"Love Does: Discover a secretly incredible life in an ordinary world" book review

 The first time I ever heard about Bob Goff was on The Glenn Beck Podcast. I was very impressed with his unbridled joy. You can tell that this is a guy who just loves life! You hear people talk about the joy of the Lord. Well, Bob Goff is overflowing with that. Even better than that, you can tell that he not only loves life, but he loves people. The more you hear about his life story and how he just puts himself out there for people, even putting his phone number in the back of his books, is a testimony to that fact. This is a guy that doesn't wait for things to happen. He makes them happen. And he does it with a smile. The next time I saw Bob Goff was an interview on TBN with Matt and Laurie Crouch. I enjoyed Matt’s interactions with Bob and how open he was with him. But that's not hard to believe. Bob Goff seems like the kind of guy you would feel comfortable sharing things with that you might not say to other people. So, obviously, I'm a huge fan of Bob Goff.

The first book that Bob Goff ever wrote was a book called Love Does. I started reading it a few times but never got beyond the first couple of chapters. Last night, I started over from the beginning again, which I had already read a few times, and read all the way through to the end. In the book, Bob Goff tells many great stories of how he has lived “a secretly incredible life in an ordinary world.” The stories in this book exemplify how Bob has allowed love for Christ and just loving people, in general, to lead his life make this book a page-turner that is hard to put down. As much as I like Bob Goff and his writing, I was not prepared for the few things that I heard that I wasn't comfortable with because they are just plain wrong and in error.

Here is an example of what I mean from the book: “I used to think I had missed the mark and God was mad about it, but now I know ‘missing the mark’ is a stupid analogy.” I had to reread that several times because it is so blatantly opposed to what the word of God teaches, especially when you look at the original languages. The very definition of sin is missing the mark. The Greek word for “sin” is “hamartia.” It is derived from the root word “hamartanō,” which historically was an archery term meaning “miss the mark.” Not only is “missing the mark” not a “stupid analogy,” it is one of the exact definitions of sin, which is what separates us from God, which is the whole reason for the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross in the first place. Basically, sin--missing the mark--is one thing that, without it, Christianity and its central theme of forgiveness and redemption in Christ alone make absolutely no sense. It is not a stupid analogy. It’s the very definition of the word!

Another point Bob makes in his book is that Jesus didn't spend a lot of time focused on the devil. Now, it would be fair to say that Jesus didn't spend all of his time talking about Satan. He wasn't one of those people that saw a demon around every corner or was so obsessed by the tactics of his enemy, but defeating the devil is why he came. The Bible is not a book about Satan. The central theme of the scriptures is Jesus Christ, not the enemy. But to give off the idea that Jesus rarely talked about him or that Jesus de-emphasized Satan to such a degree that he barely mentioned him at all, well, that just ignores everything the Bible reports “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work” (1 John 3:8 NIV). The mission statement of Jesus’ ministry was to destroy the works of the devil! God’s spiritual adversary is one of the first beings we meet in scripture (Genesis 3). He shows up several more times in the Old Testament, perhaps most prominently in the early chapters of the book of Job (Job 1-2). But in the New Testament, especially during the ministry of Jesus, Satan and the kingdom of darkness really “come out to play.” By my count, the accuser I speak of is mentioned 29 times in the four Gospels about Jesus’ life alone, more than any other section of scripture. Jesus didn’t obsess over Satan, but neither was the devil, the minor player this book seems to imply.

And that brings me to the final point that I wish to make in this post. I keep hearing this false choice between loving the Bible and the Jesus that the Bible points to. This is another point in Bob's book that I have an issue with. Anything that does not place a high premium on God's revelation to mankind--the Bible--as the standard of truth and the primary way God speaks to us is definitely a concern. I also take issue with those who claim that the Bible is the only way God speaks to us. I am not a cessationist. I wholeheartedly believe God speaks to and reveals things to individuals today. But it is an absolute must that anything anyone says, whether they claim the Lord has spoken to them or not, must be tested by the word of God! “Sanctify them by the truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:17 NIV). That can also be translated, “Sanctify them to live in accordance with the truth. Your word is truth.” “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).

