One is from Anne Graham Lotz, daughter of the great preacher Billy Graham. Billy calls her the best preacher in the family. I can see why:
"My duties and responsibilities at times seem overwhelming
and my schedule is overfilled.
But I don't want a vacation,
I don't want to quit,
I don't want sympathy,
I don't want money,
I don't want recognition,
I don't want to escape,
I don't even want a miracle!...
"Just give me JESUS."
Yep. Forget the problems and even the blessings... Let's go back to God Himself.
The other book I bought is the popular contemporary Bible translation, "The Message". I've been "craving" for it for some time already --- from the verses I've heard, Mr. Eugene Peterson talks straight and talks street. God's Truth is supposed to be sharper than a double-edged sword and The Message does deliver that truth in a powerful and (for people who've read the Bible for years) fresh way.
What to do? The same thing a good Christian, a good scientist, or any person for that matter should do. Check, test, verify.
The Christ-believers in Berea used the scientific method two thousand years ago:
"Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for
they received the message with great eagerness and examined the
Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." - The Book of Acts
Alrighty. Receive with an open heart ("great eagerness") but also an open mind ("examined to see if... true"). To apply to this situation, read The Message with "great eagerness" but continue to read the other versions of the Bible as well --- the others already established as authentic.
Any Bible translation is a human and therefore feeble attempt to record and resend the Word of God Himself. However, if it is True, then it would be able to shine a different facet of the same God-diamond.
That's it. Enough blogging. Now to sleep, and tomorrow, to read. :)
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