Written by Patrick Morley |
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| Tuesday, March 20 2012 08:13 | |
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The Man in the Mirror Blog
The official blog of Man in the Mirror!
Ten Ways to Really Love a Woman
A Look in the MirrorVolume 203
February 21, 2012
Note: This is an excerpt from my new book Man Alive. I wrote Man Alive because I'm tired of watching men go to events, get all amped up, charge out determined to do better, soar briefly, then glide (or crash) back to earth. In my experience these men are deeply frustrated that they can't sustain the change. It doesn't have to be that way. So what's going on? There are seven primal needs that, when met God's way, can stop the spiritual roller coaster. If you know a man like that, or if that's you, order a copy of Man Alive today and let me walk you through a process to become "alive through Christ" (Eph 2:4-5). Or start a small group to discuss the questions at the end of each chapter.
No need is more primal than to love and be loved without reservation. I've been married to Patsy for 39 years and I love her more today than the day we married. I mentioned this to a single female lab tech yesterday and she wanted to know the "secret." I told her several practical ideas, but at the end I said, "We're Christians and each of us have given Jesus the first place in our lives. When Christ is first, everything else just seems to fall into place." I watched as comprehension slowly spread across her face.
Here are the ten most practical marriage ideas I've picked up over four decades of working with men. Discuss these with your single men too!
More...
Legend says that Valentine was imprisoned, where he fell in love with
the jailer’s daughter. Just before his execution he wrote her a love
letter and signed it, “From your Valentine.”
The English popularized Valentine’s Day in the 1700s. Americans picked up on this and began exchanging handmade valentines. Printed Valentines first appeared in America around 1840. Valentine’s Day is the 2nd largest day for greeting cards (after Christmas), and women purchase 85% of all valentine cards (History Channel, retrieved December 10, 2003).
Valentine’s Day is a day for lovers. My mom and dad were married on Valentine’s Day. My wife and I were married on the Saturday closest to Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day presents a perfect opportunity to invest in your marriage. Here’s a plan to make Valentine’s Day special for you and your wife. First, though, let’s review some reasons why it’s worth investing the effort….
A DIFFERENT WAY TO THINK ABOUT MARRIAGE
Family systems thinker Edwin Friedman wrote how successful a marriage can be. He said, “In reality, no human marriage gets a rating of more than 70%” (Friedman, Generation to Generation, 1985, p. 69).
In other words, even the most successful marriage will only be symptom-free about 70% of the time. Patsy, my wife, and I both think we have a great marriage. We talked this 70% thing over, and it makes sense to us. You could think, “Is that as good as it gets?” But a better thought would be, “Wow, maybe my marriage is better than I thought!” If you will dwell on this 70% number, I think in time you will be encouraged by it.
Why just 70%? It’s the flesh. We see each other through the veil of our sinful natures. It takes grace to make a marriage work. No person is ideal. Our wives can be controlling, neglectful, strong-willed, pouters, unexpressive, unappreciative, and on and on. So can we. That’s why Valentine’s Day can be such a helpful, healing time…a time to raise the stakes for your marriage and help it become what God has called it to be.
THE BIG PICTURE ON MARRIAGE
Here are some remarks adapted from the Introduction of my book for wives, Understanding Your Man in the Mirror….
1. Marriage is a good thing. Marriage blesses. Marriage is that mysterious, spiritual fusion of two lives headed in two directions into one flesh.
2. All relationships are difficult, especially marriage. Florence Littauer has said, “We are attracted to marry each other’s strengths, and then go home to live with each other’s weaknesses.” Two people rubbing against each other are bound to create some friction. Love is the glue that holds us together, and the oil that keeps us from rubbing each other the wrong way.
3. Virtually all men believe that they are, or have been, a difficult husband to live with. Most likely, many regrets haunt your husband. He knows he has been difficult. Yet, he wants to make up the years he robbed from you.
4. Most men have it in their hearts to do the right thing. Based on hundreds of surveys and thousands of interviews I would say the overwhelming conclusion is this: Most men really do want to do the right thing. Men deeply love their wives. Along the way they have bought into a few ideas that knocked them off balance, but their hearts are good.
