your word is truth

If you have stumbled upon this blog, my hope is that you find some value in reading or perhaps time not wasted.

Over the past years, I have come to realize the importance of scripture in the lives of believers. It is central, along with the Holy Spirit, to the christian faith and vital for growth and maturity in Christ. Paul writes in his second letter to Timothy 3:16 that "all scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness." In Luke 11:27-28, we read about a woman yelling out in the crowds to Jesus saying "blessed is the womb that bore you and the breast at which you nursed!" Christ responds, "blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!" Then in John 17:17, the high priestly prayer, we see that our King prayed for us to the Father, saying "sanctify them in the truth, your word is truth."

If this is what we proclaim, that the word of God will sanctify us. That it is used to teach, correct, rebuke, and train us in righteousness. That it is absolutely true. Then why don't we allow it to govern every facet of our lives? Why do we allow the traditions of our culture to dictate what we believe to be true, when Proverbs 30:5 states that "every word of God proves true." Why do we wait to hear it from our pastors on Wednesday and Sundays, rather than reading it and studying it ourselves so that we can make it our own. Could it be that we are afraid of what we may find if we take the shovel and begin digging for ourselves rather than handing it off to someone else. Perhaps!

What I'm not saying is to hide in a closet and never seek counsel or come under the teaching of scripture. What I am saying is that don't let the only time you feast be when others feed you. Learn to eat from the bread of life yourself, so that you will make it your own, "just as Christ made you his own." Allow the word of God to govern every facet of life, since it's what we know to be true.

What we find in the scriptures about our pagan selves is ugly and very disturbing, but what we also find in scripture is our source of life and faith and power and hope and freedom and wisdom and comfort and assurance and victory over our greatest enemy.