Curious? Do A Bible Search!

Curious? Do A Bible Search!
As a seminary student, I am always looking for more information about the Bible. As I study to become a pastor for other people, it is extremely important that I learn all I can about the Bible and that I utilize all of the resources that are available to me. I had never heard of a Bible search until recently, but doing them has radically changed my ability to learn and process information about the Bible.

What I love about studying the Bible is that I am always curious and hungry to learn more. I am a firm believer that people should spend their lives doing things of value that they deeply enjoy. So when the change came for me to further my education with seminary I jumped at it. Just a few months into my classes, the Bible search tools that I have been taught have by far been the most valuable source of new knowledge that I have discovered.

Are you curious to learn more about the Bible? Perhaps you are taking a Bible class or are just wanting to learn for your own benefit. It doesn't matter why you want to know more, it simply matters that you can know more by doing a Bible search or two on the information you are seeking. I love that a Bible search can both satisfy my curiousity and yet leave me desiring more knowledge. What a great thing!

A Bible search can happen in many ways. There are many great tools to be used, but by far some of the best can be found in libraries, at bookshops, or even on the internet. Basically, a Bible search is done whenever a learner uses tools to try to gain more knowledge about a particular passage or theme in Scripture. The Bible search doesn't have to be official, it simply has to be helpful in teaching you more about the Bible.

If you are curious about learning more about a Bible search tool or two, find someone to talk with. This may mean talking with a pastor or setting up a time to meet with a Bible professor at a local college. Do whatever you can to be proactive about doing a Bible search to do more. You will be so glad that you did and the knowledge you learn will be the most helpful thing in the world for you and your future.

Credit Secrets Bible Review - Good Or Bad?

Credit Secrets Bible Review - Good Or Bad?
I decided to write this Credit Secrets Bible review after having a chance to see what the ebook is all about. If you've ever wondered how you can raise your credit score and get on your way to owning the home or car of your dreams, you'll find this brief review of particular interest and quite possibly the answer to your problems. In it, I will go over whether or not I feel the Credit Secrets Bible is a viable way of raising your credit score to a respectable level in just a few short months.

Terry Price has developed a system to increase your credit rating up to 249 points, or so he claims in his Credit Secrets Bible. Once I looked into the system, I discovered that not only is it possible, but it's ridiculously easy to do. If you can read and write at the 7th grade level, you can do it.

The Credit Secrets Bible gives you the special phone number to call to get the truth about those no-credit-check credit cards. You can even learn about the 3-step system that other credit specialists charge almost $800 to implement, that will repair your shattered credit. Interested in paying off debt for 27 cents on the dollar? Wondering if it's legal and ethical to create an Alternate Credit File? Not only is it possible, but you can do it yourself with this invaluable ebook!

Even if you're currently getting tons of collection calls, The Credit Secrets Bible can give you a letter that will stop them all forever. From protecting yourself from predatory lending practices to stopping foreclosure, this guide has everything you need.

I really can't recommend The Credit Secrets Bible highly enough. It's something that can benefit people with any credit score, from perfect to pathetic.

Can Society Understand the Bible Today?

Can Society Understand the Bible Today?

Many people desire to know more about the Bible. When they try to read it they find it difficult to understand, and at times, a little dry in some portions, as they put it. But the Bible is really not difficult to understand, it just takes some time, and a couple of other factors. But more important, is that the joy that the truths of God's precious Word can give to a person who understands it - are almost beyond belief!

The Bible, and its truths, David said, are "more to be desired than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb" (Psalm 19:10). He loved the Word of God, and so do those who know how to understand it. But first, let me say that learning the Bible cannot be done overnight. Its truths are deep, and it must be slowly and carefully dug out with some work - like school - which is progressive in nature.

Here are five things that will help to open the door of the Bible to your understanding.

1. Through The Teacher

The Teacher is ready to make all things clear to you - one at a time. He is always near to a believer and ready to show you "great and mighty things, which thou knowest not" (Jeremiah 33:3).

The conditions under which He teaches you are simple - you must be one of His children. This simply means that Christ has become your Savior through your simply telling Him that you hate your sins, and are sorry to God for having committed them. Then by confessing to God that you believe that Christ is the Son of God you can be buried with him in baptism.  Then, His Spirit comes to live within and He is ready to teach and to guide you.  Acts 2:38; Romans 6-3-6.

When you, as a believer who is willing to be taught, and follow, ask Him to teach you just before you open it and read. David prayed: "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law" (Psalm 119:18).

2. Continued Obedience

It may seem strange to you that this is mentioned next - rather than some academic principle. As strange as it may seem, obedience is the next thing that helps open the door to your understanding. It is not a means to an end after baptism.  Jesus put it like this, in John 7:17: “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine..." Now the word "doctrine" is not something to be afraid of, it simply means the "teachings" of the Bible. Jesus was saying that those who are willing to obey Him, and seek first the Kingdom of God, are those whose heart the Spirit can instruct to understand the Bible.

