Proverbs 16: 20 He who heeds the word wisely will find good, and whoever trusts in the Lord, happy is he.
Every new cell phone comes with a manual. Most of us though only read the quick set-up instructions and (maybe) specific sections like “how to transfer contacts.” Then, we toss the manual in a drawer. Sometimes we haul it around saying, “I’ll read it later.” We don’t. When the phone screws up, most of us don’t pull out the manual; we call customer service, stay on hold for an hour and ask an “expert” to tell us what’s on page 12 of the manual.
The Bible is the manual God has given us for life. It contains the principles and examples necessary for leading a complete, wise, holy, and excellent life. But, we lay it aside and say that we need newer perspectives and principles on which to build our lives. We say the Bible isn’t enough anymore.
Whatever.
Most of us who say that haven’t even read the Manual.
If you don’t think the Bible has anything to help you deal with your crazy boss and co-workers or how to make a successful career change, you haven’t studied Proverbs.
If you’re offended that all the Bible says about money is that you have to give some preacher 10% of your income, you’ve never read Leviticus or Deuteronomy for yourself. You’ve listened to us “experts,” but you’ve never read the manual to see that most of the money talk in the Bible is about the other 90% and how you handle that.
If you don’t see how the Bible can help you deal with your crazy friends, read it and compare your friendship with Pookie to Jehoshaphat’s friendship with Ahab in 2 Chronicles 18 & 19.
If you believe in God, but you’re not sure about the whole virgin birth, walking on water, coming back from the dead stuff; stop expecting enlightenment to fall out of the sky. Read the book for yourself. Stop depending on VeggieTales, televangelists, and chain emails to dictate your theology.
Read the Manual!
Start wherever you want. Go in whatever order you choose. But you need to read, to really study the Word of God for yourself. Go to Bible study and Sunday. Challenge your local customer service experts (your pastor and Bible teachers, I mean) to form a group for studying through the whole Book.
Read the Manual!
(At the very least, you’ll stop quoting song lyrics and saying, “You know the Good Book says…”)
Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is the pastor of Hall Memorial CME Church.
541 Seibles Road, Montgomery, AL 36116 phone/ fax: 334-288-0577
Every new cell phone comes with a manual. Most of us though only read the quick set-up instructions and (maybe) specific sections like “how to transfer contacts.” Then, we toss the manual in a drawer. Sometimes we haul it around saying, “I’ll read it later.” We don’t. When the phone screws up, most of us don’t pull out the manual; we call customer service, stay on hold for an hour and ask an “expert” to tell us what’s on page 12 of the manual.
The Bible is the manual God has given us for life. It contains the principles and examples necessary for leading a complete, wise, holy, and excellent life. But, we lay it aside and say that we need newer perspectives and principles on which to build our lives. We say the Bible isn’t enough anymore.
Whatever.
Most of us who say that haven’t even read the Manual.
If you don’t think the Bible has anything to help you deal with your crazy boss and co-workers or how to make a successful career change, you haven’t studied Proverbs.
If you’re offended that all the Bible says about money is that you have to give some preacher 10% of your income, you’ve never read Leviticus or Deuteronomy for yourself. You’ve listened to us “experts,” but you’ve never read the manual to see that most of the money talk in the Bible is about the other 90% and how you handle that.
If you don’t see how the Bible can help you deal with your crazy friends, read it and compare your friendship with Pookie to Jehoshaphat’s friendship with Ahab in 2 Chronicles 18 & 19.
If you believe in God, but you’re not sure about the whole virgin birth, walking on water, coming back from the dead stuff; stop expecting enlightenment to fall out of the sky. Read the book for yourself. Stop depending on VeggieTales, televangelists, and chain emails to dictate your theology.
Read the Manual!
Start wherever you want. Go in whatever order you choose. But you need to read, to really study the Word of God for yourself. Go to Bible study and Sunday. Challenge your local customer service experts (your pastor and Bible teachers, I mean) to form a group for studying through the whole Book.
Read the Manual!
(At the very least, you’ll stop quoting song lyrics and saying, “You know the Good Book says…”)
Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is the pastor of Hall Memorial CME Church.
541 Seibles Road, Montgomery, AL 36116 phone/ fax: 334-288-0577
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