Power for Living

I was browsing my previous blog page when i saw an old entry. Year 2003 when i started blogging, but unfortunately I wasn't able to sustain it. But this entry is never too old or obsolete for me... it is something that keeps me living.. keeping me alive day after day...

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Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going? What is the purpose of my existence? These are the ultimate questions that we can only find the answer in the Holy Scripture. The Bible-the word of God-is the real authority we have. It sheds light on human nature, world problems and human suffering. But beyond all these it clearly reveals the way to God.

The Bible is one book, one history, and one story. First, the Bible is one book, but it's more than a book. It contains 66 books written by 40 authors covering a period of 1,600 years. These authors came from all walks of life and include kings, peasants, poets, prophets, fishermen, statesmen, scholars, a businessmen and a missionary. It is separated into two major sections, the dividing place being the birth of Jesus Christ.

The Old Testament is the foundation; the New Testament is the superstructure. A foundation is of no value unless a building is built upon it. And a building is impossible unless there is a foundation-and makes no sense unless there is a superstructure. Thus both Old and New Testaments are of equal value.

Behind every event in the Bible stands God. The builder of history, the maker of the ages. In its original version the books of the Bible were not divided into chapters and verses. Each book was written to be read from beginning to end. You'll never understand it if you simply open it at random and starts reading.

The Bible is also a story. In fact it is the greatest love story ever written. It is the story of God's love for all mankind-especial you. It is not the book of verses such as you would find on greeting cards; it is a revelation. It must be read, digested, studied, questioned, and revered from beginning to end. Believe that every book in the Bible is about something, and read and reread until you find out what the book is all about.

The Bible also contains God's dreams and plans for our life. From the very beginning God had a dream. The dream was for the man to be restored into full fellowship with God. Jesus was the answer to that dream. All the Godly men across the ages who wrote the Bible picked up snatches of the dream and included them in their writings. By reading His Word, you will find God's will for your life.

There are also some ways in which one can read Bible effectively. One way is begin with the author. Studying the Bible is much like learning to interpret art. First, you should know the author of each book. That's the reason you need to start with the Holy Spirit when studying the Bible. The Holy Spirit worked through every writer of these books, revealing the nature of God. Then you need to learn as much as you can about the human writers.
Another way is by reading for big pictures. A good practice is to train you to read Bible one book at a time. The first time you read a book in the Bible, try to get an over all feel of what the book says. Do not start in the middle of the bible with books like Daniel and Isaiah. They simply won’t make sense until you begin to get the picture.
And the last thing is the you can read for details. There are ways in which you can do that. You can start by reading a book a week, use a notebook, read devotionally, ask questions, respond, memorize your bible, and use Bible helps.

The Bible is also the central to our lives. First, the Bible by the power of God produces faith in our hearts. Salvation is a process of growth. One of the ways you can achieve growth potential is through daily bible reading. If you don’t eat, your body won’t grow. Likewise, if you don’t read the Bible, you’ll never grow beyond spiritual infancy.

The bible also continues to nourish us throughout our lives. Jesus prayed that the bible would have this effect upon His followers: ”Make them pure and holy by teaching them the words of truth” (John 17:17)
How does God make us Holy? By bringing us into regular contact with His word. As we eat His word, as we digest it, it goes into all our spiritual cells, and we become filled with the Word of God.

The Bible is also our standard for making decisions and forming opinions in every area of life. “All scripture is inspired by God is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God’s way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Brothers and Sisters, the Bible has everything. Whatever you asked for, it is written here. It comprises the Lord’s thousand promises to us. The Bible is God revealing himself to mankind. It is God’s written revelation of His will to men. Behind and beneath this book is the God of the book for the Bible is all about God.
A daily look at God’s Word will give you access to God’s wisdom and knowledge, keeping you safe from wrong decisions and filling you with the power for living.