BBD 09.24.14 The Collectors (Classic)
Posted by: theburningbushdevotional <theburningbushdevotional@...>
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The Burning
Bush Devotional
Classic
from 2002
09.24.14
The
Collectors
Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from
the mouth of God. - Matthew 4:4 NKJV.
Bob Burke an Oklahoma City attorney, historian, and
collector has given his collection of over 2,000 Bibles, to the University of
Oklahoma. In this collection of Bibles, there are over 200 languages
represented and the dates of publication range from 1492 to the year 2000. The
collection is thought to be the largest privately owned collection, and it is
estimated that it has a value of several hundred thousand dollars. However,
many of the Bibles are priceless being irreplaceable. Burke related
that the Bibles had just been packed into his office and that he was relieved “because they are now in safe hands and they will be
used.”
The Bible is such a wonderful book it still ranks near
the top each year in numbers of books sold and there have been more Bibles
printed than any other book. According to the Bible, every part is “inspired
by God” and “is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be
complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17).” The Bible is not only “inspired by God” it is “living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even
to the division of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a
discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).”
The Bible is inspired by God, it is
living, powerful, and sharper than a human sword, and it is the “sword
of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17).” The Bible
is also our spiritual food, which is needed just as frequently as physical food
which we eat every day (Matthew 4:4). The Bible gives us direction to the way of life (John 14:6; 1 Peter 1:23) and through
the Bible we will find true success (Joshua 1:8). It is through the Bible that we will find strength to
resist and overcome temptation (Psalm 119:9,
11).
How large is your Bible collection? Within my reach are
four Bibles and our family has a total of 15 or so and possibly more. I enjoy
the way some of the Bibles look on the outside with nice leather covers and
some have brightly colored designs, which are appealing to the eye. I like the
feel of the pages, which are thin, and with gold on the edge. I like the small
pocket Bible that I can carry with me concealed but ready for an emergency,
just in case they ask us to lift our Bibles up in the air at a pastor’s
conference.
Does it do me any good to have all of these Bibles if I
am just going to admire them? My Bible
collection is only a collection and worthless spiritually if I never open up
their pages and read the words of life printed on them. Even if we only have
one Bible, we have a priceless possession that many would even today risk their
lives to read and are risking their lives to read. Most of us risk nothing if
we were to open up the pages of one of our Bibles and read the living words of
God. Why do we just collect them? Why do we just admire them? Why don’t we
read them?
(Update 9.22.2009: Jeanie at a
meeting today, heard of how in China a family in a house church given a Bible
was so thankful for receiving it that they wanted to have their picture taken
with the man giving the Bible to them. This was even after it was known that
someone had called the police to report the gathering because a man was upset
that his wife had been saved.)
Copyright © 2002-2014. Ed
Wrather. The Burning Bush website has been online since January 31, 1998. On
June 8, 1998 the email version of the Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.
Ed Wrather began writing devotionals in the early 1990s. The distribution of
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