I was raised in a beautiful-looking church, but the Bible was not emphasized or taught at all. I loved
doing a lot of free time book reading (my favorites were Science Fiction and Landmark History books),
but, except for a thorough study for writing a 55-page paper on the Gospel of John, I didn\u2019t read or study
the Bible at all until starting in October 1974. And I was a top Sunday school student! -But only \u201cGod\u2019s
Word does not come back void.\u201d 1 Thessalonians 3:15-17 says: \u201cAnd that from a child thou hast known
the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness: that the man (or woman) of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto
all good works.\u201d So I had to do some catch-work after I was unjustly fired from my first Christian school
teaching job in 1974. The Holy Spirit had me study straight through Job, Psalms, Proverbs, and the
Epistles of Paul, underlining and making 3 x 5 cards to make some Bible study tools later. I traded the
secular books reading time for time of Bible study and intercessory prayer. I did also read some Christian
books, but never became addicted to do such. Now I have 59 Bible study tools which I share with others.

On June 25, 2004, I shocked my German wife when I told her that I don\u2019t read and study the Bible
everyday for my new ministry of Preparation for Heavenly Living Correspondence School. Later
during the sermon on Romans 5:1-5, eight ways of relating to the Bible came to my mind. So the ways
one should relate to the Bible are 1.) Read, 2.) Study, 3.) Meditate, 4.) Memorize, 5.) Discuss it, 6.)
Counsel with it, 7.) Prepare a Bible study tool or teach it. Frequently living it should be done everyday by
Christians, but at least one of the others should be done too, preferable several.

Reading and study of the Bible should never be done when an individual is not thinking as Proverbs
3:5-8 says. In other words, reading just to read or just because someone else says so will usually not have
lasting results. To me a key is thinking as Proverbs 3:5-8 commands, and then an individual can become
sensitive to the Holy Spirit, Who Jesus said in John 14-16 would be a believer\u2019s convictor, comforter,
teacher, and guide. The following is my translation and logical formatting of those important verses:

I disagree with those saying that Christians should study the Bible every day and should read all of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. No where in the Bible is this commanded. The Holy Spirit will guide each God\u2019s truth seeker in a personal way. Most of my Bible study tools were interrupted in the development for good reasons and preparation for the rest. So I did not read and study the Bible every day even when I was focusing on thinking about them. But, every day I try to do at least 3 of the first seven ways to relate to Scripture.

Those who brag about reading the Bible one time or more times through who I have met, did not manifest the fruit of the Spirit in compassion for others. Also, I am turned-off by those who are proud of their memorizing of Scripture and try to get everyone else in church to do likewise. None of them manifested the fruit of the Spirit in compassion for others either. I knew a pastor who had a photographic memory but he never bragged about how much Scripture he knew; he was a humble verse-by-verse Bible teacher.

I pray for the just indicated people because they are misleading others from truly personally relating to
the Bible. To me, living it means doing what it says to do in thinking and acting in relation with others
and also confessing and repenting of bad habits. I enjoy doing either of those. For over 30 years, the
Bible has been the most important (by far) book in my life. I am amazed how I learn new understandings
from even my favorite passages. I never had a dull minute with it. Below are more reasons why the
Bible is so important to me and definitely is Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth:

A. First in responding to any Bible verse or Scripture passage you are orally given or assigned, skim the
verse or passage and then check the verses before and after to make sure I have included all of the
context. I could be wrong and not have included important context verses.

B. For each verse, think: \u201cDoes it just tell me something I believe already or does it indicate something
I should change in my life to be more Christ-like?\u201d If it is the latter, copy it onto a 3 x 5 card and
state it in your own words in a commitment form.

C. When copying Scripture, be very careful, and double and triple check what you have written.
Capitalize the first letter of (a) a deity pronoun, (b) any title of God the Father and of Jesus Christ,
(c) Earth and Heaven respectively meaning the planet we live on and where true Christians hope to
go for the time before the New Earth (d) the words Bible, Scripture, and Christian, (e) the word Law
when the context indicates either the Ten Commandments or God\u2019s Law [not the ordinances,
religious rules, and procedures spoken/written by Moses for only the Israelites in the Old Testament
times], and (f) any other proper nouns.

Directions: The following Holy Scripture references, quotes, and paraphrases can be used as
\u201cspringboards\u201d for good reasoning and important discussions. If you really believe most
of the quotes in this paper, please note which ones and indicate any questions or doubts
you might have about the ones you don\u2019t. Otherwise, you could write an essay as if you
had the opportunity to try to persuade an individual to become a true Christian.

The words that I speak unto you,
they are spirit,
and they are life.\u201d

\u201cThe Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.\u201d

and all His works are done in truth.
He loves righteousness and justice....
The counsel of the Lord stands forever,

that all things must be fulfilled, which were written
in the Law of Moses,
and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning Me.\u2019

you received it,
not as the word of men,
but as it is in truth,

\u201cYou do err,
not knowing the Scriptures
nor the power of God.\u201d