A 3-Step Process to Understanding the Bible

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Job 4:1–7:21 

1 Corinthians 14:18-40 

Psalm 37:30-40 

Proverbs 21:27

TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

Proverbs 21:27 (NLT) "The sacrifice of an evil person is detestable, especially when it is offered with wrong motives."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

When we read our Verse for Today, we may be tempted to simply write it off as irrelevant. After all, we don't offer sacrifices anymore, right?

So, let's take a moment to talk about the 3-Step Process to Understanding the Bible and then get back to our Verse for Today as we show its relevance.

The Three Step Process to Bible Study

1. Observation - "What does it say?"

The first step in Bible study should be to look at the text as a student or detective. 

Ask it the basic questions: Who, What, When, Where, Why, & How. 

Don't try to look for it's application just yet because you may come to some wrong conclusions. Simply study the text to see what it meant to its original audience. (Hint: If you spend much time and effort in this step, the next two steps should take much less time.)

2. Interpretation - "What does it mean?"

This second step in Bible study is when we take what the passage said to the original audience and lift out the general principles. We look for the overarching truths in the text that could apply to all peoples at all times.

3. Application - "How does it work?"

This final step in Bible study is when we take the first two steps ("What does the passage say?" and "What does the passage mean?") and drop the truth down into our own life.


OK. Let's look back at our Verse for Today and work through these three steps:

1. Observation - "What does it say?"

Proverbs 21:27 (NLT) "The sacrifice of an evil person is detestable, especially when it is offered with wrong motives."

In Solomon's time (the one who compiled this book), sacrificing animals was an act of worship. It was the way God had determined for sin to be dealt with. It was intended to show just how serious and offensive sin was to a holy God. 

Yet, in our verse, it is made clear that offering up a sacrifice for sin wasn't simply a mindless ritual. While sacrifice was God's prescribed way of worship and dealing with sin, God's eyes were also fixed on the worshiper's heart. If they continued to harbor unconfessed sin in their heart or if they had wrong motives, their sacrifice would be detestable to God.

2. Interpretation - "What does it mean?"

Proverbs 21:27 (NLT) "The sacrifice of an evil person is detestable, especially when it is offered with wrong motives."

Animal sacrifices were mandated in the Old Testament. Yet, Jesus' sacrifice of Himself on the cross eradicated the sacrificial system (John 1:29; Hebrews 7:27; 9:24-28; 10:12; 1 Peter 3:18).

So, we need to 'lift' out the general principle found in this verse... 

Since sacrificing was an act of worship to bring the person back into right standing with God, we can substitute "worship" for "sacrifice."

We might even rewrite the verse to show the overarching principle this way: "The worship of an evil person is detestable, especially when it is offered with wrong motives."

3. Application: "How does it work?"

Proverbs 21:27 (NLT) "The sacrifice of an evil person is detestable, especially when it is offered with wrong motives."

When we realize that any act of worship that is offered up by a person who is evil (despises the Lord / His truth) or a person with unresolved sin or with wrong motives, we are prepared to do some serious introspection with application questions.

When I worshiped in church on Sunday, was I appearing holy to those around me while I know good and well that I was harboring anger in my heart toward someone who offended me? If so, my worship is not pleasing to the Lord and I must confess it as sin and seek to make it right very soon.

When I live this day (I should worship every moment of every day), am I trying to point others to Jesus with how I live my life or do I simply want them to be impressed with my perceived spiritual maturity? If my motives are impure, then my worship is not pleasing to the Lord and I must adjust them quickly.

On and on we could go with application questions but you get the idea. 

So, when you approach God's Word, use this three step method to find out what God is saying to you. Spend MUCH time observing the text to find out what it says; then look for the overarching, general principles; and then you will be prepared to apply the truth to your life.

Loving God's Word

DAILY BIBLE READING:

2 Samuel 14:1–15:22 
John 18:1-24 
Psalm 119:97-112 
Proverbs 16:8-9

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Psalm 119:103-104 (CSB) "How sweet your word is to my taste - sweeter than honey in my mouth. I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every false way."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

The Psalmist didn't read God's Word because he had to. He read it because he wanted to. It was "sweeter than honey in (his) mouth."

