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My Two Cents
by Rev Chuck Behrens
June, 2014
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Past Articles |
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Just how do you use your
Bible? You do know it has many different uses, right. Did you ever notice
how much people stick in their Bible? I look at mine sometimes, and I find
a number of things in there I don't want to lose. Unfortunately it does
hurt the binding a little bit. Sometimes the Bible can be a record book.
You see these Bibles where people put important dates, their family tree,
weddings, deaths, and the autographs of people whose ministry they want to
remember.
A Bible can be an antique. You can go into an antique store and drop quite
a few bucks getting one of those old Bibles. And a Bible is a great gift.
I've gotten several as a gift. A Bible can be your identification. At some
times in my life the Bible's been a textbook. Oh yeah, there are a lot of
ways you can use your Bible. There's one I hope you never use.
2 Timothy 4:2, tells us to "Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out
of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful
instruction." This is a call, I think, to Bible balance. First of all,
Paul is saying, "Use God's Word to help people know what's right; that's
correct. To warn them about what they're doing wrong; that's rebuke. And
to encourage them in what they're doing right. Use this book boldly to
change people's lives. That's certainly part of it.
Here's the other part: Do it gently, do it patiently, do it carefully.
Don't use the Bible as a club! You can use it for a lot of things, but not
as a club to win an argument, or beat a person down, or shame them, or
corner them. But don't use the Bible as a club. Too many people use the
words of the Bible but lose the spirit of the Bible while they're doing
it.
Ephesians 4:15 is the perfect balance, "Speaking the truth in love." The
problem is often that the truth bearers leave out the love, and the
lov-ers leave out the truth. It's important to be sure that you measure
everything you believe and behave by God's Word. There is no room for,
"Well, in my opinion..." Or, "I don't feel like it..." Or, "It doesn't
seem right to me." "I just read this great Christian book and it says..."
No, show me what the Bible says. God has spoken - final word.
It's important to remind each other of what the Bible says about how we're
living. But it's important to be gentle, non-condemning and patient like
God has been with you. We want to make sure that when we're communicating
the truth, we're also communicating, "I care about you. That's why I'm
doing this. That's why I'm giving you what the Bible says, to correct, or
rebuke or encourage. I want God's best in your life. You're made for more.
You're better than this." Not, "I'm sitting in judgment, and here are my
verses."
Hebrews 4:12 says, "The Bible penetrates between soul and spirit." It's a
sword that does that; it judges. We don't judge, but God's Word judges. So
let God's Word do the judging. Share it and then let it do its penetrating
work.
Use God's Word to love people with the truth. Don't use it as a club. It
just might be the most perfect way to see how the WORD becomes FLESH...and
how you, personally, can PROVE IT!
See you in Church,
Rev. Chuck
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