Read the Whole Bible in 2006 . . . or Listen to It!

Good morning, Happy Souls!

Bill Keller wrote a wonderful devotional today
that I highly recommend to you.  He has given
me permission to copy his e-mails, and I'm sure
he would be happy if you would share this with
people you know as well.

I have read the Bible from cover to cover and
agree that this is an exceptionally good use
of your time.  Read on!

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL   WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 28, 2005
(Matthew 24:35)

***One of the most encouraging things for me
personally each year, is to read the incredible
testimonies from people who take my annual
challenge to read the Bible cover to cover.  It is
a joy for the 6th year now, to be able to challenge
you to make this YOUR New Year's resolution.  I can
promise you that it will transform your life.

To help you, I am excited to announce that I am
offering you a special phone number that you can
call every day  and listen to a portion of the
Bible.  Starting at Genesis 1:1 and going through
Revelation 22:21, each day's message is app. 15
minutes long and will take you through the entire
Bible in one year!  The number to call STARTING
JANUARY 1st is:  1-954-827-1544

This year, I am adding a challenge to everyone who
has accepted Christ as their Savior.  The greatest
need in the Body of Christ is discipleship.
Getting the truth of God's Word into people's lives
and seeing people accept the Lord is tremendous.
But what happens to that person AFTER they come to
Christ is critical.  I want to challenge you today
that during the year 2006, you find one person and
make them your Timothy.  Find one person that is
new to the faith and disciple them.

The reason there is such a void of discipleship is
because it takes time, commitment, and effort.  You
have to literally GIVE YOURSELF to that person.
Sadly, it is a commitment most followers of Christ
are not willing to make, despite the fact we have
been called to do so.  I pray today that if you
know Christ as your Savior, you will pray today
about being a Paul to a Timothy during the coming
year.  Never forget, the greatest legacy you will
ever leave is in the lives of those you touch
along your journey.

Your New Year's resolution.  Having preached to
several hundred thousand people in evangelistic
meetings in churches of all denominations
throughout the country, having ministered to
millions via television and radio through the
years, and having prayed for and intimately
counseled thousands and thousands of people over
my 15 years of ministry...I would have to say the
biggest problem I have encountered with Believers
is the vast majority have never read the instruction
manual!!!

Statistical research shows that less than 10% of
professing Christians have ever read the entire
Bible.  The church as a whole is Biblically
illiterate!  From time to time in my Devotional I
will give my opinion on an issue and I am very
careful to always let you know when it is Bill
Keller's opinion.  Most of the time I just let God's
words speak for themselves.  There is not one issue,
one thing we deal with in everyday life that is not
covered in the Bible.

How many people are in terrible marriages where one
spouse is a nonbeliever.  Do you think God
admonished us to "not be unequally yoked" for
nothing?  How about those dealing with horrible
illnesses because they abused themselves over the
years with alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, and food.
Does God not tell us our body is the Temple of the
Holy Spirit?  How many families are ripped apart by
bitterness and hatred when the Bible commands us to
"have love one for another," to "forgive as Christ
has forgiven you," and to "love your enemies."  I
have to be honest.  In many cases it is not as much
rebellion towards God as it is complete ignorance of
God's Word.

Like many men, I get a new electronic toy and the
first thing I do is open the box, toss the
instructions to the side, and start "putting it
together."  Usually after a period of time when it
is not working or I have broken something, I grab
the instructions and put it together correctly.
How much easier would it have been it I had done
that first.  It is the same in our walk with God.
Many people claim they can't hear God.  God may be
talking to you and you can't hear Him because you
don't know what to be listening for.  The Bible is
one way that God speaks to us.  If you want to hear
God, just read the Book.

I know that those who get this Devotional each day
are of above average intelligence which is why I
am very direct and to the point.  I share things
knowing that you are smart enough to understand
what God expects you to do, I don't have to paint a
picture.  So if you ever listened to me at all,
listen to what I am going to say to you now.  This
applies to everyone, even those that may have read
the Bible cover to cover 100 times.