And as a result of spending time reading and meditating on God's Word, he "gain(ed) understanding" and "hate(d) every false way." He became more astute in how he thought about life and he despised what he understood to be sin.

So, the Word of God was a catalyst in the Psalmist's life to develop wisdom and a distaste for sin. And he spent much time in it because he loved reading and meditating on God's Word.

Friend, do you enjoy your time in God's Word? Is it as enjoyable to you as a sweet dessert? If you don't enjoy your time in the Bible, you won't spend sufficient time in it and you won't benefit from your exposure to it.

Why not ask God to give you a hunger for His Word today. Then take your responsibility seriously by spending time reading it, thinking deeply about it, and looking for ways to apply it.

Oftentimes, our appetite will increase as we spend more time at the supper table.

Fight sin with Scripture

DAILY BIBLE READING:

2 Samuel 2:12–3:39 
John 13:1-30 
Psalm 119:1-16 
Proverbs 15:29-30

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Psalm 119:11 (CSB) "I have treasured your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

Psalm 119 is a fascinating chapter for quite a few reasons:

• It's the longest chapter in the Bible.
• The chapter progresses through the entire 22 letter Hebrew alphabet with each set of 8 verses starting with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet from the first letter (aleph) to the last (taw).
• Virtually every verse has a word for the Bible (law, your word, precepts, commands, instructions, rules, etc.)
• It's essentially the halfway point in a journey through the entire Old and New Testaments.

In our Verse for Today, the author notes that he had discovered a way to keep from doing those things that would offend his God and hurt himself - he treasured God's Word in his heart.

Psalm 119:11 (CSB) "I have treasured your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you."

So, how does this work? How can we allow God's Word to keep us from sinning?

First, you've got to spend time with God's Word. It won't do you any good unless you are in it. And our exposure to God's Word really needs to be one a daily basis.

Second, it's not simply reading God's Word that helps us. We need to "treasure" it as our Verse for the Today says. That means we value it. We are enjoying it so much that we reflect on it throughout the day. It is going from our short-term memory to our long-term memory. It's going from our head to our hearts.

Third and finally, it keeps us from sinning by informing us as to what is right and wrong. It changes the way we see things because our mind is becoming more biblical. And as we see the offensiveness of sin by our regular, in-depth exposure to Scripture, we will despise it and abstain from it. When we do sin, will will quickly make things right.

But, the Bible also acts as a weapon. In fact, Ephesians 6:17 calls the Bible a sword. Whenever sin is presented to us as a temptation, the Holy Spirit desires to run to the arsenal of our minds to find a relevant Word of God that we have internalized to fight off the temptation. Jesus illustrated how this is done in Matthew 4:1-11 as He fought off temptation with Scripture.

So, to fight off sin in your life, spend time in God's Word. As a teenager, a Sunday School teacher mentioned a quote that I quickly wrote in the front cover of my Bible. It's so true:

"The Bible will either keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Bible." - D.L. Moody

The truth will set you free

DAILY BIBLE READING:

1 Samuel 18:5–19:24 
John 8:31-59 
Psalm 112:1-10 
Proverbs 15:12-14

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

John 8:31-32 (ESV) "So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, 'If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.'"

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

Freedom! We love that word. In America, we celebrate that we live in a country with so many freedoms. We like to do as we please.

Yet, even in America, "the land of the free," we have thousands of laws and the number continues to grow. Why? Because as long as there are sinful, self-seeking hearts, there will be people who use their freedoms to trample on other people's freedoms.

The irony is that to enjoy freedom, there must be constraints (laws).

Yet, in our text, Jesus has promised freedom!

John 8:31-32 (ESV) "So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, 'If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.'"

So, what is this "freedom" that Jesus is talking about and how can it be maintained?

Briefly stated, the freedom alluded to in this verse is the freedom from bondage to sin. Just read the next comments that Jesus makes a couple of verses later and this point becomes clear. Jesus can set us free from sin and sinful habits that would bind us and destroy us.

