Theme:   Elevate: Next Level Spiritual Growth - Getting A Grip On Your Bible

This eDevotional was written by a volunteer from Timberlake Church.

Read: Proverbs 30:5; Hebrews 4

 “You will know God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the living truth.” 1 Timothy 3:15

THINK: In this week’s message, Pastor Ben skillfully laid out for us the importance of the Bible to our faith. It was a straightforward explanation on why the Word is core to our faith in Christ. From the first scripture reference in the notes, “Build up your lives ever more strongly upon the foundation of our faith.” (Jude 1:20), we see that the Bible will help guide us in all we do. A strong foundation gives us strength to weather any difficulty put before us. I know that I have used the words of scripture to help me through some tough times.

That wasn’t always the case though. I grew up in a faith that didn’t access the Bible much but relied on church doctrine and catechism to help us learn about God. I don’t even remember attending Sunday school, we just went to church with our parents. I attended a parochial school for 12 years and was given my first bible by a friend in high school. I still have that bible and it is a treasure to me! It is the one I use all the time for study. I have to say that at first I was intimidated by this book because it just was so much to read and know. Starting off slowly helped me to ease into it, and I have to say that teaching in children’s ministries as a volunteer at Timberlake helped me to learn more about the stories of the bible than I ever could have expected!

Hearing about the facts from Pastor Ben and others has given me the confidence in my faith that I need to trust in the truth of the Bible. Knowing that there were 330 prophecies about Jesus and the manuscript evidence that supports what happened is assurance that is needed to know that all of this is true. Look at the book of Isaiah for many of the prophecies that Jesus would come one day, where he would be born and who he would become. (Isaiah 9:6-7) This was 450 years before Christ was born. God spoke through the prophet Isaiah and many others. What an incredible message was given to us, another gift from our God.

If we chose to use all of those ways that we heard of : Knowledge, Examination and Application, the Bible will have a huge impact on us in our walk. In Psalm 119:105, it says that “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” I want to stay true to that effect it can have on me. Sure, there are a lot of mysteries in the Book and that helps me study and know more as I read it. If I am just able to relax and read something each day , I have the potential that God has given me to know him better.

DO: If you don’t have one already, pick up a Bible at the bookstore or borrow one from a friend. One of my favorites is the Life Application Bible as it has great commentary and background information for you to more easily understand not only the Word but history as well. Read the Gospel of John as a starter. It gives you a simple yet comprehensive look at Jesus’ life and his teachings. Supplement this with a small group study as it is helpful to earn along with others.

PRAY: God, open up your world to me through my reading of your Word. Help me to see that it is your breath of life and to use it as a guide to my actions and thoughts. Thank you for this awesome gift! Amen.