Letting the Word Work in You (and Your Family)

January 22, 2025

“For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.” (1 Thessalonians 2:13 NASB95)

The word of God is alive and powerful.  In the above verse, we see that the word of God will go to work in anyone who: 1) receives the word, 2) accepts it as the words of God and not man, and 3) believes the word.  What exactly will the word of God do within us?  It will transform us.  It will enlighten us.  It will strengthen us.  It will comfort us.  What blessings await us if we will diligently take the word of God into our hearts and unite it with faith!

Given all of this, isn’t it true that there is nothing more important for us to do than to infuse the word of God into our home life?  Won’t the word of God work powerfully within our spouses and children?  Won’t it bring blessings to our families? Won’t it set our children onto the best path in life?

I want to encourage you to spend time in the word with your family.  One of the best and simplest ways to do this is to listen to the word together.  This is something that my own family has started to do in a more systematic way.  We gather in the living room after dinner for 15-20 minutes (most evenings) and listen to the word via a Bible app.  We do have a goal of reading through the Bible this year, but that is not the main goal. Our main goal is this: to fill our minds with God’s word on a regular basis so that He can work in us. 

We hope to make this a lasting family tradition.  I encourage you to start a similar tradition with your family, if you haven’t already. I know it will be time well spent, and it will create fond memories for everyone.  I believe your children will enjoy it, and you will enjoy hearing their questions about God.  You can and should tailor this to your own needs:  perhaps you want to take turns reading aloud instead of using an app; perhaps your children would benefit from shorter or longer readings; perhaps you would like to start with the New Testament only.  Do what will work best for your family.  If you miss some evenings here and there, don’t fret about it.  Don’t give up.  The goal is not sticking exactly to the schedule, but to be in the word regularly, together.                   

May God bless us and work in us as we take in His holy word.

—Scott Colvin

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Posted by Scott Colvin

Encountering God in the New Year

January 9, 2025

I would like to encourage each of us to be Bible readers in 2025.  In a world where there are always things eagerly competing for our attention (many of them good things), it is important to commit ourselves to hearing the voice of God clearly and often.  There is nothing more important that we could do.

The word of God is eternal.  “Surely the people are grass.  The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:7-8 NAS95)   When we pick up the word of God, we hold the eternal in our hands.  When we read the word of God and reflect on it, we fill our minds and hearts with everlasting truth. 

The word of God is transformative. If we will give ourselves to hearing and heeding the word, it will change us (as God allows).  Sometimes it causes in us a radical, immediate change, and other times it molds and shapes us steadily over time as the words take root in our hearts. 

Don’t you want this in your life?  Is something holding you back from regular Bible reading?

Setting a reading schedule is a great idea, but don’t get overly focused on the schedule.  What I mean is, if you have determined to read every day, don’t get discouraged and quit if you miss a day (or a few of them).  Just start back up again.  Reading at a pace slower than we intended is infinitely better than not reading at all.  And don’t get discouraged if you come upon sections of scripture that you don’t understand right away.  You are reading the words of God—some things are going to be hard to understand.  Also, don’t be deterred from reading because you feel overwhelmed at the thought of reading the entire Bible.  If you struggle with this, why not determine to read the New Testament?  Or the Psalms?  Or one chapter of Proverbs each day for a month?  Or perhaps you could choose a book of the Bible and get into it very deeply by slowly meditating on every word.

And in all of our reading, allow me to encourage you to not see it as a checklist to accomplish each day.  It is much more than that.  It is an encounter with the Living God.  It is time spent in the heart of God.  It is building a relationship with Him.  Let me also encourage you, as you read, to ask the Lord to be your teacher.  Let us pray as David did, “Make me know Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths.  Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; For You I wait all the day.” (Psalm 25:4-5 NAS95) May God lead each of us in His truth and teach us His ways.

—Scott Colvin

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Posted by Scott Colvin

Growth in the New Year

January 1, 2025

My hope and prayer for all of you, and for myself, is that we will grow spiritually in the new year.  I pray that you will pursue spiritual growth with renewed focus and vigor, resulting in a rich, intimate communion with the Lord.  Spiritual growth is something that must be pursued—it doesn’t just happen on its own.  I want to encourage you to pursue an intentional program of growth in the year ahead. 

What might this look like?  First of all, we need to dedicate ourselves to being in the word of God.  Reading the Bible is not just reading any other book; it is actively taking in words of life that flow from the very mouth of God.  The word of God will change us!  It will transform us from the inside out, if we will allow it.  The word of God will bring light to our path and life to our souls.  I encourage you to begin (or begin again) a plan of reading and reflecting upon the word of God in your daily life in 2025.

Second, I encourage you to heed the words of the apostle Peter, who showed us how to grow.  “Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence…” (2 Peter 1:5a NASB95) With this statement Peter begins what is sometimes called the ladder of spiritual growth.  It is a list of qualities all Christians should pursue.  Each quality builds on the previous one and leads us to growth.  But notice where the process begins.  It all starts with making every effort to supply moral excellence.  What is moral excellence?  It is an uncommon, excellent, virtuous character.  Moral excellence is doing what is right and good in every situation.  It is choosing to do what is right even in the “little things.” It is choosing to do what is right even when no one is watching.  If we commit ourselves to moral excellence, we will grow, but if we don’t, growth will be stopped in its tracks.  I encourage you to decide that in 2025 you will pursue what is excellent with all your heart.

Think of where the Lord will take us in the new year if we will seek Him and stay near to Him!  The future is very bright, no matter what challenges lie ahead.  May God grant that each of us will grow in our faith in 2025.   

—Scott Colvin

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Posted by Scott Colvin

Small Changes, Meaningful Results

December 3, 2022

It is said that to modify our own behavior, three things are necessary: motivation, ability, and a prompt. Clearly motivation is important for changing behavior. No one will ever change if there is no desire to change. The second ingredient—ability—has to do with how easy a behavior is. The easier something is, the more likely we are to do it. The third ingredient—a prompt—is very helpful because we often need a nudge to do something even if we are highly motivated and capable. A prompt is a cue that reminds us to carry out a desired behavior. When these three ingredients are present, changing our habits for the better is much more likely.

I must admit that I do not like thinking of Bible reading merely as a “habit.”
It is much more than typical habits we think of, like making the bed or exercising, etc. When we read the word of God in faith, we are truly having an encounter with God. It is a transformational experience for the soul. With that said, I do wonder if we could use the above principles of behavior modification to create a healthy habit of regular Bible reading.

Let’s start with the third component — a prompt. What if you decided that every morning when your feet hit the floor you will read just a few verses before starting the day? Or maybe the prompt could be when you turn on your computer at the office, or perhaps when you pour your first cup of coffee. Take some time to think of a prompt that will work for you.

Let’s think about the second component—ability. The easier something is, the more likely you are to do it. So, make your Bible easy to access. Place your bible on your nightstand to be easily reached. Place it on your desk at work; visible and ready to go. Also, make things easy by deciding that you will read for only, say, 5 minutes. You could always read more if you choose, but if you can read for just 5 minutes, consider it a win. If you keep just a few verses in your heart throughout the day, it will be a tremendous blessing to you.

Finally, let’s think about motivation. This should be an easy one. Think about the words of Jesus, “…the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.” (John 6:63b NAS95) Or the words of the psalmist, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105 NAS95)

God’s word brings life, light, transformation, and renewal. If we will be diligent to spend time in His word on a regular basis, we will be richly blessed!

If you’re struggling to read the word regularly, perhaps these ideas will help you start down a lifelong path of blessings.

—Scott Colvin

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Posted by Russell Holden

It’s Not Too Late to Start a Bible Reading Plan!

January 1, 2021

You may be reading this between January 1st and 3rd. Even though 2021 has started, it is not too late to start a Bible reading plan!

First, you need to choose the Bible that you are going to use which includes the translation and the format — traditional book format or a device like a smart phone or tablet. No one needs a device to read the Bible, and many people may be happier without one. But for some of us devices provide convenience, compactness (a library of books in your pocket), and the one that means the most to me — I get to choose the font size.

Choose a translation with which you are comfortable. I prefer a formal equivalent translation (that’s more literal) like the ESV, KJV, NKJV, or NASB. But I must admit that the first time I read through the New Testament was in a functional equivalent (more thought for thought and in everyday language) like the NIV, CSB, NCV, or NET. You can always compare translations as you go, and over the years, you may choose different ones to read. As the quip goes, “What’s the best translation? The one you read.”

