God's Mission
2 Timothy 3:15
from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
~Apostle Paul
Pondering Point
In God's mission seen in 2 Timothy 3:15 we find God making people wise about His plan of salvation – through faith in Christ Jesus. While we hold reverent the Word of God, we don't want to be drawn into Bible-olatry, which is worship of the Bible rather than God. What we do want is to make sure of is that we give the Bible opportunity to speak freely rather than forcing it to speak what we want it to say and causing it to lose its inherent wisdom. Wise King Solomon once recorded, there's a way that seems right to man but in the end leads to death (Proverbs 14:12). We need to be careful about personal interpretations of scripture or personal alterations of scripture – they are deadly. The Apostle Peter wrote specifically that people who alter what The Apostle Paul wrote for God would lead to their destruction (2 Peter 3:16). God forbid.
Prayer
Father God teach me to maintain a reverence for Your Word and to give it – to give You -- a rightful, influential place in my life. In Jesus I pray. Amen.
Micro-Meditation
Psalm 27:1-6
- The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid? - When the wicked advance against me
to devour me,
it is my enemies and my foes
who will stumble and fall. - Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then I will be confident. - One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple. - For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
and set me high upon a rock. - Then my head will be exalted
above the enemies who surround me;
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the Lord.
Read the versus of the Psalm.
Mark the words or phrases that catch your attention.
Meditate: talk (or better, write) with God about those words. Ask him to impress things upon your heart and mind; expect responses.
Teaching or Command of God
2 Corinthians 4:6
God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.
The Promise
John 8:12
[Jesus] said: I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.
Pondering Point
Having nothing to fear with God as your salvation and stronghold, what fears do you need to rebuke in God’s name? what fears do you need identify and let go of?