Jesus puts all the pieces together…
Filed in General |Journal,
We believers accept the Bible as God’s word to us. It is a living book. But there is also something extra special about certain Scriptures that the Lord speaks into our hearts in our times of trial. Each of these special Scriptures moments always have a story wrapped around them.
Yes indeed. I’ve long found that when I pray, I am talking to the Lord. But when I pick up my Bible, it is time for the Lord to speak to me. Learn this and you will learn one of the greatest lessons in Christian living.
Here are a sampling of Scriptures the Lord has spoken to me at various times in my life. There is a story wrapped around each of these Scripture moments. I will leave off the story part and just let the Scripture speak for itself. –
“Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, ‘Shew us the Father’?” - John 14:9 KJV
“Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” - Psalm 37:4 KJV
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” - Phil 1:6 KJV
“Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to you under the sun; for this is your reward in life and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun.” - Ecc 9:9 NASB
“It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; for He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.” - Psa127:2 NASB
“When You came down long ago, You did awesome deeds beyond our highest expectations. And, oh, how the mountains quaked!” - Isa64L3 NLT
These few Scriptures barely scratch the surface of all that God has spoken to me from His written word. But is it little wonder why God’s people fall in love with their Bible!
God puts the pieces together even in the little things…
Through my many years of walking with the Lord, I’ve learn to recognize the fingerprints of God in just about everything that concerns me. This is why I’m not much for coincidences in my life.
Here’s a story that depicts what I mean. In 1964, I bought my first Bible as an adult believer. It was a Holman King James Version. I fell in love with that Bible. In fact I read it through in about two weeks. Haven’t been able to stop reading the Bible ever since.
But I had a quirk that Betty did not like. It was this tendency to give my Bible to someone who did not have one. She did not like me doing that because of all the personal notes that I make in my Bibles. She wanted each of our children to have one of my Bibles. But before I realized this, I managed to give my Holman Bible to an army nurse that Betty and I had been ministering to. (Believe it was somewhere around 1969.)
Well, since that time I’ve had all kinds of good Bibles. Yet for some reason I missed my Holman Bible. It wasn’t about it being a King James Version. No, there was something more. In fact I much perfer the New American Standard Bible. Perhaps it was just a memory that I had a hard time letting go of.
This morning that memory arose. Nathan and Lori had given me a gift certificate to Books-A-Million, for my birthday. Straight to the religious section I went. And there I saw it - ‘The Holman Illustrated Christian Study Bible.’ I picked it up, read through a bit, put it down, walked around. Came back, picked it up, put it down, wandered around a bit more. Came back the third time, picked it up, found me a chair, sat down and took a serious look at it. Man I dearly love Bibles.
After careful study I realized that the CSB was a very good translation. I’m a real stickler on a translation being without bias.
I found that the Holman Christian Standard Bible is as close to the NASB as you can get, and even offers some translation effects and notes that are extra-complimentary to the study of the Scriptures. Yes indeed. I bought me a new Holman Bible. Felt like my old Bible had come home. That may sound silly to others but not to me.
Am I giving up on my New American Standard Bible. Not at all. What I plan to do is to devour my new Christian Standard Bible in the next bit of time and refer to it as much as needed. (I’ve done this with other translations.) Until it is firmply planted in my heart to take up another translation as my primary ministry Bible, I’ll just stick with my NASB.
Yes indeed. The Lord puts all the pieces together.
And so, with my new Bible in hand and along with my trustful New American Standard…
Off to the mountains of Tennessee we will go…
Overlooking Gatlinburg
Yup, early Thursday morning, Betty and I, along with some of my Fletcher kin are headed for Gatlinburg, and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and surrounding areas. It is time for a bit of overdue vacation.
Smokey Mountains, look out, here we come!!
What do you think? Do you think that the Lord is able to put all the pieces of your life together?
This is what makes the Christian walk so adventurous. He is ever present to meet us at our point of need. Why not share some of your stories on this blog. I’d love to hear about those little things in your life that you know the Lord put together.
With that in mind, have you ever sat down just to wonder over all your blessings in life?
Its hard to do. We are so blessed. Even in our trials, we are able to look back and say, ‘The Lord met me there!’
Ok, I’ve said enough. Let’s give it up for ‘Count Your Blessings - Smokey Mountain Style.’
Don’t you just love Mountain music!
Don’t forget — Jesus really, really, loves you and do I.
Much love coming your way,
Buddy