Further, freedom would eventually devolve into anarchy if it weren't for laws. But, this is also alluded to in this verse. "If you abide in my word..." Jesus says that the Bible becomes the instruction manual (law book) for those set free and, in fact, it works to set us free even more. As long as we are learning from God's Word, repenting deeply of where we fall short, and making the necessary adjustments, we will be getting freed from sin's chains and set free to serve, love, and enjoy our Lord.

Obeying God rather than others

DAILY BIBLE READING: 

1 Samuel 15:1–16:23 

John 8:1-20 

Psalm 110:1-7 

Proverbs 15:8-10

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

1 Samuel 15:24 "Saul said to Samuel, 'I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.'"

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

"He who truly fears God fears no man."

That is, if we have a growing understanding of God's holiness and infinite power, and if we understand that our life is in His hands, and that no one's love for us is even remotely close to how much our Heavenly Father loves us, then when others tell us to do something in conflict with what He desires, we will always obey Him. 

That means that we must spend much time in the Bible as we continue to deepen our understanding of what truth is, what God has typically told His children to do, how it is that He speaks to His children, and so much more.

It means that we will spend time in prayer as we submit ourselves to Him, seeking His guidance, strength, wisdom, and everything else we need to hear and follow Him.

It means that we will consciously yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit's filling (Ephesians 5:18) so that we can live the life God has called us to live.

Obeying God rather than those around us will not always be easy. But, God has given us the resources with which we can do it and receive the blessings of obeying Him.

(To understand "the fear of the Lord" a little better, you can read my blog from a few days ago by clicking here.)

What's the Bible really about?

DAILY BIBLE READING:

1 Samuel 2:22–4:22 
John 5:24-47 
Psalm 106:1-12 
Proverbs 14:30-31 

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

John 5:39-40 "You pore over the Scriptures because you think you have eternal life in them, and yet they testify about me. But you are not willing to come to me so that you may have life."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

Our Verses for Today provide a very powerful perspective on Scripture. They tell us what the Bible is ultimately about.

Jesus said that the Jews "pored over the Scriptures" in their attempt to gain eternal life. They treated the Scriptures as an end in themselves. They saw them as a list of "dos" and "don'ts". They thought that if they could comply closely enough to the Biblical standard that they would inherit eternal life.

But, Jesus said that they got it all wrong. The Scriptures were not an end in themselves. They were the means to an end.

What was the end? What do the Scriptures point to?

Jesus!

John 5:39 "You pore over the Scriptures because you think you have eternal life in them, and yet they testify about me." (emphasis mine)

Did you get that? The Bible isn't the end of the road. It is a road sign pointing to Jesus.

But, the next verse gets even more specific. The Scriptures don't simply point to Jesus. They tell us how "to come to (Him)." They tell us how to gain eternal life through Jesus and enjoy relationship with Him. Unfortunately, the Jews didn't (wouldn't) connect the dots.

John 5:40 "But you are not willing to come to me so that you may have life."

So, this morning as you pick up your Bible, don't simply read the words. Don't simply look for the dos and don'ts. Look for Jesus! Look for what it says about how you can enjoy fellowship with Him.

Because, when you see Jesus, you've come to understand the true meaning of the passage of Scripture.

How to develop godly attitudes

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Joshua 22:21–23:16 
Luke 20:27-47 
Psalm 89:14-37 
Proverbs 13:17-19

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Luke 20:45-47 (CSB) "While all the people were listening, he said to his disciples, 'Beware of the scribes, who want to go around in long robes and who love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and say long prayers just for show. These will receive harsher judgment.'"

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

As we read the Gospels, it is easy to stand in judgment of the religious leaders of Jesus' day. They were hypocrites. We can see it and Jesus periodically labeled them as such.

A painful truth to reflect on is that it is easy to see hypocrisy in others but it's not so easy to see it in ourselves.

