Torch, Spring 1990

I ~ 17th century, or are you frustrated because you don't understand the King's English? If you were not raised on the King James Version, you might find a more modern translation like the New American Standard (NASB) or the New International Version (NIV) very helpful. Dr. Robert Gromacki's article in this issue of Cedarville TORCH points .out the accuracy and trustworthi– ness of our English Bibles. Twelve years ago I bought an NIV and it revolutionized my devotional life. I understand better the message of God to me, which has led to many life– changing results. I am convinced there can be no life change without clear understanding. One of the reasons revival broke out in Nehemiah ' s day is recorded in Nehemiah 8:8, "They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that people could understand what was being read" (NIV). Many commentators believe the Levites actually translated the Scriptures into the language of the people so that, for the first time, they really understood the Law of God. The result was life-changing obedience to the Word of God. If your Bible reading has grown stale, or if you are a new Christian, I strongly urge you to consider using an NIV or NASB Bible. The Right Time and Place for You Decide on a time and place you can meet with God. The morning hours usually are preferred because you can have Scripture on your mind all day. Set your alarm 15 minutes earlier than you usually wake up. Find a place where you can have these new minutes of uninterrupted quiet time. It may be at a desk, in a bedroom, the basement, or a lighted closet. As you pillow your head tonight, make a promise to the Lord that you are going to do it, then fulfill your commitment by getting up earlier tomorrow. In your quiet place with your Bible, you are ready to begin. Some Ways to Start The Psalms are a good place to start. You may want to include your hymn book and begin by worshipping God in song. Music can be a wonderful way to prepare your heart to hear His Word. Many of the Psalms themselves were put to music. The writers, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, penned the words as they considered God 's ways and expressed the depths of their souls to Him. The Psalms can be profitable to you as you speak them back to Him from your own heart. Try reading a Psalm each day and responding to the following in a note– book (see Journaling later in this article): (1) What did the author talk about? (2) Write the verse you like best. (3) What does this Psalm say to you? Studying Psalms can be an excellent guide to worship and a reminder of how to be honest with God. They also dem– onstrate the importance of reflection and meditation upon things that God has done for us. Another valuable approach to the Bible is to study the life of Christ and note each event. Consider the follow– ing: (1) Put into your own words the story that was told. (2) If Jesus gives the meaning or interpretation, summa– rize it briefly. (3) What is the main lesson of the story? (4) How will this message apply to or change your life? A good way to proceed is to read passages from both Testaments each day. The One Year Bible, published by Tyndale, is helpful for this kind of study. Each of the 365 daily readings offers a passage from the Old Testament, one from the New, a Psalm, and one or two proverbs. The readings can be accomplished within the 15- minute time frame. Many people in our church have found The One Year Bible a helpful tool in their devotional lives. If you never have read through the entire text of the Bible, this might be an excellent resource for you. It gives variety and freshness to your Bible reading. Devotional Guides Dozens of devotional books and guides are available. These can be very helpful and are available through Christian publishers and bookstores. One word of caution, however. It is often very convenient just to read from the devotional book and never open the Word of God. Please don't neglect reading the Bible along with your devotional guide. Journaling Journaling, or writing down insights from your daily visit with God, can be a practical way to learn to listen to God speak to you. Many godly men and women down through the centuries have kept journals and have found them to be excellent aids to spiritual growth. Recording lessons learned, questions, and even times of discouragement and despair ultimately can strengthen your resolve to be in the Word just as God is faithful to His promises to you. Accountability If you have failed a number of times to maintain your consistency in the Word each day, you should consider teaming up with your mate or a friend and establishing an accountability with that person. Once a week, get together and report on how well you did the previous week and what you learned. Knowing you will give an account can motivate you to fulfill your responsibility. The four pastors in our church meet each Monday and report to each other as friends how well we did the previous week in our spiritual lives. That motiva– tion and relationship has sharpened the spiritual walk of each of us. What About Family Devotions? My wife and I are thankful for parents who passed on to their children the value of a family devotional time. With the average American father spending less than five minutes of quality time per working day with his children, more and more families struggle to fulfill Deuter– onomy 6:6-9, which states, "These com– mandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates" (NIV). How can parents pass on to their children the truths of God? Through regular family devotions. It's important to keep family devotions fairly brief (about 10 minutes), especially if you have young children. Letting the time drag may cause children to conclude that the Bible is boring. Rather, keep the focus upbeat and inter– esting. Make it the high point of the day. Since our children are young, our experience has been to set time daily at the breakfast table for reading from a children's Bible story book. We have found that singing songs that relate to the