words of hope. [160]

we all do it. it's engrained in us. and it's one of the most dangerous things we can do.
take verses from the Bible out of context.
if you read the Bible looking for it to argue with you, you can most likely find verses that do but you usually take them out of context and it might not actually be agreeing with you. how we think about the Bible affects how we think about it applying to our lives. the Bible has become a tool for many to push selfish agendas that don't represent the heart of God.
when the verses remain separate from all the others, they lack the purpose they were created for.
a few verses that are misinterpreted:
matthew 18:29: i'm sure God hears our prayers even when we're alone. i've felt His presence when i was alone before.
john 12:32: Jesus was talking about His crucifixion, not being praised.
my favorite: jeremiah 29:11: read the whole chapter, please.
each of us has been guilty of misinterpreting the Bible. but the power of Scripture lives in its ability to communicate it's truth even if we mess it up.