WHERE ARE YOU TODAY?
Take this self-test about where your marriage stands today…
I believe marriage is a good thing.
[ ] Completely [ ] Mostly [ ] Somewhat Disagree
My marriage is difficult.
[ ] Completely [ ] Mostly [ ] Somewhat Disagree
My marriage is difficult because I have been difficult to live with.
[ ] Completely [ ] Mostly [ ] Somewhat Disagree
I want to do better and make my marriage right.
[ ] Completely [ ] Mostly [ ] Somewhat Disagree
I’m encouraged that “no human marriage gets a rating of more than 70%.”
[ ] Completely [ ] Mostly [ ] Somewhat Disagree
My marriage needs my immediate attention.
[ ] Completely [ ] Mostly [ ] Somewhat Disagree
I need to be the one to take responsibility for investing in my marriage.
[ ] Completely [ ] Mostly [ ] Somewhat Disagree
THE EMOTIONAL BANK ACCOUNT
The most powerful marriage concept I’ve run across is “The Emotional Bank Account.” Every wife has an Emotional Bank Account into which we make deposits and from which we make withdrawals. Basically, every time we interact with our wives, whether verbal or non-verbal, we are either making a deposit or a withdrawal.
For example, you’ve had a rough day. Come home, slam door, expel loud grunt simulating a large zoo animal, plop down in chair, turn on TV, bury nose in paper…. Is this a deposit or a withdrawal from your wife’s Emotional Bank Account? Okay, you get the picture.
Now let’s say the following morning you feel terrible for being such a bum the night before, so you take your wife coffee in bed. That would be a deposit, right? So you see how this works.
One more example. Non-verbal communication counts. Say your child had a spat with another child in the neighborhood. Your wife has been working the situation all afternoon. After dinner she wants to talk. You cross your arms, frown, and stare out the window. See how this works?
Here’s the big idea: After a few years, a lot of wives end up empty. Their Emotional Bank Accounts have been depleted. Why? Too many withdrawals, not enough deposits. This is not merely a “cute idea,” but is the Continental Divide between those marriages that make it and those that don’t. Remember above I mentioned that wives and husbands can be “controlling, neglectful, strong-willed, pouters, unexpressive, or unappreciative.” Withdrawals like that, without a plan to make deposits, will eventually destroy a marriage.
Valentine’s Day presents an opportunity to a) make a mega-deposit and b) renew yourself to be a “depositer” into her account.
THE 7 STEP MEGA DEPOSIT
Here’s a 7 step suggestion to make this Valentine’s Day a Mega Deposit into your wife’s Emotional Bank Account.
Step 1: The Ask. At least 10 days before Valentine’s Day, ask your wife for a Valentine’s date. It’s important to ask well in advance so it doesn’t seem “last minute” to her. Make it special: write a handwritten note, make a poster, hire a skywriter, get a banner made, a note in a bottle, use your imagination!
Step 2: The List. At least 7 days before Valentine’s Day, start a list of all the things you appreciate about your wife. Be creative!
Step 3: The Note. At least 3 days before the big date, send your wife a handwritten note telling her how much you are looking forward to your special date.
Step 4: The Flowers. On the big day, send her flowers with a mushy note.
Step 5: The Date. Pick a romantic restaurant (be sure to make a reservation in advance). Go up a notch on your normal price range. After dinner pull out your “List” of things you appreciate and tell her each item, slowly, with embellishment. Give her a Valentine’s Card you make or purchase.
Step 6: The Gift. Chocolate is a traditional favorite, but keep your antenna up for hints. Maybe your wife would like some Starbucks coffee, a gift certificate to her favorite bookstore, or some warm pajamas.
Step 7: The Follow Up. The day after your date, write your wife another handwritten note telling how much you enjoyed your date and why.
MINISTRY LEADER IDEAS AND APPLICATION…
Give a copy of “A Man’s Guide To Valentine’s Day” to all the men in your church
If you are a pastor, incorporate ideas from this article into a worship service and sermon.
