Because of family illnesses, personal health concerns, and ministry pressures I have been unable to write as frequently as I would like. For the immediate future I will begin resending devotionals written a few years ago. Thank you for your prayers, support and understanding! Please sign the GuestMap at The Burning Bush website. You can plant your country's flag on the map and leave a message. You can find it on the front page at http://www.theburningbush.org The Burning Bush Devotional (Over 13,000 subscribers in 75 countries) 09.16.04 The Bible “This book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” - Joshua 1:8. We say we know it’s true but we have a hard time believing the importance of God’s Word. We have seen the little sayings on church signs like: “Dusty Bibles lead to Dirty Lives” “A Bible that is falling apart usually belongs to a person that isn’t.” George Gallup says, “We revere the Bible, but we don’t read it.” Around 92 percent of Americans own at least one Bible with the average home having three. 20 million or more are sold each year not even including the millions that are distributed free of cost. The Bible has become much like a well liked piece of furniture. We know it is there but we never open it up to mine the treasures it contains. According to surveys by George Gallup “only four in 10 Americans know that Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount. A majority cannot name the four Gospels of the New Testament. Only three in 10 teenagers know why Easter is celebrated. Two-thirds of Americans believe there are few, if any, absolute principles to direct human behavior. Fewer than half can name the first book of the Bible. Six out of 10 cannot name half of the Ten Commandments. 80 percent of Christians believe the Bible says “God helps them that help themselves.” 12 percent of Christians think Noah’s wife was Joan of Arc! Thomas Reeves a University of Wisconsin Historian says, “Christianity in modern America is, in large part, innocuous. It tends to be easy, upbeat, convenient and compatible. It does not require self-sacrifice, discipline, humility, an otherworldly outlook, a zeal for souls, a fear as well as love of God. There is little guilt and no punishment, and the payoff in heaven is virtually certain.” We know the problem but how do we change? For me it began with a commitment to read God’s Word each day. It grew from there to a commitment to read through the Bible each year. From those earlier commitments, study and memorization of the Bible have flowed. Where do you find the time to do this? According to Tyndale House Publishers 64 percent do not read because they say they are too busy. An amazing thing will happen if you give time to reading and studying the Bible. You will not actually lose that time. God always gives us supernatural energy to seek Him. We will see that the time used to seek God is given to us many times over through a quality of life that we have never experienced before. “For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” Copyright © 2004. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals on a non-profit basis with source credited. On June 8, 1998 the email version of the Burning Bush Devotional was first sent. Ed Wrather is available for revivals, conferences, and other speaking and ministry opportunities as the Lord leads. More information about Ed may be found at http://www.theburningbush.org/28.html. The Crossmap Christian Search and Portal is a wonderful resource. I would like to encourage you to visit this great site at www.crossmap.com. 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