To be clear, Bob Goff is not a false prophet. That's not what I'm saying by that last scripture reference. I am saying that everything everyone says, even if they are trustworthy sources, should be measured against what God says. And the rubric he has given us for determining what is true or false, good or bad, right or wrong is the Bible. So let us not discard it in pursuit of what is supposed to be a deeper, more present relationship with Jesus. Let us pursue a deeper, more present relationship with Jesus based on God's word, with the Bible being the primary, though again not the only, way he speaks to us. As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” The very first thing Jesus said in his answer that became the Olivet Discourse is, “Watch out that no one deceives you” (Matthew 24:3-4 NIV). “A recent LifeWay study found that only 32 percent of Americans who ‘attend a Protestant church regularly say they read the Bible personally every day.’ Evangelical Protestants faired a little better (36 percent), but not much” (Bible Literacy Crisis! (And What You Can Do About It in 2020 by Justin Dillehay and Ivan Mesa on January 14, 2020). Overall, I think the book was good, despite the negatives that cannot be ignored. I’m still looking forward to reading Goff’s second book that I have yet to read. Maybe one of these days, I’ll even put his personal phone number in the back of his books to good use. This post is only an attempt to stand for the truth, not attack one of God’s genuine servants with whom I disagree.

What to write about

I have tried to write several times tonight, but I'm just not feeling anything I started doing. So now, here I am just writing out loud, so to speak, while listening to Love Does by Bob Goff. Writing while listening to an audiobook is probably not the best idea, especially since I just shared a link the other day titled Christians Can't Multitask. But here I am at 10:21 P.M., doing it anyway.

Maybe I just have too much on my mind to write about anything I would usually be writing about. There's a lot of stuff going on, and it feels like it is all converging all at once. At the same time, there are so many unknown variables that it's a little unsettling. I am not a planner. One of the great surprises of each day is not knowing when someone might call you up or send you a message letting you know they are coming over to hang out or go somewhere. But it's a little different when the unknown variables aren't fun surprises but related to needs. When you're supposed to be moving, but you don't know what day, so you don't know when to ask for help, when to start alerting all the people and utility companies that need to know, all of a sudden, the unknown isn't as fun and adventurous as it is at other times. Nonetheless, here I am.

I feel like I have been very patient during three months of unknowns and more significant needs than I usually have. And it's not that my patience is running out. It's just not convenient and makes me feel like I am being inconsiderate of all the people who need to know when I need to move. I can't just snap my fingers at any time and have a group of people coordinated to help me more stuff whenever I get the last-second notice and the key to the new place. So while I am not personally impatient, I guess you could say I am getting impatient on behalf of all the people involved with all of this in one way or another.

And of course, right on cue, as I am typing this, I hear Bob Goff say, "I used to think I could shape the circumstances around me, but now I know Jesus uses circumstances to shape me." So I'll just keep doing the best I can every day, prepare how I can, keep trying to get all the information I can, and pray for the best each day. Maybe this is what I needed to write about because I feel better than when I started this. Besides, I have a lot to be thankful for despite all the things that could be going better. One of the best gifts I have gotten over the last couple of years is a gratitude journal. When you focus on what you have to be thankful for, it leaves less room to be discontent. I just need to remind myself of that as I enter some new chapters that I am still unsure about.

At least I figured out what to write about.

"42" movie review

I watched the movie 42 yesterday. It's about the career of Jackie Robinson, the first African American baseball player to play in the major leagues. The film looks at how Jackie Robinson was treated by the media, opponents, and even teammates. It looks at the motives of the Dodgers owner, Wesley Branch Rickey, who first had the idea to bring a black player into Major League Baseball. It also shows some of the changing attitudes of people as the story progresses.

I would recommend this movie to anyone looking for a good story about the history of racism in the United States, particularly in the Democrat-controlled South during the Jim Crow era. This film explores the realities of what black Americans had to endure for about a century after the Civil War. But it is also a story of inspiration. It not only shows the importance of standing up for what's right but the right way to do it. There are times in the movie when Jackie Robinson wishes to lash out in anger at the people who are exercising prejudice against him because of his skin color, but he does not respond in kind. He does not react violently, even though there are times where he desires to do so. Instead, he puts into practice the words of Jesus and the words of scripture. Turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:38-40). Love your enemies and pray for those that persecute you (Matthew 5:44). Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21).

