Dr. Wesley L. Duewel- The Bible is one of God's greatest love gifts to you. It is the world's greatest literary treasure. It is the foundation of the church and of your faith. But there is always the danger that you may forget how personally God wants to give it specifically to you.
He desires you to use it daily as your spiritual food, your personal prayer resource, and your weapon for spiritual conquest. (Google image, Holy Bible)
John is very clear in stating that he wrote his Gospel to help you to believe (John 20:31). It is not just for people in general; it is for you. That is true of all the Bible, including the Old Testament.
The instruction is for you. Referring to the Old Testament, Paul wrote: "Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope" (Rom. 15:4). The more you live in God's Word, the stronger your spiritual life will become.
The examples are for you. After recounting how God used Moses to bring Israel out of Egypt, Paul wrote, "These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us" (1 Cor. 10:11).
God intends for you to learn and apply personally the examples found throughout the Bible. For example, James, the brother of Jesus, encourages your prayer by Elijah's example:
"Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops" (James 5:17-18). Every example in God's Word is for you.
The food is for you. Jeremiah testified, "When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight" (15:16). The psalmist added, "How sweet are your promises to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth" (Ps. 119:103). The food of the Word is always a tremendous source of blessing as you begin any prayer time, particularly the times when you spend an hour or more with the Lord.
Jesus testified, "My flesh is real food and my blood is real drink . . . The one who feeds on me will live because of me" (John 6:55, 57). To make His meaning very clear, He added, "The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life" (v. 63). You cannot maintain spiritual health and life apart from feasting on the words of Jesus.
"Eating" involves reading, understanding, and obeying. The Bible was given for you to "eat." Some writings have almost no food value for mind or soul. Others are worth tasting—but a taste is enough. The Scripture is essential diet; there is no alternative for the Christian.
No Christian layman or Christian leader who does not read at least several chapters of God's Word daily can be a strong Christian, regardless of how many years he may have professed to be a Christian or what position he holds in the church.
A devotional book may be helpful, but is unacceptable as a substitute for God's Word. There is no person mighty in prayer who neglects God's Word. This neglect explains pygmyish souls and feeble praying.
The promise is for you. Children sometimes sing a chorus that begins:
Every promise in the Book is mine,
Every chapter, every verse, every line . . .
Is it true? God's Word is given to you to use. While the Scripture was initially spoken or given to persons in specific situations centuries ago, its basic truth is as true today as ever, and as true for you as for anyone. Peter said to the thousands listening on the day of Pentecost,
"The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call" (Acts 2:39).
To what promise was Peter referring? Probably several, going back to Isaiah 44:3. But to whom was Isaiah 44 spoken? It was originally delivered to Israel more than seven hundred years before Christ was born. Was the message really for them? Yes, for them, for the people at Pentecost, and for you.
Father, one of Your greatest gift of love, is the world's greatest literary treasure; the Bible. Christian churches build their foundation on it. We build our faith on it as well, and glad for the privilege to read it daily. It reads as though it's specifically for us, as it's meant to be.
St John tells us that the Gospel he wrote is to help us believe the report about Jesus, and that it's not just for people in general; it is for each one of us. This is true of the whole Bible, which includes the Old Testament. (See John 20:31).
Today's Bible verses-
John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
~ Are you willing and ready to follow Jesus into new adventures where things won't be the same? Have you seen Him lead you through some anxious moments, when you had to encounter new experiences which brought new grace and truths He wished to bestow upon you? Be ready to go!
Today's guest post:
Lori HatcherCrosswalk.com Contributing Writer
“The male need for respect and affirmation, especially from his woman, is so hard-wired and so critical that three out of four men would rather feel unloved than disrespected or inadequate . . .
Sadly, our world has made respect something our husbands have to earn, bargain for, or demand. God designed it as a way to show love. Gestures of respect, even small ones, can accomplish great things. As we respect our husband, we help them become all God created them to be. They—and we—become more like Jesus . . . '
Today's question-
What is the awesome gift the Lord gives us as believers?
50 days after Pentecost, 120 believers were waiting for "the promise of the Father." They heard a roaring sound in the room where they were sitting! What was that? Then they began to see cloven tongues resting on the heads of everyone, including Mary, Christ's mother. (Acts 2:1-4; 1:14 concerning Mary)
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| Permission by Jeff Jett |
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