Urge members of your small group to make Valentine’s Day special. Share ideas and hold one another accountable.
Consider a Bible study focused on “love.” Compare the characteristics you find to the reality of your marriage. What steps might you take?
ALM 110 wriiten by Patrick Morley. Patrick Morley helps men think more deeply about their lives, to be reconciled with Christ, and to be equipped for a larger impact on the world. © 2003. Patrick Morley. All rights reserved.
Over the last four decades, I've met one-on-one with thousands of men over coffee, in restaurants, in offices, online, after Bible studies, or just hanging out at the racetrack--men like you. I've listened to their stories. I've heard what they said and didn't say. Christian men know--or strongly sense--that we were created to lead powerful lives transformed by Christ.
But something is blocking them.
With a few inspiring exceptions, most men I talk to are confused about what a powerful, transformed life really looks like. They have high hopes for what Christianity offers but little to show for it.
Their instincts are screaming, "There must be more!"
When men try to put into words what keeps them from feeling fully alive, they invariably describe one or more of these seven symptoms:
- "I just feel like I am in this thing all alone."
- "I don't feel like God cares about me personally, not really."
- "I don't feel like my life has a purpose--it seems random."
- "I have a lot of destructive behaviors that keep dragging me down."
- "My soul feels dry."
- "My most important relationships are not working."
- "I don't feel like I'm doing anything that will make a difference and leave the world a better place."
Do you feel the angst? Do you see yourself on this list?
The High Cost of Being Half Alive
I'd estimate that as many as 90 percent of Christian men lead lukewarm, often defeated, lives. They're mired in spiritual mediocrity--and they hate it.
Despite their good intentions, after they "walk the aisle" and "pray the sinner's prayer," most men return to their seats and resume their former lives. They don't take the next steps.
Men lose heart, go silent, and anesthetize their pain. Then they give up, burn out, drop out, or just slowly drift away. It's not just getting older--it's an assassination of the soul.
Almost imperceptibly, one disappointment at a time, the world sucks out their newfound joy and passion for life in Christ.
And isn't that exactly what the enemy of our souls wants? As Jesus said, referring to the devil, "The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy" (John 10:10).
The collateral damage is staggering. Tonight, one-third of America's seventy-two million children will go to bed in a home without their biological dad. But perhaps the greatest cost to the physical absence of fathers is the practical absence of mothers. Essentially, one person must now do the work of two. As a young woman who grew up without a dad said, "When my mom and dad divorced, I didn't just lose my dad. I also lost my mom because she had to work long hours to support us."
There has to be a better way.
What a Man Alive Does Differently
We all know a handful of Christian men we admire more than others. Their faith has become robust and powerful. They're living lives of influence because their primal needs have been fulfilled. They feel alive. Perhaps you have even witnessed their transformation from spiritual mediocrity. Likewise, you've known men who never seem to be able to get it together spiritually. What makes the difference?
What are the guys who really have it together doing that the guys who live in spiritual mediocrity don't do? What differentiates strong men from those guys who always seem to be on the outside looking in? What do successful Christian men do that unsuccessful Christian men fail to do?
What's Going On?
Consider Jesus' well-known parable of the four soils. A sower went out and scattered the seed of God's Word on four kinds of soil: the hard path, the rocky soil, the thorny ground, and the good soil.
Most men today would recognize themselves in the first three soils where the seeds don't grow. Yet they honestly want to be like the good soil where the fourth seed fell--to be men "who truly hear and understand God's word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted" (Matthews 13:23).
What is keeping men's lives hard, rocky, and choked with thorns when so many urgently want more and when God created us for more--much more?
Jesus gave us another insight when He was speaking to a group of confused religious men. He said, "Your mistake is that you don't know the Scriptures, and you don't know the power of God" (Matthew 22:29).
Do you see it? Jesus made a direct connection between knowing the Bible and leading a powerful life. Lukewarm men are in error because they "don't know the Scriptures" and therefore "don't know the power of God." Their capabilities don't equal their intentions.