These principles are the right way to handle things when we are persecuted or done wrongly. Where there are legitimate grievances about race or how people are treated in certain circumstances, the principles in this film shows the reasonable way to deal with those injustices on the individual level. Love does not destroy property, livelihoods or hurt and murder innocent people. It responds in nonviolent ways, maintaining peace as much as possible (Romans 12:18), and succeeds through triumphing over obstacles and the odds, no matter how much the deck is stacked against the person.

I also like how this movie shows the possible redemption even to those who have previously done wrong. As I said above, there are several times in this movie where people start out with a prejudiced attitude toward Jackie Robinson and either don't want to play on the same field he is as an opponent or even be his teammate in some cases. Yet, some of these same people, over time, change their attitude. Some say, "People never change." I say, and the Bible says, "Everyone can change." Do all people change? No. Is it possible for them all to change? I would say, "Yes!" This movie does an excellent job of showing that it can happen. I would only add to that this: Actual, lasting change only comes from the inside out, not through behavior modification. True, inside-out transformation only comes through Jesus Christ. I am glad for the faith references in the movie. It does not shy away from talking about God or his principles and commands for living. There is also some blasphemy in the film, not a lot, but some. But overall, I think this movie has a lot more good than bad in it and can teach many valuable principles, especially given where we have put ourselves unnecessarily as a nation.

After 20 years, Jacob begins returning home.

When reading the Bible, we must remember that these are real people like us. They have dreams, hopes, plans, feelings and live in an environment filled with temptations. Yes, it is an ancient text, but some problems and struggles stretch across all times and cultures. Today, we will be looking at Genesis 30:25-31:55.

Jacob asked to be sent back to his own land with all the wives and children he earned from his service to Laban for such a long time. Laban rightly observes that God has blessed Laban because of Jacob. It seems like Laban is offering more to Jacob to get him to stay longer so that the blessings will continue to flow Laban's way. Jacob agrees that his 20 years of service have caused Laban to be blessed and asks him when he will start earning for himself and his family. To read more about Jacob's proposal to Laban's request, I encourage you to read Jacob’s Odd “Breeding" Program of Genesis 30 by Troy Lacey.

As Genesis 31 begins, God tells Jacob to finally return to the land of his ancestors. Jacob calls for his wives, Leah and Rachel, and explains the decision to them. In a rare occurrence of agreement, they are entirely on board. As they are preparing, though, Rachel steals her father's teraphim. Meanwhile, the deception one-upmanship between Jacob and Laban continues because Jacob has yet to declare to Laban what God has told him. Instead, they rise early one morning and leave before anyone notices. It's not until three days later that it is noticed that Jacob is gone. Laban goes in pursuit, but it takes him and his traveling company a week to catch up to Jacob and his family, but before he does, God warns him in a dream to be careful how he speaks to Jacob, that his speech does not turn evil against him. Laban disguises his criticism as a lament that he did not get to say goodbye or give them a sending-off party. Laban also inquires as to why his household gods were stolen. Jacob says he left the way he did because he feared violence from Laban if they tried to go with his knowledge. Then he says, "With whomsoever, you find your gods—he must not live," having no idea that Rachel took them (31:32). Rachel hides them under where she is sitting and lies during the search saying that she can't rise for anyone to search under her because she is on her period. At the end of the chapter, Jacob and Laban make a covenant.

There are many important things to learn from these chapters. What this has reminded me of is the importance of trusting God as your ultimate source and not one's own plans. All the planning in the world can't account for the uncountable number of variables that can occur at any given time. We must trust the Lord with all and for all. We can save ourselves much stress, anxiety, and headache when we do that. 