Second, find a plan. Reading through the Bible in a year is a great thing to do, and I’ve been doing it every year for decades, but that’s not where I started. Starting with that big of a goal may end up being frustrating. Maybe you start with something more manageable like attempting to read the New Testament (Matthew – Revelation) or the narrative portions of the Bible (Genesis-Esther and Matthew – Acts). Short plans on various Bible subjects exist as well. What is important is developing the habit of Bible reading. Once you have a consistent habit, you can add more reading or adjust your reading for the next year according to your needs.

YouVersion.com has a great app to begin with on a smartphone or tablet. The big plus is that it is free. It has lots of translations. It has lots of audio Bibles that can play along when you read. It allows highlighting, note taking, and it has lots of reading plans.

OliveTree.com has my favorite mobile app. You can start for free with the NIV, ESV, NKJV, and KJV. It also allows highlighting, note taking, and Bible reading plans. But for a fee, you can add additional study books like Bible dictionaries, atlases, study Bibles, commentaries, and audio Bibles. It also has a large selection of Bible reading guides. I consider YouVersion a great Bible reading app, and OliveTree is a great Bible study app because it offers more Bible study resources although at a fee. Both are excellent places to start.

Other serious Bible study apps to consider are Logos and Accordance. I use Olive Tree, Logos, and Accordance on a regular basis on my tablet, phone, and laptop.

A great number of guides can be found on the Internet by Googling. It’s not too late to start a Bible reading plan!

— Russ Holden

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Posted by Russell Holden

Chapters and Verses

October 27, 2020

The Bible was not written in chapters and verses. As helpful as chapters and verses are, they are a later addition to the text. The chapter divisions came first. They date from the thirteenth century and are usually attributed to Stephen Langton in an edition that he did of the Latin Vulgate. (However, the psalms were always individual poems.) The verse divisions were added by Robert Estienne (also known as Stephanus) in his fourth edition of the Greek New Testament in 1551. The first translation to employ his versification was the Geneva Bible (1560).

Since chapters and verses are imposed on the text, they sometimes introduce breaks at the wrong place for the reader. One sentence can run over several verses, and a new sentence can even begin in the middle of a verse. Some of the unfortunate verse breaks led to a quip about Robert Estienne’s work. He made the verse divisions while traveling by horse from Paris to Lyons. The quip says that some of the unfortunate divisions occurred because the horse stumbled. Estienne’s son, however, said that his father likely made the versification when he stopped at inns and not while he was actually riding his horse. The same thing can happen with chapter divisions. They also may break up material that really belongs together.

My advice is don’t read verses; read sentences and paragraphs. To try to understand a verse by itself without seeing it in the larger context of the sentence and paragraph is to make an interpretive mistake. The inspired authors of scripture were not writing in verses; they were writing sentences, paragraphs, and books. It is up to us as readers to understand how these meaningful groups of text fit together.

The need to read the Bible as a book and see beyond the chapter and verse numbers has caused a few publishers to be creative. Alexander Campbell, the Restoration Movement leader, published a New Testament that he called The Living Oracles. Campbell only had a verse number at the beginning of a paragraph. The ESV is now published in the ESV Bible, The Reader’s Edition. It has chapter markers but no verses within the text. Biblica, the copyright holder of the NIV, has published The Books of the Bible, which is an NIV edition without chapter and verse numbers. All these publishing endeavors are attempts at getting readers to see sentences, paragraphs, and books. In other words, to read the Bible in context. They are also not a replacement for your regular Bible.

Do I want to get rid of chapters and verses? Absolutely not! They are helpful in pointing people to a particular place in the text. I always want to give book, chapter, and verse for what I believe. However, I do want us to understand the origin and limitation of chapters and verses. They are convenient place markers and not thought units. As readers, we must read in context.

—Russ Holden

 

 

 

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Posted by Russell Holden

Bible Names

December 13, 2019

I was recently reading in 1 Chronicles as a part of my daily Bible reading. And I came across, “Abigail bore Amasa, and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmaelite” (1 Chronicles 2:17 ESV). I had to mentally stop and look at the context a bit, since the Abigail I’m more familiar with was the wife of David and widow of Nabal. The first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles are genealogies, so the reader is going through a great many names in a text that is packed with names.
Stopping and rereading a bit, I realized that this Abigail was David’s sister. Had I read this before? Absolutely. I have over a thirty-year habit of reading the Bible through in a year. Did I remember that David had a sister by the name of Abigail? No. But this incident reminds me that just as in real life, multiple people can share the same name. According to the Biographical Bible, there are 3,237 individuals named in the Bible with 1,443 who share a Bible name with someone else.

