Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. Psalm 119:105 (NASB2020)
I live on my sister and brother-in-law’s property and spend a lot of evenings in their home. If I forget to turn the porch light on when I head out the back door, I’m left either cautiously feeling my way or turning on my phone’s flashlight. It’s either that or risk a nosedive I don’t need.
Becoming a student of the Bible is like me turning on my phone’s light. If I didn’t realize my phone even had a light, I’d be stumbling around in the dark. If I know my phone has a flashlight and I choose not to turn it on, I may still be stumbling around in the dark!
It occurs to me that I may be “preaching to the choir” here, that you may love the Word of God and, like me, can’t get enough. Sadly, if that is the case, we’re in the minority. While over two thirds of American homes have a Bible, a little over half of America’s Christians hardly ever read it—if they read it at all.
Which, of course, is why I’m doing this series.
Back to the point. If you’re not getting into the Word, you don’t know what you’re missing. I mean that literally. Going back to my phone as an example, there is a lot on that thing that I don’t know about, and I don’t care about what I don’t know about. But, every once in a while someone will point out something amazing that I’ve been missing and I get excited.
God’s Word is very much like that, except that it has worlds more to offer than my technological toy. This is one book that no one will ever fully grasp. Why? Because, as Hebrews 4:12 says:
For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
The Word is alive, so every time I read through it (which I’ve done fifteen times if I remember correctly) I see things I’ve never seen before. This may mean I literally don’t remember having read them, or it may mean I see them differently, apply them to my life differently, find a deeper meaning than I was able to before. As I read, I grow, and as I grow, the light grows brighter.
And the brighter the light, the easier it is to see the right path.
I have no idea how many times God has used Scripture, either by reminding me of it or leading me to it, to help me navigate this life. He’s given me direction through the Word. He’s shown me clearly why I don’t need to see what’s lying in wait down the road and just need to trust Him. He’s constantly using the Word to help me grow closer to being the woman of God he has called me to be.
Have you heard the idiom about “seeing the light”? Pull out your Bible. That’s where you’ll find it.
The Law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. Psalm 19:7 (NASB2020)
Your soul is what makes you you. Generally referred to as the “mind, will, and emotions,” your soul is one third of who you are: Spirit, Soul, and Body.
And I have a true example to share that illustrates just how well the Word of God restores the soul.
There is a man I’ve known about 40 years. I met him at church, and it became quickly apparent that he was quick witted and highly intelligent. In conversation, he once explained that this hadn’t always been the case.
According to him, when he got saved he’d been so destroyed by drugs that he didn’t have two brain cells to rub together. But he heard that the Word of God has the power to restore the soul and he took that promise literally. He dove headfirst into the Bible and has never left it.
The Word of God restored—repaired, revived, converted, refreshed, renewed (depending on your translation)—his soul. It also “made wise the simple,” as it declares at the end of Psalm 19:7.
His is a dramatic account, but yours can be too. If you feel like you’re not smart enough or don’t have the brainpower to read the Bible, remember that he didn’t either. Sometimes you simply have to step out in faith and ask God to teach you as you read.
It does help to find a translation you can relate to. I have sixteen Bibles in eleven different translations, and each of those translations serves a purpose.
Most of the scriptures I have memorized are from the King James Version, because its poetic nature makes memorization easier—for me anyway.
If I’m doing a straight readthrough, my go-to is the New Living Translation, because it’s the closest to the way I think and talk.
If I want a better grasp of how an Israelite would have read a passage, I grab either my Complete Jewish Study Bible or The One New Man Bible.
Intimidated yet? Don’t be.
My first Bible, or the first one I really used, was a New American Standard, and I can tell you that the 2020 edition of that Bible (NASB2020) is one of the best. That might be the prime choice for you.
My point is that, if you’re new to the Bible, you’ll find it easier to understand if you choose the right translation. With internet access, that’s a piece of cake. All you need to do is head to blueletterbible.org and use their tools to start comparing Bible translations.
