1 Picture Today - The Greenwich University in London
This is one of the many pictures I took of the Greenwich University in South East London, close to the Greenwich Maritime Museum and the Greenwich Mean Time. It is composed of some old buildings ;) that look very cool, and has lots of large and tall halls for lectures and stuff. Many times when you walk through you hear the students practicing the musical instruments... and when there's a nice weather, there's lots of people out on the grass! I apologize for this shallow introduction to such a wonderful university in London, but to find out more please visit the University of Greenwich website or University of Greenwich on wikipedia, the Greenwich maritime museum website, the Greenwich Mean Time / the GMT, etc. The best thing about this place is that there are SAINTS there, there are homes open around the campus, and there are many seeking students there!
1 Experience with the Lord - the Bible is the living Word of God, so real and nourishing!
What is the Bible to you? Is it just a book of knowledge? Is it a book of history? Or is it a book about God and His plan? Maybe you have read the Bible many times, but did this book become to you a book of life? I grew up reading the Bible, so I don't know as much history of my own country or of the world as much and as thorough as I know the history in the Bible. But at one point in time I had to make my own decision to continue reading the Bible and to continue feeding on the Lord. Actually, every day I need to make this decision - to drop other things and make time to read the Bible.
There are so many ways to read the Bible, but I recently started this "3 months reading through the New Testament" schedule, and it's going pretty good... - especially since there's the lettheword.com website where I can log in with my facebook credentials and input my daily reading! :) And I also have a companion to pursue with! That's so good... Now, as I'm reading through the New Testament, I am so impressed by the life of the Lord Jesus... He had 4 biographies that described many aspects of His life, His reaction to things happening, the persecution and opposition He encountered, the things He taught, the things He did... - so many things about Him.
But the Lord's life was kind of "tragic", since He died when He was 33 1/2 years old... Yet He resurrected and now - as we read in the book of Acts - He is with us all the time! It's amazing to see that the same Peter that the Lord rebuked and exposed so many times, the same Peter who denied the Lord - this one, after receiving the Lord's breath(John 20:22) / after receiving the divine life, he took the lead to speak for the Lord! And in one day there were 3000 people who received the Lord, and on another occasion 5000 more! What a difference does it make when you have the divine life! Peter became so mature, he took the lead in opening the gates of heavens with "the keys of the kingdom of the heavens" for the Jews (in Acts 2) and for the Gentiles(in the house of Cornelius, Acts 10).
As I'm reading the Bible, I'm so supplied and nourished! I love the Lord so much more, and I am so glad I can be washed by the water in the Word! I may not remember everything, but as I'm reading I love the Lord more and I know Him more.... It's not just words on the paper, and it's not just stories - even in Acts where we see that the Christian believers in the first century were persecuted and killed, we also see the Lord Jesus so present with them, giving them peace, speaking through them, strengthening them... There's a flow of the Spirit, there's a sweet church life, there's a speaking of the truth in the Bible... - it's the LIVING WORD OF GOD! I love the living Word of God, the Bible! It is so real, so nourishing!
I am praying that I would continue in this - it's a DAILY matter, a daily slot in my schedule - and I would read the Bible until I meet its Author! Let's pray for one another about this - that we would continue and persevere diligently in reading the Word of God daily... And maybe in the meantime I would get some companions who would also run with me in this!
I like this picture of Greenwich. As I was looking at it, I almost smelled London in winter the crisp air, the bundled up people, the rumbling cobblestone streets, the whole atmosphere and for a second I actually missed my time there.
ReplyDeleteAnd amen, keep eating, feasting, enjoying...I just want to ask you, and your readers one thing, why is it possible for us to read hundreds of pages of literature, novels, newspapers, magazines etc, but when someone thinks of reading the bible it becomes a chore? Why is it so "amazing" when someone says they read 6-8 chapters in one day? depending on the chapters that's no more than 10 pages. the NT (in spanish because that's the one that is nearest to me) has 1368 pages, footnotes included. the two Spanish literature books sitting next to me combined have close to 500, and I am required to read them in a matter of one week. (We are reading through them slowly.)
I would challenge you all, have a change of concept, IT IS NOT DIFFICULT to read through the NT in three months. IT IS NOT DIFFICULT to spend a year and read the whole bible, IT IS NOT DIFFICULT to read it multiple times during your high school years, and your college years, and even afterward. IT IS NOT DIFFICULT!
Much grace to you all, keep eating, enjoying, loving and reading the Word of our Belovéd.
WK, you've been a real pattern to me in reading the Bible in a regular and loving way :) I'm so glad to have saints around me who are pursuing life and truth in God's Word!
ReplyDeleteBut to answer your question - I guess that speaking for myself, reading the Bible comes less easily than reading a novel (in terms of desire and duration) because it really requires a denying of the soul-life.
So even for reading the Bible, I need to exercise, to practice, and I need the Lord to strengthen us through His Spirit into our inner man. Because I can't do it by myself!
So Lord, do change our concept, and also strengthen us to love Your Word!