On the other hand, transformed men "truly hear and understand God's word and produce a harvest." Digging into the Word of God is easily the number one factor that differentiates men who have tapped into God's power.
A Powerful Life
The word "power" in the Bible is the Greek word dunamis, from which we get dynamite.
An Army chaplain had a huge boulder in his backyard. He knew an Army explosives expert, so he asked for help. The chaplain suggested they put some dynamite on the rock to break it up.
The explosives expert laughed. He said, "If we just detonated explosives on top of the rock, it would barely take a chip out of the rock--and we would shatter every window within a two-block radius!
"But I can do anything with that rock you want. I can leave the rock intact and throw it anywhere in your backyard. I can split in two. If you want me to pulverize it, I can. You just tell me what you want, and I can shape a charge that will direct the power of the blast to do whatever you want."
That's the kind of immense, versatile power that Jesus envisioned in making the statement in Matthew 22:29. In the Scriptures and in the Holy Spirit, you already have at your disposal the power--the dynamite--of God to change your life.
Where Do We Go from Here?
God gives us a huge promise in His Word. Jesus said it Himself: "My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life." (John 10:10)
You don't have to settle for being half alive. You can heal each of your inner aches and pains. You can be the good soil. You can be transformed. God will change your life, one verse at a time.
It's not self-indulgent for you to become the man God created you to be. In fact, it's your destiny to lead a powerful life transformed by Christ--not without ongoing opposition, but equipped and trained with the power to prevail. You don't have to settle for being half alive.
We are part of something bigger than ourselves, you and I. We share a common bond. And there are others too--millions of us. Everywhere. Men unwilling to settle for spiritual mediocrity. Men unwilling to settle for anything less than becoming fully alive.
ALM #202 © 2012. Man in the Mirror. All rights reserved. This article may be reproduced for non-commercial ministry purposes with proper attribution.
Seven Tips to Develop Your Own Bible Reading Plan
A man who became a Christian bought a Bible. He said, "Have you seen this thing?"
The Bible is daunting. At roughly 770,000 words, that's about 2,500 normal book pages--equivalent to 12 non-fiction books!
Bible reading falls into that special category of things we all know are important but struggle to do, like diet and exercise.
Every year since 1988 I've read the Bible cover to cover. This is certainly not required, but I've learned some things along the way that may be helpful to you.
As you might suspect, I've encountered every imaginable distraction from lack of motivation, inability to concentrate, and outright laziness to barking dogs and making the mistake of checking my email just before I planned to read!
There have been times of emotional weariness, physical tiredness, and spiritual warfare. Nevertheless, I succeed because I have a plan.
If you already have a plan, great. But if you don't--and even if you do--here are seven tips to help you make the most of reading your Bible. At the end is an exercise, "My Bible Reading Plan," for you to complete.
1. A Purpose for Reading
First, what is your purpose for reading the Bible? When I attend a meeting I like to ask, "What's the purpose of our meeting today?" That way, we tend to stay on target.
Uppermost, I read the Bible for communion with God. First and foremost, Christianity is a relationship with the Father who lavishes His love on me. When I read the Bible I am literally spending time with the living God who delights in me. The Bible, along with prayer, allows us the experience to holy presence of God for a few moments. Communion is what keeps me coming back. For everything else, there's google. I also read the Bible for discipleship--to grow and mature in faith.
So, my purpose to read the Bible is for communion (knowing) and discipleship (growing).
What is your purpose?
2. A Fixed Routine
Second, what is the best time of day, frequency, place, and amount of time for you to read the Bible?My best time to read is early in the morning, because that's when I'm fresh. I grab a cup of coffee and settle into a favorite chair for an unhurried time of prayer and reading the word of God. If it fits your personality, it's a good idea to have a set schedule.
Daily Bible reading (often called a "quiet time" or "personal devotions") makes sense for the same reasons we recharge our cell phones. Of course, things come up--an argument with your spouse, an alarm that doesn't go off, early meetings, or cranky kids. On average, I read about five days a week.
How much time you spend reading is completely a matter of personal preference, but I like to read one day from an annual Bible reading plan.
What routine works best for you?