In our verse for today, Jesus warned his followers of the religious leaders. He went through a list of six characteristics that made it clear that they were filled with pride and loved the praise of people. These are heart attitudes. Sure, the religious leaders went about their 'holy' duties but their hearts revealed that they weren't doing it for the Lord - they were doing it for themselves.

Hypocrisy is simply appearing to be one thing while actually being something else. When we try to appear good, and righteous, and holy to others and yet have heart attitudes that are displeasing to God, we are hypocrites.

So, what's the answer? I think there are a few action points we need to take:

• Confess and repent (turn from) these heart attitudes. Acknowledge them before the Lord, see them as the ugliness that God says they are, and work to get rid of them.
• Enlist a prayer partner or accountability partner. You may find great help in a fellow Jesus-follower who will pray for you and point out areas of concern.
• Replace sinful heart attitudes with holy heart attitudes. Nature abhors a vacuum. If you get rid of something bad, you had better replace it with something good very soon. So, spend time in your Bible. Consider memorizing and meditating on heart attitudes that you need to develop. Ask God's Holy Spirit to do this work in you.

Essentially, this is a life-long process that will never be fully completed this side of Heaven. But, the important thing is that we are becoming more like Jesus and less like the world as the months and years pass.

Becoming like Jesus

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Deuteronomy 4:1-49
Luke 6:39-7:10
Psalm 68:1-18
Proverbs 11:28

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Luke 6:40 "A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

So, when we repent of our sins and self-rule and trust in Jesus to save us, what is our goal? Simply put, to become more like Jesus.

That's where the verse for today comes in. Our desire should be to be "fully trained" so that we can "be like (our) teacher."

How can we become like Him? We've got to spend time in the Bible - plenty of time. We've got to not only read it but study it. We've got to ask God's Holy Spirit to enlighten our minds so that we can see the truths He wants to reveal to us. And then, we must have an ongoing commitment to make whatever adjustment to conform our thinking and behavior to Scripture.

If we are truly saved and are following Him, this isn't an option. It is what we were called to do.

Are you spending daily time in God's Word?
Are you studying it and depending upon God's Holy Spirit?
Are you making the adjustments to your thinking and behavior?

Are we under God's authority?

TODAY'S BIBLE READING:

Numbers 22:21-23:30

Luke 1:57-80

Psalm 58:1-11

Proverbs 11:12-13

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Numbers 22:38 "Balaam replied, 'Look, now I have come, but I have no power to say whatever I want. I will speak only the message that God puts in my mouth.'"

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

In Numbers 22, the leaders of Moab hired a prophet. They wanted him to pronounce a curse upon the Israelites believing it would undermine the strength of God's people.

Yet, the prophet (Balaam) told them that they (and he) had no authority to determine what he would say over the Israelites. He was under God's authority and could only say what God told him to say.

I wonder if a mighty movement of God could begin and sweep across our land if God's spokesmen, pastor/preachers, would take this verse to heart.

Wisdom and God's Word

TODAY'S BIBLE READING:

Leviticus 9:7-10:20 

Mark 4:26-5:20

Psalm 37:30-40

Proverbs 10:6-7

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Psalm 37:30-31 "The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice. The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

Do you want wisdom? Do you want the ability to properly assess things? Do you want the ability to know in your heart what is right and what is wrong so as to make the right choices?

Then, the verses for today speak to you. It says, "The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice."

But, the question is "How?" How does this person get to a place where they have grown in wisdom?

The very next verse gives the answer: "The law of his God is in his heart..." He regularly spends significant time with God's Word so that it is no longer just words on a page. Those words are making their way into his heart. God's Word is taking up residence within him.

Friend, all that God has for you is tied up in His Word. If you want to grow in wisdom, you've got to spend time in His Word. Each and every day, set aside at least 15-30 minutes reading and reflecting on a section of Scripture. Soon, you'll realize that it's becoming a part of you, changing you, and you will be blessed by it!

January 1 - Through the Bible in a Year

Today's Bible Reading:
Genesis 1:1-2:25
Matthew 1:1-2:12
Psalm 1:1-6
Proverbs 1:1-6

Bible verse(s) for the Day:

Psalm 1:1-2 "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, not sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night."

