“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16)
As we have begun to look at God’s Word from Luke we recognize that Luke is writing to a particular person…Theophilus…in both his Gospel and in the Acts…thus writing to us as well. He had many eye witnesses to pull from in writing His account but the biggest “influencer” on his writing that makes what he wrote true is the Holy Spirit’s inspiration. God’s Word is perfectly inspired by the Holy Spirit to reveal His eternal truth and our daily purposes. But we can read the words and still miss the intentions of God’s heart. For that reason, whenever we read a passage of Scripture, we need to be “slow readers”. Slow in the sense of where we almost hang on every word as if it has come from the mouth of God to us…because it has!
We will see God’s true intention by reading every biblical text with a desire to know Him better. Sometimes we must ask ourselves questions so that we can get to the heart of the matter. Questions like: “What does this passage tell me about the nature of God who provides redemption?” …or, “What does this passage tell me about the nature of humanity that requires redemption?” Or, more simply: “What does this text tell me about God?” And, “What does it tell me about myself?” John Calvin put it this way on the very first line of the first chapter of his Institutes, “True and substantial wisdom principally consists of two parts; the knowledge of God, and the knowledge of ourselves.” The answers to those questions will ultimately reveal a gap between us and God that only the grace of God can span to cover our sin and enable us to serve Him.
Now a third question gets to serving God, “How do I use what I have read today…to grow in the faith and to bless someone else with the truth?” It is this third question that gets to the heart of our mission …proclaiming the Gospel…expanding the Kingdom of God until Christ returns. This mission: being His witnesses wherever we find ourselves from the nursery to the boardroom to the loading dock. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
This command of Christ “you will be my witnesses” is right up there with all the other “you will” statements by the Godhead throughout the Scriptures. It is not a suggestion. Since we are His disciples, we are by virtue of His choosing us as His own…His witnesses. So what type of witness are you going to be today?
Anyone can read the words of the Bible, but to see God’s heart, you have to be “slow readers” for we don’t want to miss even one aspect of who God is so that we can trust Him more and more and be better equipped to proclaim His truth to those around us! So keep this passage in mind today, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” Slowly meditate on it and then use it to bring glory to God and a blessing to those around you.
Part of my prayer this morning was this; Lord, as I read the Bible, make the truths inspired by your Holy Spirit be more than mere words on a page to me. Enable me to see the dimensions of your heart by helping me consistently to slow down… enabling me to understand… the grace you provide and I require.
God bless y’all today.
In His Grip,
Pastor Mike