***It takes an individual of average reading ability
90 hours to read the entire Bible.  That is one hour
a day for 3 months, or one half hour a day for 6
months, or 15 minutes a day for 12 months.  Most
people make New Year's resolutions.  Here is one for
you with eternal rewards and will be more valuable
than losing 10 pounds that you will just put back on.
Carve out one hour, 30 minutes, or 15 minutes every
day starting January 1st and start reading at Genesis
1:1.  One hour, 30 minutes, or 15 minutes, you
choose.  I suggest that for those 90 days, or 6 months,
or the next 12 months, you get up that amount of time
earlier than normal and do it the very first thing.
Trust me, God will give you the strength you need
during the day.  Losing a little sleep will not kill
you.  Quite the opposite.  It will save you 100 times
that in loss sleep over the years from problems
caused because you didn't take time to read the
instruction book.

Now listen, I understand that some of the Old
Testament can be dry.  The Jewish laws, the
genealogy of kings, some of the prophetic books can
be very confusing and at times boring.  Plug on.
Don't get discouraged because you don't understand
everything you are reading.  Having read the Bible
cover to cover many, many, many times, each time is
a new experience for me.  WARNING:  I am not the
Bible answer man so don't start flooding me with
questions.  I'll pray for you anytime, but I cannot
handle thousands of Bible questions.  I do suggest
though you keep a notepad of questions and talk
them over with your pastor.

Trust me when I tell you, reading the Bible cover
to cover will change your life.  You will see things
you never thought were in the Bible.  You will see
God's warnings and promises to help you through
tough times.  Most of all, you will start to
understand how God thinks.  How can you please
God if you don't understand how He thinks?  He
knows you are not a mind reader. That is one reason
He gave you the Bible so you could begin to
understand what God expects from your life.

I promise you the time you spend reading the Bible
cover to cover will be the most important time of
your life.  I cannot emphasize enough the
importance of what I am challenging you to do.
Start at the very beginning. That way you can see
God from the creation of our world, to the very
end. It is better than any book or movie you have
ever read or seen.

The Bible is our final authority for all matters
concerning this life.  In this day of being
politically correct, accepting everyone's beliefs
and ideas, we are in the mess we are morally and
spiritually because we have gotten away from the
black and white truth of God's Word.  We have no
one to blame but ourselves.  In this day of instant
gratification, drive thru food, cell phones, fax
machines, email, Federal Express, jet travel, we
want what we want now and refuse to wait.

We have become lazy which is why we don't take the
time to read the Bible. I guarantee you that you
will spend 90 hours plus in front of the television,
the computer, with the newspaper, or doing something
else that you enjoy.  I am not saying quit living
and enjoying your life.  What I am saying is that
you have the time, it is only a matter of whether
this is a big enough priority for you to take the
time.

I love you, care about you, and my heart breaks
every day as I read the thousands of prayer requests
I receive.  How much heartache and pain could have
been avoided if people would have only read the Book
and followed the instructions.  You cannot believe
how much sense this life makes when you are living
under the direction of God's Word.  As I say often,
our way does not work, God's way does!

I will be praying that the Lord really opens your
heart and conviction floods you right now as you
read these words.  I can't force you to do it,
you have to want to do it.  I will be praying and
trusting the Holy Spirit to move on your heart to
take this challenge, even now as you read these
words.  This will be the best New Year's resolution
you will ever make.

In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller

***If I can help you in any way you can contact me
through my personal email at bkeller@liveprayer.com

***ARE YOU 100% CERTAIN WHERE YOU WILL SPEND
ETERNITY?  The fact is you will die one day.  At
that moment, you will either spend eternity with
the Lord or be cast into everlasting darkness
forever separated from God your creator.  To know
for certain you will be forever with Jesus, go to:
http://www.liveprayer.com/bdy_salvatn.html

***GET YOUR FREE LPeMAIL ACCOUNT!  Never miss
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***I am excited to let you know that the Liveprayer
Daily Devotional is now available via AUDIO each
day.  Simply go to
http://www.liveprayer.com/DailyDevotionalAudio.html
Also, you can now listen to the Daily Devotional by
phone by calling  toll-free,1-888-382-4662, or
access it on your wireless device by going to:
http://wapdd.com

(C) Copyright 2005, Bill Keller Ministries.
All rights reserved

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May God bless you as you learn from this message!

Donald W. Mitchell, Your Dream Concierge

Copyright 2005 Donald W. Mitchell