apple dictates what you can or can’t do. The Bible doesn’t lay out before us God’s terms and conditions, where failure to adhere to one clause in the middle of page 176 will cause a breach in the relationship and banishment from God’s kingdom and grace. It outlines the path to God and how we can have a relationship with Our Lord and Savior.

The Bible is not just words, but God’s words at your fingertips. Reading the Bible enables you to hear from the God of the universe, the very One who created us and died for our sins. Not to study it more deeply means not knowing who God really is.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think is the best way to read the Bible? Why?
  2. Read Matthew 4:4, 1 Corinthians 10:11-12, and Hebrews 2:1: What do these verses mean to you?
  3. Read Ezekiel 36:26-28: What does God promise in these verses?
  4. Is there a passage that encourages you? How? Is there a passage that inspires you? Is there a passage that challenges you to change? How does it challenge you?
  5. Make a commitment to study your Bible regularly.