The Spirit and the Word

There's a book I've had in me to write for years.  I've started a couple of times, but never finished it. But every time I do, I get off on something else.  Nevertheless,  every time I start to look around at the things of God, I see that book staring me in the face.  It's like those people who see Jesus' face on toast or doorknobs.  I keep running across the central idea.  The Spirit and the Word are everywhere.

The essence of the book is basically that God reveals His will to us in two ways--through the Word and through the Spirit, and that all people, especially all of us Believers, tend to see God better through one of those two channels. It's like being left handed or right handed, or left brained or right brained. We are either Word oriented or Spirit oriented.  We may be one or the other, but both sides ar equally necessary.

I could get Biblical about this , of course. There is a lot to be said Biblically and Theologically about the differences and complimentary relationship between Spirit and Word, but I would rather at the moment look at it semantically.  What is a Word, and what is Spirit?

A word is a sound of symbol which defines a position in the logical matrix of life.  It is like a gps tracking point,  a latitude and longitute.  A word defines a person, object, or idea as being different from all others, uniquely itself. 

Take, for example the word "chair".  That word has a specific meaning to us,  that separates it from all other thoughts.  The actual sound of the word may be different in different languages, of course, as might the image the word produces in the mind, but the essential truth is that it defines a spot in reality,  which separates it from all other  ideas.  A chair is a place we sit. It is not a place we lie down, or that we stand  upon. It is a thing made for sitting.  

We might add other words to it to separate one chair from another-the  "green chair",  the "comfortable chair" the "small chair."  Our modifiers define tighter and tighter ideas, creating more specific pictures in the mind.

Now, what is meant by the Word of God?  To say Jesus is the Word, is to say that He was a walking, talking symbol of God Himself.  He was what God is,  He becomes his walking definition.  Just as we might think of a beautiful woman, and it might bring to mind a famous actress,  or we might think of a wise man, and that brings the idea of a politician, writer, or minister,  so when we think of God, Christ comes to mind.  He is God's expression.

The Word of God, the Bible is much the same thing.  The Bible is a series of words,  each one bringing its own image or symbol, which together bring to mind an increasingly narrow and specific understanding of what God wants in the World. The words become harbor lights and beacons to  keep us on the right path.

Spirit, though is something else entirely.

If a word is a dot in the matrix of what its possible, then spirit is an arrow, a direction of motion.  In the Bible, the Spirit is always on the move.  He moved over the waters in Genesis. He moved Elijah into the wilderness. He pushed Jesus out into the desert.  He is depicted as a flying dove,  a tornado, a raging fire, a mighty wind.  The spirit is the divine in motion.

Now, when we give directions, we must have location and directions.  "Go to the traffic light. Turn left"  "Go to Elm Street. Go right." With location and direction, we can go anywhere.  Without either, we go nowhere.  We need both form and function.

In the Spiritual realm,  we also need both. We need to know the truth, and we need to know what God would have us to do with it.  It is no good having the right theology unless we have the power to do something about it. 

In Genesis 2,  God created Adam out of dust.  Then he breathed into him the breath of life. Which is more important, the dust or the breath?  It would be impossible to say.  Dust without breath is death,  breath without vessel to inhabit is just hot air. 

Through the Bible in FIve Years

9:26 AM

Why does the Bible need to be read so quickly?  What's the hurry?

There seems to be an obsession in some believers about how many times, and how quickly, they can read the Bible. I have had people tell me that they have read the Bible a dozen times, or that they read the Bible annually, or that their church us encouraging people to read the Bible through in a year's time. 

I repeat--what's the hurry?

Reading the Bible quickly is not the same as reading it deeply.  Quick reading does not generally change lives.  Whenever we have a book which means a great deal to us,  we want to savor every word.  Great thoughts need to marinate for a while, so that they become part of our bones and flesh.  Quick readings have their use, but so do careful slow readings.  You can't fix a gourmet meal in a microwave; you can't grow an oak tree in double time;  you can't paint a masterpiece with a spray gun, and you can't fill up on great writing by rushing through it.

Mortimer Adler in his classic book How To Read a Book  suggests that a great book requires at least three readings--one to get the general structure, one for detailed comprehension, and one for  wording.   The same can be said for Bible study--we need to read it at least three times to  get the full effect.

Here are some suggestions to read the Bible in five years.

1. First, set off a set time and place daily for Bible study.  Start with at least fifteen minutes, but gradually increase to thirty or more.  Don't think that reading the Bible slowly is not goal oriented.  We need goals, which is why through-the-Bible-in-a-year programs are so popular. Your goal is different, however, when you read for comprehension. It isn't to cover pages but to comprehend ideas.
2. Second,  pre-study the Bible.  Pray first, of course. That is essential.  Then  read about the Bible book you are studying in a commentary or general survey,  so you have a general idea about what you are reading. It's helpful if you are going to read a book like Romans or Ephesians to know a little bit about Paul before you start. 
3. Third.  Read it like a newspaper, for the story.  Skim the whole thing at once, if possible.  If not, at least read the passage you are studying for overall meaning, following the natural form of the writing.  Psalms were written to be appreciated all at once; so were letters of Paul and oracles in the prophets.  The Gospels were written in pericopes, which could be monologues or stories.  Read them that way first.

