On Monday, I introduced you to my friend Joseph and his new devotional Selah. Today I am delighted to highlight another friend, Tanya Dennis, and the call that God has placed upon her heart. She and I connected via Twitter, and quickly discovered our similar passion for studying the Bible. I encourage you to check out her ministry, Big Word Bible Studies, mentioned below.
The reason why I enjoy featuring other writers on this blog, is because it exposes you to how big and awesome God’s Kingdom is. I am encouraged by these fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, and I pray that you are too! So here are Tanya’s thoughts pertaining to the importance of the Old Testament. If you think it is “way out there,” or is non-applicable, Tanya will lovingly challenge you on that…
© Thehurwichs | Stock Free Images &Dreamstime Stock Photos
Not much can render me speechless, but she did it. In one quick statement of fact.
“I’ve never read the Old Testament. There’s nothing there for me.”
Were she someone else, an unbeliever perhaps, I would have regaled her with stories of drama, intrigue, supernatural events, spiritual relevance and redemption. But this friend was a believer. Not just a believer, but an active member of our church, a close friend with a fifteen-year testimony of personal faith and devotion to God. And she had never read the Old Testament.
I didn’t think anything could shock me more than that. I was wrong.
A few months later I discovered that her position was rather common. Another friend, who had been a believer for more than twenty years, confessed she had never attended a Bible study. Not once. Then the leader of our church’s ministry to moms rescinded her invitation for me to speak because the ladies needed “something relevant, not a Bible study.” I wondered what could possibly be more relevant than God’s Word. Apparently studying temperaments or health or exercise plans.
Now, I understand this leader meant something topical or directly related to moms’ daily lives of changing diapers, wiping noses and negotiating schedules of discipline, after-school activities, and home maintenance. I get it. I do!
Perhaps you’ve thought the same thing. You look at your supersaturated agenda and see no urgency in studying the Bible. You’re wrong. Why? Because if you want to get anything on that list done and done well, you’re going to need God’s help. You need His wisdom to prioritize your life and you need His Spirit to empower you to get it all done.
You’ll not get that by making another list, devising another organization system or learning about your kids’ love languages. Don’t get me wrong – that’s all good and valuable! But it is not power.
Power is found in Scripture.
“I think the greatest weakness in the church today is that almost no one believes that God invests His power in the Bible. Everyone is looking for power in a program, in a methodology, in a technique, in anything and everything but that in which God has placed it–His Word. He alone has the power to change lives for eternity, and that power is focused on the Scriptures.”
~R.C. Sproul, The Prayer of the Lord
I want you to experience the power of God’s Word for yourselves. The Bible is so much more than a coaster or paperweight. You won’t believe the wonders that await you when you participate in a Bible study. You can do it by yourself, join a local group study or even participate in one online. Need materials? Visit your local Christian bookstore, browse Christianbook.com or any number of online Bible study websites.
Let’s revisit the friend I mentioned first. She was in a Bible study, so what was my problem? We are, after all, under the new covenant of Grace and not under the Law, so why read the Old Testament?
Consider this: of the 66 books in the Bible, the Old Testament contributes 39 of them. That’s more than half. If you count pages, it equates closer to 75% of God’s Word.
Tell me: How often do you base major life decisions on only one-quarter of the truth?
2 Timothy 3:16 says that “All Scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” If that’s true, then we’re missing the boat by neglecting the Old Testament. All Scripture is inspired by God for our good!
Filled with a conviction of this truth, I started Big Word Bible Studies almost two years ago. I want to help believers see – not only the thrilling stories hidden there – but also the supreme relevance these stories hold for us today.
What do we have in common with Hannah, Samson, Gideon, Deborah and Bathseheba? What might we learn about God’s character through the lives of Solomon, Nathan, Jonathan and Saul? You’ll only discover with a deep dive into God’s Big Word.
Learn more about Big Word via my website. There you can download FREE .pdf study guides, watch video re-caps and join in the online discussion or subscribe via email, all from the comfort of your couch and slippers.
Talk to me: If you are part of a Bible study, tell us about it! What do you appreciate most? If you’re not currently part of a Bible study, what would you need to join one?
*image courtesy of: http://www.
Bio: Tanya Dennis loves God and lives to help others fall in love with Him, too. Having been a missionary in war-torn Bosnia, a financial analyst in Connecticut and a church-planter in urban Philadelphia, she now faces her greatest challenge: mothering two in the suburbs of NYC. She is founder and author of Big Word Bible Studies and delights in directing others toward experiencing the extraordinary, living, breathing God in ordinary life.
Great reminder. One of my desires last year was to read through the entire Bible in a year. (I did it!) I discovered SO MUCH in the Old Testament that was very relevant for me today. When we read His word…He opens our eyes to truth.
Congrats, Eileen! That’s a hefty challenge and I’m so thrilled you stuck with it. Isn’t God’s Word amazing? Since starting Big Word, several of the ladies have said “I never knew that was in there!” I love it. 🙂 There are so many beautiful gems tucked in these dusty pages.
Hi Tracy and Tanya,
I loved your post, Tanya. I have met many people who see no relevance in the Old Testament. I spend a lot of my time reading the Old Testament, as it is so rich, with valuable truths and teaching. As you said, all of it is inspired by God, as we seek Him, we need to draw close to Him and see the larger picture, to gain understanding of who our Heavenly Father is.
Amen!
Hi Anita! Thanks for reading and for your comment. I am spending more time there too. I find Judges fascinating, and I LOVE the Psalms- they are written with such honesty and beauty. And Song of Solomon- just wow 🙂
Thank you, Tracy and AMEN Tanya! I just finished reading the Bible from the index through the maps, to God’s glory and my shame (because I am 39, have been saved since I was a kid, and this is the first time I have read His Word in it’s entirety!). It is amazing, because Jesus is shown all over the Old Testament, and of course the New, which I believe is why Christ is called “The Word”.
Our Women’s Bible Study is finishing a topical study on The Beatitudes and then we are heading into a study on Colossians…love our pastor’s wife, Kristen Wisen. She uses the wisdom and knowledge and experiences God has given her to His glory and our good. On Sunday’s, we are in Ecclesiastes.
LOVE THIS!
I absolutely agree with the importance of the Old Testament. There’s so much to be learned about worship in the book of Numbers, and leadership in the life of Moses. Who would I be without the Holy Spirit revealing my identity in the Paslms and challenging my character in the Proverbs?
Amen Tanya, and thank you for the the big important question: who makes a decision based on only a quarter of the truth?
Don’t shame yourself for taking so long to get through the whole Bible. YOU DID IT! That’s a significant feat. Who cares how long it took you to get there? 😉
You’re absolutely right — the Messiah is all over the Old Testament! What’s better: When we understand the Old Testament with all its Messianic promises, prophecies and foreshadowing types, the New Testament pops into 3-D. The whole Bible shines in technicolor.
Hi Rachel! I ditto Tanya, and congratulations on reading through the Bible. Thank you for reading and for commenting. God bless 🙂
Most of the time it seems pastors don’t push the issue. And that is to the detriment of the church. It ought to be part of the normal Christian experience to read the Bible cover to cover.
The Bible narrated on CD is approximately 70 hours. That’s 15 minutes a day for 280 days…. about 9 months. It’s not that hard.
Greg: I think you’re right. So much emphasis is placed on Acts 2 and the letters directly to churches, that many churches neglect the rest of the Bible.
Thanks for the quick facts about audio Bibles. That makes it sound so completely do-able! 🙂
When I first became a true Christian in 2001 – I said, “I can’t read my Bible – I don’t understand it”. My mentor said, “Ask God to reveal it to you”. So every time I opened my Bible I would say – Speak to me, Lord. And he did. Now I can’t start my day without a Word from Him.
I would love if you would link this to He Cares for Us on Wednesdays’ Word.
Blessings,
Janis
Don’t you love habits like that? 🙂 I’m thankful you had such a wise mentor.
One of the comments I’ve heard most often is that people don’t like the God of the old Testament. But, we can’t put God in a box like that… the Bible when put together gives the big picture of who the Great I Am is. Since I’ve dug into the Old Testament I’ve seen how much grace God had even then for His people… time and time again. 🙂 I’m so thankful His Holy Spirit keeps it alive and powerful! ~Blessings girls, Amy
I agree with you completely. The Old Testament reveals God to be so completely patient — far more patient than I would be in His shoes!! He persistently forgives, persistently pursues, and lovingly guides. I am exceedingly grateful that the God I serve IS the God of the Old Testament!
Amen Amy!
Thanks, Meg, for stopping by. Good points!