Before you begin Bible study

"Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God" (John 8:47). Many people fail at Bible study before they ever begin. One of the main reasons for this is they do not fulfill the prerequisites required for effective Bible study. A "prerequisite" is "a thing that is required as a prior condition for something else to happen or exist" (Google Dictionary). A prerequisite for effective Bible study is actually belonging to God. Most of us have heard the phrase, "We're all God's children. That sounds good, and it might make you feel good, but it's not true. We're all God's creatures, but we are not his children until you "declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead. [Then] you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved" (Romans 10:9-10 NIV). "Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:12 NIV). Until you receive him, you are not his child. "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires" (John 8:44 NIV). If you want to understand the Bible, I highly recommend getting to know its divine author first. "Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:20-21 NIV). When you receive Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside you. Then you can begin to understand the Bible in ways you never have before, as God not only helps you know it but illuminates it to you so that you can apply Scripture specifically to your life. Jesus said, "But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you" (John 14:26 NIV). Thus, we have not only been given good Bible teachers to learn from. We have the Holy Spirit inside of us so we can discover God's truths ourselves. Our faith should not be secondhand but real and personal.

The Apostle Paul wrote in his first letter to the church at Corinth, "Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly" (1 Corinthians 3:1-2 NIV). Likewise, he wrote in Hebrews 5:12-13 NIV, "In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness." Spiritual milk is the elementary truths of the Bible that all believers must know. It's sort of like the training wheels of faith. "But [spiritual] solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil" (Hebrews 5:14 NIV).

There are three steps to moving from milk to solid food:

1. "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation" (1 Peter 2:2 NIV).
2. "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says" (James 1:22 NIV). David wrote, "I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts. I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might follow your word. I have not departed from your laws, for you, yourself have taught me. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore, I hate every wrong path" (Psalm 119:99-104 NIV).
3. "My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding—indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God" (Proverbs 2:1-5).

You crave the milk, are obedient to what you learn in the Bible, and then you search for solid food. 

Three of the best Bible study methods for accomplishing this goal are:

1. Studying the Bible by books
2. Studying the Bible by chapters
3. Studying the Bible by subject analysis

What are you living for?

What are you living for? Why are you here? Are you here to get as much out of life as you can, to accumulate whatever you can? Jesus said, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be" (Matthew 6:19-21 NIV).

Is pleasure what you are all about? "By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt because he was looking ahead to his reward" (Hebrews 11:24-26 NIV).

Or are your motives more altruistic? Is another person, a relationship, a spouse, a child your reason for living? Jesus said, "Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it" (Matthew 10:37-39 NIV). Another gospel account says, "You cannot be my disciple unless you love me more than you love your father and mother, your wife and children, and your brothers and sisters. You cannot come with me unless you love me more than you love your own life" (Luke 14:26 CEV).

"But more than anything else put God's work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well" (Matthew 6:33 CEV). That's what this life is all about. It's not that nothing else matters, but it's that all the other good things are gifts from God. He is to be the central focus of our lives, the hub from which all the other good things flow. When we die, we are taking as much out as we came with, nothing. So invest in eternity, in your heavenly bank account if you will. If you have trusted in Christ alone for the forgiveness of your sins, then everything you do to advance his kingdom and live in obedience to him will count toward your eternal rewards. Remember that every day, all throughout your day, and even the most everyday tasks will take on eternal significance if you see them as opportunities to serve Christ.

The problem of and solution for infertility

 The last time we did anything related to the Genesis study, we looked at Leah and Rachel's competition for their husband Jacob's love. Jacob and Rachel were in the throes of a love story to which Leah was not invited. Nonetheless, her father, Laban, tricked Jacob into marrying Leah instead of Rachel because Jacob had agreed to work for Laban for seven years to marry Rachel. So Laban figured he could get double the time from Jacob by forcing him to marry Leah first. Fortunately for Laban, Jacob loved Rachel so much that he was willing to work 14 years just to marry her. God saw how unloved Leah was. So he caused her to have six sons and a daughter by Jacob while Rachel remained unable to conceive for a long time. Finally, Rachel was able to get pregnant and give Jacob two sons: Joseph and Benjamin. This explains later why we see that these two are Jacob's favorites. They were the product of the wife he actually loved and the only one he actually wanted to marry in the first place.

