Bible Verses: From Clipped to Contextual
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13, NKJ) It's a verse we see everywhere - on T-shirts and mugs, wall hangings and bookmarks. Sports teams use it to pump themselves up. Students say it when taking a test. Professionals think it when interviewing for a job. Parents pray it when parenting gets tough. Using scripture in our daily lives is certainly not a bad thing! Colossians 3:16 tells us to "let the word of Christ dwell in you richly" (ESV). The problem is, verses like Philippians 4:13 are often singularly plucked from the Bible and stamped onto a product with little thought of the original meaning of the verse or how God intended for us to interpret it. There are many Bible verses that sound amazing and ARE amazing - verses that give us hope and inspiration and remind us of the love of God. For example, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm