How to Read Your Bible
Matthew 5:17-20

“The Little Book of Big Promises”
“Every promise in the Book is mine!”

Such pithy tweetables have sold thousands of little paperback devotionals, wall hangings beyond number, and led to humorous and many times disastrous results. For instance:

Brian was from southern California. He came to Bible College in the Rockies after time in the military and a few seasons on the beaches. He was a new follower of Jesus with a sketchy past (just like every other follower of Jesus, you and me included!). We loved the mountains, the seasons, the snow and the…. You’ve been there; you know what I’m talking about. Brian loved the sun and the beaches of home. Being a single guy and becoming a good friend to Linda, our kids, and me we would invite him over for an evening meal in our converted turkey coop residence just off the campus. The meals were an extravagant offering of hotdogs, baked beans and chips. But to a dude a long way from his family, it was “home cooking” and he loved it!

At one of our most memorable dinners, Brian declared, “I am going home! I finally have the blessing of God to drop out of school and go back to the beaches.” We were surprised but being the joker that he was, we assumed there was a punchline to follow. There was. “How did you determine that God was releasing you to go back to California?”

“Well, this morning when I was ready to do my devos, (Bible College lingo for “daily devotions”) I decided to just let God lead me. So I closed my eyes, opened my Bible, and put my finger on the page. I decided that whatever verse my finger was pointing to was God’s word for me today. When I opened my eyes my finger was pointing at the Psalm that says, ‘Your days in the mountains have ended.’ I get to go home!”

Funny. True. And far too often, a repeated error. A simple ‘self-help’ devotional look at the Scriptures will inevitable lead to humorous conclusions, but often dangerous convictions. One of the great needs for spiritual health, both as individuals and as the corporate body of Christ, is to learn how to read our Bibles. Jesus gives us the greatest lesson on that foundational discipline when He makes it evident that the Scriptures speak of Him. “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”—Matthew 5:17

“The Little Book of Big Promises”
“Every promise in the Book is mine!”

Brian returned to his senses, stayed in school and finished the course. Disaster diverted. When we learn to rightly read our Bible, we find that our Bible is ALL about the big and little promises in Him! When seek to find Jesus in the pages of our Bible, we are reading our Bibles well.

See you Sunday, Church!

Pastor Tom