3. Keeping Faith

An individual, who is not willing to believe, will not be able to understand the deeper truths of the Word of God. They will just be so much foolishness to that person. But a believer, on the other hand, through faith can have their eyes opened to see things that an unbelieving person will never see.

4. Through Other Scriptures

The Bible is a Book that will largely interpret itself, if we will not let our preconceived prejudices distort what we read. For instance, when many people read the story of the birth of Christ in Matthew, they automatically follow the mistaken views of others in their understanding of the story here. This is only given to show how a preconceived idea can overshadow the real truth of the Bible. One such example is that everyone assumes there were three wise men because there were three gifts.  Maybe one could assume this however the Bible does not actually say their were three of them.

The principle here is to let other Scripture verses show you what a particular passage means. “For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little” (Isaiah 28:10). If you will look up other verses dealing with the same subject, it will help you, along with the other principles to understand God’s Word.

5. Through our Preachers

Those teachers of the Word of God in that nearby Bible-teaching church are the best ways to help you to understand the Bible. While they are not perfect, they are given the task of making plain to the people the Word of God, and its meaning.

These five things can greatly help you to understand the Bible better, along with a regular and daily reading of it. If you have not read the whole Bible through, start with the Gospel of John, and then go to Matthew and read through the New Testament – follow that by reading through the whole Bible. Following these steps carefully will allow you to begin to get a rich and enjoyable understanding of God’s precious Word.

Can Society Live By The Bible Today?

Can Society Live By The Bible Today?

That Holy Book, called the Bible, is the only Book like it. While many know that it is a holy Book, they do not know exactly what the Bible is, or why it was given. Once those two thoughts can be understood, then we will be able to answer the above question satisfactorily.

In an effort to be able to answer both at the same time, this outline should help to answer the question, Is the Bible something we can use to live by? To this question, the only reasonable answer is a definite Yes.

1.  Yes, Because Its Author Is Divine

The Scriptures declare themselves to be of God. In II Timothy 3:16 the Bible tells us "All scripture is given by inspiration of God..." This word "inspiration" does not refer to the type of inspiration a poet, or a writer gets today. No, this was a special thing. It referred to the fact that "God-breathed" out the Scriptures from Himself. That is actually the Greek meaning of the word. In other words, the idea is that God so directed that "men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost" (II Peter 1:21), with the result that the words of the written Bible were inerrant (incapable of any error).

In applying this truth a little further, it can be seen that God was able to produce an infallible Book because He is Himself infallible. He also knows all things (omniscient), and He knows what we will need to live for Him.

2.  Yes, Because He Has Given Believers His Spirit

This here is a point that needs to be very seriously considered. It is the dividing line between who can follow the teachings of the Bible, and who cannot. Having religion is not enough, and having the Ten Commandments is not enough to please God. He requires that we be made new by His Spirit - new, in the sense that our old way of life, and thoughts, are forsaken, and He moves in after baptism - and forgives the past transgressions, and His presence transforms the believer. Apart from this transformation that He makes in us, there can be no salvation. Christ died to bring us forgiveness, and redemption, and a new life - a life through the Spirit of God, and of His Son is us. His Spirit enables the believer to do what he could not do before.

3.  Yes, Because It Covers All The Bases

Should the believer today live by the Bible? Yes, and he can, because God knew everything that he would ever face - through all the ages of the earth. The Bible was given, first to point mankind to the Savior, Christ, and then so "that the man of God may be perfect (mature), throughly furnished unto all good works" - this comes right after the above verse on inspiration. It is a Book that perfects the believer, and makes him so that God might be able to bless the life.

4.  Yes, Because It Brings Blessing From Him

What a joy the believer has who seeks to be guided by the Bible! They are specially blessed by God Himself. In Psalm 1, the Bible tells us that, if a believer will walk different from those around him, and according to the Bible, that God will bless him - and he will be happy (not necessarily trouble free). In fact, the promise goes, if that believer will stay in the Bible, and daily think on its teachings with the intent to live by them, then God will bless them. His blessing will be compared to making them "like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper" (Psalm 1:1-3).

5.  Yes, Because It Prepares Us To Meet Him

My final point is this, that the Bible should be followed because He gave it to prepare us. In the Bible we read of His love, and of His Sacrifice that Christ paid for us to be able to live with Him one day. Apart from some necessary do's and don'ts, the Bible is basically a letter of love - to the believer. When a believer follows the Bible, then the Spirit can guide him better, and give that person a greater joy and peace. Trouble comes so often for the believer - because we are not following Him. Obedience strengthens our relationship with Him. When a person loves God with all their heart, it is never an issue because then we will understand that all He wants us to do is because of love, and it will enable us to draw closer to Him in love. Following Him prepares us to live apart from sin, and in a sinless environment – Heaven itself.