Some of my reflections on today's reading:
Let's be honest. No, let's be brutally honest! We will start with the sobering news and end with great news.

Far too many folks who profess to be Jesus followers are simply playing games with God and their eternity. They claim that they have "said a prayer" and are on their way to Heaven. Yet, while they may have a striking resemblance to their "Christian" friends, they look nothing like Jesus.

Yes, we live by grace. In fact, if we are completely honest with ourselves and others, we desperately need regular doses of grace. Every day, we find ourselves falling at the foot of the cross asking once again for forgiveness for a sinful action, oversight, word, thought, attitude, or motive.

Yet, too often, it seems as if people who claim to be Jesus-followers are presuming upon God's grace. They assume that God is going to forgive them of any sin and fault. So, they live for themselves. They don't read God's Word and pursue holiness. They settle for simply trying to be good. And they measure their goodness based not upon the Bible but upon how their peers are living. They tolerate sin in their life because, after all, "no one is perfect." So, they continue tolerating sin and periodically offer up trite prayers in their attempt to clear the decks.

This sort of attitude angered the Apostle Paul:

"What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?" (Romans 6:1-2).

Did you notice Paul's statement, "By no means!"? The word he used in Greek was about as harsh a word as you can use without cursing.

So, what are we to do? 

Pursue holiness! 

"Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord." (Hebrews 12:14).

How do we become holy, more like Jesus? The answer to that question is the same as this question: "How can I be happy/blessed?" Apply Psalm 6:1-2!

Psalm 1:1-2 "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, not sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night."

Absolutely refuse to engage in sin in any form! Even if the sin seems trivial, don't do it! When you sin, and we will(!), immediately drop to your knees, ask for forgiveness and cleansing and receive it.

Notice in verse 1 that there is a progression (or really a regression): first, the man is walking with sinners, then he slows down to stand with them, then he slows down even more to sit with them. Further, notice that he begins with personally engaging in sin and eventually develops a calloused heart with which he scoffs at those striving to pursue holiness. 

Everything about sin moves us, slowly but surely, away from Jesus and our journey toward holiness.

I've counseled enough people and know from my own sinful heart that sin, whatever it is (big or small), is a poison. It appeals to our sin nature and the first dose often feels great. But, eventually it doesn't satisfy like it once did and we may soon realize that it is seeking to destroy us. In reality, it is insane that we keep going after sin to satisfy the longing inside of us that can only be satisfied with Jesus.

Instead of engaging in harmful sin, what must we do? We develop an appetite for God's Word, we read it, and we find joy in reflecting on it and complying with it (Psalm 6:2).

Friend, God's Word is not intended to steal your fun. It is intended to warn us of what will steal our joy and our fellowship with God. God wants us to be blessed! He wants us to be happy in Him, regardless of what is going on in our life. 

But, in order to get that joy, we've got to despise sin and love God's Word. We've got to reject sin and pursue holiness (progressively becoming more like Jesus). 

Will you make that your aim today as you depend upon the Lord for the strength to do so?

Silence and Solitude and Communion with God

To our own detriment, we have lost the art of being still and knowing that God is God (Psalm 46:10).

When we read Mark 11:15-17 and visualize in our mind's eye what it would have looked like for Jesus to run the money-changers out of the temple, we wrongfully assume that this principle applies only to church life. When we realize that we (Jesus-followers) are now the temple (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), we come to understand that it is our minds and hearts that Jesus must clear of distractions.

Mark 11:15-17
"And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. And he was teaching them and saying to them, 'Is it not written, "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations"? But you have made it a den of robbers.' "

To experience our God and enjoy His presence, we must get rid of any clutter that would distract us in our times of prayer and reflection upon His Word. After all, Jesus did this. We are told that He often went to the desert (Matthew 4:1), a mountain (Matthew 14:23), the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 21:37) and other places of solitude (Luke 5:16) to experience quietness in His mind and heart as well as communion with His Father.

