Buying a Bible?

 

 

Good, which Bible translation should you choose?

Rather than just picking a Bible with a pretty cover and easy to read print, lets look more into what different options are available.

Whether we understand it or not, God is perfect.  The scriptures of the Bible are very condensed.  That way God is able to pack a lot more into them.  When things are condensed they need to be precise.  We sometimes have a hard time believing anything written in conversational language (like the Bible) could be precise.  But it is.  The Bible says that the original scriptures "is given by inspiration of God" to men of God. Then these scriptures were translated into different languages, including English, and then distributed all around the world.  Translations were usually from the minds of bright individuals or committees.  So they are not translationed by direct revelation from God.  Instead they are translated to fit the purpose of the translators.  So translations range from literal to downright fuzzy. The fuzziest translations are like the message bible. 

Our advice is find the most literal that you are comfortable with, realizing  there may be even more literal Bibles and resources available.  You can compare many versions HERE.  Then research the style you like online to see what others think of that translation.  You will likely find the King James Version is considered the most literal, apart from an interlinear.  The American King James is easier to read as it replaces the thee's and the thou's. Anyone that says there is only one translation to buy is speaking from zeal, rather than knowledge.

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” ― 2nd Tim 3:16

Many churches will give you a Bible of the translation they use.  Free is a good price.  However if you are in a church that is giving out the New World translation, it is time to find a different church as that denomination is considered a cult.

 

Trying to Grow?

Playing Games with God?

People rarely admit that they have been subconsciously playing games with God.

Are you and I playing games with God to keep our lives under our own control?  Since part of who God is, is perfect truth, perfect love, and perfect righteousness, would it be wise for us to put Him in His rightful place truly as God in our lives?

 

Even when you talk to people on a personal level they are so often not aware of their playing games with God.  Instead they will usually say one of three different views. 

1.) that  they don't understand God, or

2.)  they wish God would make things plainly visible to them, or

3.) they already have God.

Yet almost everyone ou us plays a hidden subconscious game with God for who is in contron. God's plan works perfectly and He does not change.  God will not corrupt His perfection to get things to line up with our normal.  Our normal is a twisted version of reality.  When we start to line up our understanding with God's reality, we start to begin to realize just how true the Word of God actually is.

What is quite interesting is, when a person is in a man made religion, they still are playing this same subconscious game with God. Most man made religions initially look like they have the truth.  This is also true for Christians.  The only way to know if our religion is real, is to carefully study the scriptures and prove all things.

When they crucified Jesus Christ, they were playing religious games with God.  They thought they won, but in reality, they lost.  These were the brightest, most educated people of the day.  Today is no different.  Even educated and highly educated religious people often are unaware that they are playing games with God.  God knows all about it. 

So how do we get out of this deception?  As we get older, we realize that when we play games with God we cannot win.  God always wins in the end.  We would be wise to learn how God made things work and then bring our lives in line with that reality.  There is only one source and that is the scriptures that our Bibles are translated from.  They have proven trustworthy and we should choose to believe what they say.

That would mean we should learn how God says we are made and how we should interact with Him.  Each part of us that God has made, God has a plan and a purpose on how it is to be used.  Yes we have to do the work necessary to learn this in order to be an overcoming child of God. Works are not a requirement of salvation, but they do show our belief in the God of salvation.

This means we should learn the difference between thinking, believing, and knowing from God's perspective.  Even educated people often get these mixed up.  God has specific meanings for each of them.  Also God has specific functions for the six parts of a person that are listed in the scriptures.  God put that information in the Bible for us to search out and understand and make our daily decisions by faith accordingly.  

 

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