Getting the most out of your Bible (2)

President Woodrow Wilson said, “I am sorry for men who do not read the Bible every day; I wonder why they deprive themselves of the strength and of the pleasure. It is one of the most singular books in the world, for every time you open it, some old text that you have read a score of times suddenly beams with a new meaning. There is no other book that I know of, of which this is true; there is no other book that yields its meaning so personally, that seems to fit itself so intimately to the very spirit that is seeking its guidance.” If you want to get the most out of your Bible, ask these questions: (1) Is there a warning to heed? (2) Is there a promise to claim? (3) Is there a sin to forsake? (4) Is there a command to obey? (5) Is there a lesson to learn? (6) Is there a principle to apply? (7) Is there an example to follow? As you ask yourself these seven questions, keep a journal to write down the answers God gives you, and you will be amazed at the wisdom you glean. You will be thrilled by the success principles you learn. Your anxieties will begin to lift, your mind will clear, and you will experience peace. John wrote, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1 NIV). Notice the phrase “the Word was God.” The more you read your Bible, the more of God’s presence and power you will experience. You might even adopt the old slogan used by American Express: “Don’t leave home without it.”