Jump Start # 1084

Psalms 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

This verse is a favorite of many. It shows the function of the word of God. It shows us things. It “enlightens” us. It reveals. We see dangers that the Bible warns about. We see value in people and things that we often overlook. Through the Bible we see what God sees.

Most of our readers are well familiar with the value and concepts of the Bible. I am still a fan of an old fashioned Bible in my hand. Many are going to tablets and versions on their phones, and that makes having a Bible with you at all times possible. But to me, nothing feels or even looks like the Bible in book form. When I’m at a place to eat with my tablet, those nearby don’t know if I’m checking my email, looking at facebook or playing Angry Birds. I might be reading Scriptures, but it’s hard to tell. When I have my leather Bible, there is no confusing what I’m reading. No one mistakes it for a novel, a sports book or anything else. Only a Bible, looks like a Bible. I like that.

Since the Bible is the key to our faith. The more Bible we have in us the less fear and worry will bother us. The more Bible in us, the better our character and the stronger our resolve to follow God. It is important, at least to me, to make the Bible user friendly. The Bible, like the preacher’s notes, or your checkbook, doesn’t have to  be seen by anyone but you. Make it uniquely you and user friendly to you.

Here are some simple suggestions:

1. Use the blank white pages at the back of the Bible to write down things that you want to remember. This may include highlights of a sermon that helped you, brief definitions that you did not know and now do not want to forget, dates and facts. Those white pages are great places to list things that will help you.

2. Tape charts, short bulletin articles and other useful things in those white pages. Often in Bible classes, there are very useful things handed out by the teacher. Too often, those things get tossed at home. We find ourselves months later, wishing we had those things. Keep a file system at home. The best and most useful things, tape in your Bible.

3. Circle and underline words in the Bible text to help you see things. Often you will find repeated words in paragraph. For instance, in 2 Peter 2:7-8, in describing the effect that Sodom had upon Lot, the word “righteous” is used three times in those two short verses. This helps you to see themes and important things.

4. In the margins of your Bible, write other verse references or words that will help you. For instance, last evening, our wonderful preacher, Zack, was preaching about the lost coin parable in Luke 15. He showed that the word “Lost” is the same word that the disciples used when the storm came upon them in the boat. They woke Jesus up and said, Master do you not care that we are perishing? Perishing and lost come from the same word. To be lost is to perish. Great thought. That went in my Bible last night. I will forget that in a few months, but now when I read the parable again, I see a note in my margin. That helps explain things. Doing things like that expands your knowledge, deepens your faith and makes your Bible more useful.

5. At the beginning of books, write some background information by the title. Dates, places, what’s going on behind the scenes. This will help you understand why the book was written.

Personally, I’m not a huge fan of just highlighting verses. One reason, most highlighters bleed through to other pages and it’s a mess. Secondly, it makes the verse stand out in yellow, but why? All verses are important. Years ago, a salesman at a bookstore was trying to convince me to buy a Bible that was already highlighted in multi colors by the publishers. Some pages looked like a rainbow. It was hard on my eyes with all the different colors. Once in a while, there would be a verse that was not highlighted. I asked the salesman about those verses. Aren’t they important? He didn’t know what to say. I didn’t make the purchase. I like making the Bible fit me, not what a publisher thinks is important.

Make the Bible shine bright for you. Use it. Find ways to make it more helpful for you. The more you understand the book, the more you will understand God and what God expects of you.

Roger