It seems almost too simple to say the Bible restores your ability to think and reason, but I’ve seen proof of this truth time and time again. And it does a lot more, as we’ll see while working through this series.
Truly getting into God’s Word is a life-changing experience. The more time I spend with my Bible, the more I grow in every way—and the hungrier I get.
Most of us don’t have a problem with owning a Bible; we may even have several. What we can find challenging is making the time to actually open it up and dig in.
I used the phrase “making the time” intentionally, because this isn’t about finding the time for something we want to do; it’s about intentionally setting aside the time for something that is essential to our spiritual health.
“I know I should, but…”
How many times have I heard a diabetic use these words in reference to watching their sugar intake? Eating excessive sugar could kill them, and yet many struggle to stop.
The same principle applies in all areas of life. “I know I should exercise, but…” “I know I should call my mom regularly, but…” “I know I should study, but…”
Don’t exercise—hurt your body. Don’t call your mom—hurt your relationship. Don’t study—hurt your GPA.
Don’t spend regular, intentional time in God’s Word and you hurt your spirit man—the part of you that is meant to be alive and responsive to God. How can we expect to successfully fight our flesh (which, honestly, is our worst enemy) if we consistently starve our spirits?
I mean that seriously. If you wonder why you keep fighting the same old battles with your flesh, you need to take a good hard look at what you’ve been feeding your spirit. And if you’ve been thinking sitting in a church pew was enough to keep your spirit man alive, you are sadly mistaken.
And I am officially at risk of launching into the series right here and now. I can’t do that, but I will do this. There are myriad scriptures that talk about the importance of being in God’s Word and having it live in you, and there’s no time like the present to get started.
You can study up on why you should be studying. And here’s a list of pertinent references to get you started.
You don’t need to read these all at once. Choose a section, read thoughtfully, and ask God to speak to you through His Word.
The Value & Power of God’s Word Psalm 19:7–11 Psalm 119:105 Psalm 119:160 Proverbs 30:5 Isaiah 55:10–11 Hebrews 4:12
Loving, Meditating on, and Delighting in the Word Joshua 1:8 Psalm 1:1–3 Psalm 119:15–16 Psalm 119:97 Psalm 119:103 Colossians 3:16
Learning, Teaching, and Passing on the Word Deuteronomy 6:6–9 Deuteronomy 11:18–21 Psalm 78:5–7 Proverbs 4:1–7 Matthew 28:19–20 2 Timothy 2:2
Hearing and Receiving the Word Nehemiah 8:1–3, 8 Matthew 4:4 Matthew 11:15 Luke 8:15 Romans 10:17 1 Thessalonians 2:13
Abiding, Remaining, and Staying in the Word John 8:31–32 John 15:7 Acts 2:42 1 Timothy 4:13 2 Timothy 3:14–17 1 John 2:14
Obeying and Living Out the Word Deuteronomy 30:14 Psalm 119:9 Matthew 7:24–27 Luke 11:28 James 1:22–25 1 John 5:3
The Word as Protection, Guidance, and Strength Psalm 119:11 Psalm 119:130 Proverbs 2:1–6 Ephesians 6:17 Colossians 1:9–10
Warnings Against Neglecting the Word Hosea 4:6 Amos 8:11 Matthew 13:19–23 Hebrews 2:1 Hebrews 5:11–14 2 Timothy 4:3–4
Scripture About Scripture Psalm 119 (entire chapter) Romans 15:4 1 Corinthians 10:11 2 Peter 1:19–21 Revelation 1:3
Experiencing the Bible is available in print, eBook, and audiobook.
A new year is the perfect time to build a fresh Bible habit—but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
Experiencing the Bible was written to help everyday believers move beyond “checking a box” and into truly engaging with God’s Word in a meaningful, sustainable way.
Sometimes following Jesus begins with one step—one invitation Photo Credit: Judy Keenan
I recently realized something interesting while reading John’s account of how Jesus called His first disciples. Check it out.
