2021-03-09
2 Timothy 3:15 NCV
Getting into God’s Word is so important, but we can sometimes feel intimidated by the Bible. We might feel overwhelmed because it’s such a big book and we just don’t know where to start. We might think that because it’s such an ancient book, spans such a long historical time period, and includes so many themes, it’s too complicated for us to understand. So today, let’s look at how to simplify it and make it feel a bit more manageable.
1) Think of the Bible as a library of smaller books. It’s a collection of 66 books of different lengths, written over a period of 1,500 years by more than 40 people from all kinds of cultural and educational backgrounds. But what binds them together is that the words of each book were ‘breathed out by God’ (2 Timothy 3:16 ESV).
2) When they’re put together, the books of the Bible tell of God’s amazing love for us, culminating at the cross. Paul wrote to Timothy: ‘You should continue following the teachings you learned. You know they are true, because you trust who taught you. Since you were a child you have known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise. And that wisdom leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus’ (v.14-15 NCV).
3) The Bible is the story of God’s love for you. Every time you read it, allow it to unfold in your heart as a love letter written to you by God. Even if you can only manage to read one chapter, or even one verse, at a time, get into the habit of spending time with God’s Word every day, and let it speak into your life.
Gen 47-49; Matt 21:33-46; Ps 112; Prov 7:6-9
2020-04-16
Proverbs 15:14 NCV
Do you like learning? Or do you try and avoid studying? It’s important for us to keep learning about God. We’ll never learn everything there is to know about Him; there will always be more we can discover. The Bible says: ‘People with understanding want more knowledge, but fools just want more foolishness.’ If we want to be people with understanding, we need to long to learn more about God. We need to spend time studying the Bible. It contains so much wisdom about life and God, and no matter how many times we read it, God can always teach us something new. We’re told: ‘All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for showing people what is wrong in their lives, for correcting faults, and for teaching how to live right’ (2 Timothy 3:16 NCV). We have to be disciplined in making the time to spend studying His Word. We might not always feel like opening our Bibles, but it’s important that we keep going with it. It can also be useful to read commentaries and books about the passage we’re studying, or to listen to a pastor talk about it. Learning is part of our worship. It’s a way of loving God. Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength’ (Mark 12:30 NCV). Part of loving God is through using our mind. If we never take the time to study His Word, or learn more about Him, then we’re neglecting part of our worship. However we feel about studying, let’s make sure we’re always prepared to learn so that we can grow in our faith and love for God.
Lev 18-20; Mark 1:21-34; Ps 43; Prov 10:10
2020-04-06
Psalm 113:9 NLT
Imagine the agony a single parent goes through when they are required by a court order to put their children on an airplane, alone, for an extended visitation with the other parent. Yes, it’s necessary and it’s fair, but it can be painful. One single mom described her feelings this way: “I stand in the terminal, and I watch the kids’ airplane disappear into the clouds. I feel an incredible sense of loss. The loneliness immediately starts to set in, I worry constantly about their safety, but I resist the urge to call every hour to see how they’re doing. And when they do call me to tell me how much fun they’re having, I grieve over the fact that they’re having a life completely separate from my own. My only consolation is knowing that they’re coming home soon. But I’m haunted by the fear that they won’t want to come home to me.” For the single parent who identifies with this hurting mother, there’s a way to get through the painful days of waiting. Instead of seeing this time alone as a period of isolation and deprivation, view it as an opportunity to recharge your batteries and reinvigorate your spirit. Spend time with friends. Read your Bible and pray. Return to a hobby you’ve set aside. Fill your day with things that are impossible amid the responsibility of child care, recognizing that your children will benefit when you do. They’ll return to a re-energized you, instead of one coming off weeks of depression. God says, “My grace is all you need.” Today draw on His grace.
Soul food: Lev 1-4; Matt 27:11-26; Ps 25:1-7; Prov 9:17
2020-03-21
2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV
As you read this devotional, always remember that the power doesn’t lie in the writer’s thoughts or comments, but in the written Word of God. Paul tells us, “All Scripture is God-breathed.” It’s impregnated with divine seeds of life, and those seeds will spring to life within you, producing the fruit of the Spirit, and “delivering on” the promises of God. View this devotional as a gateway rather than a goal. See it as the little book that whets your appetite for the Big Book! When you read each day’s devotion, have your Bible beside you and turn to the Scriptures that are referenced. As you deposit the Word of God within you every day, wonderful things will begin to happen in your life. The psalmist writes: “Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do” (Psalm 1:1-3 NLT). Note the words “they prosper in all they do.” As you renew your mind with Scripture, your faith will grow, your outlook will be altered, and every area of your life will start to change for the better. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Soul food: Job 11-14; Matt 24:26-35; Ps 13; Prov 8:14-16
2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV
There is so much power in God’s Word. Paul tells us, ‘All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.’ And in Hebrews, we’re told: ‘For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart’ (Hebrews 4:12 NIV). God’s Word has the power to change us, inspire us, discipline us, comfort us, and encourage us. Even when we read passages of Scripture that we’ve read many times before, it still has the power to impact us. The Spirit can show us things we’ve never noticed before. As we take in the Word of God every day, amazing things will begin to happen in our lives. The psalmist writes that those who love God’s Word ‘are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do’ (Psalm 1:3 NLT). God’s Word has the power to sustain us through the tough times in life. But we need to choose to be open to that power. If we refuse to spend time reading the Bible and asking the Spirit to speak to us through it, we’re unlikely to experience the transformative power contained inside it. Even when life is hard and we’re walking through a valley, we need to spend time reflecting on God’s Word. The promises found inside are true no matter how we feel, and no matter how bad things in our lives seem. As we renew our mind with Scripture, our faith will grow, our outlook will be altered, and every area of our lives will start to change for the better.
Job 11-14; Matt 24:26-35; Ps 13; Prov 8:14-16
