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Sep 12, 2024 18:00pm

What Now?: Bible

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The following comes from the devotional book “What Now?” by Ashley Akers. To learn more, go to www.whatnowdevo.com.

Bible

I went down to my basement to the bookshelf recently to look for a specific devotional book. I didn’t find what I was looking for, but instead a few of my old Bibles caught my eye. Two of them had my maiden name inscribed on them and the third one had my married name on it. I picked up each one and began looking through them. I found things tucked inside from money to a postcard signed by Luke Perry from 1993. Don’t ask me why I had that in my Bible because I wouldn’t be able to tell you! Safe keeping perhaps? Going through my Bibles gave me a laugh, but it also stirred my emotions. Why? Because none of them looked like they had been used. They were dust collectors. One that I had received when I graduated high school was still in the box. During that phase of my life I was a casual reader. I would only read a few scriptures when I was struggling, and that usually consisted of finding them by playing Bible roulette. I would close my eyes, open my Bible and start reading. While this did work some of the time, this was not what I was supposed to do. I was not called to have a casual relationship with God; I am to be all in with God. This requires me to read and study my Bible, the living and active Word of God.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 says,

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.

The Bible is breathed out by God. God inspired the writers by giving them the exact words to say. It isn’t a book of fairy tales or a collection of stories, but words we should live by. It is profitable for teaching because it is the truth. We live in a culture of compromise, and the opinions of people are across the board. We can test those opinions by going to the Bible and receiving the truth. This is necessary! It gives us answers to life. It is also given to us for reproof, which is correcting wrong beliefs or behaviors (which leads to repentance). Don’t merely take someone’s word for what the Bible says, look for yourself! They could be wrong.

Correction seems like a tough one, but it isn’t. It is gentle. When the Word corrects you, it is easily accepted. It is your instruction manual in life and provides training in a positive way. There is so much negativity in our society and when you read the Word, it is like a breath of fresh air. It is infectious. You want more of it. When you dig into the Word, you will become complete and equipped. If God tells you to do something, He will give you what you need to accomplish the task. It takes a lot of pressure away when we realize we don’t have to do everything on our own. While the Bible itself may overwhelm you, take heart!

1 Peter 2:2-3 says:

Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation — if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

You aren’t going to wake up one day and know everything about the Bible. Just like a baby drinks milk and slowly increases to solid foods, a Christian’s spiritual growth takes time. Slowly you will mature in your faith, start to understand the Bible more and really get a taste of how good God is. You may not know where to start reading. Just start. God will reveal to you who He is and how He wants to shape your life.

Reflection Questions

1. How often do you read your Bible?

2. What distractions are keeping you from reading the Bible?