All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. (2nd Timothy 3:16)
The old pastor had loved his New Testament and used it for so long that the cover was tattered and torn. Yet he had marked so many of its passages, and he had notes in the margins that he didn’t want to lose, so he decided instead of replacing it, to have the little book rebound in fine Moroccan leather. He wanted the book binder to print his own name on the cover and to print in gold on the binding, “The New Testament.” He agreed to come back a week later for his Bible.
A week later he returned to find the book binder had indeed rebound the book, and done a wonderful job. But the book binder had an apology to make. “You see, I didn’t have type small enough to put the title on the edge. The words ‘The New Testament’ were too large to fit on the binding, so I just had to use the abbreviations.”
There on the edge of the book, the man saw T.N.T.
The book binder could not have been more correct.
God’s word is dynamite.
It fuels our hopes and our dreams. It arouses us to do our duty and it brings us closer to the Author. It prepares us to live for Him. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation and more powerful than any other book on earth. It was written by the Righteous One just for us. It is good “for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).
However, it does no good to just own a Bible; the real power is in reading and following its words. Take some time each day to get lost in the wonder of this love letter from God to you.
Start with the wonderful stories in the first book of the Bible. Imagine in your mind the creation of all things and the flood and the journeys of Abraham. Or you could start with the gospels; I suggest Luke and the stories of Jesus from the eyes of a trained observer.
You will be amazed and blessed from the greatness of our God.
“The Word of God I think of as a straight edge, which shows up our own crookedness. We can’t really tell how crooked our thinking is until we line it up with the straight edge of Scripture.” -Elisabeth Elliot