In today's article, I am going to be talking about knowing the truth. There is one phrase that I really like, "A Bible that's falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn't." That is a very true statement. The more you know the truth, the more you know God. A lot of times, we tend to think that, if we go to church on Sunday mornings, we know enough. But, if you go to church on Sunday mornings, and don't study at home, or on your own, then by the time you are 20, you will have about a second grade education in Bible. If you want to know more about the Bible, you have to do a lot of studying.
I was at a week long lectureship (Polishing the Pulpit) about a month ago, and I was looking for a new Bible, because mine was starting to fall apart, and I really wanted one that had larger margins so I could write notes down, and real leather so the cover wouldn't start falling off again. So I was looking through some, and this girl was showing her dad this Bible she had found. She was about 16, and I overheard a little bit of their conversation. The girl was asking her dad if she could get it. It was one of the Bibles I had been looking at before. It was a blue study Bible, ESV, (my favorite translation) small, but not too small, and her dad said, "Will you read it if I get it for you?" Her answer was, "Yes, I promise." "Well, anything to get you reading I guess." was his reply. The first thing I thought when I heard that was, "How long will she read it, before she stops?" Now, I don't know, maybe she did keep reading it. But honestly, it doesn't take a new, shiny Bible to start reading. I'm not saying that you have to spend every single moment of your time studying, or that it's wrong to get a new Bible, but I am saying that, studying your Bible will be one of the most important, most wonderful time of your day, if it's pretty or not. One of my favorite things to do is to learn. I hate not knowing something. I may not necessarily like to do the work that helps me to learn, but when I learn something about the Bible, I never regret it. The time you spend with your Bible will be some of the best times of your life.
2 Timothy 3:16-17, "(16)All scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, (17) that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." One of the reasons we need to learn, is so that we can teach. How are we to make disciples of men (Matthew 28:19) if we don't even know what we're teaching?
A second reason we should learn, is because, the happiest people I know, are the ones who study the Bible. Because they know that, no matter what happens, no matter how hard times get, if they stay faithful, it'll always be worth it in the end. I mean, if you just read the book of Job, that alone is a huge encouragement. And, the more you read, the more sure you are that there is a God, and one day, if you follow His rules strictly, you'll get to meet Him in heaven.
A third reason is, so we know when we're wrong. Psalm 119:11, "I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." I was helping with the door-knocking a couple weeks ago, inviting people to a parenting seminar, and to our Friends and Family Day that coming Sunday, and the last house we went to was a kind lady, who said, "We won't change. We have been with this denomination for over 40 years, and we are not going to change." Then she went on to say that, "There is only 1 God, and there are only 10 commandments, and anyone can worship Him any way they want." Now, let me get this straight, there is 1 God, and he gives us strict rules to follow (and there are plenty more than 10 because after Jesus' crucifixion we became under the new law) but you don't have to follow those laws, as long as your intentions are to worship Him, and to please Him? What if, I were to start a church called "Jayla's Church of Worshiping God" and one of the things we did to worship, was to bring in a knife, and in 30 seconds stab as many people as possible, and the more people you stabbed, the more saved you were. Don't you find that kinda wrong? Oh, but I'm doing it to praise God, and to remember when Jesus was crucified. It doesn't matter the intentions, because God doesn't call us to have good intentions, but to follow His word. The only way to please God, is to follow His commandments. John 14:15, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments."
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