David declared the condition of the believer who follows the Word carefully: “Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart” (Psalm 119:2).

Bible Road Map - Or the Road Less Traveled

Bible Road Map - Or the Road Less Traveled

Has using the bible as a guide, ethics, common decency and plain old fashioned horse sense all become relics in America. Let’s just say, it is not looking good.

In the last few years we have witnessed a woman who drowned her children just to keep her rich boyfriend. An ice skating competitor who had the legs of her top rival broken so she could win. We have seen a mother hire a hit man to eliminate her daughter’s competition in baton twirling championships. Another man destroyed his pregnant wife to be able to play the field, and live the life of a playboy.

Perhaps the most unbelievable of all was a woman who killed a pregnant woman then cut her open and stole her unborn baby. I take exception with those who take exception with me for saying, that we have a nation of potential criminals and crackpots in our own children.

We have created this dangerous potential by giving our children anything and everything they want or call for. When they enter the real world, the work a day world where they must fend for themselves suddenly the silver platter is withdrawn and the reality is too much to handle for some. We have forgotten the days of our austerity when as pioneers, plainsmen, and immigrants we were thankful to have our most basic needs met. We have elevated our wants and desires to the level of the sacred.

We imitate and borrow from the language of the greedy with our preoccupation with the prosperity gospel of today’s preachers. You will be just as likely to find today’s churches teaching us how to invest our money as how to get saved. Being born again is mocked and set aside in favor of instruction in the stock market, retirement funds and get rich schemes. Add to this, that modern psychology, sociology and other behavioral and environmental scientists have repeatedly warned us that poverty leads to crime and social upheaval of every kind. You can only imagine what America would look like if virtually every extra and almost all essentials were at a premium, if they could be found at all. It does not paint a very good picture.

The ancient city of Sodom was rebuked by the prophet Ezekiel. Everyone knows the sins of ancient Sodom but in Ezekiel’s rebuke, the root cause for Sodom’s sin is revealed. In Ezekiel’s rebuke there is a warning for us to recognize the same cause festering in our land today. Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. Eze.16:49

Ezekiel’s rebuke comes to my mind every time I hear some one refuse to give a few dollars to a children’s organization because they think the child won’t get all the money. But no one seems to even notice, much less demand a tax refund when a four hundred million dollar Jupiter probes go haywire and becomes useless. Movies are made that cost hundreds of millions of dollars to produce, whose messages and images would he better left in a garbage can. Tax money is spent on everything from the study of the flow of ketchup to the nocturnal habits of lesbians. Concupiscence and waste are rampant in every level of society and government, while personal responsibility and prudent stewardship has become an ethical relic of sorts. Where does it end?

I have no doubt that the chastisements of America will be the sudden and complete removal of nearly all essential goods and personal wealth. Something on the order of the dust bowl and the stock market crash combined, but multiplied many times over will soon befall this country. How this will come about is not certain but that is not my concern at this moment. I would prefer to see millions of Americans coming to their senses and turning back to God in humility and thereby avoiding this great portent, but I am sure that this is not what they are going to do.

A few years ago I was singing and playing guitar in some folk music venues. I produced three albums of Irish, folk, bluegrass and gospel songs before I published a compilation of my original songs. Among them is one I named An American Lament, I tried to present it as a Christian song but in the most subdued fashion. I wanted a message without the mush. I think I was able to accomplish that and that is why I present it here to appendage this section.

Many tall mountains, many long valleys
Many the white plains, that stretch out so far
All deep flowing rivers, rise cresting to meet me
Two shimmering oceans, with soft sandy shore


Darkly thick are the woodlands, the tall trees are bending
From beyond the soft west wind, drives the waves to the shore
Free flies the eagle, free rolling in blue skies
On high still the master, of all he surveys


Her people have proud eyes, all resting so carefree
They've left their strong towers, passing on to and fro
All beauty before them, great mountains and rivers
Yet groping like blind men, who can't find the door


Bard, prophet and poet, sing haply their bright songs
But the heart that is searching, can see somethings wrong
To pierce through the dark cloud, the heart always wonders
But to grow into greatness, the hearts made to cry


But this land is not my land, this home its not my home
For I've never yet been there, not now or before


Rev Bresciani is the author of two popular Christian books, one on the second coming of Christ. He has hundreds of articles published both online and in print.
Visit the website at www.americanprophet.org

An Online Bible Resource and Daily Devotional for the Christian Community

An Online Bible Resource and Daily Devotional for the Christian Community
We offer this online bible resource for the edification of the whole person in Christ.  We are to know God and not just know about God. This is a profound and counterintuitive quest that requires the miraculous power of God at work in us to achieve the end in mind.