But, many in our culture do not value quietness. It drives us crazy. And we don't value anything except busyness. We often pride ourselves in how much we have accomplished ... and how much busier we are than others. And we feel horrible (even guilty) when there is a span of time that we have not accomplished anything.

So, work with Jesus to have times in your day when you chase distractions out of your mind and heart so that you can enjoy prayerful communion with God. Doing so will go against the way many of us are wired. But, if we would enjoy our God, we must seek out daily time to quiet our minds and hearts and sit in the presence of God with reflective Bible reading and prayer.

God made us to need this time of communion with Him just as much as we were made to need air, food and drink. So, work to carve out space each day for quiet fellowship with God.

Psalm 42:1-2
"As a deer pants for flowing streams, 
so pants my soul for you, O God. 
My soul thirsts for God, 
for the living God. 
When shall I come and appear before God?"

Is being a Jesus-follower safe?

I don't know where it originated ... but it's wrong. Horribly wrong. You've heard it, too, I suspect. The notion that the safest place you can be is in the center of God's will.


Following Jesus is NOT a safe thing. Not even close.


Over and over in Scripture, we are shown through illustration and principle that following Jesus will enable us to enjoy our God but will also put us in opposition with many of our peers and our culture.


Some followers of Jesus get persecuted and killed. It seems as if we are hearing more about Christian persecution these days. (Yeah, just try to tell THEM that following Jesus is the safest thing they could do.)


We know this from our own experience, too. Just ask any child who attends school and wants to follow Jesus. Sure, they can find Christian friends but there is an invisible line that they had better not cross. If they cross that line and express too much passion in their pursuit of holiness, even their 'Christian' friends will ostracize them.


It's the same way in our workplaces. It's even the same way at church. Satisfy yourself in being a nominal Christian - don't get too excited about it - and everything is ok. But, if you begin making it clear that even the small sins bother you, you'll find the number of peers who associate with you getting smaller and smaller. Try bringing God's Word into ordinary conversations on a regular basis and you'll find the same results. Speak of how many popular movies are offensive to a Holy God, and you'll see what I'm talking about.


If our safety and affirmation by others is our highest priority, we won't be able to truly follow Jesus with our whole heart. However, if our love for our God and His truth and our love for others (the two greatest commands - Matthew 22:34-40) is what primarily drives us, then we may not be safe and our peer group may be small but we'll see God smiling at us.


In my Bible reading this morning, I was reading through Jeremiah 20. In it, Jeremiah was beaten and jailed for sharing God's Word and calling people to repent and live according to God's standard. He talked to God and essentially said, "Wow. Wasn't I the fool! I thought following You would be safe. But, the more I speak Your Word, the deeper my trouble gets!"


Yet, it is in this context that he utters a very, very powerful statement:


Jeremiah 20:9 (New Living Translation)
"But if I say I’ll never mention the LORD or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It’s like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can’t do it!"


God's Word is the standard for us. It tells us what to believe and it tells us how we are to act. It tells us what sort of behavior God is free to bless and what God must punish. It also tells us that God's heart is one that longs for people to live in His favor and enjoy Him.


Yet, when we fall into sin, God's Word is not pleasant. It convicts us. It nails us. It shows that we are wrong and need to make adjustments. It uses the word 'repent' over and over and over. And not one likes that!


But, we MUST be people of the Word. We must read it, strive to live by it and share it with others.


So, are you looking for a safe life? Are you paralyzed with the desire to be liked and affirmed by as many people as possible? Well, following Jesus isn't really for you then, my friend.


But, if you are serious about following Jesus, while it isn't safe and while you may find that other 'Christians' will reject you, you'll see that God is smiling at you. But, and this is exciting(!), one day you'll see Jesus look you in the eye, raise His hands to applaud your entrance into Heaven and hear Him say, "Well done! Well done!" (Matthew 25:23)


That's the ultimate illustration of delayed gratification!

A war in our minds...

In my Bible reading this morning, I reflected on 2 Corinthians 10. When I came to verses 3-6 it was almost as if I could see the battlefield, hear the artillery fire, smell the pungent odor of smoke, and hear officers barking commands to their troops. The scene is vivid ...

