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For 30 years, Christian leader and spiritual adviser Billy Graham has been offering advice to the thousands of readers who share their problems ...
Read more about By Billy Graham, Tribune Media Services.
For 30 years, Christian leader and spiritual adviser Billy Graham has been offering advice to the thousands of readers who share their problems ...
Read more about By Billy Graham, Tribune Media Services.
Is the Old Testament Irrelevant?
By Billy Graham, Tribune Media Services
Q: I made a New Year's resolution to read through the Bible this
year, but it didn't last very long. I got so bogged down in the Old
Testament that I finally gave up. Is the Old Testament out of date or
irrelevant? -- Mrs. E.K.
A: No, the Old Testament isn't out-of-date or irrelevant to us today. It is just as much God's Word as the New Testament, and God has much to teach us through its pages. The Bible says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable" (2 Timothy 3:16, KJV).
Let me suggest two "keys" to help you unlock its treasures. First, learn from the people you meet in its pages. The Old Testament tells of some of God's greatest servants -- Joseph, Moses, Jeremiah, etc. -- and God has much to teach us from their example. But it also tells of people who failed God. Why did it happen? What were the results? They too can teach us, warning us of what happens when we turn aside from following Christ. The Bible says, "These things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did" (1 Corinthians 10:6).
The second suggestion is to begin with the parts of the Old Testament that are easiest to understand. The book of Psalms, for example, is the "hymnbook" of the Bible, while Proverbs gives us practical lessons for daily living. Make them part of your spiritual "diet" every day.
At the same time, don't neglect the New Testament. The Old Testament foretells Christ's coming; the New Testament reveals His coming. The whole Bible points to Him, and He is its center. Is He the center of your life?
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Send your queries to "My Answer," c/o Billy Graham, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, N.C., 28201; call 1-(877) 2-GRAHAM, or visit the Web site for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association: www.billygraham.org.
(c)2008 BILLY GRAHAM DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
This news arrived on: 10/13/2008
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Posted Comments:
10-16-2008 16:25
normajun wrote:
Old testament irrelevant?
No it's the history of our faith.like your family tree.The father of faith is Abraham, who truly trusted in God, and loved him so!His generations are us.There are kings, prophets, judges, etc,, whose lives we learn a lot from.Love of God is the theme, and love of neighbor-the Shema.Jesus continues it, forever, with the founding of the church, that is the visible head, of God's kingdom here on earth.We don't see God, but He left us leaders to obey in His place, like Moses.The new testament has the apostles and the saints , instead, including us, who are candidates to heaven, our final destiny.that is the bible-the old and the new testament.
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