How much do you really know about the Bible? Maybe you have read bits and pieces of the Bible, but you never understood it as a cohesive unit.
As followers of Jesus, we believe that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant word of God.
Think about these facts:
- The Bible is comprised of sixty-six books that were written over a period of 1500 years by over forty different authors, from different places, and with different life experiences.
- These authors did not collaborate with one another. In many instances, they didn’t even speak the same language. Yet their work, passed down through many generations and translated many times, has resulted in the consistent manuscript you are about to integrate into your life.
- The manuscript tells God’s story of the creation of the universe, the beginning and fall of man, and God’s plan and purpose for us to know Him through His Son, Jesus Christ.
God communicates with us through His Word.
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
There are several methods for making that communication a daily part of your experience with God. You lose your grip on something easily if you only hold on with two or three fingers. God wants you to get a good grasp on what is written in the Bible and how you can apply it to your life.
Think of holding on to the Bible with all five of your fingers:
1. Hear: Make sure you listen to good Bible teaching, both through your church and through other resources you can find. Take notes on what you hear.
2. Read: You will get to know God better by spending time reading His Word. Set a goal to read the Bible for at least fifteen minutes every day.
3. Study: Make sure you are studying the truths you read. As you dig into the Bible, ask yourself these questions: What promise is there to claim? What example is there to follow? What command is there to obey? What sin is there to confess?
4. Memorize: God wants us to hold scripture close to our heart and to be able to call on it when it is needed. This ability comes as we memorize verses that speak to us. Try to memorize a verse a week.
5. Meditate: This ties in with memorizing. After you memorize a verse, spend some time meditating on it. Analyze and dwell on its truth as you drive, work, or play.
Choosing a Translation
Although there are many worthwhile translations of the Bible, here are three that are easy to read and accurate:
- New Living Translation (NLT)
- New International Version (NIV)
- New King James Version (NKJV)
For a daily reading plan check out the blog entries called “24 Days with Jesus” it’s a daily reading plan with commentary and thoughts through the book of Luke. Click here for more information: http://theridgeblog.com/2011/01/09/24-days-with-jesus-intro/
Darrell
For more about The Ridge go to www.ridgefellowship.com
Upwards Church 
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