Why Read the Bible

In his New York Times bestseller, The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren explores the question, What On Earth Am I Here For?
In answering that question he says our time on earth should be used to “practice” the kinds of things we will do during our eternal life in heaven and he defines those activities worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry and evangelism.
Rick Warren quotes nearly a 1000 Bible verses from 15 different Bible translations in his book. He makes the case that the Bible is the Manual God provides so that we make the best possible use of our short time on earth.
Rick Warren has endeavored to broaden for his readers the meaning of Bible verses by comparing translations and paraphrasing in an attempt to let readers view Gods truth in a broadened perspective.

My incredible realization that the Bible provides every guideline to live the life God intends for us has been a springboard for me to work harder to fully understand this Manual.
I think I’m like a lot of people who consider themselves Christians. Through faith, I truly have accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior but in no way can I consider myself devoted to studying Scripture to a level where I freely quote it and intimately know the structure of the Bible.
In my mind I’ve often made the excuse that I just am not the kind of person who memorizes easily. And I am deeply moved when Scripture is explained and brought alive by people gifted with such ability. But I personally struggle to read and receive deep understanding when its just me and my Bible. It just always sounds better coming from someone else.

I don’t know if there are others like me….. I struggle with all Manuals unless they are very simply constructed with lots of simple drawings to explain the instructions. Most pieces of new technology that become available these days..and there’s a steady stream of them, come with a thick manual. I know that I manage to get the bare basics out of them but more often than not do not get the full understanding that is available.

So if I understand and believe that the Bible is the most important manual I will ever lay my hands upon I had better figure out how to use it to its maximum capability.

In knowing that it truly is Gods’ handbook for our lives, it is amazing how new and deeper meaning keeps coming out of its pages even as civilization challenges and expands the boundaries of knowledge at record pace.

I read Hemmingways’ explanation of good writing once. He described it as the ability to explain something very complicated in a simple easy to understand way. I think that is what God has done as He uses easy to understand examples to explain what He is trying to get across to us. But sometimes his examples are not easy to understand at least from a laymans point of view.