Start here

Getting into the Bible requires a certain investment of time and energy. I’d like to begin by looking at some things scripture says about itself as a way of saying it is time and energy well invested.

• It’s life giving
  • Moses told the Israelites that man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of God (Deuteronomy 8:3) and that God’s law is not an empty word, but their very life (Deuteronomy 32:46-74)
  • Jesus said that his words are spirit and life (John 6:63)
• Meditating on it helps us obey it (Joshua 1:8, Psalm 119:11) and be transformed by it (In Romans 12:2 we are told we are transformed by the renewing of our minds. Meditating on scripture is the best way I know of renewing our mind with God’s word.)
• It can restore us to the right path (Psalm 107:17-20, Psalm 119:105)
• It’s an offensive weapon in spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:17)
• It accomplishes God’s purposes (Isaiah 55:10-11)
  • Brings people to salvation (Romans 10:17, James 1:21)
  • Cleanses us (John 15:3, Ephesians 5:25-27)
  • Clearly reveals to us our inner person (Hebrews 4:12)
• It is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18)

Bottom line: there are skills to be learned that help us get more out of the Bible. There are truths in the Bible that change us as we internalize them. Be willing to start where you are, knowing that what you are willing to put into it will affect what you get out of it. While it will not be a path of unbroken success, God gives his Holy Spirit to us; one of his tasks is to lead us into truth. We are not in this alone!

The first seven posts of this blog are about hearing, reading, studying, and meditating on God’s word (January and February 2017 posts). The rest of the posts are on specific passages that I’ve meditated on, along with what I’ve learned or how I’ve been changed by them.