3. Pray Before Reading
Third, how should you pray when reading your Bible? It's a good idea to pray when you read. How I pray connects to my purpose: communion and discipleship. I start by bringing myself into the presence and power of God. I usually start by praying,
"Father, I come to meet with You. Please meet with me, Your much loved son. (Then I will usually add a few sentences, mostly repeating Scripture about God's love for me and my love for Him).
"Jesus, I come to meet with You. Please meet with me, Your much loved servant. (Again, I add sentences like, "I surrender my life today to Your Lordship.")
"Holy Spirit, I come to meet with You. Please meet with me, Your much loved vessel. (Plus the additional sentences like, "Lord, I invite You to disciple my heart, to reveal what's inside of me, and to speak to me."
Also, I pray about things as I read.
How do you pray, or want to pray, when reading your Bible?
4. It's Always Good to Have a Goal
Fourth, what is your goal for reading the Bible? My friend Tom Skinner said, "When you set a goal, you are literally writing history in advance."
If you're new to the Bible, your goal might be, for example, to read a chapter a day in the New Testament five days a week. (If you did this you would read all 260 chapters of the New Testament in one year: 52 weeks x 5 days = 260 chapters).
I don't micromanage my Bible reading. Instead, I set one annual goal each year. That's to read through the Bible cover to cover annually. I don't worry if I miss a day or two. Call me "inconsistently" consistent. I like the flexibility of chasing down rabbit trails, such as looking up all the verses in the Bible on, say, "God's will." As I write this, I'm 20 days behind in The One Year Bible. It doesn't matter. By December 31 I'll catch up.
You may prefer shorter goals. God has no set formula for Bible reading.
What is your goal for reading the Bible?
5. Increase Your Comprehension
Fifth, what can you do to increase your learning and retention? I mark up my Bible. Some may consider the Bible too reverent to mark. But from a learning theory perspective, writing things down improves my comprehension. I've got margin notes, underlines, arrows, check marks, asterisks, and a few chicken scratches I can no longer decipher!
You can also journal in a notebook, on a computer, on scraps of paper, or in the margins of your Bible. I do them all.
You may concentrate better with a display screen or a hard copy. If you learn better by listening than reading, the Bible is available in all popular audio formats. It's totally up to you.
Memorization makes up an important part of my plan. I keep a list of verses I'm working on. At this point in my journey, it's rare to find myself in any situation without a verse coming to mind.
Another part of your plan could be to teach the Bible. Preparing Bible lessons drives me deeper into the Bible than anything else.
What can you do to increase your learning and retention?
6. What to Do When Your Mind Wanders
Sixth, what will you do when your mind wanders? My mind wanders all the time. And to be honest, I like it. There are four possibilities when my mind wanders: the world, the flesh, the devil, or the Spirit. When your mind wanders, you have to figure out which one it is. If it is the world, the flesh or the devil, then of course you want to reel it back in.
However, if I read a text and my mind goes racing to a relationship that's not right, or I am convicted of a sin, or prompted to some good deed, then that is the Spirit and I let that happen. When I read a phrase or sentence that impacts me, I like to linger awhile, letting the Word soak into my soul.
What if your mind wanders because you're tired and exhausted? When I get that way, I try to read out loud. If I still can't concentrate I just stop and live to read another day!
What can you do when your mind wanders?
7. Know What Keeps You Coming Back for More
Seventh, figure out what keeps you coming back for more. My commitment is to stay at it each day until I have what I call "a moment of humility," an overwhelming sense of God. It could be an insight, a sense of awe, or feeling completely and totally loved. It's a moment when I feel the power and presence of God washing over me. I'm not looking for a self-help book. I want the truth. The truth is what's relevant and applicable. That's what keeps me coming back.
What keeps, or will keep, you coming back for more?
Assignment: Consolidate your answers to the questions above into "My Bible Reading Plan."
My Bible Reading Plan
What is your purpose for reading the Bible?
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What time of day suits you best?
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How often do you read, or plan to read, the Bible?
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Where's a comfortable place to read for you?
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How much time do you spend, or want to spend, reading the Bible?