Recently, someone came to me with this same kind of issue about the name Zechariah. The two Zechariahs he was thinking about were not the same person, but he wasn’t certain. When we stopped and looked at the Bible contexts, it was clear that they could not be the same man. Actually, there are 32 Zechariahs in the Bible. This is the kind of helpful information the Bible dictionary can provide.

Bible dictionaries can help us keep names straight. We probably won’t remember every Zechariah in the Bible. Some of the men by this name are just barely mentioned. But there are some prominent Zechariahs: (1) Zechariah the prophet, see the book of Zechariah, (2) Zechariah, king of the northern kingdom, 2 Kings 14:29, (3) Zechariah, the last martyr of the Old Testament, 2 Chronicles 24:25, and (4) Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist.

The name Zechariah also reminds me of one of the peculiarities of the King James Version. In the KJV, Zechariah is Zacharias (Luke 1:4). A number of Bible names are transliterated from Greek and thus in a different form than what we expect from our reading of the Old Testament in English. Since many people read the KJV, it is important for readers to pick up on this peculiarity. The reader needs to recognize that Elias=Elijah, Eliseus=Elisha, Rachab=Rahab (although Rahab in Hebrews 11), Booz=Boaz, Ezekias=Hezekiah, Charran=Haran, Madian=Midian, and many other names. A Bible dictionary keyed to the KJV can help the reader make the proper connections to the Old Testament.

Bible names can also be hard to pronounce. Bible dictionaries sometimes give pronunciations. I like the pronunciation guide by W. Murray Severance, That’s Easy for You to Say, and there is even an app called Biblical Pronunciations.

I will probably never remember every individual named in the Bible. But it is important to remember the main characters because God used people to bring about his salvation. And just as he used people in the past, he continues to use people today to bring the good news to a world that desperately needs it.

— Russ Holden

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Posted by Russell Holden

What Translations Are People Reading?

November 29, 2019

What is the best Bible translation? I like the reply that says, “The one that’s read.” I’ve read many different translations in my Christian walk, and, clearly the statistics indicate we live in a multiple translation environment, so as we attempt to teach, we have to take that into account. Translation differences can often lead to interesting investigations to help us better understand a passage. But I’m curious about what people are reading.

What are the most purchased Bible translations? The following list is from August 2019 and compiled by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association.

  1. New International Version
  2. King James Version
  3. English Standard Version
  4. New Living Translation
  5. New King James Version
  6. Reina Valera (Spanish)
  7. Christian Standard Bible
  8. New International Reader’s Version
  9. New American Standard Bible
  10. The Message

The Barna Group did a survey in 2018 of the most read Bible translations.

  1. King James Version 31%
  2. New International Version 13%
  3. English Standard Version 9%
  4. New King James Version 7%
  5. Amplified 7%
  6. Christian Community 4% (originally produced in the Philippines)
  7. New American Standard 3%
  8. New Living Translation 2%
  9. Revised Standard 2%
  10. Contemporary English Version 2%
  11. New American Bible 2%
  12. All others (1% or less combined) 9%
  13. Not sure 8%

Dr. Jack P. Lewis did a review of Bible translations called The English Bible from KJV to NIV*. Lewis had the knowledge of the languages, and the book is a detailed oriented book. But one of his concluding thoughts may help us in our multi-translation world.

While versions differ in translating specific statements, all of the available English translations present the basic duties toward God and man. By comparing one with the other, the person with no language training can be warned about going astray because of the peculiarities of one translation. He may be challenged to new ideas by reading a new translation. The religious problems of the world are not caused by people reading different translations; the most serious problem is that many read no translation!*

— Russ Holden

*Jack P. Lewis, The English Bible from KJV to NIV, p. 412.

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Posted by Russell Holden

Why Do We Read and Study the Bible?

January 25, 2019

I encourage regular Bible reading and study. But our motivation will be enhanced as we think about what we should gain. I said “should” because I realize that a skeptic may read the Bible and profit little from it, although skeptics have been known to be converted by their Bible reading. I think much depends on an attitude of honest searching and enquiry. I’m reminded of Jesus’s teaching, “If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority” (John 7:17, ESV). Several passages speak to the why of Bible reading.
Deuteronomy 17:18-20 provide instructions for a future king of Israel.

