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A flashlight
"Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path."

—Psalm 119:105

OK, so they didn't have flashlights when the Bible was written. But they had the next best thing to help them see at night: lamps fueled by oil.

And that light is a big help if you're out walking on an unfamiliar mountain path. Without it, you could get lost. You could tumble off a cliff. Or you could bump into some nasty animal you don't even want to make angry. But none of those things are likely to happen if you have a trustworthy source of light.

For the Christian, the Bible is that kind of light. It removes the darkness from your path, and points out stuff that threatens to trip up your walk with God. You just need to open it up, read it, and let its bright light guide your way.

a seed
"Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed," [Jesus told them]. "As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it. Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The plant sprang up quickly, but it soon wilted beneath the hot sun and died because the roots had no nourishment in the shallow soil. Other seed fell among thorns that shot up and choked out the tender blades so that it produced no grain. Still other seed fell on fertile soil and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted. …"

—Mark 4:3-20

Jesus is telling one of his incredible stories. In this one he compares God's Word to a seed. Like handfuls of seeds tossed into the air and blown over a few acres of land, God's Word ends up dropping into the lives of many different people. Some of those people "just don't get it," and the Bible means nothing to them. Other people seem to really take it in, but eventually their so-called faith withers away because it was never firmly rooted. Then there are those who get caught up in all their problems, worries and sins. The Word of God is just choked right out of their lives. Still others let God's Word take root in them, and they grow in amazing ways and continue to mature in their faith. It takes time, discipline and patience to understand the Bible and discover its powerful, life-changing lessons. But that's the only way to produce lots of great fruit, right?

a razor-sharp knife
"For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are."

—Hebrews 4:12

A surgeon takes his scalpel, carefully removes a brain tumor and saves a life. Impressive! But even more impressive is the razor-sharp Word of God that can slice away damaging "spiritual tumors," like: gossip. … bitterness. … hypocrisy. … lust. … bad language. … Cut them out of your life by letting God's Word go to work.

an instruction manual
. … and more! "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God's way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do." —2 Timothy 3:16-17

It would be a waste to buy a totally loaded $5,000 computer (with DVD/CD burner, scanner, printer, 21-inch flat panel display and dozens of other special features) if you're unwilling to read the instruction manual to see how to use everything it offers. But too many Christians treat their Christian life that way. Once they receive Christ, they are "totally loaded" and ready to do amazing things for God (2 Corinthians 5: 17, John 14:11-13). Even so, they remain powerless and ineffective because they don't consult their "instruction manual."

But the Bible is so much more than an instruction booklet. It's often been called a "love letter" from God. The Bible tells of God's great love for us, and it demonstrates time and again that he is worthy of our trust. And at the center of the Bible is the ultimate love story of how Jesus came to Earth, lived, died for our sins, rose again, and then invited us all to join him for eternity in heaven.

So open your Bible. Study it often. Dig deep into its many treasures. Let it guide you in big and small decisions. Let it be the place where you come regularly to meet with God. When you do, you'll discover a Lord and Savior who is bigger, better, more amazing and more loving than you ever imagined.

This article is adapted from No-Brainer's Guide to How Christians Live, ©2001 by James S. Bell Jr. and Stan Campbell. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Available at your local Christian bookstore or through christianbook.com. You can also visit the No Brainer's website at www.nobrainersonline.com.

All Scriptures used in "The Bible Is. … " are taken from the New Living Translation.

Read more from 'Faith & Values'

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