Bible teaching

Scripture Memory in the Information Age

Has the information age removed the need for us to remember scripture? After all… whenever we need a verse now we can just pull out our iPhone/ipod/ipad/android devices and load up youversion/esv+ . It’s right at our fingertips.

I was prompted to think on this by one of my lecturers over the past week. He mentioned it quickly in a lecture on Romans but the topic of thought has been one I have had over the past few years, and I have been re-energised to mull over it some more through his comments.

We know the Word of God is not just any word. It is not a normal book.

“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.” (Hebrews 4:12)

The verse clearly outlines that God’s word effects us. It works inside us powerfully. The question then, “Can it do this while it is on your phone/computer/ipad?”. The answer I believe is no. The word of God is seen to be living and active at the point in which it interacts with those God intended to interact with. Human-kind. It is not living and active as words on a page, but words in a mind and heart.

Reading the Bible off your phone once, and forgetting it in minutes leaves us in the same predicament as reading the written word of God once and forgetting it in minutes. Unless the word of God is allowed to penetrate our mind and heart through approaches like thoughtful study and memorisation (both of which take decent portions of time) we will experience limited effect. We must not think that the close proximity of the word of God (on our phone – instantly accessible) is somehow of benefit to our life transformation if we do not read it and memorise it and mull over it.

In fact, I am even inclined to think that the proximity and ease of access we have to the word of God through our phones may actually be damaging to our overall life transformation. I only think this is the case due to a dangerous thought that no doubt creeps into many of our heads (subconsciously most of the time), namely, that “I don’t need to memorise that, I can access it whenever I want”. We must fight against this one. We mustn’t succumb to equating the total benefit of memorisation of scripture with “having the scripture on-hand to share whenever we need it”. Scripture studied and memorises sinks much deeper, and has much more life and action than simple regurgitation of words. As the Hebrews verse states, it helps discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart. It’s not going to do this on your phone.

A project I have been involved with since around 2008 is a web tool I made to help memorise scripture as a part of a demonstration of website coding I did for some of my students when I was a school teacher. It was called the MAPAW (Memorise a Passage a Week) Project. I have since closed it in the hope of redevelopment into something more substantial, that could help more people get the word of God into their minds and hearts. If you visit www.mapawproject.com you will see the stub of it promising a new version soon. I have since purchased a new domain for the tool, www . memver . com (not included it as a link because I don’t want google to find it in its unfinished state), that is still under development. I am very keen to finish redeveloping this tool, to begin using technology to put the word of God into us, rather than using it as an excuse to keep it out. The first free chunk of time I have available I will work hard on it.

This stuff is important. We need to fill our minds and hearts with the Word of God. Use technology to aid this.

Names of Jesus Part 2: Son of God

Jesus being referred to as the Son of God more often appears as a concept than an actual title. It does get used as a name, particularly by the demons actually, but it doesn’t always appear as the phrase “son of God“ but often appears as the Son (Jesus) talking of his relationship with his Father.

It’s a relational reference, not a biological one. There are a couple of ways this can be seen;

As a unique bond – (e.g. use of “my father” in John 5:17. Pre-existince shared glory John 17:5. Oneness concept in John 10:30)

But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” – John 5:17

And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. – John 17:5

I and the Father are one. – John 10:30

As unique fellowship (e.g. fathers love for the son in John 17:24, knowing each other in John 10:15)

Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. – John 17:24

just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. – John 10:15

Not purely a relational reference, but also a functional one showing how the Son and the Father work together in the gospel. This can be seen in one main way;

As a unique working relationship (e.g. Jesus doing the works of the father in John 14:10, Jesus being the way to the father in John 14:6)

Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. – John 14:10

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. – John 14:6

Satan and his demons seems to know it well, they refer to him as the “Son of God”, having power or status that others didn’t have in their realm/view. (see Matthew 4:3 and Matthew 8:29)

And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” – Matthew 4:3

And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” – Matthew 8:29

Use of the name “Son of God” or the “God’s son” concept certainly emphasises Jesus’ uniqueness and divinity. He is unlike any other due to his closeness with the Father and the role he plays in the Father’s plans. That Satan seems to have educated his demon’s about the Son also emphasises and suggests his divinity and power in the heavenly realm.

David Wilkerson died on April 27

I haven’t had much to do with reading this man’s books and I don’t know his theology. But hearing this snippet of his sermon has challenged me to prayer again. You can feel his heart. Oh what would happen if we were to pray from our longings for God’s will deep inside. Now is the time.

Names of Jesus Part 1: Son of Man

Jesus often referred to himself as the “Son of Man”. Why?

Though some think (and it seems reasonable) that Jesus referred to himself as the Son of Man to emphasise his humanity, on closer study, I don’t think that was the (only) reason.

Redeeming Christmas

If you believe everything you read about Christmas on the internet, you could be forgiven for coming to the conclusion that it is a bit of a farce as far as holidays go. A quick read of some Google results for “History of Christmas” will tell you that it is the conglomeration of a whole bunch of holidays form a large number of cultures throughout history where a stack of traditions have been rolled into one gigantic consumeristic nightmare. A date was picked for it and away we go. One can definitely see these days that Christmas seems to be getting less to do with Christ, and more to do with a thousand other things.

Grace

I have recently been reading through a morning devotional called “Holiness – Day by Day” by Jerry Bridges and have found it a very helpful reminder about grace in a time that I have really needed to remember the truth.

Ukulele Theology – Trinity

Ukulele Theology I thought… What a concept! And this is the result…

Lyrics

The doctrine of the trinity

is a tricky thing to grasp you see

‘cause the maths tells us that one is three

and our brain says no I can’t agree.

But though it’s hard to understand

the Bible’s truth is close at hand

and it shows us in Matthew 3

verse 16 and verse 17 that God, is a trinity.

God is a trinity

three persons He is shown to be

in loving community

He shows us what we ought to be.

Father, Son and Holy Spirit

all are God now don’t you see it.

That God is one and one has three

all working together in unity

Our God, He is, a trinity.

Piper on Creation

Piper on Creation – What do you think?

My initial impression is that it is quite sensible. I haven’t thought about the idea of a 6000(ish) year old human co-existing with the thought of a million(s) year old earth. Interesting…

51

I have been thinking about Psalm 51 lately. Hearing it at Church and in a song on my iTunes playlist. It reads from verse 10 to 12.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me
Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me
Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

I do pray this to God very honestly and willingly. Daily I struggle to keep my heart fixed on him. This is my desire. That I may have a clean heart, willing spirit, renewed right spirit and joy in my salvation.

What a great section of scripture.

Read it and meditate on it yourself. Recommit to following Jesus.

Recommending Repentance

I just finished preparing a message for SDBC Youth on friday night and I am really excited about what I have learnt and what God has got for me to share.

It is a message about Repentance. Some key verses have been…