Be in God's Word Each Day

I began this practice many years ago. Nothing has helped me more in my Christian life or my daily life than this. I did miss a couple days two weeks ago when I had triple bypass surgery. But I am back on track.

I spent the last two weeks going through the book of Isaiah which is a challenging book to read. I don't understand everything but I can glean nuggets from every chapter. The overarching themes that I noticed were the need for repentance, seeking holiness (God knows the real deal vs. performative) and looking forward to the coming savior! So those ideas have been on my mind daily. Anyways, keep reading!

In January of 2022, I joined several friends reading through the Bible using a plan called The Bible Recap. It was the first time I had read the Bible through. The commitment with others gave me the necessary accountability and a platform for discussion. Although I’ve been a Bible studier consistently for years, this took me to continuously. I know my Creator and Lord far better through this practice of daily being in His Word. I’m doing the Recap this year as well!

During World War II, researchers and scientists came up with, what at the time was revolutionary and ground-breaking, an idea to help planes have fewer crashes. They invented something known as the pre-flight checklist, which was a series of very simple tasks that, if the pilots followed, would ensure a safe takeoff every single time. At the time, this idea seemed so simple. But they found that a great mission demanded something simple to ensure success.  This story reminds us of the story of Naaman in the Old Testament in 2 Kings. He had a skin disease, and he traveled to another country to visit the prophet, Elisha. Elisha tells him to go to the creek and dunk himself seven times to bring healing. Initially, Naaman's offended because he wants something grand. 2 Kings 5:10-11 reads, “Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, ‘Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.’ But Naaman went away angry and said, 'I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy.'” He wanted some impressive miracle, not some dirty creek, but he humbles himself and he's healed. There's a sense that when we talk about wrecking the roof, we want to be part of something monumental. We want to be part of something that God's never done before in history. We want something outside the box or something nobody's ever thought of. But what you see in the book of Acts is that evangelism explodes when Christians simply focus on the Word of God. Reflection/Discussion Question: Do you struggle with wanting "wrecking the roof" to be something big and grand, instead of something simple?

The foundation for a move of God is dedication to the Word of God. If you are depressed, hope lies in the Bible. If you are angry, calm lies in the Bible. If you have a struggling marriage, humility lies in the Bible. If you are anxious, peace lies in the Bible. If you're a worried, eternal hope lies in the Bible. And if you are a sinner, salvation lies in the Bible. We have more access to Scripture today than at any time in history. We don't have to do a three-hour Bible study every day, but we've got to do something to get in God's Word every single day.  Acts 13 shows us that, in order to get others to know Jesus, we must get them to the Gospel. That inevitably happens is if we get into God's Word ourselves though. If you, as an individual, will get in God's Word every day, your life will be transformed by the saving power of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit. You'll experience the life to the full that Jesus talks about, and you will be motivated to wreck the roof like never before. If we, as a Church, get into the Word every single day then we will change the world. It would be said of us as it was of the people in the Book of Acts: These people are the ones who turn the world upside-down. Get in Scripture because the foundation for a move of God is dedication to the Word of God. Reflection/Discussion Question: What steps can you take today to ensure God's Word is part of your everyday routine?

Acts 13:48-49 states, “When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed. The word of the Lord spread through the whole region.” In this passage, we see the Apostle Paul preach a great sermon and the people respond, and that's what we want; we want people to respond to the good news about Jesus. Scripture tells us that we are the salt and light of the earth. So, when someone looks at us and what Jesus is doing in us, they should want something similar to take a hold of their lives and to have the hope and joy that we have on a daily basis. How do we do that? What is the one thing we do to focus on Jesus and his mission though? If we devote ourselves to God’s Word and his truth, we set ourselves up for victory every time. By being in Scripture, we are able to keep our sights set on Jesus and his mission when we consistently dive into God's Word.  Recent research even shows us how reading your Bible connects to real-life transformation. Studies confirm that reading the Bible four or more times per week reduces excess drinking, viewing pornography, lashing out in anger, gossiping, overeating, and mishandling money – in addition to many more. We have all kinds of great resources available through the Church and other places that you should certainly take advantage of. But if all you do is read God's Word four or more days per week, the way you handle many of life’s stressors and problems will get a whole lot better.  Reflection/Discussion Question: What areas of your life do you think could be improved by reading God's Word more consistently throughout your week?

If death is the ultimate consequence of sin, then Jesus’s resurrection from the grave is the ultimate victory over sin. If Jesus died on the cross but was dead forever, then sin wins. But he rose, meaning the greatest enemy was defeated. So every time the Christian attends a funeral, every time the Christian drives by a cemetery, every time the Christian is reminded of death of a loved one, while it stings, we have a unique hope. We know from Scripture that it’s not the end of their story if they accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  In Acts 13:38-39, Paul states, “Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.” Everyone who believes in Jesus is made right in God's sight, which is something the law couldn't do or something you can’t do on your own by being good enough. It's all grace and the way you get it isn't to do anything; you just believe and that's it! We've lived under the burden of trying to be good on our own, and thanks to Jesus, we don't have to do that. In summation, Paul’s sermon says that we had a hope in the Old Testament, but Jesus realized that hope when he was raised from the grave. Jesus offers grace. If you do not have a saving faith in Jesus Christ, the reason we wreck the roof in all kinds of ways as a Church is for you to hear this message of grace and hope that Jesus offers. Reflection/Discussion Question: What is something you can do today to make sure a friend or family member knows the hope and grace that is available to them through Jesus?