Part 2 : No Easy Way to God
1. Don’t be anxious He is the one who has invited you to talk to Him.
2. Put aside some time to talk things though with Him – it doesn’t have to be long to be valuable. Why not start with a few minutes everyday.
3. He already knows everything so don’t try to outsmart Him or hide things. Nothing is too bad or shameful to discuss with Him and nothing that affects you is too small. or trivial.
4. Make this quality time away from distractions so you can concentrate on the conversation.
5. Don’t make this into a wish list experience. You are building a relationship not writing to Santa Claus. Try mixing the conversation so you cover your concerns and needs as well as remembering to give thanks for all the good things that happen too. It’s also a good time to say sorry if you have messed up in anyway.
6. Remember that it has been scientifically proven that prayer works so don’t be hesitant to ask and expect but ask wisely – He wants you to align to His viewpoint and will answer your prayers accordingly.
7. It’s not a chore but a wonderful privilege – don’t let busyness steal this time from you – make it a new habit that you keep up. Deathbed prayers are fine but prayers that keep you going through life make for a much better life.
1. Buy or loan a Bible that is easy to understand. Don’t get an old English version if you are more comfortable reading a modern English one. We mainly use the New Living Translation on this site but there are many modern English translations such as the New International Version and the New King James. If you are interested in accuracy avoid paraphrased Bibles such as the Living Bible or Bibles produced solely for one denomination such as the Book of Mormon.
2. You can also get the Bible on CD if you prefer to listen to it. Bible gateway (www.biblegateway.com) has many Bible versions online, which you can also search and switch between.
3. The Bible is a mix of history, poetry, songs, sayings and prophecy. It is not all the same. Start of by reading what you find most enjoyable. If you have a practical bent start of with the book of proverbs which gives practical everyday advice in simple two line proverbs. It’s near the middle. If you like stories try Genesis – the first book in the Bible or go three quarters of the way in to Matthew, Mark, Luke or John to read about Jesus and the things He did and said. If you like testing predictions against history try Daniel to start. If something seems confusing ask or use an online Bible study programme like www.discover.org
4. Don’t try to read it all at once. It’s a book for living by so try to read a little at a time setting aside enough time to think about it and to pray for help to understand and apply it. What I mean is reading that “you must not steal” is good but it is a lot better if you then think it through and decide to stop “borrowing” all your pens from the office!
5. As with any book it reads better if you don’t read one sentence here and try to join it up with another sentence in another chapter. To understand the meaning or big idea try to read the context or verses/sentences before and after the bit you are reading.
6. Ask yourself who is talking here? What is the setting or context? What is happening? What point is being made and to who? Does this apply to me today or is it specific to those mentioned? Are there any principles or values that this raises that I should think about.
7. Think about getting supporting books. Even as an adult I learn a lot from children’s Bible books and I still find it useful to discuss what I’ve read with others or to ask questions.
8. If you are interested in learning about specific topics get a Bible with a good index at the back and use it to read all the references to the topic you are interested in.
Use the index at the back of your Bible or the search function on an online Bible, for example at www.biblegateway.com to read everything that the Bible has to say on a topic or to check that what has been said to you is accurate. For example the Bible does not say “money is the root of all evil” it says “the love of money is the root of all evil” a small but significant difference.
Ask people with different viewpoints or from different religions what they think and check the Bible references they give. Use this as a way of testing the different ideas they have against the one you’ve been given and your own. Remember to ask God to guide your thinking – it is His book after all. If it is hard to find the references use an online Bible to find them for you.
As with any book it reads better if you don’t read one sentence here and try to join it up with another sentence in another chapter. To understand the meaning or big idea try to read the context or verses/sentences before and after what you are reading. Sometimes you may need to read the whole chapter to understand the context and whether it is a statement of fact, an historical record/story or a prophecy/prediction. Obviously instructions contained in the last two may not be meant to apply directly to you today as is. Stories may illustrate principles or show how God relates to us but they may not be telling you to ride a donkey for example.
Ask yourself who is talking here? What is the setting or context? What is happening? What point is being made and to who? Does this apply to me today or is it specific to those mentioned? Are there any principles or values that this raises that I should think about. Does it support what I’ve been told or not?
Use online Bible sites to send in questions or use online Bible study sites such as www.discovery.org
Find a minister from a denomination that you trust and ask questions, better still try speaking to ministers from more than one denomination so you can compare their answers and learn from their viewpoints.
Remember you can always send us your questions at info@positivestuff.og and we will provide you with a biblically researched answer. We provide an explanation and the supporting texts from the Bible so that you can judge for yourself.