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How do you pray, or want to pray, when reading your Bible?
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What is your goal?
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What can you do to increase your learning and retention?
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What can you do when your mind wanders?
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What keeps, or will keep, you coming back for more?
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© 2011. Man in the Mirror. All rights reserved. This article may be reproduced for non-commercial ministry purposes with proper attribution.
Similarities and Differences Between the Old and New Testaments
Like Two Pieces of a Treasure Map That Only Make Sense Together
If the Bible was a movie, what kind of movie would it be? It would be a heart-gripping, action-packed drama, the epic story of a broken family, ripped apart by every ilk of dysfunction, but reconciled in the end--though not everyone--by a strong adoptive father who heroically refused to give up, who pledged to do "whatever it takes" to save his family.
More...
| ALM #197 - How Did the Bible Come into Existence? Written by Patrick Morley |
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Every day people purchase a staggering number of Bibles. In fact, more sell in a day--up to 250,000 copies-than the typical best-selling novel sells in a whole year! Why is that? Because no other book even remotely approaches the Bible's power to satisfy the deepest longings of our hearts. We pick up the Bible when life doesn't seem to make any sense. We pick it up when we feel lonely. Or empty. We pick it up when we just need to know Someone cares about us, personally, without having to perform.One way to increase our confidence about the trustworthiness of the Bible is to know how it came into existence. No committee sat down and said, "Let's write a Bible." Instead, the Bible was organically assembled as inspired human authors each spoke to the unique needs of their own generations. Hebrews 1:1 puts it like this: "God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways." That would be Moses, Samuel, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and a bunch more. Those men wrote down what God told them to write--which means they had to be literate--usually on a scroll made from animal hide. Sometimes they jotted direct quotes: "I am the LORD your God. I will be your God and you will be my people." Other times, they wrote what they experienced (Nehemiah rebuilding the wall), what they felt (David in Psalms), or what happened in a previous age (Moses writing Genesis). In any case, God inspired them to write. By the first century Peter was teaching, "Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:20-21). Neither did anyone have the idea of a "canon." Canon is just a technical term for Bible; it means "rule" or "standard." It's a set list of books that religious scholars consider Scripture, "the inspired word of God." Theologians like to say the church didn't create the canon; they just recognized the canon already in use. Where Did the Old Testament Come From? How did the particular books in our Old Testament make it into the canon? That was pretty much based on common usage and widespread authority. "For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath" (Acts 15:21).Also of interest was how much effort had been put into preserving and copying the scrolls. Of course, it meant a lot if the book in question claimed to be the word of God, especially if from a revered prophet, like a Moses or David. No one knows for sure, but at some point the idea for a "closed canon" (which means "That's all, folks!") reached a tipping point. Some scholars think that may have happened as early as 300 BC. The Septuagint That pretty much had to be the case, since the Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek by 200 BC. The Jews had started speaking Greek and many lost their ability to read Hebrew. For us, that would be like American Catholics trying to read a Latin Bible. The story goes that the twelve tribes of Israel each sent six scholars to Alexandria, Egypt, seventy in all, who translated the Hebrew to Greek in seventy days. We call it the Septuagint (Latin for "seventy"). That's quite remarkable, because all 39 of our Old Testament books are included in the Septuagint! (Along with several apocryphal books included in Catholic and Orthodox Bibles). So our Old Testament has been a fixed list of books since at least 200 BC--more than two thousand years ago. The Bible of Jesus It's pretty clear that Jesus and the disciples had a Bible--the Old Testament. In fact, some of Jesus' quotations of the Old Testament match the Septuagint version, which means that Jesus felt comfortable using a translation.Jesus believed the Old Testament was the word of God. He would often say, "It is written...." Or ask, "Have you not read...?" He also believed the Old Testament was factually true. He referred to Adam, Eve, Abel, Noah, Moses, Lot, Elijah, and Jonah as historical figures. And He said the