All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 2 Timothy 3:16
When I talk to my niece and nephew and try to convey something important, I will always tell them when the message is coming from their mom or dad. For example, recently, when they were hungry, I let them know that their mom said she was bringing home Chick-fil-A for lunch. Chick-fil-a for lunch is very important information. Another time, when it was my nephew's bedtime, I let him know that his dad said that he needed to go to bed at 8:00 because he had school the next morning. Knowing that a message comes from their parents carries a weight that my own words do not. In the same way, yet on a grander scale, Scripture contains God's words to us. Because Scripture contains the words of our Heavenly Father, they carry infinite weight. They also call for a response as we read them.
The apostle Paul explains to us in 2 Timothy that Scripture is the very word of God. "All Scripture is inspired by God," Paul writes (verse 16). This word "inspired" points to the fact that God is the one who orchestrated every word found in the Bible. Yes, the words were written down by human beings, but they were given to those human beings by God. This means that each book of the Bible contains the words of God to us. The Bible is one of God's primary ways of communicating with us. When we read, God speaks to us. When we do not read, we are choosing not to communicate with Him. I do not know about you, but I desperately want to know what God has to say to me. We must practice discipline to sit down and read His word.
God's word carries infinite weight. He went to extraordinary measures to communicate with us. The question is, how will we respond to His communication? Will we read what He has to say and respond through prayer and obedience by our actions? After all, He made the first move. He gave us His word and sent Jesus Christ to earth and pay the price required for our sin. Will we respond?
Spend time praying. Ask God to give you a supernatural love for God and His word. Ask Him to make reading the Bible a delight each day. As you pray, don't forget to thank Him for the gift of His word. Commit to being faithful over the next six weeks in reading the Bible. You can continue to do the daily devotional on the Sagebrush app, making sure to read from the Going Deeper section every time you read a devotion; you can read the Bible reading plan on the Sagebrush app or choose one book of the Bible to begin reading. Whatever you decide, invite a friend to commit to reading the Bible over the next six weeks with you.
Read 2 Timothy 3:10-17(NLT)
But you, Timothy, certainly know what I teach, and how I live, and what my purpose in life is. You know my faith, my patience, my love, and my endurance. You know how much persecution and suffering I have endured. You know all about how I was persecuted in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra—but the Lord rescued me from all of it. Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived.
But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
©2024 Sagebrush Church
