Introduction

• Deuteronomy 17:14-20 – Kings were to write out a copy of the law.

Why read the Bible?

• “that he may learn to fear the Lord his God” - We learn about God!

  • Revelation 4:8

  • II Thessalonians 1:7

• “carefully observing all the words of this law and these statutes” – We learn to obey!

  • II Timothy 3:14

  • James 1:21

• “that his heart may not be lifted up above his countrymen” – We learn a proper view of self!

  • Job 40:1-14

• “that he may not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or the left” – We learn to avoid sin!

  • Galatians 5:19-21

• “so that he and his sons may continue long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel” – We learn how to prepare for the future!

  • I Peter 2:1-2

Could you read one chapter a week?

• Example of two ladies who have copied and studied the entire New Testament over five years.

Bible reading resources

• Plans:

  • 5-Day Reading Plan (Mark Roberts): https://fivedaybiblereading.com/

  • “Top 11 Best Bible Reading Plans” (Create Disciples): https://bit.ly/2Riqf74

  • The One Year Bible (various formats available): https://amzn.to/2P8i5vs

  • The Story (abridged Bible):* https://bit.ly/2YeFFL9

• Audio Bibles:

  • Word of Promise (NKJV, dramatized, can see text): https://www.wordofpromiseapp.com/

  • Dwell (ESV, 4 voices, plans, customizable): https://dwellapp.io/

    • Link for 50% price!! https://dwellapp.io/thanks

• Apps:

  • OliveTree (works on all platforms, simple reading or in-depth study): https://www.olivetree.com/

  • YouVersion (tons of FREE Bibles, plans, audio; connect with friends): https://www.youversion.com/

  • Laridian Pocket Bible (works on all platforms, lots for FREE): https://www.laridian.com/

• Stores for Bibles:

  • Christian Book Distributors: https://www.christianbook.com/page/bibles

  • Mardel: https://www.mardel.com/Bibles/c/Bibles

  • Lifeway: https://www.lifeway.com/en/shop/bibles

  • Amazon: https://amzn.to/2YkdXg8

• Miscellaneous links:

  • Chris Juby wrote a summary (tweet) of every chapter in the Bible: (Remember Acts 17:11. Any resource created by people may contain errors.) https://biblesummary.info/

  • Israelite Kings date chart (paste into front of Bible for reference): http://www.crivoice.org/israelitekings.html

  • “Infographic: You Have More Time for Bible Reading than You Think” (Crossway): https://bit.ly/2OJlq5a

  • Translation information:

    • https://www.christianbook.com/page/bibles/about-bibles/about-translations

    • https://www.mardel.com/bibletranslationguide

  • Other Bible websites:

    • https://www.biblegateway.com/

    • https://www.blueletterbible.org/

God wants us to be good thinkers! (continued)

• Logic is not opposed to faith (continued)

  • Romans 1:21-22

  • II Corinthians 10:5 – God wants us to take our thoughts captive and think!

  • Ephesians 4:17-18 – We should not walk in ignorance because of the hardness of our hearts.

  • Paul’s use of reason: Acts 17:17; 18:4; 19:8 – Paul tried to reason with people to persuade them.

  • Biblical faith is preceded by knowledge. Romans 10:17; 4:20-21

• Logic is not the same as science.

  • Psalms 19:1; Romans 1:20 – We can use our senses and explore the universe, which points toward God.

  • Religion is not against science. They should work together.

• Logic is not the same as worldly wisdom.

  • James 3:13-18 – All wisdom is not the same.

  • Colossians 2:8 – This warning about philosophy is not a warning against thinking in general but against worldly thinking.

  • I Corinthians 1:18-ff

• Consider the dangers of not using logic.

• Acts 16

  • Acts 16:2 – Timothy had a good reputation. This is a very valuable attribute, even today!

  • Acts 16:3 – Paul was careful about circumcision because he did not want to inadvertently spread the idea that circumcision was necessary for salvation. Timothy’s circumcision was purely an expedient so that Timothy could enter temples without rebuke. Galatians 5:2-3; I Corinthians 9:19-21

  • Acts 16:10 – The language here begins to use the pronoun “we”, implying that Luke has joined in the journey.

  • Acts 16:11 – Samothrace was home to a winged statue of Nike, goddess of victory.

• I Thessalonians 5:17; Romans 12:12; Luke 18:1
• God is listening to me!
  • Acts 10:3-4, 30-31
  • Psalms 141:1-2
  • I Peter 5:7 – God cares for me!
  • Romans 8:26-27 – Even when we don’t know what to pray, God gets the message.
  • Philippians 4:6-7
  • II Chronicles 33:13
  • I John 5:14-15
  • James 5:13-18
  • Revelation 5:8; 8:3-4 – Prayers are pictures as bowls of incense before God.
• I have plenty to pray for!
  • Ephesians 6:18-20
  • Matthew 6:7-13
• I must pray sincerely.
  • We should not just be listing clichés! Our minds must be engaged in what we are praying. Matthew 6:7
  • Daniel 6:10
  • Suggesting: rotating prayer list

God wants us to be good thinkers!

• Introduction

  • Isaiah 1:10-18 – God will not bear it when we sin and then try to worship Him. “I cannot endure sin and the solemn assembly.”

  • Psalms 32:8-9 – Don’t be like an unthinking animal!

  • Ephesians 4:11-13

• What is logic?

  • A study of how to think correctly and reach true conclusions.

  • Romans 1:20

  • Logic is not a study of facts. It is a study of what we can correctly deduce from facts.

  • John 9:33

• Logic comes from God

  • We are not perfect thinkers, but God is. All truth emanates from Him. Isaiah 55:7-9. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are perfectly united in truth.

  • Jesus left us with many examples of logical behavior and thinking.

    • Luke 2:47 – People were amazed at Jesus’ understanding and answers at age 12!

    • Matthew 4:1-11 – Jesus refuted Satan by appealing to scripture.

    • Matthew 22:41-46 – Jesus prompted others to think about His own Deity by what the Scriptural facts implied.

    • John 14:6

    • Luke 11:14-20 – Jesus used logic to refute the charge that He is casting out demons by Beelzebul (Luke 10:17).

    • His teaching was coherent and profound!

      • John 10:21; Matthew 7:28-29; John 7:15, 46

    • Jesus’ perfect knowledge allowed Him to identify their faulty logic so that they could no longer answer Him a word. Matthew 22:15-46

  • I Corinthians 2:11 – The Bible helps us become better thinkers as we develop and try to mimic the mind of God, and becoming better thinkers helps us to become better Bible students.

• Christians will strive to be good thinkers.

  • Genesis 1:27

  • Ephesians 5:1

  • God has always prompted His people to use their minds to examine things critically and make good decisions.

    • I Thessalonians 5:21; Romans 12:2; Mark 16:17-20; John 3:2; Hebrews 2:1-4; Acts 17:1-3

  • Serving God involves using the mind He blessed us with.

• Logic is not the absence of emotion.

  • God Himself is described as having emotions. Genesis 6:6; Isaiah 65:19; Mark 3:5

• Logic is not opposed to faith.

  • The very existence of logic points toward the existence of an immaterial Mind (God).

    • Law of non-contradiction

    • Law of the excluded middle

  • How would you explain the existence of such immaterial laws from an atheistic perspective?

  • “Secular thinkers cannot make sense of the laws of logic. …”