4. Go back and read for comprehension. The second time you read through the passage stop and notice the details.  You will want to underline points and take notes, so get a Bible you don't mind marking.  Ask questions, get answers, until you have a good, solid knowledge of the passage at hand. Ask  - "What did this mean for the people to whom it was written?"
5.  Read for meaning.  Go back again, this time asking yourself, what it means today.  We can't just take the Bible and apply it directly today--otherwise, we would not be triming our beards, eating catfish, or wearing mixed cloth.  We have to ask "What does it mean for us today?"

6. Finally, read it devotionally.  Martin Luther was big on this idea.  He suggested we read it asking if there are any prayers to pray, examples to follow or avoid,  any praises to make, or attitudes we need to change. This is the slowest reading of them all.  Take your time, and prayerfully seek God to apply each verse to your life.

As I said, you can't do this in one year, unless you have all day to do it. Fortunately, there is no time limit on reading the Bible. Take as much time as you  want, only do not let any drop of meaning go unnoticed. Read it for all that it's worth. 

Thirty Days, Thirty Minutes, follow up

When I wrote my blog "Thirty Minutes , Thirty Days"  I hoped that someone would come forward that would take up the challenge.  Well, someone has.  We are looking to start after Easter.

Anyone want to join us in an experiment in prayer? Let's see what God will do! 

Who are Holier--Ministers or Truck Drivers?

I wonder who is holier--ministers or truck drivers? 

I'd put my money on truck drivers.

I know, I know--ministers talk a lot about God  They teach others to be holy, spend long hours in the Bible, pray often  in public.  They even dress holy--especially those who wear their collars backwards. But all this is just external. Holiness is an internal quality.  The outside doesn't matter.  A man in a suit with a Bible in hand isn't made holy by his appearance any more than a child with a stethoscope is made a doctor.  So we can discount all that stuff as a sign.

We can discount ordination and a seminary education, too.  I read once of a man who  sent off to an online church and got his pig ordained. As far as seminary--anyone who thinks a seminary education makes a person holy should spend some time in a seminary.  Most of them will let anyone in who has the money and the grades.  Seminaries are businesses that give degrees to anyone who earns  it.  You can be a real jerk and get a seminary degree,  provided you're also a smart jerk with cash.

No,  I would think that holiness has something to do with one's time with God.  A holy person puts God first,  spends time with Him,  talks to Him, and listens to Him. 

Now, your average preacher in the course of a day, does not spend much time actually with God.   He is on his cell phone more often than he is on his knees.  He is  generally  talking, talking, talking --preaching, teaching, Bible studies, going on visits,  attending committee meetings and social events,  and so forth.  When he isn't talking, he's studying--but not to get closer to God. He studies so he has something to talk about. He is looking for illustrations, quotations, and insights that he can pass on to other people, so he can look smart and keep his job.

When  he is not talking, he is visiting, or as we like to say "out among the people."  Being "out among the people" is very important, because the people he is out among are watching him. They want make sure he is friendly, courteous,  and concerned.  Most of all, they want him to act like he knows what he is doing, so that when everything falls apart, there will be one man who  doesn't.   For that reason, the minister has to be concerned about how he acts, dresses, and behaves-- all  outward acts which have nothing to do with holiness. It's little wonder then that ministers, on their off hours, would  rather engage in pursuits that have nothing to do with thinking about God.

Enough about ministers though--let's look at truck drivers.  I mean Christians who happen to be truck drivers, of course.  They spend long hours on the road alone.  No one is watching them, except the highway patrol.  No one cares what they do in that chrome sanctuary of theirs.  The driver has miles and miles of uninterrupted quiet time.  He can listen to sermons, pray, or listen to the Bible on cd, all through the day. More than that,  while he is pounding down the miles, loaded up and trucking, he can be putting up the prayers,  meditating and praying,  as much as he wants. He can sing gospel songs at the top of his lungs, and no one hears.  He has huge blocks of time for real, serious prayer. 

When the truck driver stops at a truck stop, he is free to be himself. He can express his true feelings without anyone caring.  No one will gossip behind his back, so he can be bold in sharing his faith. He has to prove nothing.  He is putting up no front. Outside, he can be a fat guy with a T shirt and a cowboy hat, but inside he might be as saintly and scholarly as St. Augustine.  Freed from the pressures that plague so many ministers, he can give himself utterly and completely to the service and worship of God, at least, until he has to stop for fuel.

We ministers have often complained about not having time to really get close to God.   Maybe we should drive trucks instead.  We might not be thought of as holy, but we can actually be holy for a change.  Maybe truckers should try a hand at preaching from time to time.  A job exchange might be good for both. 

Next time you are looking for someone who can really pray and get close to God, maybe you should just look in you rear view mirror.