When I began this blog, it was to keep me on my Bible reading with the help of friends who would stop by to read and comment on what I was reading. It was with the following verse that this was established:

But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love. Jude 1:20-21 (NLT)

It has truly been a blessing to write about what I am getting out of the Bible and sharing it with others. And I want to share this blessing with others, but I am a bit stuck. Last night, Carrie was checking out the site and she said, “I love to read it, but I just don’t want to comment.” Without her knowing it, she kind of blew my plan out of the water. But, this was a good thing.

I come to you now. In expanding this site, what do you think would be most helpful to you? Here is what I have come up with so far:

1. Make it a community site, like Facebook or MySpace. You would have a profile and your own blog to join the conversation. This is where I have been leaning, but I am not sure enough people would want to add another profile and password to their lives. Some people just don’t want to write, but they love to read. I totally get it.
2. Make it a magazine site, with others writers other than me to share their observations as we go through the next year reading through the Bible.
3. Keep the way it is.

The bottom line is this:  I feel God is leading me to add more voices and visions from the Word here. The Bible speaks to everybody in different ways to different people. If everybody saw it the same way, we would all go to same church! But we don’t and I love that everybody gets it differently. Let’s discuss, debate and revel in the Word of God. That is the vision for the site and I want to do it in a way that reaches the most people.

So, what do you think? I am ready to start a movement to get everybody reading in 2009 and I want to provide the tools to help everybody continue through the year, but I need your help. Comment below and let me know and let’s see how many people we can get to read the Good News this year. Thanks.

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As I have reached the end of the New Testament, there seems to me to have been a couple of constants. One is the bond that was shared with those that were beginning to follow Christ. They had to stick together to start this movement. And, there seemed to be an abundance of false teachers that were fighting against this new type of thinking. Of course, there is always resistance to a new way of thinking, as it opposes the status quo. This would change what was taught by their grandfather’s grandfather. But worse than that were the folks that would take this new teaching and twist the words for their benefit:

Dearly loved friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation that we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the truth of the Good News. God gave this unchanging truth once for all time to his holy people. I say this becuase some godless people have wormed their way in among you, saying that God’s forgiveness allows us to live immoral lives. The fate of such people was determined long ago, for they have turned against our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. Jude 1:3-4 (NLT)

The thing that has truly amazed me reading the end of the New Testament is how it is so applicable today. There are even more of these false teachers today and we must be strong to know how to identify them, as they will usually use scripture for their own means, and to help others to avoid this trap as well. With His assistance, we can find our way to Him:

But you, dear friends, must continue to build your lives on the foundation of your holy faith. And continue to pray as you are directed by the Holy Spirit. Live in such a way that God’s love can bless you as you wait for the eternal life that our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy is going to give you. Show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. There are still others to whom you need to show mercy, but be careful that you aren’t contaminated by their sins. Jude 1:20-23 (NLT)

While it is great to have a teacher of the faith and fellowship with the members of your church body, it all begins with you. We are not given it by a church teacher, nor should we depend on them for our faith to grow. It begins with us, studying and learning and living in faith. Helping others with their faith, whether they have found it or not.

So, remember to help those that help you and teach you, but if they are asking for your assistance to save your soul or to teach you the way, they just might be false teacher. As they say today, buyer beware.

May God’s peace be with you. Read on…

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