Why is it that we find it so difficult sometimes to sit and read the bible? I think it’s because we put so much emphasis on how we should do it. If it were any other book then if we didn’t feel like reading it we just wouldn’t and we might not even notice that we had made that decision.
I love God’s word, it is amazing, it is historical, it speaks of amazing events that many would wash over and not believe or they would say that these incredible things are not as important as they are. It is intricate, it is complicated, it says so much. For the same reasons sometimes I dislike it. Yes, it’s historical, and along with that it’s old; sometimes I find it so difficult to read. I was reading Job a while back and I had to stop because I became discouraged and disillusioned with bible reading because I couldn’t figure out what Job’s friends were talking about! Sometimes I don’t like the challenge that I am presented with and I don’t know to what extent living for Jesus means. I know it means all the time, with all your heart but surely it doesn’t mean to give up the things that make you you, or to give up the things that you enjoy (unless they are sinful and leading you to death).
My all time favourite verse has been “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-9
I also really like John 4:10 “This is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
Today hubby and I read the first half of Acts 4. We have very slowly been going through Acts together. It is amazing how after the disciples recieved the holy Spirit and started preaching, 3000 men (plus how ever many women) came to trust Jesus Christ, a short while later another 2000 joined their numbers. In chapter 4 Peter and John are teaching at the Sanhedrin (some kind of temple/synagogue?), they have just healed a lame man and they are testifying to Jesus’ power in the healing of this man and that Jesus Christ is through whom we may have resurrection from the dead (life after death/entry into heaven). The rulers come and arrest them (at this point I sympathise with them, it would have seemed like heresy). The next day they are questioned and they tell them the same things they told they people, they quote the scriptures, which these authorities shouls know well, and the authorities cannot deny the power shown in healing this man. This is where symathy dies, they don’t accept Jesus and they tell Peter and John to stop preaching. What they quote is excellent, vv11-12 “This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” The conerstone part is from Psalms and it reminded me of a song based on it by Jars of Clay, you should listen to The Stone.
‘I also really like John 4:10 “This is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his son as an stoning sacrifice for our sins.‒
Two quick things on that vere:
1) That verse played a major role in my coming to Christ, it was the theme verse on a camp I didnt go to, but got the studies for later on, its one of my favorites too… great verse.
2) I think you will find that it is ‘atoning’ rather than ‘stoning’ as you have written… haha
Haha! I’m a dufus, I’ll correct my spelling.