The B.I.B.L.E

The B-I-B-L-E

A Faithful Friday Devotion from

Peggy Blann Phifer

“The B-I-B-L-E, yes that’s the Book for me, I stand alone on the Word of God, the B-I-B-L-E!”

How many of you remember singing that little chorus in Sunday school? You stood, or sat, singing for all you’re worth with bright, happy faces.

The Bible. The Word of God. I’ve had many Bibles through the years, including a little, red Gideon’s New Testament that eventually fell apart and I had to keep it together with rubber bands. Somewhere I still have that battered treasure … somewhere …

I recently saw a document in which a Bible verse was quoted, but it just didn’t look right to me, even though the scripture reference was cited as from the King James version. I dismissed it, as something else demanded my attention, but it kept bugging me.

Finally, in the middle of vacuuming, I couldn’t stand it any longer and reached for my own KJV Bible to look it up. Sure, I could have gone to Bible Gateway, or some other online source, but I wasn’t at my computer.

My Bible is well-worn and mended, and I don’t use it much anymore because the print is too small. But it’s a treasure because my mom and dad gave it to me on my 30th birthday some (___) years ago. On the second page inside, my dad had hand-written several excerpts from Proverbs 1 & 2. Words about wisdom, ending with “… Thou shalt then understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.’”

Next to my Bible, was my dad’s equally worn and mended Schofield Reference Edition, also KJV, which my mother gave me after Daddy passed. It is filled with underlined and highlighted verses, and copious notes in the margins. Just inside the front flap is a ‘sticky note’ with these words: “I would have this church be a big church and at the same time be full of the Holy Spirit, but it wouldn’t do it on its own.” You see, Daddy (and Mom) were instrumental in getting several new churches planted.

Next to Dad’s Bible was my Grandmother Blann’s Bible, given to me when she passed away in the late 1960’s, because I was the first-born of her eldest son. She hadn’t written in hers, but I found several bookmarks from events held at her church during the final years of her life.

I own many Bible translations, some of which are ‘study’ versions, most of which are just collecting dust on the shelves … again, because the font is too small.

My regular—and favorite—Bible these days, the one I use every day for my Bible reading and devotions, is the large print NKJV. It has a permanent place on the corner of my desk, always open, along with the current copy of The Upper Room, also in large print.

So, what about you? Do you have any ‘Bible stories’ to share? Any special sentiments attached to copies you have? Which version is your favorite?

Please share in the comments below

PS: That scripture reference I mentioned above? It was quoted correctly.