Andrew and most likely John, the son of Zebedee, were essentially sent to Jesus by John the Baptist (John 1:35-37)
Simon Peter was brought to Jesus by Andrew (John 1:40-42)
Philip was called by Jesus (John 1:45-48)
Nathanael(Bartholomew) was brought to Jesus by Philip (John 1:45-48)
John (who had likely already met Jesus) & James, the sons of Zebedee, were officially called by Jesus (Matthew 4:22)
Matthew was called by Jesus (Matthew 9:9)
I’m visual and love lists, so now let’s look at how the disciples came to Jesus another way.
Sent to Jesus
Andrew
John, the son of Zebedee (probably)
Brought to Jesus by another disciple
Simon Peter
Nathanael
Called first by Jesus
Philip
James, the son of Zebedee
Matthew
We always refer to Jesus calling the disciples, which He obviously did. But when you look at it broken down like this you see something we tend to overlook. Two men were sent to Jesus by John the Baptist. Two others were brought to Jesus by someone who had already met Him.
Only three of the first seven disciples were first approached by Jesus Himself.
Think about that for a moment.
Of the first seven disciples, only three weren’t either sent to Jesus or brought to Jesus by someone else.
That matters.
As Christians, we tend to think of soul winning, witnessing, and sharing the Gospel as the minister’s job. As a whole, we’re pretty slow to reach out—to invite people to come to know our Jesus, to experience this miraculous relationship.
We pass the buck.
But when you look at this “disciple math,” it’s clear we’ve got it all wrong. From the very beginning, God used people to bring people. John the Baptist sent two of his own disciples to Jesus. Andrew went and found Simon. Philip sought out Nathanael.
They didn’t wait for someone else to do it.
They went to those they cared about and shared what they’d found.
We should follow that example. More than that, we should be so excited about this new life we live that we can’t wait to share it, especially with those we care about, but really with whomever God puts in our path.
But if I’m honest, we often don’t.
We know time is short. Whether it’s because all the signs say the Rapture is imminent, or because we understand that no one is guaranteed tomorrow, we know the time is short. And when I look at myself, I see a failure you may recognize in your own life.
My relationship with God is something I say I want to shout from the rooftops, but do I? Really? Not like I should.
I look at the importance of these men drawing others to Jesus and I know I’ve fallen short. Good intentions are great. Failing to follow through on good intentions is not.
It’s time to be like Andrew and find our Simons.
Oh wow. Think about that.
What would early Christianity have looked like if Andrew hadn’t gone to Simon? Would we have been without the Apostle Peter?
Maybe it starts small, with one conversation, one invitation, one name God brings to mind. But it needs to start.
Someone posted, this morning, that their local Books A Million was completely sold out of Bibles. It shouldn’t have surprised me, considering the reaction to Charlie Kirk’s assassination. I’d already been wondering how many would start digging into the Word. That they are seeking God like this is phenomenal news!
If you are one who is just picking up the Bible (or you know someone who is) I suggest you grab a copy of my book, Experiencing the Bible. I wrote it with you in mind.
Seriously. My thought, as I worked on it, was, “How can I help those who are being told, ‘Pick up your Bible’ or ‘Get into the Word,’ but they’re not being told how?” In Experiencing the Bible, explain.
Yes, I am the author, but I’m not ashamed to say it’s a great book that will be a real help!
Celebrating Jesus! Tammy C
I’ve included the Amazon link above, but the ebook version is also available in most popular ebook markets.
Every time I read James 3:1, I pause and examine my heart and motives.
I’ve never claimed to be a teacher; I’m not one. I’m merely someone who shares what she learns as she learns it – what God shows me as He helps me understand it.
James 3:1 is a strong warning:
“My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.” (KJV)
Most modern translations use the word “teacher” instead of “master,” which is another reason I don’t claim to be a teacher. I’ve certainly not mastered Scripture well enough to teach it!
This verse hits me harder now than it ever has. Reading Rick Renner’s Renner Interpretive Version: James & Jude has given me a deeper understanding of this verse than I anticipated.
