~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NOTES FROM THE VALLEY - August 5, 2000 "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me." Psalm 23. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TOPIC: FINDING OUR FOUNDATION "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. " Matthew 7:24-25 The Bible. I cannot overstate the absolute necessity of having it, reading it, and applying it to our day-to-day lives. It is the rock, the foundation, that God gave us to build our lives upon. In good times and bad times, God's Word is a constant source of help for whatever needs we may find in a day. Comfort, strength, joy, peace, love, and encouragement. The list is endless and it's all there. But to find it we must seek Him through His Word with intentionality and purpose. Our intention must be to find within His Word the message our Heavenly Father has prepared for our specific needs each day. And our purpose must be to take the wisdom and guidance of that message and apply it to our lives - to the way we live out that day and every day thereafter. Simply stated, but I'm sure some of you find the task a bit daunting. I'd like to reassure you that, from my experience, it doesn't have to be. We belong to something over forty lists on the Internet. And every day we read advise from any number of well intentioned people about how to study the Bible. Everybody seems to have their own favorite study guide or system for digging into God's Word. And I applaud their enthusiasm and intent. But, for a brand new Believer (or Baby Christian as one list I'm privileged to be a part of likes to refer to themselves) all the rules and supporting materials these people require just to read God's Word must seem a bit overwhelming. If that's the case for you, maybe you'd like to try this more simplified approach: (1). Get a Bible. (2). Give God some time. (3). Ask for His help. (4). Read. (5). Pray what you read. Over the years I've learned a few very basic truths. One is - the power is in God's Word. It is the powerful, two edged sword. So that's what He wants us to read. Reading what others have to say about His Word is fine, but He wants to reveal His truth to us personally through His Word. Which means we have to spend the time reading that Word. And He has promised His Holy Spirit to guide us and open the eyes of our understanding if we will give Him our time and attention. So I encourage you, find an accepted Bible translation that you're comfortable with. One that you find easy to read and understand. And then just read it, a little each day. Start at Genesis and read until you hit the end of Revelation and then go back and start over again. Each morning, before my coffee and breakfast, I consciously force myself to stop everything, relax, and then say a simple prayer to my heavenly Father. I ask Him to help me as I read His Word so I'll find what He wants me to learn for that day. Then I just read. Normally one chapter. It usually takes me less than ten minutes. Then I say a short and simple prayer to Him about what I've read. He is my Abba Father. He's written me a letter filled with His love and some wonderful, Fatherly advise. I thank Him for the letter, for the advise, and for His love. I tell Him how I'll try to use His advise to meet the challenges of the day that lies ahead. I ask for His help in doing it. And I tell Him I love Him. I know this "system" probably seems overly simple to many, but I've never found God to be overly complex in what He expects from us or what He offers to us. I've never really understood why men try to make Him seem so complicated. We may be wrapped up in unlimited shades of grey, but He is a God of black and white. There is much about this complex world that I do not know, but what I do know is this: Cathy and I have been through some amazingly tough time in our lives. We are in the midst of some very tough situations right now. But no matter how bad thing may get, we know the comfort, peace, and encouragement of our Father. We find it daily in His letters - the foundation for life that is His Word. We remain His grateful children and your brother and sister in Christ, Steve & Cathy Hall SOME "BIBLE" THOUGHTS God did not write a book and send it by messenger to be read at a distance by unaided minds. He spoke a book and lives in his spoken words, constantly speaking his words and causing the power of them to persist across the years. A. W. Tozer The Bible is alive, it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs after me; it has hands, it lays hold on me. Martin Luther The Bible is my church. It is always open, and there is my High Priest ever waiting to receive me. There I have my confessional, my thanksgiving, my psalm of praise, a field of promises, and a congregation of whom the world is not worthy-prophets and apostles, and martyrs and confessors-in short, all I can want, there I find. Charlotte Elliot The Bible - banned, burned, beloved. More widely read, more frequently attacked than any other book in history. Generations of intellectuals have attempted to discredit it; dictators of every age have outlawed it and executed those who read it. Yet soldiers carry it into battle believing it more powerful than their weapons. Fragments of it smuggled into solitary prison cells have transformed ruthless killers into gentle saints. Charles Colson In regard