Scriptures cannot be altered, abolished, broken, nor can they pass away. Jesus also had the distinct impression the Old Testament was all about Him! After the resurrection He told His disciples, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms" (Luke 24:44). In all, the New Testament quotes all but five Old Testament books in more than 300 passages. Where Did the New Testament Come From? After the death of Jesus, His disciples transmitted information about Him orally for about 30 years--"oral tradition." However, Christianity was growing into a powerful force. By 70 AD they couldn't keep up. So they started to write about His life and teachings, and also about the early church. Luke, who penned a gospel and also Acts, put it this way:Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. (Luke 1:1-4) Toward the end of the first century, a collection of Christian writings took shape and circulated among the churches. Not all, however, were canonical. For example, during the Roman persecution, when their oppressors demanded that Christians hand over their Scriptures, some surrendered the Shepherd of Hermas (not "quite" canonical) but hid their "real" Bibles. The four gospels as we know them--Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John--emerged winners. They received wide circulation, along with Acts as did the writings of Paul, which were collected into a single body of work. Churches also began to archive copies of Paul's epistles. So a fixed list was starting to be recognized.A heretic, Marcion, who died around 150 AD, proposed a "purified" version of Luke and ten of Paul's thirteen epistles as his New Testament. He appeared to be revising a list of books already in use. That presented a challenge to the orthodox church, which answered by affirming the four gospels, Acts, and all of Paul. A list of canonical books dating to about 180 AD was found in a monastery in the 18th century. I mention that because some of the coolest discoveries take place in monasteries. Seriously, every monastery should be required to clean out their attics and tell us what they've got. In any event, this list, a fragment really, called the Muratorian Canon, was an authoritative list of canonical books made at Rome. It's important because it's a pretty close approximation to our canon. "Hey, Why Don't We Make a New Testament!" Also around 180 AD, Irenaeus first mentioned the idea of a "New Testament" to go with the "old" canon. That was important because Irenaeus was a disciple of Polycarp who was a disciple of John--the original "eyewitness" John. And Irenaeus was very well respected, so the idea started to catch on. But it was finally Athanasius, the bishop of Alexandria, who once and for all nailed down the official New Testament. There was a tradition. Every Easter, the bishop of Alexandria would send a letter and, among other things, give his take on the "authoritative" books. In his 367 AD Easter letter, Athanasius acknowledged all 27 of our books. And they were books already in wide use. So the official sync date for the Bible we use today is 367 AD. That list was affirmed at synods ("official" religious meetings) at Hippo in 393 AD and Carthage in 397 AD, both of which were attended by Saint Augustine (in his pre-saint days). The canon was closed. No serious challenges since. That's a pretty good Bible. The Bible we have is the Bible God wanted us to have. Note: If you're in a group, consider taking one session to read this article and discuss the following questions.
Pat Morley is the Founder and CEO of Man in the Mirror.
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Bill, a member of our Board of Directors, said, "When I first became a Christian I would feel so confident at work because I knew what I was doing--like a doctor with a scalpel. "But when I would walk into church I would feel like putty. I didn't know where things were, or how the Bible was put together. I didn't know the major events and periods of the Bible, so I felt queasy and didn't really like going to church on Sunday." One way to increase your Bible confidence is to have a good overview of the story and structure of God's Word. There's no "one right way" to organize the Bible. Well, there probably is--the way it's already organized! If we take the Bible at face value, it already says exactly what God wanted to say exactly the way He wanted to say it. Still, the Scriptures leave the average human mind nagging for a way to "organize" and "structure" the book for greater comprehension. The Bible is structured mostly as stories, and written mostly in chronological order. However, besides the obvious division into two Testaments, something else is going on. Not unlike personal transitions from, say, single to married, or from childless to children, there are monumental transitions, or shifts, that take place in the Bible. As a result, God's message of love has been communicated differently in different seasons (or periods, ages, epochs). Most Bible scholars are comfortable with some kind of "scheme," "structure," or "list" that organizes the major periods, so I've put together one for you--11 ages in three stages.
