FoundationsSample

The Bible

Have you ever had that moment where you are in a dark room, in the middle of the night, desperately trying to find the light switch? You are gasping at door frames and slapping the walls hoping you will find the light - but why? Because when we find the light switch, we can see where we are going. Just like that light, God's Word (the Bible) is hugely important in our walk with Christ. Psalm 119:105 (ESV) says, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." It is what guides us on our journey, and it is how God speaks to us!

The Bible is what we call divine, which means it is of God. Human authors wrote the Bible, but the words were inspired by the Holy Spirit - it is man's penmanship, but God's authorship - that is what 2 Timothy 3:16 is talking about when it says God "breathed out" scripture. And because God is the author of the Bible, it is no ordinary book. Hebrews 4:12 describes the Word of God as "living and active" - God's words minister to our hearts.

2 Timothy 3:17 says that the scriptures help us to be "equipped for every good work." This equipment happens when we allow God's Word to teach us, correct us, and train us (verse 16) - it is designed to show us how to be more like Christ and how we are to live as Christians.

But it is important to note that we can acknowledge the Bible and what it says but fail to live it out. James 1:23-25 continues this thought in another analogy, describing someone who hears the Word but fails to practice it as someone who looks in a mirror but forgets what they look like once they walk away. Doing what the Bible says can be hard, and we won't be perfect at it - but we have the opportunity to try, thanks to Jesus and his unfailing grace. When we read the Word but don't do it, it's like finding that light switch in the dark but refusing to turn it on. The Word is our lamp; let's light up our path!

Reading the Bible takes time and patience, but it is worth it. Read it through the lens of the person writing and their context (a bible commentary will be helpful to get some insight!). Figure out what the author wants to say, and then think about how God would want us to apply that principle to our lives.

Exercise

Choose a verse from today's bible plan and research it. Figure out what the author wanted to say, and think about how God would want you to apply that to your life today.