to this great book, I have but to say, it is the best gift God has given to man. All the good Savior gave to the world was communicated through this book. But for it we could not know right from wrong. All things most desirable for man's welfare, here and hereafter, are to be found portrayed in it. Abraham Lincoln Its critics, who claimed it to be filled with forgery, fiction, and unfulfilled promises, are finding that the difficulties lie with themselves, and not the Bible. Greater and more careful scholarship has shown that apparent contradictions were caused by incorrect translations rather than divine inconsistencies. It was man and not the Bible that needed correcting. It is the blueprint of the Master Architect. Billy Graham One night I was so lonely I couldn't sleep. I decided to try meditating on Psalm 36. As I read the words, vivid images began to fill my mind. I pictured myself sitting at the edge of a beautiful flowing river of God's delights with a demitasse cup. I filled my cup and took a sip. It was wonderful. Then I heard the Lord say, "Carole, why don't you jump right in?" That night I found that when you ask God for daily insights from his Word, it's as if he taps you on the shoulder and says, "This is just for you today." Carole Mayhall, Can a Busy Christian Develop Her Spiritual Life? A COMMENTARY FROM MATTHEW HENRY (Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible) "The Holy Scripture is of much greater benefit to us than day or night, than the air we breathe, or the light of the sun . . . It is a sure direction in the way of duty. It is a sure fountain of living comforts, and a sure foundation of lasting hopes. The statues of the Lord are right, just as they should be; and, because they are right, they rejoice the heart. The commandments of the Lord are pure, holy, just, and good. By them we discover our need of a Saviour; and then learn how to adorn his gospel. They are the means which the Holy Spirit uses in enlightening the eyes; they bring us to a sight and sense of our sin and misery, and direct us in the way of duty. (Psalm 19:7-10) THE BIBLE IN 50 WORDS OR LESS (Contributed by Jeanarie of Heart-Prints - Author Unknown) God made; Adam bit; Noah arked; Abraham split; Joseph ruled; Jacob fooled; Bush talked; Pharaoh plagued; People walked; Sea divided; Tablets guided; Promise landed; Saul freaked; David peeked; Prophets warned; Jesus born; God walked; Love talked; Anger crucified; Hope died; Love rose; Spirit flamed; Word spread; God remained. GUIDEWORDS - BIBLE STUDY (Author - Paul Borthwick) I supposed I knew my Bible, Reading piecemeal, hit or miss, Now a bit of John or Matthew, Now a snatch of Genesis, Certain chapters of Isaiah, Certain Psalms (the twenty-third), Twelfth of Romans, first of Proverbs -- Yes, I thought I knew the Word! But I found that thorough reading Was a different thing to do, And the way was unfamiliar When I read the Bible through. You who like to play at Bible, Dip and dabble, here and there, Just before you kneel, aweary, And yawn through a hurried prayer; You who treat the Crown of Writings As you treat no other book, Just a paragraph, disjointed, Just a crude, impatient look, Try a worthier procedure, Try a broad and steady view; You will kneel in very rapture When you read the Bible through. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Guidewords is compiled by Sharon Paxton (Btlfan910@...) with the Springtown Church of Christ in Springtown, Texas. AND A FINAL THOUGHT FROM A CHILD While sitting next to my first grade daughter during our morning worship service one Sunday, I noticed her look down at my open Bible. In a low whisper, she asked, "Did God really write that?" "Yes," I quietly whispered back. Looking down at my Bible again, she said in amazement, "Wow! He really has neat handwriting!" Susan Wright, DeBary, FL. Editor's Note: This last one is good for a smile, but I also included it because it illustrates a very important matter of faith we addressed in last week's issue of Humor from the Valley. Read again the words of Jesus in Matthew 11:25 and Luke 18:16-17. Meditate upon those scriptures. Then, guided by the Holy Spirit, share a child's faith and amazement at the neatness of God's handwriting. ________________________________________________ Copyright © 1998-2000 by Stephen J. Hall - Weekly letters of encouragement to Christians written by Stephen J. Hall unless otherwise indicated. Notes from the Valley and Humor from the Valley are never intended to offend anyone. They're meant only to brighten your day and encourage you along the way. Most of "notes" and "humor" are a collection of items provided to me by subscribers and friends. Credit is given to both the contributor and to the true author, where known. If you are blessed by them, please feel free to make copies and pass them along to others. If you have something you'd like to contribute to a future edition or would like to ask us a question or make a comment, please contact us at: sossteve@... ________________________________________________ Your love, God, is my song, and I'll sing it! I'm forever telling everyone how faithful you are. I'll never quit telling the story of your love - how you built the cosmos and guaranteed everything in it. Your love has always been our lives foundation, your fidelity has been the roof over our world. (Psalm 89:1-3 The Message)