We move into Genesis 30, where this soap opera love triangle between Jacob, Rachel, and Leah continues. I already told you that Rachel bore Jacob's two sons, but as the chapter opens, she is still childless. So, in ever so dramatic fashion, she says to Jacob, "Give me children, or I'll die!" As I said the last time in the Genesis study, it's not like Jacob was doing his part. After all, the Bible says that Rachel was much more beautiful than Leah, and Jacob loved her more. He wouldn't even be married to Leah if he hadn't been tricked into it. That's what Jacob means when he says, "Am I in place of God, who has kept you from having children?" I wouldn't be surprised if Jacob's conversation began the same way one of Adam's conversations with God did: "This woman you gave me..."

Rachel, showing the impatience that characterized other founding Hebrew matriarchs, tried to help God out by giving Jacob her servant Bilhah to him as a wife. Bilhah conceived and gave birth to a son they named Dan. Here, "Dan" means "he has vindicated" because Rachel said, "God has vindicated me. He has listened to my plea and has given me a son." Bilhah conceived a second time and bore Jacob a son named Napthali (My Struggle) because Rachel said, "I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won." Side note: The title of Adolf Hiter's book Mein Kampf is "My Struggle" when translated into English. I'm not at all comparing Rachel to Hitler. I noticed that when I looked up the meaning of the name. It caught my attention. Call me "Captain Obvious," but Leah and Rachel's relationship is not a healthy one. To be fair, everyone was put into what must have seemed like an impossible situation by Laban, but here they were. You can't change the past. You can only go forward and make the best of the future. The sibling rivalry between the sisters is compounding the dysfunction, however. This is seen in Leah's next move of "Anything you can do, I can do better." Leah gives her servant Zilpah to Jacob as a wife, just as Rachel had done with Bilhah. She produced a son named Gad (Good Fortune) because Leah said, "What good fortune!" When Zilpah became pregnant again, Leah was happy. So she named him Asher (Happy).

During wheat harvest one year, Jacob and Leah's eldest son, Reuben, went out into the fields and found some mandrake plants. Reuben brought them to Leah, prompting Rachel to ask Leah for some of them. Leah replied, "Wasn't it enough that you took my husband? Will you take my son's mandrakes too?" Rachel responded, "Very well. He can sleep with you tonight in return for your son's mandrakes." So when Jacob came in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him. "You must sleep with me," she said. "I have hired you with my son's mandrakes." So he slept with her that night. So what is this all about because if I loved someone, I wouldn't be okay with them sleeping with someone else and willing to trade that for mandrakes? Mandrakes were small yellow berries that were believed to be an aphrodisiac that increased fertility. So Reuben is doing this on behalf of his mom. The root word of the Hebrew word for "mandrake" means "love." Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, has a nickname: The Lady of the Mandrake.

So Jacob sleeps with Leah, and God listens to her so that she becomes pregnant again. Leah then begins to think, "God has rewarded me for giving my servant to my husband." So she named him Issachar (Reward). Then she got pregnant again with a sixth son called Zebulun (Honor) because she said, "God has presented me with a precious gift. This time my husband will treat me with honor because I have borne him six sons." Sometime later, she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah (Avenged, Judged, Vindicated).

Finally, God remembers Rachel, listens to her, and enables her to conceive. Finally, although we can feel bad for Leah for being put in a situation she should have never been put in, this isn't fair to Jacob and Rachel either, who really did love each other. So Rachel's prayers are finally answered, and she can conceive. She gave birth to a son named Joseph (May He Add), saying, "God has taken away my disgrace. May the LORD add to me another son."

God is mentioned seven times in Genesis 30. When we mark him, here is what we learn about God from this chapter. God is the one who makes people capable of having children. He listens to prayers, even to prayers that seem like they take forever to answer. Remember how long it took for Abraham and Sarah's prayer to be answered. Now we can see how long it has taken Rachel's prayer to be answered. An old but true saying is, "God's delays are not God's denials." If you have been praying for something and have not received it, it doesn't mean God isn't there, can't hear you, or isn't interested. It just may not be the right time yet. People get stuck in ruts when they try to come up with their own plan or help God out rather than waiting on his timing. This chapter says God remembers people. Don't forget that.

