Testimony

I war raised in a beautiful-looking church, but the Bible was not emphasized or taught at all.
I loved doing a lot of free time book reading (my favorites were Science Fiction and Landmark
History books), but, except for a thorough study for writing a 55-page paper on the Gospel of
John, I didn’t read or study the Bible at all until starting in October 1974. And I was a top
Sunday school student! -But only “God’s Word does not come back void.” 1 Thessalonians
3:15-17 says: “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make
thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by
inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness: that the man (or woman) of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all
good works.” So I had to do some catch-work after I was unjustly fired from my first Christian
school teaching job in 1974. The Holy Spirit had me study straight through Job, Psalms,
Proverbs, and the Epistles of Paul, underlining and making 3 x 5 cards to make some Bible study
tools later. I traded the secular books reading time for time of Bible study and intercessory
prayer. I did also read some Christian books, but never became addicted to do such. Now I have
59 Bible study tools which I share with others.
On June 25, 2004, I shocked my German wife when I told her that I don’t read and study the
Bible everyday for my new ministry of Preparation for Heavenly Living Correspondence
School. Later during the sermon on Romans 5:1-5, eight ways of relating to the Bible came to
my mind. So the ways one should relate to the Bible are 1.) Read, 2.) Study, 3.) Meditate, 4.)
Memorize, 5.) Discuss it, 6.) Counsel with it, 7.) Prepare a Bible study tool or teach it.
Frequently living it should be done everyday by Christians, but at least one of the others should
be done too, preferable several.
Reading and study of the Bible should never be done when an individual is not thinking as
Proverbs 3:5-8 says. In other words, reading just to read or just because someone else says so
will usually not have lasting results. To me a key is thinking as Proverbs 3:5-8 commands, and
then an individual can become sensitive to the Holy Spirit, Who Jesus said in John 14-16 would
be a believer’s convictor, comforter, teacher, and guide. The following is my translation and
logical formatting of those important verses:
Trust in the Lord
with all my heart, and
lean not on my own understanding
or past experiences;
in all my ways acknowledge
(be thankful for) Him,
and He (via the Holy Spirit) shall direct
my thinking and doing.
Do not be wise in my own eyes;
fear the Lord (have awesome respect for)
and depart from evil.
It will be health to my flesh,
and strength to my bones.

But along with the much misusing of Scripture in

sermons and publications, there is a lot of false
teaching about how a Christian should relate the
Bible:

1
  I disagree with those saying that Christians should study the Bible ever day and should
read all of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. No where in the Bible is this
commanded. The Holy Spirit will guide each God’s truth seeker in a personal way. Most
of my Bible study tools were interrupted in the development for good reasons and
preparation for the rest. So I did not read and study the Bible every day even when I was
focusing on thinking about them. But, every day I try to do at least 3 of the first seven
ways to relate to Scripture.
 Those who brag about reading the Bible one time or more times through who I have met,
did not manifest the fruit of the Spirit in compassion for others. Also, I am turned-off by
those who are proud of their memorizing of Scripture and try to get everyone else in
church to do likewise. None of them manifested the fruit of the Spirit in compassion for
others either. I knew a pastor who had a photographic memory but he never bragged
about how much Scripture he knew; he was a humble verse-by-verse Bible teacher.

I pray for the just indicated people because they are misleading others from truly personally
relating to the Bible. To me, living it means doing what it says to do in thinking and acting in
relation with others and also confessing and repenting of bad habits. I enjoy doing either of
those. For over 30 years, the Bible has been the most important (by far) book in my life. I am
amazed how I learn new understandings from even my favorite passages. I never had a dull
minute with it. Below are more reasons why the Bible is so important to me and definitely is
Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth: