The internet is crammed with search engine sites trying to be the best and most efficient in the pursuit of cyber information. Whether it be AltaVista, Google, Hotbot, Yahoo, or any number of other search sites, the goal is the same - to be the mother of all search engines. These sites try to impress the would be information seeker with the number of sites they search, the vastness of the search, and the speed with which they return information. The internet has become the place to turn when we want any kind of information and we want it now.
But what if a person wants to find God? What if a person is on a quest for who God is and whether a relationship with Him is possible? Can these search engines help us? Are they the best sources to turn to if one is on an honest and personal quest for the God of the universe?
Search "God" on Yahoo and you get 2072 sites listed in 106 categories. The first 10 returns range from church denominations to a failed television program called "God, the Devil and Bob." The fourth website returned on a search of AltaVista was listed as "God's Official Homepage." I went there and it isn't. The great wonder of the information age--the internet--fails an individual personally searching for God and a relationship with Him. Search engines will leave the seeker confused and frustrated.
The best place to start your quest for a personal and vital relationship with God is the Bible. This book which has survived several millennia is God's revelation of Himself to man. While the Bible may be found online, it is not the media that is essential in satisfying a search for God--it is the message. Whether the Bible is online, in print, or on a CD, the message is the same. It is in this fascinating God-given collection of 66 writings penned by over 40 different authors over a period of 1600 years that God is found. Who God is, who man is, and how God has provided for man to have a relationship with Himself are at the core of this supernatural message.
Whether you are on a fresh search to find God or on a continuing search to draw ever closer to Him, the key to your quest is the Bible. In this new year, let me challenge you to read through the entire Bible. Below are some links to Bible reading schedules for the entire year.
Start on January 1st and make it your commitment or the commitment of your family to read through the Bible one time entirely in 2001. If you are reading this article after January 1 and it is too late to catch up, start today and end one year from now. Read through the Bible in a version whose translators placed a higher emphasis upon the smoothness of reading rather than a stilted version designed for deep Bible study. Read for the flow of the whole story given by God not for technical Bible study, but for an understanding of the big picture of God's revelation. I would encourage you to read through the Bible in the New International Version, the New Living Translation or the Contemporary English Version. You may want to pick up a Bible designed for just such a reading plan. Several are listed in the resources below.
The time spent simply reading God's Word daily will provide more spiritual insight than hours spent searching the entire internet for God. God has revealed Himself to man in His Word. It only makes sense to go to God's source about Himself.
RESOURCES
General:
http://www.christianbook.com/ Read Through the Bible in a Year (book to help you read and understand)Websites:
(Note: I do not necessarily endorse all the information or opinions listed at these sites, but do like the reading schedules they contain.)www.bible-reading.com Best overall online Bible reading plan. Great diet for reading. Choose which version and read it online or print the schedule.
www.studythebible.com/ - Daily Bible reading with the American Standard Version (1901) text linked to it.
www.wholesomewords.org - Four different daily Bible reading schedules from which to choose.
www.christianbeliefs.org- A chronological Bible reading schedule.
Bibles which are already laid out for reading through the Bible in a year:
(Note: Links listed are to online shopping sites with good basic descriptions of the Bible Click on the book image to go to the shopping site. You may find the books locally or on other sites.)
The Daily Bible in Chronological Order (365 Daily Readings) in the NIV. This is my favorite. I would recommend this to you or your family.
The Daily Walk Bible NIV (from Walk Thru the Bible)
The Daily Walk Bible NLT (from Walk Thru the Bible)
The One Year Bible NIV (365 readings with portions from various sections of the Bible)
The One Year Bible KJV (different version but same as above)
The One Year Chronological NIV Bible (looks great)The One Year Bible for Kids NLT
Shawn R. Thornton
Senior Pastor
©2001 Bible Center Church
