If someone asked you why it was important to study the Scriptures, what would you say? This devotion explores several reasons why we should and the benefits we gain when we do study Scriptures.
Nuggets
- We have to approach reading the Scriptures with faith.
- We can’t expect instant understanding when we read Scriptures.
- Change has to come from our heart.
- Hiding God’s Word in our hearts has to be pre-trial.
- When we diligently read the Scriptures, we leave less of an opening for sin to take hold.
Devotions in the The Scriptures category
I like it when I have a lot of research from which to write my devotions. But then again, when I have over 80 pages, it sometimes get unwieldy. It makes it very difficult to organize at times.
So, this going to go over two devotions. I hope it flows coherently.
Let's Put It into Context
It is important that we read the Scriptures. Stuart reminded us what we find in God’s Word.
- Instruction
- Guidance
- Encouragement
- Consolation
- Delight
Hodge also gave us a list of reasons to search the Scriptures.
- Gain knowledge
- For consolation
- To become holy
The Bible is a wonderful book that is an excellent guide to how we should live. But how should we read it?
How We Should Approach the Scriptures
“The instruction of the Lord is perfect, renewing one’s life; the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise” (Ps. 19: 7 CSB)
We have to approach reading the Scriptures with faith. Faith is the belief that the doctrines stated in God’s Word are true, even if we do not understand all aspects of them. If we approach our reading with the there-is-no-way-a-donkey-talked attitude, we aren’t even trying to understand what God is trying to tell us.
So, we have to approach every word as being a truth from God. It can happen. It will happen.
We have to do more than just read God’s Word. We have to think about it. We have to dig for that kernel that God is trying to apply to our lives.
Watson wrote, “Meditation is the bellows of the affections: ‘While I was musing the fire burned’ (Psalm 39:3).” We can’t expect instant understanding when we read Scriptures. Remember, God’s ways are higher than ours (Isa. 55: 8-9).
When we read, do we think that it is God speaking to us? Or do we just read it?
We’ve got to check our arrogance. We can’t read His Word like we are His equals and can just pick it up with no work involved. Our devotional time should not be approached as we are checking it off of our list.
Yes, it is all about approach. What is our attitude about His laws and commandments? Are we going to listen and obey them? Do we want Him to change us?
How Does Scriptures Change Us?
“I have treasured your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you” (Ps. 119: 11 CSB)
Change has to come from our heart. We are commanded to love God with all our hearts (Deut. 6: 5).
But it is more than just the emotion of love. It is the hide-in-our-hearts type of love.
Eyre said it this way. He wrote, “Not merely in his memory, not in the intellectual powers of the mind, but in the city and citadel, where the affections dwell, where reason governs, the home of motive, of principle, and feeling. The memory should be the storehouse of the Divine truth; it is often the very quiver of God, from which He draws His arrows of conviction, and the storehouse where He draws comfort and peace for His people. … Love needed to understand God’s Word.”
That is what changes us. We make it a part of us.
The Ouch Factor
“Afterward, Joshua read aloud all the words of the law — the blessings as well as the curses — according to all that is written in the book of the law” (Josh. 8: 34 CSB)
We have to remember it is going to hurt. I think too many people want just the prosperity gospel.
Not going to happen. “More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance” (Rom. 5: 3 ESV). Smooth sailing is not going to produce endurance.
Hiding God’s Word in our hearts has to be pre-trial. If we wait for the rough times to start — i.e., when we think we need Him — it is too late.
Remember, the God’s Word is a sword in the armor. It is our defensive weapon. Do we really want to leave home without it?
We talked about being pruned. God’s Word does that. “You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you” (Jn. 15: 3 NLT).
But we don’t just hide it away and forget about it. It has a purpose. “… that I may not sin against you” (Ps. 119: 11 CSB). Remember, it is the offensive weapon. It is going to attack when sin turns the corner and gets onto our battlefield. It isn’t going to wait until sin strikes first. It is going to protect us. Haven’t we heard about angel armies?
What is the main purpose in sanctification? Sanctification is the transformation of mind, body, and soul beginning with regeneration and ending with perfected state of spiritual wholeness or completeness.
To read a related devotion, click the button below.
It is to cut sin out of our hearts and lives. How do we know what sin is? We read God’s Word. It helps pinpoint the sin we have in our lives. It tells us how to avoid it.
Don’t we see the strength that gives us? We are not alone. God is fighting for us (and we already know God has won the war).
Diligently
“It is to remain with him, and he is to read from it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to observe all the words of this instruction, and to do these statutes” (Deut. 17: 19 CSB)
Reading the Scriptures diligently unlocks the power of God for us. “Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God” (Mt. 22: 29 NLT).
When we diligently read the Scriptures, we leave less of an opening for sin to take hold.
Scriptures point to Jesus. “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!” (Jn. 5: 39 NLT).
Reading the Scriptures show we are dependent on God. We need to depend on Him during the good times and the bad.
But It’s Confusing!
We think that the Scriptures can be so hard and confusing. We have to read the Scriptures expecting that God will help us understand. “Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding so that I can learn your commands” (Ps. 119: 73 CSB). I love how the New Living Testament translated it. “… Now give me the sense to follow your commands” (Ps. 119: 73 NLT).
Yes, it can be confusing because God reveals the meat of His Word only to His children. “For what seems to be God’s foolishness is wiser than men’s wisdom, and what seems to be God’s weakness is stronger than men’s strength” (I Cor. 1: 25 TEV).
Keith reminded us why it is so hard to diligently study God’s Word. That goes against our human nature. Don’t we easily go into our defense mechanisms? Wouldn’t Satan kick those into high gear when we are trying to cut him out?
A Meal of the Scriptures?
“Your words were found, and I ate them. Your words became a delight to me and the joy of my heart, for I bear your name, Lord God of Armies” (Jer. 15: 16 CSB)
Oh, that sounds funny. How are we going to eat words?
What happens when we eat something? It goes from outside of us to inside of us.
But more than that, it becomes a part of us. It molds with us. It nourishes us so that we grow and have strength.
Angus wrote, “The believing soul turns the words into the nourishment of the spiritual life.”
Think of it this way. How do we go from milk babies to steak adults? We have to have substantial nourishment in order for us to grow.
Yep. We have to seek until we find. God isn’t just going to roll His Will and understanding into us. We have to be at the dinner table with knife and fork is the ready position.
Then we have to eat. Nothing is going to happen if we don’t chew. Can we equate the digesting of the food with meditating?
But look what else is the outcome. “… Your words became a delight to me and the joy of my heart …” (Jer. 15: 16 CSB). Delight and joy when we feast on God’s Word.
Making the Connections
We can’t get obedience to the heart level until we get the Scriptures there. “The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip” (Ps. 37: 31 ESV).
That makes Stillingfleet’s comment understandable. He wrote, “Truth must be sought, and that with care and diligence, before we find it.”
We can only find God’s truth when we actively look for it. In the next devotion, we are going to look at some ways to do that.
Loving Father. You have provided so much for us because You love us. You designed the plan of salvation even before You created us (Eph. 1: 4). You knew we would need Your Word to guide us back to You. You gave, through Your Spirit, Your Word to Moses, Matthew, Peter, John, and Paul. Help us to diligently search the Scriptures to find You. Amen.
What do you think?
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