Why I Blog About the Bible

The reason for this blog is pretty simple. I've tasted and I KNOW the Lord is good and I just HAVE to share it!  Really! 

It took me a very long time to learn how to study - really study - the Bible for myself in a way that feeds all my senses. The Bible tells us (James 2:19) that the devils believe and tremble. Clearly - belief is not enough. The Bible paints multiple pictures of expectation that Jesus is the WORD, that the WORD is sweet, that it can be esteemed more than our daily food. I know a whole lot about food - and my appreciation of the Bible was nothing close to a physcial food delight.  Once this became my personal experience - everything changed in my life.

As with my experience learning to cook, in Bible study, learning and utilizing many different tools has changed my life both literally and spiritually. Some days I think I'm going to burst with all the insights that leap off the page - be it the page on the computer screen, the phone, a Pastor's powerpoint presentation or the old-fashioned fragile paper. This blog gives me an opportunity to write up and share what I'm given. To make it more useful - I'll definitely try to highlight the tools and the study process I utilized.

In 2011, I attended a Bible study class and the pastor presenting spoke specifically about his personal devotional life. He made an interesting statement. To paraphrase, he said he didn't have a specific time devoted to sitting down and reading. Instead, he takes the approach of surrounding himself with the Bible all day long. As he does this - he utilizes the same study tools he would in a more traditional or formal study. This results in a constant learning process or circuit of thought between himself and the WORD.

Now - I don't know that I'm quite to that point. I suspect this pastor does, in fact, have more formal study times than he implied. However, once I realized how easy it is to really 'dig' into the WORD, I am finding myself increasingly applying my Bible-filter to my daily life.

For example - in the weekly Home & Gardens section of my city's newspaper, the following quote caught my eye:

Flowers are beautiful hieroglyphics of nature, with which she indicates how much she loves us. -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Applying a Bible-filter to this statement clearly identifies this quote does not agree with the Bible. For viewing the' beautiful hieroglyphics of nature' gives the Bible student an immense appreciation for Jesus. If Jesus cared so much about the details of a flower - how much more must He care about the details involved in creating me? Additionally, the concept of a 'Mother Nature' also does not agree with the Bible-student's view of Jesus as Creator and Sustainer of the natural world.

Applying a Bible-filter as I walk through this world doesn't mean I must equally apply judgement to discrepancies I observe. Rather, it is a freeing experience allowing me to more clearly disassociate with that which is non-Biblical all around me. As I do that - I find myself more in the hand of Jesus than ever. Praise the Lord!

When do I blog?  It varies.  Recently - a 30 second insight took 3 posts and 3 weeks to write up.  Seems the writing takes longer than the mental absorption!  Some days just overflow with content.  There is no intention to be a daily devotional here - rather to share study insights.  And sometimes those insights form the building blocks for later pictures as well.  The central theme has to be Jesus though - and as with everything else - that's what will unite these posts... :-)

Circling back to the purpose of this blog... I'll share the insights Jesus shares with me along with the study tools used in the process. As you dig and come across mind-blowing thoughts, maybe you'll share with me? Can't wait!