The one verse warrants two whole pages in his book. He has a lot to say and it’s all important. For brevity’s sake, I’m limiting myself to sharing just two points here. They’re things we should already know, but still…
There is no room for ego and pride in ministry. At any level. Period.
Whether one is a Christian or not, ego and pride are the most common culprits when it comes to desiring labels, titles, and recognition. Actually, let’s get real; they are the culprits. Whether we admit it or not.
Renner writes, “Humility serves as an unmistakable hallmark of any great teacher, and all genuine ‘masters’ have first been mastered by their own submission to truth.”
I saw this humility in action once when a guest minister arrived early and saw us setting up tables in the foyer. He didn’t miss a beat but immediately jumped in to help in spite of our efforts to stop him. He was our special guest! That didn’t matter to him. I wish I could remember exactly what he said as he picked up his end of a table. All I can tell you is that it made a huge impact on us.
Like Jesus did when He washed the disciples’ feet, this man demonstrated true servant leadership. He wasn’t chasing acclaim – he was living his calling with humility. Even those who rarely see him could tell it, and you know God noticed! Because…
God is always watching.
If someone sets themselves up and declares, “I’m a Christian teacher,” they really need to consider the magnitude of their decision. God, who cannot be deceived, sees every word, every motive, everything we hide in our hearts. We may fool man, but we can’t put anything over on God.
James doesn’t pull punches. In the NET this verse reads:
“…because you know that we will be judged more strictly.”
That’s heavy! Imagine James – the brother of Jesus – saying, “If I mess this up God is going to come down on me – HARD.”
But James didn’t write this to scare his readers. He wrote it because he cared. He wanted to protect them from false prophets and teachers; he also wanted to protect them from the self-deception of pride. He was trying to help them count the cost of leadership.
Renner’s notes unpack what it meant, in that culture, to be a teacher, master, or revelator. It required a level of preparation and knowledge that few were willing to pursue – study that took years, even decades. It still requires such effort today.
Do you feel called to the ministry?
Then prepare your heart. Study like never before. Live close to Jesus. And check your pride at the door.
I’ve been waiting years for Rick Renner to release his interpretive version of the Bible, and at last we have James and Jude. I am thrilled!
For those unfamiliar with him, Rick Renner is not only an anointed Bible scholar and teacher, but he also has a tremendous grasp of Koine Greek, which was the form commonly spoken pretty much everywhere in the Roman Empire in Jesus’ time. Add to this technical knowledge his understanding of the culture of the New Testament period, and you have someone uniquely poised to help readers better comprehend this part of the Bible as its original readers would have.
This isn’t a task he took on of his own volition. It developed out of him exegeting the Greek New Testament for himself so that he would understand it better. Not surprisingly, God didn’t let him stop there and even today he’s working on expanding on and sharing what he’s learned. The result, which we have a small part of here, is the Renner Interpretive Version (RIV). Here’s an excerpt from page 1 to help you better understand the book’s intent.
The RIV is a conceptual interpretation of the New Testament that draws on concepts in the Greek language and brings them into the text in a contemporary way to provide a broader comprehension of what is being communicated through Scripture. To be clear, the RIV is not meant to be viewed as a word-for-word translation, but, rather as a conceptual interpretation of the Greek text.
If you are one who generally skips all front matter in favor of leaping directly into a book, I highly suggest you alter your actions for this one. “A Word About the Renner Interpretive Version” not only shares the hows and whys, but also pulls together some facts I’ve never considered before. One paragraph I have highlighted, on page 6, points out that Jesus came at a unique time in history when the Gospel would be able to be preached with relative ease throughout the known world. Why? Because, thanks to the Romans, Koine Greek was spoken by pretty much everyone at least as their second language. As Renner points out, this was the first time since the Tower of Babel that such communication was possible.
Now to the primary text.
Renner starts by introducing James, which lays a foundation for our reading. He then moves on to a parallel of the KJV and RIV, accompanied by extensive footnotes. I kid you not; James 1:1 affected me so deeply that I had to stop and head to my journal to record my thoughts. And then I couldn’t go on any further until I came here to share with you.
