Enjoying Your Walk With GodSample

Let the Bible Keep You Out of Trouble

Think about how you respond when you receive a letter from someone you love. You read it with anticipation and delight. The Bible is God’s love letter to us, and we should receive its message with similar enthusiasm. But we often do not. We see the Bible as an academic textbook that does not apply to daily life. Or we view it as a devotional vitamin to make us feel better.

But the Bible says that the “commands of the Lord are radiant” and “all Scripture is God-breathed.” It tells us to “meditate on it day and night.” This sounds like something exciting and important to read! Because all these things are true, knowing and obeying the Bible will keep you out of trouble. Listen to what John Cooper from the music group Skillet says about the Bible.

Listen to John...

Here are some helpful ways to go deeper when you are reading the Bible:

First, seek to understand the passage by placing yourself in the scene. What would it have been like to be there in person? Take some time to pause and think about what you read. You can do this by reading the passage a few times with a contemplative pause between each reading.

Second, apply the passage so it makes a difference in your life. Ask yourself, “What does this passage tell me about God?” Then ask “Is there anything I should change?”

The goal is to see the Bible as God’s living and active communication to you. It is a privilege that God gave us a way to know and experience Him. What an impact the Bible can have in our daily life!

Application Questions:

• Pick a passage from the Bible and try to relate to it. Think about it throughout the day. How would you apply that passage to your life?
• Do you view the Bible as John Cooper does? What do you think would have to change in your perspective to see the Bible that way?