In 1961, Vince Lombardi walked into his team’s locker room and to 38 members of the Green Bay Packers football team as he held up a football and said, “Gentlemen, this is a football!”. His team had suffered a devastating defeat and lost the NFL Championship game the previous season. He was telling his team that it was time to get back to the basics to perform their best and relearn the fundamentals of playing football. He took the approach that each player knew nothing and he taught methodically while focusing on the basics. He started from scratch.
I would like to apply the same principles only to the Bible. “Friends, this is a Bible!”
I recently did a podcast called, “This is a Bible!”. I asked listeners to take the Vince Lombardi story and apply it to the Bible. It’s so important we start from scratch with a clean slate and an open mind and study the Bible methodically. It seems to me than many people have moved away from the Bible and more to social media and the news. Minds are becoming cluttered with chaos and confusion and our “game play” has become horrible. The Bible can reset our minds and refresh as well as renew us. The sound of that statement sound serene and peaceful. The Bible is our “playbook” for life.
Romans 15:4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
This verse in Romans 15:4 explains that the Bible was written for our instruction on living life. We should remember that the Scriptures were written for us to live a pure and righteous life. It guides us on how to approach temptation, war, our neighbors, love, kindness, and how be the most Christlike people we can be. We may need to start from scratch many times in our lives because of our brokenness and failures when we sin, but that is okay because God expects that to happen. This is why He has given us the Bible or our guide for life. He has left nothing out.
I often emphasize to others to not overthink the Bible. Take in the words, breathe before thinking, and if you don’t understand, don’t try to explain the passage, just try the passage again another day.
I must tell you when I started trying to understand the Bible, I took snippets of verses that I thought applied to my life. I didn’t read the before and after verses, I just read one verse and thought I understood. I was so wrong. For example; this use to be a verse I totally took out of concept.
Proverbs 46:5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
I thought this was a power verse for women to not give up. I thought that because that is how it is printed on coffee mugs, t-shirts, journals, and many other items. It referenced “she” which I thought meant woman. I was wrong! I am ashamed of myself for accepting the Pinterest version over taking responsibility of looking up the whole passage in the Bible which is:
Psalms 46:1-11 NIV
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Come and see what the LORD has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
This passage simply means to take comfort in God and His protection when things are dark, praise God in reverence and to always trust in God. It’s much more than saying, “Women be strong and see what God brings you in the morning.”. She is a city, not a woman.
Lastly, remember the words in Matthew 4:4 But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” God has written our “playbook” for the best possible life. Let’s get back to the fundamentals and basics of the Bible. Thank you for joining me and I am praying for you! LoLo
LoLo’s coordinating video
gratefulgratitude.net 