Cross thoughts: Christian ideas seen in Sudanese every day life.
I have four ideas to share with you about your reading of the Bible. You can easily remember them by touching the four fingers on your left hand with your right hand, one at a time!
· Pray … Read … Think … Do …!
1. The Bible is not simply another book among many for us to read.
The Bible is God’s word to all people. It is God speaking to us!
Praying before reading is like tuning in the TV and radio to the channels you want to listen to. It is like putting the right SIM card in your mobile for the network you pay to use. You tell God you are listening, and He is pleased.
Jesus gives us understanding when we ask Him, Matthew 7:7-8; 12:11-13.
2. Books look very good on the shelves of a library, a bookshop, even in a home. But that is not what books are really about. Books are to be read! A battered and tatty worn out book has achieved its purpose far more than a crisp and clean volume always kept on a shelf. Our Bibles are for reading!
Jesus often said to his listeners, “Haven’t you read ….?”, Matthew 19:4; 21:42. Error spreads when people don’t know their Bibles, Matthew 22:29.
3. Muslim people sometimes dismiss the Bible by saying it has been corrupted. Whilst it is true that people have sometimes wrongly interpreted the Bible, the Bible itself remains the word of God. God cannot be corrupted. We can trust Him to look after His word always. We can think about the true meaning.
Jesus told His disciples: “You have heard that it was said ….. but I tell you …..”,
Matthew 5:21-22; 5:27-28; 5:31-32; 5:33-34; 5:38-39; 5:43-45.
4. One can see a lot of house-building in and around Khartoum.
Jesus compared His own words with building a house. He promised people that
doing (which means : living out) His word in daily life will always bring security. It is a great foundation for whatever storms attack us, Matthew 7:24-29.
Pray .. read .. think .. and do! What are you waiting for?
November 2009.