2 Corinthians 10:3-6 (New Living Translation)

"We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ."

The imagery that God through the Apostle Paul paints in our minds is powerful!

But, as we reflect on this scene, we realize that God's Word is not talking about a literal battle. It's not talking about actual soldiers.

This text points out that all of us are in a battle ... every day. And the battlefront isn't some landscape in a far-off land. It's in our minds. It's in our heart. It's in the realm of ideas and convictions.

Who (or what) is the enemy? Simply, any idea or worldview that doesn't conform to the teachings of Scripture.

There could not be a clearer text that points to the seriousness with which we need to engage in Bible study and the development of a biblical worldview.

With a growing knowledge of God's Word that takes deep root in our minds and transforms our thinking (Romans 12:2), we must see to it that any thought in our minds that doesn't conform to Scripture should be attacked. We should defeat it and put some Scripture there (through memorization and meditation) to take it's place.

Also, we are called to be salt and light (these influence their surroundings - Matthew 5:13-16) so we must also realize that the Apostle Paul, in this text, was really talking about someone else's worldview. The Corinthians had some things wrong. Paul sought to correct it. As a Christian, a person of influence, Paul recognized that he needed to teach and correct the Christians in Corinth so that their thinking/worldview could be rescued from the enemy.

So, today, spend time in God's Word.
Realize that you study God's Word to transform the way you think (Romans 12:2).
Be willing to tactfully, compassionately speak God's Word into situations today that need to be conformed to His Word.

Praying God's Word

One practice that I have come to enjoy is turning God's Word into my personal prayers. I learned this at a Promise Keepers gathering about 15 years ago.

Essentially, all it requires is to read through God's Word. When I come across something that seems particularly relevant, I change a few of the words to make it my own and then I pray it to God.

Here's how it works. I came across 1 Peter 5:8-9 this morning. Here's what it says:

1 Peter 5:8-9 (New Living Translation)

"Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are."

Here's how I might pray it:

"Lord Jesus, please help me to stay alert and watchful today.

I know that I had better be diligent because I have an incredibly powerful enemy, the devil. He prowls around just like a roaring lion who would love to paralyze me with fear and doubt. He spends his days looking for someone to devour.

Lord Jesus, help me to realize that while my enemy has a loud roar, he is chained and cannot touch me without Your permission. Help me to stand firm against him, to resist him as a courageous warrior of the cross. Allow me to experience that courage that comes by wholeheartedly trusting you, being strong in your faith.

And Lord, please help me to never forget that I'm not in this alone. Help me to remember that my brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering and tempting circumstances as I am.

And finally, help me to remember that one day, it will all be over as I stand before you in glory. I want to live today in light of eternity. Amen."

Try doing this in your own time with the Lord. It takes the two basic Christian disciplines, Bible intake and prayer, and combines them. The end result is that you are essentially meditating on God's Word and allowing it to take root in your mind and heart.

The Bible, Rufus and puzzles

In my Bible reading this morning (Deuteronomy 30-31; Mark 15), I came across the story of Jesus' crucifixion. Specifically, I read about how Jesus had to carry His own cross to the place where He would be crucified.

There is a verse that I found intriguing. It is Mark 15:21 and it says: "A passerby named Simon, who was from Cyrene, was coming in from the countryside just then, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. (Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus.)"

One principle that a reader of Scripture must realize is that nothing, absolutely nothing, is put in the Bible without purpose. We may not always know the purpose and may not find out until we get to Heaven. Yet, we can be assured that in the economy of words used in Scripture, everything that God said through the Bible writers is there intentionally.

So, that being said, why did Mark mention that the man who helped carry Jesus' cross (whose name was Simon of Cyrene) had two sons named Alexander and Rufus? Could it be that Mark anticipated that some of his Gentile readers would know those guys?

Could it be that one of those sons was mentioned in Romans 16:13? Could it be that at least one of Simon's sons would be an incredible blessing to the Apostle Paul? In his letter to the Christians living in Rome, the Apostle Paul wrote: "Greet Rufus, whom the Lord picked out to be his very own; and also his dear mother, who has been a mother to me."

