Word of God

If prayer is like the air that we breathe, then the Word of God is like the food that we eat. Just as, if you do not eat food for days together, your body will become weak. So will your spirit be, if you do not read the Word of God. Jesus said in Mt.4:4 "It is written; man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."

The Bible is the Word of God. The Bible consists of two parts, the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament consists of all that happened before Jesus came and the New Testament consists of all that happened when Jesus came and after. You need to read the entire Bible at least once in five years. Those who attend Church daily and listen to the readings at mass, roughly cover the Bible once in three years. If you have finished reading the Bible once, do not discard the book, rather read it a second time, and you shall keep reading it till the end of your life. In the original Bible the Old Testament was written in Aramaic and the New Testament in Greek. Various Bible scholars have translated the original Bible into many languages and so we have many versions of the Bible e.g. King James Version, New International Version, New American Bible, The Revised Standard Version, The New English Bible, etc. In each of these versions, the message is the same, but there is a difference in the language and the words used. The translation that is closest to the original Bible is the King James Version and the New American Bible. In the Catholic Bible, there are 46 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament, in all there are 73 books in the Bible. The Bible consists of many books like Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Luke and so on. The Non Catholic versions of the Bible have these seven books missing in the Old Testament, ie Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach or Ecclesiasticus, Baruch, I Maccabees and II Maccabees. Besides these books, 107 verses of Esther, Daniel Chapters 13 & 14 and 67 verses in Ch. 3 between verse 23 & 24 are missing.

You must have your own copy of the Bible and you must read, parts of the Old Testament, parts of the New Testament and a Psalm or Proverb everyday. Keep three bookmarks in the Bible, one in the Old Testament, one in the New Testament and one in Psalms/Proverbs. You may start with any book you like in the Old Testament and the New Testament. To begin with set aside a suitable time each day at least fifteen minutes. Besides reading the Bible, you must study the Bible regularly, for which you need study aids like commentary, concordance, Bible dictionary, Bible atlas etc.

Commentary: It is a book which gives comments and explanation of the verses of the Bible, sometimes the background and even the original Hebrew and Greek words with their actual meanings.

Concordance: It is a book which tells you how many times a particular word appears in the Bible. If you know a particular verse of the Bible, but do not know where it appears in the Bible, the concordance will help you find it.

Bible Dictionary: It is a book which gives you the meanings of the words in the Bible, sometimes, even their original Hebrew and Greek words from which they are translated.

Bible Atlas: It is a book of maps showing the places mentioned in the Bible. These places will not be found in the Modern School Atlas.

God's Word is called by different names in the Bible

Neh 8:3 And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.

Ps 1:2 But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night.

Jn 5:39 You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness to Me.

Rm 1:2 Which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures.

Heb 4:12 For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

James 1:21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rank growth of wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted Word, which is able to save your souls.

Phil 2:16 Holding fast the Word of Life, so that in the day of Christ, I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labour in vain.

Rev 22:19 And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the Holy city, which are described in this Book.

The Qualities of the Bible

It is Divinely inspired.
II Tim 3:16 All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness.

It is absolutely pure.
Ps 12:6 The promises of the LORD are promises that are pure silver, refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.

It is supremely authoritative.
Ps 119:128 Therefore, I direct my steps by all Thy precepts; I hate every false way.

It is perfectly united.
Jn 10:35 If he called them gods to whom the Word of God came (and scripture cannot be broken).

It is eternally permanent.
I Pet 1:25 But the Word of the Lord abides for ever. That Word is the good news which was preached to you.

Things that the Word of God does.

It regenerates, gives new life.
I Pet 1:23 You have been born anew, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God.

It nourishes, feeds.
I Pet 2:2 Like newborn babes, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation.

It sanctifies, makes Holy.
Jn 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth.

It upbuilds, strengthens.
Acts 20:32 And now I commend you to God and to the Word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

It enlightens, gives illumination.
Ps 119:105 Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

It makes our way pure.
Ps 119:9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Thy Word.

It restrains sin.
Ps 119:11 I have laid up Thy Word in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee.

It guides us.
Ps 119:133 Keep steady my steps according to Thy promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me.

It produces faith.
Rm 10:17 So faith comes from what is heard and what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ.

It brings Healing and Deliverance.
Ps 107:20 He sent forth His Word and healed them and delivered them from destruction.

It makes you free.
Jn 8:31-32 Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in My Word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."

It brings joy and delight to the heart.
Jer 15:16 Thy Words were found, and I ate them, and Thy Words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart; for I am called by Thy name, O LORD, God of hosts.

It convinces, rebukes and exhorts.
II Tim 4:2 Preach the Word, be urgent in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, and exhort, be unfailing in patience and in teaching.

It revives the soul and gives wisdom.
Ps 19:7 The Law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the Testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

It enlightens the eyes.
Ps 19:8 The Precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the Commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

The Word of God is compared to:

Fire: Jer 5:14 Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of hosts: "Because they have spoken this Word, behold, I am making My Words in your mouth a fire, and this people wood, and the fire shall devour them."

Hammer: Jer 23:29 Is not My word like fire, says the LORD, and like a hammer which breaks the rock in pieces?

Seed: Mt 13:23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is he who hears the Word and understands it; he indeed bears fruit, and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty and in another thirty.

Sword: Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

Mirror: James 1:23 For if any one is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man who observes his natural face in a mirror.

Bread: Mt 4:4 But he answered, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God."

Read the Bible pray every day and you will grow, grow, grow.

Neglect the Bible forget to pray and you will shrink, shrink, shrink.