This website  is an online bible dialogue of spiritual things, for those who want to experience God intimately and intelligently, based on the message from Scripture that is - above all things - God’s personal objective communication to us from outside of time and space.

It is our particular interest to invite those who are seeking a deeper experience from God, who is the personification of Truth itself, to take a spiritual journey with us through a thought provoking dialogue about the concepts in Scripture that are hard to both teach and to grasp.

We rely on this key thought from the New Covenant promise: That God Himself is our Teacher by virtue of His inner presence through the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Wow...there’s a few concepts from the Bible that we can start chewing on right away!

Perhaps we can grow together into a faith-based community of believers who cannot get enough of the Truth and who desire to be transformed by God’s love!  We’ll see.  But first we need to begin by reading and thinking together.  What has God spoken and how can we know it?  How can we take these objective truths and experience God Himself in accordance with the terms He has laid out for us?

We join together in our progressive quest of lifelong learning, as an online bible community of faith, searching out the mind of Christ in developing the inner life.
We are the Body of Christ... meeting online... Spirit led... Bible based... spiritually alive in Christ... raised from the dead... forever!

Pass It On – A Rule For Good Bible Interpretation

Pass It On – A Rule For Good Bible Interpretation

With dozens of bible translations available today and a myriad of voices preaching and teaching from theses bibles how do we know which is trustworthy? It is simpler than you think.

During the dark ages the scriptures were chained to pedestals in the major cathedrals of the world. The common people could not read the bible and even the clergy were limited to reading it only where it stood. Those days have been eliminated by the courageous efforts of clergy and reformers like Luther, Calvin, Tyndale and a host of others who in some cases gave their lives in the effort. We now enjoy the fruit of their labors throughout most of the free world. Not only are all the versions of the bible available here in America but one publisher has begun offering the bible bound and covered in your choice of designer colors!

Yet for all of this profusion of bibles one of the flimsiest excuses for not reading or trusting the bible is still being used everywhere throughout the land. Who has not heard someone say, “The bible is open to interpretation and that’s why it can’t be trusted”?
If honestly examined, this excuse will be found to be just another one of those “common wisdom of the day” utterances that has no more truth in it than water in the desert. It is grown out of ignorance, watered by indifference and harvested in laziness. It is used glibly but has dire consequences; in fact it could cost a person their entire future.

The first rule of interpretation says that no one has the right to interpret the scripture in a merely personal or private way. …Knowing this first that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. I Peter 1:20 If the bible is not open to private interpretation then it must only be open to public interpretation. That is the key. The universal bible believing church the world over has an interpretation that qualifies this fact, the minor doctrinal differences and the trend toward liberalism notwithstanding. Whether Pentecostal, Evangelical, Baptist, Methodist or any other major historical denomination the bible is interpreted the same. Jesus death and resurrection is the key to salvation and his teachings are the key to our best behavior. When people stray very far from this kind of interpretation of the bible they are bordering on heresy, cultism or something worse.

Another great rule of sound biblical interpretation is to let the bible interpret itself. Let the whole bible reflect on any part of it in particular. You will rarely ever go wrong by applying this rule. This of course implies that you would have to study the whole bible. That alone would just about eliminate any problem with bible interpretation you will ever encounter.

An old preacher from Vermont once told me of a basic rule of interpretation he had learned while attending Bible College. I have never forgotten it and I’ve never failed to use it. He said, “If the scripture makes plain sense, seek no other sense”. Being complicated is not a prerequisite to being a bible student so don’t bury your self in hidden meanings and obscurities, just get on with what is known and apparent.

Finally take a lesson from the smallest child. Ask them what Jesus meant when he said we should love each other, or that we should forgive others. They know what these things mean even when those who hide behind the idea that the bible is riddled with too many interpretations don’t. Some passages are simple but that does not mean they aren’t profound. Other passages are more complex but can be clearly understood by the simplest approach, much like that of a child. The child like approach to scriptural interpretation is the shortest route to understanding; in fact it is also the shortest route to salvation itself. Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. Mark 10:15

We must cease to view the bible as some deep manual of religion only to be known by the initiated or specially trained. Someone once said that the bible and more so, the New Testament is a letter from God the Father to his children. Who would think a letter from your father was meant to create confusion. It would speak of his love, his intentions, his ongoing plans and his final return home. It would give instructions and details on what to do until he returns. No one would  throw a letter from their father in a corner and say I don’t understand any of that so I’ll just do what I want to until he returns home and take it up with him then.

The words of the bible never create confusion. In fact it is the dismissing of these words that creates confusion. If we hide behind the worn out clich about “it is all open to interpretation” we will find ourselves with no where to hide in the final day. Jesus said the very opposite about his words, He said they would illuminate our lives and bring peace to us, not confusion. In fact they would produce life itself within us…the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. John 6:33