One nice thing about restaurants is that the menu is right in front of you. The letters are big and bold, easy to read. You can order as little or as much as you want. A menu gives you choices. You could go to that restaurant and choose a chicken meal or you could choose veggies. It's your choice.

It's not that way with maps. Say, you pull out of your driveway wanting to head to Kansas. Between you and your destination is a puzzle of roads. Say, you look at the map like you look at a menu. "Okay, I'll take I-70 -- that looks good. But I don't think I want Route 23. I think I'll choose I-30 instead. And I'll have a bit of U.S. 52 West. Guess what? You won't make it to Kansas.

Menus and maps are two different kinds of reading material. With a menu, you can pick and choose. With a map, you have to use it all to get from point A to point B. Think about that in terms of your view of the Bible. Do you have a menu approach or a map approach when you read it?

A menu approach allows the Bible reader to pick and choose which parts of the Bible he likes, leaving the other portions untouched. A map approach encourages the reader to use the whole thing, to see the big picture and how it all relates to one's life.

I'm talking to someone today who doesn't know which way to go. God has provided a trustworthy map for you, if you'll just use it. God will help you if you let Him. God bless you and have a great day!

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Jonathan Watson is pastor of the Bella Vista Assembly of God. The opinions expressed are those of the author.