So that's what this chapter says about God, but what about infertility? The Bible is not silent on that issue either. Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelek, his wife, and his female slaves so they could have children again, for the Lord had kept all the women in Abimelek's household from conceiving because of Abraham's wife Sarah (Genesis 20:17-18). When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to create, but Rachel remained childless (Genesis 29:31). God listened to Leah, and she became pregnant (Genesis 30:17). Then God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and enabled her to conceive (Genesis 30:22). Zechariah and Elizabeth were not able to create until they were very old. Then Zechariah's wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. "The Lord has done this for me," she said. "In these days, he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people" (Luke 1:7, 24-25). Elkanah gave Hannah double portions of sacrifice meat because he loved her and God had closed up her womb, for which her rival kept provoking her to irritate her. One day, Hannah was weeping bitterly in prayer about this when she made a vow, saying, "LORD Almighty, if you will only look on your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head." Early the following day, they arose and worshiped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. So over time, Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel (Heard By God), saying, "Because I asked the LORD for him." The Psalmist wrote, "You created my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be (Psalm 139:13-16). These passages make it clear that it is God who gives children. It seems like there is a connection in some cases to women especially loved by their husbands getting fewer children and/or waiting longer than those desperate for love (examples: Leah, Hannah, Sarah). There is so much pain and heartache connected with infertility, which is why we need to adhere to what the Bible has told us when facing barrenness, looking to God alone as the source for having children, not concubines or mandrakes.

Versions of the Bible

The Lord gave the word. Great was the company of those that published it (Psalm 68:11). A version is a particular form of something differing in certain respects from an earlier form or other forms. It is a special edition or translation of a book or other work. There are many different types of Bible translations in our English language. It's not that they say different things. A misconception among some of the Bible's less knowledgable detractors is that the Bible has been changed so much over time because one translation copies another that copied the one before that and so on. But that's not at all how the process works. The content of each translation is essentially the same, with minuscule differences. The main differences come from translation philosophy.

The Old Testament was written almost entirely in Hebrew, except for a couple of passages in Daniel and Nehemiah, written in Aramaic. Jesus and his disciples primarily spoke Aramaic, the common language of Judea in the first century AD, most likely a Galilean dialect distinguishable from Jerusalem. The villages of Nazareth and Capernaum in Galilee, where Jesus spent most of his time, were Aramaic-speaking communities. It is also likely that Jesus knew enough Koine Greek--the New Testament's language--to converse with those not native to Judea, and it is reasonable to assume that Jesus was well-versed in Hebrew for religious purposes.

One of the reasons we have so many Bible translations is because a language changes over time. So words take on a different meaning as society changes. To take an obvious example, just a generation ago, the term "gay" meant something very different. It simply meant "to be happy." Today, the word "gay" refers to same-sex attraction and relationships and has become a synonym for homosexuality. The Flintstones theme song's last line is, "We'll have a gay old time." That doesn't mean Fred and Barney were spending too much time alone when their minds were telling them "no," but their bodies were telling them "yes." The song was written in a decade when "gay" meant something entirely different than it does now. So if somebody was translating something from a generation ago, they might word it differently than they do today. Language is constantly evolving and changing. Different translations are meant to update and clarify how that language changes so that translations stay true to the original texts of the Bible.

We have different translations because of the translation principles committees use to translate to English or another language. One type of translation philosophy is called formal equivalence. This is sometimes referred to as a word-for-word style. This translation method seeks to find the most exact English word that corresponds with the original Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek. Formal equivalence translations tend to have a higher reading grade level and can be more challenging for some people to read because the goal is literalness over smoothness. But they are great for in-depth study because you're getting as close as possible as you can to the actual words of the text from one language to another. A few examples of formal equivalence translations are the Literal Standard Version (LSV), the Lexham English Bible (LEB), the New American Standard Bible (NASB), the King James Version (KJV), the New King James Version (NKJV), and the Modern English Version). Another translation philosophy is called dynamic equivalence. This is sometimes called "thought-for-thought." This differs from the other translation philosophy because its goal is to bring the fullness of the original biblical authors' message into English without trying to find an exact match for every single word. The result is an easy-to-read text capable of being read on a lower grade reading level with a more natural English flow than the other translation philosophy allows. Some examples of Dynamic Equivalence translations are The Message (MSG), The International Children's Bible (ICB), the Contemporary English Version (CEV), and the New Living Translation (NLT). The New International Version (NIV) is unique in that it tries to find the perfect balance between these two approaches, balancing transparency to the original with clarity of meaning. For that reason, the NIV has been the number one best-selling Bible translation for at least a decade.

The books of the Bible

Please, LORD, hear my prayer and give me the understanding that comes from your word (Psalm 119:69). As I talked about last time, the Bible comprises 66 books divided into the Old Testament (39 books) and New Testament (27 books).

It is crucial to have a systematic plan for reading the Bible because only when we read and study all of it throughout our lives can we get a comprehensive view of God's general revelation to humanity. Too many people only focus on their favorite verses or books. Worse yet, others don't even read the Bible. They are "hooked on a feeling" that they get from particular motivational speakers disguised as Bible teachers. However, they never open the Bible to read and study for themselves. Their relationship with God is secondhand at best. A systematic plan for Bible study and reading can help keep a person accountable while ensuring that they are getting a balanced diet of God's word and not just all the dessert parts. Another good reason to have Bible reading plans throughout your life is the more you read it and get to know it, the more it becomes a part of you, making you more equipped to make decisions, recognize God's voice, and always be ready to give an answer when someone asks you about your hope (1 Peter 3:15).

Included here is a three-year Bible reading plan from Tim LaHaye's book How to Study the Bible for Yourself. Also included is a Family Life Seminar template for starting your own spiritual journal that goes nicely with the three-year reading plan or could be used with your own reading plan if you already have one.

THREE-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN

• 1 John (Every day for 7 days)
• The Gospel of John twice (4 chapters a day)
• The Gospel of Mark twice (4 chapters a day)
• The 10 short epistles of Paul (If possible read the entire epistle in one daily period: Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon)
• The Gospel of Luke (4 chapters a day)
• The book of Acts (4 chapters a day)
• The book of Romans (2 – 3 chapters a day)
• The entire New Testament twice (4 chapters a day)
• The wisdom literature of the Old Testament (1 chapter daily from the book of Proverbs and 2 chapters daily starting in Job and working through Psalms, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon for 4 months.
• Selected books repeatedly (1 book every day for 30 days)
•  First John, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, First Thessalonians, James, Romans chapters 5-8, and John chapters 14-17
• Read the Bible through in one year using a blended plan of the Old and New Testaments

FIVE THINGS TO INCLUDE IN YOUR DAILY SPIRITUAL JOURNAL

1. God's message to me today
2. A promise from God
3. A command to keep
4. A timeless principle
5. How does this apply to my life?

Happy studying!

Introducing the Bible

All scripture is God-breathed and valuable for teaching the truth, convicting of sin, correcting faults, and training in right living. Thus, anyone who belongs to God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The four purposes of the Bible are given in those two verses. The English word "Bible" is derived from  Koinē Greek and means "the books." The word itself had the literal meaning of "paper" or "scroll" and came to be used as the common word for "book" (Bible- Wikipedia). "Scripture" is the sacred writings of a particular religion ("Scripture"- Google Dictionary). When referring to scripture in my writing, I am constantly referring to Christianity's holy writings in the Bible. The two major divisions of the Bible are the Old Testament and New Testament. The word "testament," in biblical use, is a covenant or dispensation ("Testament"- Google Dictionary). The Old Testament has 39 books, and the New Testament has 27 books.

The divisions of the Bible are not as canonized as its contents, however. Christians usually divide the Old Testament into four sections: Law, History, Poetry, and Prophets. Within the prophets, some divide them between the major and minor prophets. This does not mean that the major prophets were more important than the minor prophets, but the major prophets wrote more.

The Hebrews, from which the Old Testament originated, divide it up differently, using three significant divisions rather than four: Law, Prophets, Writings. Jesus himself used this order. Jesus said to them, “While I was still with you, I told you that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Books of the Prophets, and in the Psalms had to happen" (Luke 24:44). Because this was the original order by the Jewish people and the one Jesus referenced, I prefer this one as the one we should be using. But we don't and, because there is a difference, I thought it was worth noting.

There are also four major groups into which the New Testament is divided: Gospels, Acts, Epistles, and Revelation.

