What have I been reading lately? I hope it will not surprise you to discover that I have been reading the Bible a lot lately. Not only reading it, but listening to it being read as I read it. I love that. I have been listening to Alexander Scourby read the King James Version on an iPhone app that Bro. Darius Templeton told me about when we were preaching for him in January. I am absolutely loving it and have told several people about it.
In this app you can go directly to the book and chapter you want and listen at regular speed, slow it down or speed it up. I listen most of the time at a slightly increased speed but listening to Scourby read at regular speed is an absolute joy. I listen while I walk. I listen while I am driving long distances and I listen as I read along for my morning devotions.
Alexander Scourby was the first to record the whole Bible. He first recorded it for the American Foundation For the Blind in the early 1950's. It took nearly four years to complete it. He finished it in 1953 and it was known as The Talking Bible. It consisted of 169 records and was over 84 hours long! Wow! What a set of records!
I first bought the Bible on cassette tape in the mid 1980's and it was Alexander Scourby's voice reading the Bible to me. I wore that set out years ago. I have owned other sets since then but nobody could read it like Scourby.
Our friend, Sis. Esther from Boston purchased a set of MP3's for me a few years ago with Scourby reading it. I have listened to that on my computer a lot since then but I could never successfully transfer those files to my iPhone. I mentioned that to Bro Darius and he told me about this app.
Bible KJV (Book and Audio) - PalReader
I think that link will take you to iTunes. The app is $3.99 for iPhone, iPad and iPod and it is well worth it in my opinion. Several friends and acquaintances have downloaded it and are using it and are very pleased. I think you will like it too.
Think about this. The whole Bible on my iPhone. That is the equivalent of 169 long play record albums on my phone and constantly at my finger tips and my phone has enough room on it for the same information to be on there 12-13 times! Incredible.
The Bible is my life. I happily make my living preaching from the Bible. I must be familiar with it. I could, should and must know it better. But long before I was a preacher I realized there was life within the pages of the Bible. It is the Word of God. It is powerful. I need to consume the Word of God not so that I can have something to say in the pulpit but I must hunger and thirst after God's Word because my soul needs the life and nourishment it contains.
David said, Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Psalm 119:11 Oh, God, help me do that! Happy is the Christian that will hide the Word of God in his heart.
Are you consuming the Word of God? Do you struggle as you read it to keep your mind focused? Does that cause you to get discouraged and then feel guilty because you are not reading the Bible? Maybe hearing it spoken while you read it will help you hide its truth deep within your very being.
God bless you all today.
Davy