And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel. (Deuteronomy 17:18–20, ESV)

The king is to have an approved copy of the law which he reads all of his life. This reading should lead to a fear of the LORD. We probably should feel terror if we are going away from God, because God is a consuming fire. But normally we think of this word “fear” in the sense of reverence and awe. Reverence leads to respect and a willingness to hear God’s word. This leads to obedience: “keeping the words” and “not turning aside … either to the right hand or the left.” The king should also learn humility before God and in dealing with others: “that his heart may not be lifted up above brothers.” One of the dangers of holding political power is that a ruler may think of himself as above the law. This is not just an ancient problem. It is a human problem that manifests itself even now, and it doesn’t have to restricted to rulers. People sometimes expect others to play by the rules from which they are very willing to exempt themselves. Finally, the king will be blessed in his reign by his meditation on God’s instructions.

I think this command to Israel’s king has instruction and application for us. Reading and meditation on God’s word may lead to reverence, obedience, humility, and blessings for us too. The blessings may differ, but God still blesses those who listen to him.

I have often pondered this command to the king, and Israel’s actual history. I suspect many of the kings failed to follow this instruction, and Israel’s history was a disaster because of it. Failure to read has consequences too. Deuteronomy 17:18-20 is a command fit for a king, but it also instructive to us who are brothers and sisters of King Jesus.

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Posted by Russell Holden

Basic Bible Study Tools: Maps and Atlas

January 18, 2019

The narratives of the Bible deal with real people, places, and events in history. Maps and atlases help us better understand the places of Bible events. With a map, I find the stories come alive in a way that wouldn’t happen without the map. When we read accounts of journeys, seeing a map of the journey and distances involved aids our understanding. This happens when you look at a map of the Exodus and Wilderness wanderings in the Old Testament or the Missionary Journeys of Paul in the New Testament. When reading the description of the tribal allotments in Joshua, it helps to see those tribal allotments on a map. It makes the descriptions become more meaningful, which otherwise might be a bit dry and meaningless to read. We read of military campaigns and political pressures on Israel. Maps help us visualize the situation. Some atlases may even give detailed maps of important battles. Seeing the various empires surrounding Israel and how those changed over time, helps us understand this history better. It is hard to understand the Babylonian Captivity, if you don’t know where Babylon is?

Many Bibles will contain a few maps at the back. Looking at those may help you understand the kinds of things you will find in an atlas but with greater detail and description. You typically find a topographical map which shows elevations and climate. Often your read of people going up to Jerusalem. If you use a map, you will find sometimes they are coming from north of Jerusalem. I typical say when I’m going south that I’m going down. But when you see the topography of the land, you realize they are talking from the standpoint of elevation. They are going up in the sense that they are at a lower elevation, and they are climbing to a higher elevation in Jerusalem. Climate information helps us recognize deserts and wilderness areas as opposed to places with more water or fertile plains and valleys.

Maps are also given for various historical periods. Typically, you will find a map for the Patriarch period, The Exodus and Wilderness Wanderings, a map of the tribes, the United Kingdom, the Divided Kingdom, the Assyrian Period, the Babylonian and Persian Periods, the Roman Empire, Israel during the Ministry of Jesus, and Paul’s Missionary Journeys. An atlas may also give you maps of the Hellenistic and Maccabean periods between the testaments as well. You may also find a map of Jerusalem, and in atlases maps of other cities of interest.

Using a map correctly means going to the right historical period in which you are studying. It’s helpful to notice the distance scale on a map. Remember there may be multiple cities with the same name. Be aware that some sites are questionable as to location because the memory of them has been lost in history, and a map may give you several alternatives.

My favorite Bible map at the moment is a mobile app called Bible Map from http://www.ploughboy.org. It gives the ESV text on the left with locations underscored as hyperlinks. Clicking on the location puts a pin on a Google map on the right. You can change the view of the Google map between standard, hybrid, and satellite. Clicking on the information button at the site pin will take you to a detailed description with photos. The app is free, but unfortunately, it is only available in Apple’s iOS operating system. I would still recommend using other maps and atlases, but this app provides quick answers when reading.

Maps and atlases are a basic Bible study tool which will enhance your study and knowledge of the Bible.

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Posted by Russell Holden

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