John 1:1-16
We're only looking at two verses today and in a little different way than usual. Instead of considering how to put 2 Timothy 3:16-17 into practice, I'm taking the approach of what do these two verses show us about God, our relationship with Him and the importance of the Bible.
For me, these verses reveal the personal character and nature of God and how He wants to be in relationship with us. They really drove home how God isn't just some distant deity, demanding my loyalty and tribute. He is communicating and speaking to us through His Word. That being the case, engaging the Bible is the primary way we learn about, and grow closer to, Him.
So what did these verses show you about God? What has, and does, God's Word mean to you? (To help you answer this last question, consider things like: What would your life look like without it? How important is being in God's Word? How many times each week are you engaging it? On an importance scale of 1-10 where would you put the Bible?). Tami W.
I can definitely see the personal nature of God and His desire for intimate relationship with us in these verses. Just as He breathed that first breath of life into Adam, He breathes out His Word for us to receive, learn from, and grow in.
God's Word continually provides comfort in my hour of need, answers to my questions, patience and assurance when it's not for me to know the answers, correction in my time of error, and encouragement to walk each day as closely to Him as I can.
I was blessed to have grown up in a family where the preeminence of God's Word was demonstrated in action. I saw (and still see) in my parents what it looks like to take the Word and live it out practically each day, and that's had a profound impact on my life.
Knowing that I should be hungering and thirsting for God above all else, these verses comfort me by showing me just one of the many ways that God has given so much to provide for me. He never wants us to fail, so His call involves lots of opportunity.
St. John 1 has always been a key passage about who Jesus is and what the Word of God is.
Ever since I became a Christian, the Word of God has played a key role in my daily walk in the world. It is the Word that has kept be out of trouble, in times of trouble and after troubles. I am thankful for those early days of engaging the Word daily, receiving, reflecting and responding. Never had those catchy phrases back then, but it was true then as it is now.
Becoming a Christian whilst in high school had many challenges. If it had not been for the hours spent in God's Word (much to the concern of my Mom as I approached exams) chances are, I would not be where I am today.
I find the Timothy reference very interesting. Essentially, it declares that the Scripture has within its pages, EVERYTHING needed for the man of God to be complete and equipped...that's just aswesome!
But you know, rating the Word of God at 10 in terms of its importance in my life is one thing... Living it out on a daily basis with all the demands as a working husband and father is another... BUT, I have asked the Lord to "Take me back, to the place where I first believed" and will, with His help, increase my times of engagement in the Word in 2012.
God's word indicates the importance God places on relationship. He providentially preserved His word, parts of it for some 4 millenia while the 'newer' parts for 'only' 2 millenia, through times of warfare and autocrats intent upon destroying the Scriptures. God breathed or spoke instruction for each of us, not in pieces of isoteric philosophy, but in narrative, poetic, law, biographic, and parabolic form to indicate the way of salvation. He illustrated the way humanity became messed up, what God did to breach that gap, and what each person must now do and believe to come to God. I place reading God's word at a priority level each day although I miss a day sometimes and put His guidance far beyond all others. God's word is complete, purer than gold, and delights my attention as spoken. Praise God for the great grace He gave through the ministry of His word!
I never cease to be amazed how God uses one single verse of Scripture (His Word) to impact several lives in different ways. Like the faucets of any precious gem, God's word can be viewed over and over again from different perspectives, and a new view of it's beauty is revealed. As I grow in my walk with my Lord, His word takes on new meaning and greater depth as I read and re-read the Bible. In each new situation and/or need in my life, God's word shows me a differnt brilliant, glowing, colour of the glory of His greatness and His love ... whether it be in reproof, training, or correction, it's all because He loves me so dearly ... How AMAZING is that??!!
Gods word is ever constant and always there,i am very thankful for his word for the strength it gives me when i read it.I try and read it daily because their is so much to learn from his word if we can open our hearts to it.
God's work contains blueprints on how to live our lives, the answer to everything is in the Bible. It can be difficult to understand and even find the answers.
What I'm gonna say is short: I read in these verses that God's Word has everything that we need in order to do everything we need. If that is true then NOTHING else will have ANYTHING that we need. We wonder why we can't be like the great theologians of old. I think it's because we have had our hunger met with things that offer us nothing. The great theologians of old had the Word. That's what they fed on and its power made them great. God, help me to always treasure you and your word more than anything. You have made it SO clear to me that I need to be in your Word every day. I commit this year to you in doing that. Strengthen our faith and our resolve to honor the promises we have made to you and forgive us the ones we have not kept. In Jesus' name amen.