Don't Make Your Friend Slam His Bible Shut

Good morning of the day that this is, which is Thursday I think. Every thing sounds hot out on the East Coast of our nation. Our summer, praise the Lord, has been much cooler than last year. This morning, I wonder how many well-meaning, but so very smart Christians have caused a brother or sister in Christ to cease and desist from studying God's word. First, we know of the days in which the Bible was printed or written only in Latin. The common folk only studied what the priest or bishop read to them and translated for them. Call me goofy, but I don't believe that God's word was ever meant to be limited to those who know only one language. Next, we have the Pharisees and their descendants - those who believe that the official or approved method of study is the one that must be used.

Their method of control goes something like this. I lay out for them my current method of study, say reading one verse at a time and writing down my thoughts on paper with a pen. Yow! they say, you cannot gain the overall context by studying in that way! Using tone and voice to make me feel belittled or stupid in that way. You may have enjoyed a similar experience at some point in your journey with Christ. Let me get this straight; a brother or sister in Christ is consistently reading the Word of God, so someone takes it as a calling from God to correct their method? My question is: How many Bibles has this particular calling of yours caused to slam shut forever?

Dear Brother or Sister in Christ, if you are consistently reading your copy of God's Word, that's wonderful! Enjoy God's word, keep on studying and trusting in God's Holy Spirit! Read the Bible backwards, forwards, chapter by chapter, verse by verse, an entire book in one day, or by subject hopping through the Bible a passage at a time. You go for it and have a good time of fellowship with God and His Word. Study alone, with a small group, or in a congregation of 10,000. Write down your thoughts or treasure them in your heart alone. Jesus has made us free. Why should anyone restrict your method of reading His Word?

Go with God today,
Bucky