Stage 1: The People of God The first three ages, from Adam to Joseph, covered about 2,250 years--more than half of the Bible's timeline--yet all three are compacted into just the single book of Genesis! The first age began with the Creation and ended with the Fall. That was followed by the second age, the Flood, which ended with a covenant from God to Noah. The third period was the Patriarchs with Abraham (who became the father of our faith through the covenant, Isaac, Jacob), and ended with Joseph as the number two man in Egypt. (Genesis)
The next two ages rounded out the five books of Moses. After Joseph, the Hebrews groaned under Slaveryfor 430 years in Egypt, which all ended when Moses theatrically led the Exodus through the Red Sea. However, a rebellious saga turned what should have been a stroll over to the Promised Land, into a Wilderness exile--where God gave Moses the Law, including the Ten Commandments--that concluded 40 years later at the border of Canaan. (Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) Then Joshua led the Conquest of the Promised Land which ended with the land firmly under the control of the Jews. Once in the land, a series of Judges led the people of God (whose king was God), but that age ended badly when "the people of God" sinned by asking to become "the nation of Israel" with a human king. (Joshua, Judges, Ruth) Stage 2: The Nation of Israel Next came the age of Kings. Kings they wanted, and kings they got--some good like David (good enough for an updated covenant), and some bad like Ahab, but increasingly bad, so that God split up and finally abandoned the nation to its enemies. (1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles) The Jews were unceremoniously banished in Exile to Babylon for 70 years, where Daniel became the number two man of the land. That dark moment ended when the king of Persia sent a remnant of people back to rebuild the temple. The Return to Jerusalem, God's city, was fraught with problems and ended with Nehemiah rebuilding the wall around the city. And then, Silence. There began a famine of the word of God, which lasted for four agonizingly long centuries, until, finally, Jesus ended the drought. (Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther) Stage 3: The Church of Christ The Gospels era was bookended by the Incarnation and the Resurrection, when Jesus appeared "in the fullness of time," and ushered in a "new covenant" through His blood shed for the sins of His children, which inaugurated the kingdom of God. (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) After His Resurrection, the Early Churchformed rapidly in Jerusalem with Peter and the Disciples as central figures. It lasted several decades, and came to a close with their deaths--many by martyrdom. (Acts) Soon after the church formed, the Missions era took flight with Peter's vision for the inclusion of the Gentiles, and the conversion of Paul, who spread the gospel throughout the Roman empire during three missionary trips and ended with the Disciples--mostly Paul--writing the letters that would complete the Scriptures. (Acts through Revelation) After that, under the direction of the Church Fathers--the disciples of the original Disciples--the canon (Bible) was closed. The books of Wisdom (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes), Poetry (Job, Psalms, Song of Solomon) and Prophecy (Isaiah through Malachi) are for the most part written to augment the major periods of Kings, Exile, and Return. The Structure of the Bible As far as hard data goes, here's a chart that traces the major periods.
So what does this mean to you? Once, when Jesus was speaking to a group of confused men He said, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God" (Matthew 22:29). Having a good overview of the story and structure of God's Word will bolster your Bible confidence--so you don't have to walk into church feeling queasy. Knowledge is power. NOTE: If you're a leader, consider taking one week from your regular study, distribute copies of this article to your men, then discuss the questions below. GO FURTHER: Take your group through the "A Man's to the Bible" Video Bible Study series at http://www.maninthemirror.org/video-bible-study. For Reflection and Discussion 1. What makes the Bible so completely different from any other book? What makes it similar to any other book? 2. What amazes you most about the Bible, and why? Pat Morley is the Founder and CEO of Man in the Mirror.
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A Look in the Mirror, Volume 194 (ALM 194)
NOTE: I'm writing a new book for release in January 2012. I think we've finally settled on The Fellowship of the Red Bandana for the title. The idea is to show how men are transforming their lives by applying God's Word to their seven most deeply felt needs.
Here is an excerpt from Chapter 3, "The Fellowship of God's Big Holy Audacious Goal." The deeply felt need addressed in Chapter 3 is, "To believe that my life has a purpose--that my life is not random."
Not long ago I heard a speaker give an impressive message in which he attributed our moral free fall to the pursuit of happiness instead of holiness. It was a great message. - Patrick Morley