Beginning reading the bible... - help...

mammag wrote: I'm going to start reading the bible again. I've read a lot of the books but never know what order to go in. For those who have read it through, did you start with Genesis and work your way through? I've read that one the most because that's how I usually try to do it. Not really looking forward to the begots again.

GavinsMommy replied: Never start with Genesis...you will just become confused!!! Start with Mark.

gr33n3y3z replied: lol I cant read that small print

GavinsMommy replied: Then read Acts, Romans, then stories of key people in the book of Genesis -Joshua, Ruth, Ezra, Job, Hosea, and others. Then turn to Psalms and read a bit to get the feel of worship. Then you can start going in chronological order. That worked best for me and that is what is recommended in The Book...a contemporary version of the Bible that is recommended by the 700 club.

GavinsMommy replied: Ohhh I know what you mean about the begots. My stepdad is a minister and it's like he told me...skip it! It doesn't really matter. You can go back and read through later if you need to, but God had that written to just show the history and generations, not really because it was significant to the Bible.

mammag replied:
You could get one of those magnifying glasses people use when doing stitchery that hangs around your neck....

Thanks Lauren. I'll start with Mark tonight. Chris wants me to read it out loud for him to half listen to so that should be fun. Maybe I'll pile the whole family in the bed for a read.

GavinsMommy replied: Great idea! Mark is pretty interesting compared to a lot of the other books.

What REALLY helped me was The Book. You should get it...it is a contemporary version without changing the message, which most contemporary translations do. This one is awesome. It's like reading the paper and your children will understand it much better! No old english! For example, this is a verse from Mark...you may compare it...

Mark 1:21-24

Jesus and his companions went to the town of Capernaum, and every Sabbath day he went into the synagogue and taught the people. They were amazed at his teaching, for he taught as one who had real authority--quite unlike the teachers of religious law. A man possessed by an evil spirit was in the synagogue, and he began shouting. "Why are you bothering us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy one sent from God!"

Pretty simple if you ask me!

mammag replied: I may try to pick that up. It sounds like it would definitely be easier for the kids. For myself I like the regular....it sounds prettier.

Mommy2BAK replied: I'm not sure about yours but my Bible has a schedule of what to read and what order to go in! good luck! hth!

JAYMESMOM replied: I definitely agree start with the New testament and work your way thru the gospels and then go to Genesis. I always found I would a Psalms and a Proverbs with my other reading to get the worship part with it.

I need to start doing the same thing myself.

GavinsMommy replied:
Glad it sounds prettier to you...lol, to me it sounds like Shakespeare in a lot of ways. I just don't like old english or the sentence structure. I like to keep the Bible relevant to the modern day. Of course the old version is relevant no doubt...I just like the contemporary version. There are more complex contemporary versions, but I like the way this one reads. I don't like to spend a lot of time trying to figure out what a verse means. I start thinking to deep!

~Roo'sMama~ replied: I need to get reading again too. I did read the Bible through once... I started in Genesis but I also read the New Testament through starting in Matthew at the same time so that when I was going through the more boring stuff I wouldn't get bored. So I'd read a few chapters in the Old, a few in the New, and a Psalm every day. It worked pretty good. Now I'm feeling motivated - thanks Jeanie!

3xmommy replied: Motivated me too. My dad will be happy... he's a teacher in church. We should start up a little study group or something, that'd be fun.

Hey, while I am typing... can I ask your opinions on "speaking in tongues"? Some people in church appear to get the "Holy Ghost" and start babbling off, you can't understand any of it... I don't even know how to explain it. Whatcha think?

-Di

GavinsMommy replied:
My stepfather (minister) and I discussed this. We both think it is bogus. Yes, it can really happen...but these people are pretending and are brainwashed into believing they are speaking in tongues. Speaking in tongues is basically if I started preaching the Word in spanish and didn't even know spanish...not just babbling. They are nuts.

3xmommy replied: Thank you, Lauren. Someone agrees!

My dad and I both think it's bull as well. From what we see, if I stood up and went to talking to a room full of people... let's say some speak spanish, english, french, dutch, german... then they'd all understand me, no matter what I said. Like one spanish man and a french woman standing there listening, they'd hear my voice but in their own language, so as to understand me.

Anyway, rofl, I confuzzle me.

How about heaven & hell? Do you believe in the lake of fire?

-Di

mammag replied: I think it's possible that people have spoken in tongues as it speaks of it in the bible but no way do all the people mumbling on in those churches. I got babtized my senior year in high school. My parents weren't going to church so I went to this church with my friend. It is one of the big tv ones. I first went up to get saved and they had a huge line of people down there to pray with you. Well, the lady tried to tell me I was speaking in tongues as I was repeating what she told me.... I knew then that it was a scam there. I most certainly was not. I went back 2 more times (one of the times I was getting baptized). The 3rd time was the last because he made a statement to the crowd that if you aren't giving a minimum of $1000, get out of the front row. Had his mom up there carrying on and saying the Holy Spirit had moved her to write a $2000 right then and there.

I won't give the name of the church in case there are members here....don't want to offend. But any time I go past the church I get sick to my stomach.