BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: “Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105 NAS).
All that Glitters… Is Not Gold
By DiAne Gates
All that glitters… is not gold. Just because we see gold lettering on a black cover saying Holy Bible doesn’t mean what’s inside every just-off-the-press, new translation is the real deal.
I like to send short excerpts of Scriptures to friends when I know they’re struggling. So, this morning I picked up a devotional book a friend sent me for Christmas and found this verse:
“Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done” (Philippians 4:6 NLT).
Startled, I reread the quote and flashing red lights blinked in my mind. Being familiar with that passage, I picked up my New American Standard version and read:
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6 NAS).
Hmm, “let your requests be made known…” not telling or demanding what you think you need. Curious to see what the King James said, I checked.
“Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6 KJV).
I remembered a warning: “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments and so teaches others, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven…” (Matthew 5:18-19 NAS).
“Tell God…” Really? Tell? Precious reader, you don’t tell God. He is the Holy God of the Universe. Before a word is on our tongue He knows what we’re about to say. Who in their right mind would presume to tell Him anything? But He invites and encourages us to ask—to request—there’s an enormous difference between telling and asking, isn’t there?
But isn’t that a problem today? We want the cliff notes. Cut-to-the-chase—make it short—dumb it down. We’ve lost sight of the holiness, sanctity, and accuracy of the Word of God in order to bring His Word down to our level of understanding, without the help of the Spirit of God.
If the days ahead are darker than the ones we’re currently traveling (and Scripture tells us they will be) we’d best be seeking, asking, and knocking to be sure we’re reading His words… and understanding what those words really say if we’re going to have the strength to stand firm and occupy until He comes.
The following was adapted from When it Comes to Bibles, Glitter Isn’t Always Goldby DiAne Gates. To read the full article, follow this link.
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Photo credit: Unsplash/Priscilla Du Preez
Related Resource: A Fresh Way to Memorize Scripture
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