{"id":36002,"date":"2024-05-24T09:14:19","date_gmt":"2024-05-24T09:14:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/church.abny.in\/?post_type=product&#038;p=36002"},"modified":"2024-06-21T07:59:27","modified_gmt":"2024-06-21T07:59:27","slug":"before-you-open-your-bible","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/church.abny.in\/hi\/resource\/before-you-open-your-bible\/","title":{"rendered":"Before You Open Your Bible"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"flex-1 overflow-hidden\">\n<div class=\"react-scroll-to-bottom--css-zdxdr-79elbk h-full\">\n<div class=\"react-scroll-to-bottom--css-zdxdr-1n7m0yu\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col pb-9 text-sm\">\n<div class=\"w-full text-token-text-primary\" data-testid=\"conversation-turn-3\">\n<div class=\"px-4 py-2 justify-center text-base md:gap-6 m-auto\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-1 text-base mx-auto gap-3 md:px-5 lg:px-1 xl:px-5 md:max-w-3xl lg:max-w-[40rem] xl:max-w-[48rem] group final-completion\">\n<div class=\"relative flex w-full flex-col agent-turn\">\n<div class=\"flex-col gap-1 md:gap-3\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-grow flex-col max-w-full\">\n<div class=\"min-h-[20px] text-message flex flex-col items-start gap-3 whitespace-pre-wrap break-words [.text-message+&amp;]:mt-5 overflow-x-auto\" data-message-author-role=\"assistant\" data-message-id=\"d9c6b83f-4751-4942-8b4c-8b0281df24c8\">\n<div class=\"markdown prose w-full break-words dark:prose-invert dark\">\n<h4><strong>Approaching Scripture with Reverence: Before You Open Your Bible<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cToday there has been a movement toward a \u2018spiritual reading\u2019 of the Bible that puts the greatest emphasis on one\u2019s own experience of the text rather than on a careful, close reading and study of it. Yet Bible study must never be a merely academic exercise either. Matt Smethurst\u2019s little book is a needed re-orientation so that Christians can genuinely hear God\u2019s voice through his written Word.\u201d \u2013 Tim Keller, chairman and co-founder, of Redeemer City to City and author of The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;If you tend to grab your Bible, flip it open, and mumble a quick request for Holy Spirit help, you are setting yourself up for something less than spectacular. But if you wish to hear the Spirit of Jesus speak life-altering words to you, it will mean laying aside your agenda, rallying your sensibilities, and remembering the majesty of the One who has words for you. Matt Smethurst has written a stellar little book on this rare but important subject. If you desire to approach your Bible as God wants you to, read this and be renewed!&#8221; \u2013 Joni Eareckson Tada, Joni and Friends International Disability Center<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn our culture of productivity and efficiency, we desperately need to slow down and think about God\u2019s Word. This timely book by my friend Matt Smethurst teaches us how to humble ourselves and approach Scripture the right way. Before You Open Your Bible is filled with great wisdom about how you can reconnect with the power of the Christian life: God\u2019s Word. After reading this book, get alone with God and his Word, and be amazed at the grace that you find.\u201d \u2013 Rick Warren, founding pastor of Saddleback Church; author of The Purpose Driven Life<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs evidenced by his social media presence, my friend Matt Smethurst is one of the more thoughtful Christian commentators out there today. I\u2019m thankful he\u2019s written a book on how to rightly interact with God\u2019s Word. This is something that no Christian can afford to neglect.\u201d \u2013 Shai Linne, Christian hip-hop artist and author of God Made Me and You<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMatt Smethurst is brilliant and creative. But more than that he is what every Bible teacher should be, and that is faithful. In Before You Open Your Bible, Matt reminds us of the significance of God\u2019s Word by focusing on the way we approach it as readers. This book will help you read Scripture in a deeper, more meaningful way.\u201d \u2013 Russell Moore, president, The Ethics &amp; Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo one ever comes to God\u2019s Word empty-handed. What you bring with you will shape how you receive it, understand it and live it. As I read Matt\u2019s book, I was reminded once again that the battle of Bible study is really a war for the reader\u2019s heart. I love this book! I need this book and so do you. Read it and keep it near, because you\u2019ll need to read it again and again.\u201d \u2013 Paul David Tripp, president, Paul Tripp Ministries and author of Suffering: Gospel Hope When Life Doesn\u2019t Make Sense<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis book is a treasure. It is precisely what the church needs. I know of nothing else quite like it. I want to get this book into the hands of Christians of all ages.\u201d \u2013 Burk Parsons, pastor, St. Andrew\u2019s Chapel, Sanford, Florida and chief publishing officer of Ligonier Ministries<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGive Matt Smethurst an hour and he will send you back to your Bible with renewed awe and expectancy. A little gem of a book.\u201d \u2013 Glen Scrivener, evangelist and author of Reading Between the Lines<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Although there are many great resources on how to read and study Scripture, hardly any focus exclusively on how to approach it in the first place. That&#8217;s what Smethurst provides in this unique &#8220;prelude&#8221; to opening your Bible. For without the right heart postures, we&#8217;re not yet ready to start reading.<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":36089,"template":"","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"default","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"default","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"default","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"default","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false},"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[104],"product_tag":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-36002","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"product_cat-bible-study","8":"first","9":"instock","10":"shipping-taxable","11":"purchasable","12":"product-type-simple","13":"entry","14":"content-bg","15":"loop-entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/church.abny.in\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product\/36002","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/church.abny.in\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/church.abny.in\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/product"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/church.abny.in\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36089"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/church.abny.in\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36002"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/church.abny.in\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_brand?post=36002"},{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/church.abny.in\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_cat?post=36002"},{"taxonomy":"product_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/church.abny.in\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_tag?post=36002"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}