Reading to the End

"A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education."

Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919)  

26th President of the United States

Have you read the Bible from beginning to end? All the way through. Not skipping around. Not skimming over pages. All the way to the end.

That's what I did back in 1989. Thirty years ago. I wanted to do something momentous. And that was momentous!

I decided I'd read one chapter in the Bible and the same chapter in a commentary. I knew some of those Old Testament books would need explaining if I was going to understand. It was a simple commentary I used, understandable to common folk. But it made all the difference for me.

"I am sorry for men who do not read the Bible every day. I wonder why they deprive themselves of the strength and the pleasure."

Woodward Wilson (1856-1924) 

28th President of the United States 

It took me two years and four months from start to finish. I had no time table. Rushing through wasn't a goal. I had been saved eleven years when I started, and because of the teaching of my home church pastor, and studies I was a part of, I had a fairly good understanding of God's Word.

What did I learn? The flow and focus of the Old Testament sharpened my knowledge and my understanding of Israel. The humanness of the books and God's hand in the stories broadened my appreciation of the history of my faith.

Although I was more familiar with the New Testament books, using the commentary broadened my understanding of each book which made them come alive.  And the flow of the books deepened my understanding of how they connected.

 "The Bible redirects my will, cleanses my emotions, enlightens my mind, and quickens my total being."

E. Stanley Jones (1884-1973)

American 20th century Methodist Christian missionary and theologian

It numbers in the top ten of the best things I've done in my life.

Have you read the Bible from beginning to end? I challenge you to do it. In March, I turn 70. Maybe I should take the challenge again!

"The book to read is not the one which thinks for you, but the one that makes you think. No other book in the world equals the Bible for that."

James McCosh (1811-1894)

President of Princeton University 

Believe It or Not

"Everything is possible for him who believes."

Mark 9:23

We've all heard the phrase "Believe it or not" and have probably used it sometime in our life when a situation didn't seem possible.

You've heard of Ripley's Believe it or Not, an American franchise that deals with bizarre events. And Believe it or Not is the theme song for The Greatest America Hero television show in 1981. One definition I found is: "a set phrase used before a statement that may seem shocking."

But this morning I found a meaning that speaks to me and helps me in all I do. I was reading in "Rest Assured" by Nancy McGuire, and I like her definition of "Believe it or not." "Whatever the circumstance or no matter how far you have gone astray, God wants to give you great faith--believe it or not."

Nancy wrote: "Help me overcome my unbelief. Give me greater faith and patience and endurance. Help me to keep my eyes on You until this situation is resolved in one way or another. I know that nothing is impossible for You, and everything is possible for the one who believes. And I believe, Lord!"

 There are circumstances which my faith have faltered on, wondering if it will ever be ok. Will my prayer ever be answered? Will I ever have joy in a situation? Why, God? Why?

But as the scripture verses says at the beginning of this post: "Everything is possible for him who believes." Let go of your worry, or anger, or disappointment and let God handle the issue. He can meet every need. Whatever the circumstances, God wants to give you greater faith--believe it or now.

"If all things are possible with God, then all things are possible to him who believes in Him."

Corrie Ten Boom (1892-1983)

And Then There Were Eight

"And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and service him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever."

1 Chronicles 28:9

And here they come to enjoy green grass, eating corn and relaxing in the quiet field. 

I love to tell this story. I've shared it before on this blog, and it always makes me smile, reminding me that God loves to give us the desires of our heart. No matter how small a request or insignificant it may seem, God hears all and responds. This is one of those times.

My friends know how much I love photographing deer. From late spring to early fall I'm out the door between 5 and 6 a.m. to drive around and find deer. I love to slowly come up on a scene with doe and fawn. And I've been happily surprised a few times finding a big buck.




But nothing compares to the request I made to God one November. I asked him if He'd provide me opportunities to snap buck. I hadn't seen very many at that time, and had many pictures of doe and fawn. So I made my request to Him.

The prayer was soon forgotten and the new year came. Before I knew it spring was here, and I started my early morning adventures.

It was early in July, and I was looking out the kitchen window. There were woods behind the house in Mt. Airy and we'd been feeding deer for several years by then. Our neighbor had started a few years before us and we picked up and decided to put corn out at the back gate.

I always enjoyed looking out the kitchen window in the morning before I left for work. I'd usually always see doe, and during fawn season it was fun to watch them. I remember one time there were two doe and two fawn. I watched as one doe and both fawns walked to one side of the meadow. All at once the two fawn came running to the other side where the other doe waited. After a few minutes the two fawn ran back to the other doe. They did this several times, and I laughed, deciding the doe were teaching the fawn something.

"Make that possible for me which is impossible by nature."

Thomas A. Kempis (c. 1380-1471)

One morning in early July, I saw buck walking up to the back gate. We'd seen a few buck here and there, but few and far between. Before I knew it eight buck walked to the back gate. I called for Jerry and we so enjoyed seeing them--all sizes, small, medium and large buck with full antlers!

That wondrous scene repeated itself every morning and evening from July to October! Every morning and evening! It wasn't until August that I remembered my prayer. You can imagine the goosebumps!

I took many pictures of buck that summer. What a thrill it was to watch those majestic animals in relax mode, enjoying a few bites to eat and then wandering back to the woods.

Well fed and satisfied, our buck head for the woods. What a summer!

"The best thing is to go from nature's God down to nature; and if you once get to nature's God, and believe him, and love him, it is surprising how easy it is to hear music in the waves, and songs in the wild whisperings of the winds; to see God everywhere in the stones, in the rocks, in the rippling brooks, and hear him everywhere, in the lowing of cattle, in the rolling of thunder, and in the fury of tempests.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892)