Though the Bible is a book written by approximately three dozen different authors over about 1,500 years, it is wholly unique in that it contains a unified, consistent, non-contradictory message throughout. Thus, the best interpreter of scripture is not the reader but the Bible itself. It is its own commentary on a level that no other book can claim. This is a demonstration of its divine origin because it is both unified and diverse. The human authors lived at different times in different places under different circumstances, yet the same Holy Spirit was a part of the process for all of them. The Bible is the written word of the one true God. Although God breathed the Bible's words, he used men to write down his words, making sure that it was perfect with no inconsistencies. It is a collection of books on many different subjects but with a unified theme. That unified theme is Jesus Christ. Jesus said, "The scriptures say that the Messiah must suffer, then three days later, he will rise from death. They also say that all people of every nation must be told in my name to turn to God to be forgiven" (Luke 24:46-47).

Genesis 29- Final observations

Last time, we looked at the life summaries of the key people in Genesis 29. This time, we are going to begin by looking at the keywords in the same chapter. The first keyword I noticed is the word "well." I counted nine times that "well" is used in this chapter. During Jacob's journey, he saw a well in front of him, near which three flocks of sheep were lying down. That well was their source for water because the flocks drank from that well. A massive stone covered the well’s opening. When all of the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the well’s opening, water the sheep, and return the stone to its place at the well’s opening. When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his uncle, and the flock of Laban, Jacob came up, rolled the stone from the well’s opening, and watered the flock of his uncle Laban. Because "well" is a keyword, and because of the setting of these events, water is also noteworthy. That is, after all, what the well is all about, a place to get water. The flocks were there to be watered when Jacob met Rachel.

The word "stone" is mentioned five times in Genesis 29 because they had to roll away the stone from the well's opening to water their flocks. Just like there was a massive stone at the well's opening to get water out, a large stone was rolled at the door of Jesus' tomb. Then the tomb was sealed, and a guard was posted. But then an angel came to the stone, rolled it away, and sat on it to show everyone that Jesus had risen from the dead. Jesus is referred to as the "living water" in John 4:10-14 and 7:38.

But perhaps the best keyword in this chapter is "love." Jacob loved Rachel so much that he agreed to work seven years for Rachel to be his wife and ended up working 14 years after her father Laban deceived Jacob. Though it was such a long time, Jacob's first seven years seemed like just a few days to him because he loved Rachel so much. He loved Rachel much more than Leah, Jacob's first wife given to him by Laban instead of Rachel at first to get Jacob to work for him twice as long. We also see the opposite side of this love, or the downside of it, for the unloved sister Leah. When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, he opened her womb. We see Leah's desperate sadness due to that lack of love from her husband in what their first son was named. She named him Reuben (See, a Son) because she said, "The LORD saw my harsh treatment, and now my husband will love me. She became pregnant again and gave birth to a son. She said, “The LORD heard that I was unloved, so he gave me this son too,” and she named him Simeon (Hear). This happened two more times until Leah said, "This time, I will praise the LORD." That's all the LORD wanted in the first place, but I guess Leah had to see how much he loved her before she would put him first. And that is how Genesis 29 ends.

If we don't follow the text's order carefully, we can become easily confused about when Jacob works and receives wages for his labors. First, Jacob leaves and heads for the land of the easterners. He arrives at a well and inquires about the whereabouts of Laban when he meets Laban's daughter Rachel. Jacob kisses Rachel. Then Rachel goes and brings Laban to meet Jacob, who stays with Laban and his family for a month before Laban finally says, "You shouldn’t have to work for free just because you are my relative. Tell me what you would like to be paid." Jacob loved Rachel and said, “I will work for you for seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.” Laban said, “I’d rather give her to you than to another man. Stay with me." But when the time came, he gave her Leah, the older daughter, first. Jacob was willing to work for Rachel seven more years to marry her.

The irony of all this is that Jacob (Heel-Catcher; Deceiver) spent his entire life scheming and deceiving people, most notably his brother and even his father, at one point. Now he is the one being deceived and getting schemed by Laban. I quoted Galatians 6:7 in the last post, but it is worth repeating again. Make no mistake, God is not mocked. A person will harvest what they plant.