As I pointed out in last night's Bible study, the Bible is like a puzzle that is beautifully put together. Even though it was written over a 1,400-1,500 year period by about 40 authors from all walks of life, it is obvious that a divine Author was behind it since everything fits together so perfectly.

The fun thing about Bible study is that as you get more and more familiar with the Bible's content, you will begin to see things fit together more often. Pretty cool!

A humorous look at why context is important in Bible reading

It is important to read God's Word with our minds fully engaged. Unfortunately, too many Christ-followers rip verses out of context and make God's Word say something it doesn't actually say.

For instance, April 15th is approaching rapidly and I am a little anxious about what tax time will look like for us. I sure wish I could claim the promise given specifically to Peter...

Matthew 17:27 (New Living Translation)
Jesus said, "...go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us."

I'm going fishing! lol

Inerrancy of Scripture

A key component of a serious Christian’s theology is a belief in the inerrancy of Scripture. That simply means that when Scripture says anything in the original manuscripts, there is absolutely nothing that is contrary to fact/truth.

(I include ‘original manuscripts’ for the following reason: Some Bible translators take liberties and may translate something incorrectly. They make it appear that t...he Bible, in fact, does have errors. Yet, in the original writings written in Hebrew, Aramaic & Greek, there is not one single statement that is contrary to fact/truth. That being said, I am so glad that there are extremely good and accurate translations of Scripture in our English language.)

Now, let’s dig just a little deeper because a student of the Bible needs to approach God’s Word with their minds fully engaged. We believe that everything that is written is truthful … but what does that mean?

For instance, in my Bible reading this morning I read Genesis 16:1-3 where it says:

“Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not been able to bear children for him. But she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, ‘The LORD has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her.’ And Abram agreed with Sarai’s proposal. So Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian servant and gave her to Abram as a wife. (This happened ten years after Abram had settled in the land of Canaan.)” (New Living Translation)

How are we to understand this passage? Abraham had sexual relations with someone other than his wife. Is the Bible affirming this behavior? Absolutely not! The belief in the inerrancy of Scripture means that when the Bible recounts this event, it happened exactly as it said it did. Yet, the inerrancy of Scripture does not mean that God affirms this behavior. All we need do is high tail it to the 10 Commandments and read “You shall not commit adultery” to realize that Abraham and Sarah were in sin when this plan was forged and implemented.

However, certain other types of literature (genres) in Scripture are presented at truth and should be taken that way without question. For instance, the letters of Paul in the New Testament are presented as truth. We believe it, no questions asked. We should certainly search other passages of Scripture in the study of Paul’s letters but we don’t do so to see whether or not Paul’s statements are right or wrong. We do so to shed greater light on the truth that God is presenting through Paul’s pen.

So, when reading through your Bible, begin with an understanding of what type of literature you are reading. Are you reading history/narrative, poetry, prophecy, epistles, etc.? The type of literature you are reading will determine how you understand and apply what you are reading.

How to be victorious in times of temptation

Temptation is a problem for everyone of us. Because of our sinful desires and areas of weakness, we often stumble into sin when a sinful opportunity comes along to satisfy that desire. Then, we end up dealing with guilt (once again!) and going through the whole process of confession, repentance and restoration.

As I read through the account of Jesus' temptation (Matthew 4:1-11), I was reminded th...at a knowledge of God's Word is absolutely essential to combat temptation. For every sinful opportunity that Satan verbally threw at Jesus, Jesus deflected the poisonous dart by saying, "It is written..." and then quoting Scripture.

Internalizing (reading / meditating on / memorizing) God's Word so that we have immediate access to it when tempted is vital! It is the weapon we've been given to fight off the enemy in the face of immediate temptation. We are engaged in spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:10-18) so we must arm ourselves with "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:17).

It is a foolish Christian indeed who fails to arm himself/herself with a growing knowledge of God's Word. By failing to take the time to internalize God's Word, they will be forced to take the time to spend in guilt, confession and repentance.