Yes, I’m writing this review even though I’ve not even read past page 18! This is unheard of for me, but I don’t want you to have to wait on me and this is a book with which I plan to take my time.
See for yourself.
So we have James 1:1 in the KJV, and immediately below it, shaded in blue, the first part of verse 1 in the RIV. As you can see, Renner has gone to great lengths to share helpful background information in this book. In his more than 1,200 footnotes, the man leaves me feeling like he’s sitting here talking directly to me.
So what sent me to my journal in the middle of my reading? It was seeing, for the first time, the full impact of “servant of God” or, as Paul referred to himself, “bond servant.” I’ve known what it meant to become a bond servant. It’s beautiful, really. It was common for someone to sign a contract to serve a “master” for a set number of years. When that time was up, he was given his wages and was free to leave. However, if he loved his master and couldn’t imagine being happier anywhere else, he could choose to make a lifetime commitment, to bind himself to that master permanently. I, in similar manner, have chosen to bind myself to Christ. But look at how the significance of calling oneself His servant is expressed in the RIV!
…this means my life is dedicated exclusively to doing His will and to faithfully carrying out any assignment He will ever entrust to me.
Too frequently, we gloss over things we see all the time. We may know, on an intellectual level, what words like these mean, but how often do we stop and genuinely think about them as applied to the writers or, vitally important, to ourselves? The writers of the New Testament were deadly serious when they used these expressions. In truth, considering how most of them died, “deadly serious” is pretty literal. These men had committed their entire lives to putting His will before their own. There was no room for them to disagree with their Master or fail to carry out any assignment He gave them.
So yes, I “knew” all of this but, using his understanding of the nuances of the language as well as the culture of the original readers, Renner has crafted a version that forced me to halt in my tracks and think about it, to apply it to my own life. I want to be able to say these same words, that my life is dedicated exclusively to doing His will and to faithfully carrying out any assignment He will ever entrust to me. God is my number 1, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that too often self likes to slide up into that higher position, to nudge God to the side for just a little while.
So yes, I find that even in this tiny sample the RIV is proving to be every bit as powerful and impactful as I had expected it to be. James and Jude just became my next focus and this time around this book will be one of my primary references in my studies.
But that’s not all. One feature I very much appreciate is that Renner chose to include two versions of each book. The first is what I’ve described. Immediately following this heavily footnoted copy of James is another copy of the full text without footnotes. In my case, I will start by reading straight through the book of James in this second section, and then I’ll go back to the beginning for my in-depth study including all the footnotes. Once I’ve completed James, I’ll approach Jude the same way.
I’m a big believer in reading and referring to a variety of translations and paraphrases as I experience the Bible. It helps give me a fresh vision, eyes that see things from a different perspective. This book is definitely a treasure to add to my Bible shelf.
The Renner Interpretive Version: James & Jude is 7.28 x 0.91 x 10.24 inches, and 288 pages
I have enjoyed this book, and I’m sharing some images from pages I haven’t written on to give you an idea of the various entries.
But…let me start with the beginning. Not only does the author take the time to introduce herself, but she also shares about her life as a Christian. Her comments about reading through the WHOLE Bible have inspired me to start reading through the whole Bible, too, because it feels like I tend to reread only certain books. She explains how reading the WHOLE Bible helps you see a bigger picture of what God is doing and how the books come together to tell His Story. She also shares the way she first read through it in 90 days.
I immensely enjoyed the intro; it made me think about how much I read and study the Bible.
I really like the portions of scripture she has chosen for this book because, with each one, she shares from sermons, study notes, and her own experiences. Half of the page is blank for you to write your own study notes, cross-references, or whatever you choose to do with the page. It’s there for you to interact with the scriptures and comments on that page.
I hope she does more books, but I wish she would do them on whole books of the Bible. For instance, I’d love to see a book on just the book of Ephesians or James (probably the two books I read the most).
However, whatever she writes – I will read it because I find her notes thought-provoking, and they encourage me to learn more.
