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Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Bible reading - part 3

(I finally finished this article on reading the Bible.)

Summary
Reading the Bible for Personal Application - Personal application of the Bible is a mystery.  The contents of the Bible was written in a different time to different people in different situations.  Essentially, we are reading someone else's mail.  Yet, the Bible still speaks to us.  Personal application can be expanded in the following ways.  First, consolidate what you already learned.  Chances are there are some passages that you listened to and connected with right away and thus they were, and may still be, very applicable to your life.  Passages like these are usually straightforward where you can easily plug in your life's details.  Secondly, look for those passages that are directly applicable.  These are usually more general scriptures, such as those found in the Psalms.  Finally, recognize that many passages are not direct for personal application, but tackling those passages to apply them personally can be very rewarding.

My thoughts and opinions
This was probably my least favorite part of this article.  Though there was one part that I will take with me as I move on.  One big advantage to digging into the less direct passages to apply them personally is that they provide a different perspective.  These passages take one's focus off one's self and places them on the bigger picture.  This decrease in focus on one's self may be just what one needs.  The Bible is all about God, and thus our lives should be too.  The Bible is not for our benefit but God's glory (albeit through changing us), so this refocusing perspective is crucial.

My questions
I guess I got nothin'.

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