Tonight I studied with a few sisters in Christ. I learned some new things and some reminders about the importance of studying God's Word constantly.
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
~2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV
What is amazing is that God breathed onto the Scriptures. He has actively participated in creating the books, letters, and poems in the Bible. He set how the Bible suppose to be so we can use it for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in living a life pleasing to the Lord as well as building up the kingdom of God.
12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
~Hebrews 4:12-13 NIV
God made sure His Word is universal and can apply to us today. By reading God’s Word, we can be revealed about our sins so that we want to cut it out. Only through studying of the Scriptures and how your relationship with God, he gives us the convictions in so that we change for letting go of sinful ways and become closer to God.
How can we trust in what is written in the Bible? Let's read these verses found in 2 Peter 1:20-21 which says,
How can we trust in what is written in the Bible? Let's read these verses found in 2 Peter 1:20-21 which says,
20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Wow! I had forgotten those words. I honestly haven't read the letter of 2 Peter in so long. Apostle Peter (formerly known as Simon who was one of the original disciples of Jesus Christ who gave him a new name and he witness many things during his Lord's ministry on earth) wrote this second letter for various churches in Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia in instructing and teaching them in certain areas where these churches need spiritual teaching. I'm assuming these church leaders wrote to Apostle Peter after responding with more questions after reading the first letter. They were curious on how true are the prophecies and the Scriptures. Did the male writers wrote these words? Did God participated in having the Scriptures written?
As I mentioned about the verses above, those questions are answered. First, let's look at verse 20; Peter clarified that no prophets from the Lord has written those prophecies from their own human interpretation. These godly prophets had a close relationship with our God that the Lord used them to share prophecies that our Heavenly Father wanted his chosen people to know for what will come.
When you go back to verse 16 in Chapter 3 of 2 Peter, noticed that "all Scriptures are God-breathed." In my imagination, I can literally see God breathed onto the prophets and the writers so that the Holy Spirit inspired them to write what our Lord want us to know about his character, prophecies, lessons and the Good News. Next, please re-read 2 Peter 1:21 where the Holy Spirit is mentioned in how he participated in the prophet's lives and how prophecies came to the human race. Peter acknowledges that the prophets are humans but their will did not go ahead of God's Will. We need to believe that God has chosen specific people to prophesize to give us messages that we as believers needed to know.
One of my new friends illustrate what these Bible verses mean. Let's say you have a computer and you write a document. You print out those pages through a printer. Did the printer write the document? Or was it the writer who wrote those words? The Word of God comes from Him, not from man.
As I mentioned about the verses above, those questions are answered. First, let's look at verse 20; Peter clarified that no prophets from the Lord has written those prophecies from their own human interpretation. These godly prophets had a close relationship with our God that the Lord used them to share prophecies that our Heavenly Father wanted his chosen people to know for what will come.
When you go back to verse 16 in Chapter 3 of 2 Peter, noticed that "all Scriptures are God-breathed." In my imagination, I can literally see God breathed onto the prophets and the writers so that the Holy Spirit inspired them to write what our Lord want us to know about his character, prophecies, lessons and the Good News. Next, please re-read 2 Peter 1:21 where the Holy Spirit is mentioned in how he participated in the prophet's lives and how prophecies came to the human race. Peter acknowledges that the prophets are humans but their will did not go ahead of God's Will. We need to believe that God has chosen specific people to prophesize to give us messages that we as believers needed to know.
One of my new friends illustrate what these Bible verses mean. Let's say you have a computer and you write a document. You print out those pages through a printer. Did the printer write the document? Or was it the writer who wrote those words? The Word of God comes from Him, not from man.
31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
~John 8:31-32
If you call yourself a Christian who follows Jesus, you need to hold onto Jesus’ teaching in doing so, we know the truth and it’ll set us free. A disciple is a follower of Jesus and his student too. God want us to have access to His Word.
15 Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”
3 Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’[a] and ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’[b] 5 But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is ‘devoted to God,’ 6 they are not to ‘honor their father or mother’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:
8 “‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
9 They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules.’[c]”
Matthew 15:1-9.
It's so funny that a few of us read this exact passage as part of our own personal quiet time with God today. I feel the Holy Spirit inspiring us when a few of us read the same passage during our own individual quiet time with God by studying His Word. When I was studying it on my own, I had another focus. However, in this blog entry we will continue to use Scriptures to explain more about God's Word and how studying them daily is necessary for renewing of your mind and a continuation to stay connected to Father God.
The religious leaders didn't like Jesus at all. They would have kept coming to try to trick Jesus. They didn't like that he, who was not a trained rabbi, was teaching the people. They did not recognize him as the Messiah and the son of Man. They held onto their traditions and being so legalistic (following the man-made laws of following their faith) believing that is how they are to stay righteousness. Their hearts were hardened that they were not able to hear what Jesus was preaching.
What I love about Jesus that he quoted from the Torah to support his message. In Jesus' time on earth, the Jews used books (that they called Torah; as our Christians called the Old Testaments) that came from God as their guidebook on how to live and learn about God. By the way, I'm not familiar with the Torah so you will have to research how many of the Old Testament books are used in the Jewish Bible. How did Jesus respond to those religious leaders and teachers? He first listened and asked a question to make them think. Next, he used Scriptures to point out some instructions from God in honoring your mother and father. Then he points out the hypocrisies that the leaders does when sticking with traditions so strictly. Jesus also used the Prophet Isaiah's prophecies about religious people who follow things religiously that they don't have room to have a real relationship with God. As for so-called Christians who say, I believe this and that; I will stick to my traditions which supports my religious life. Therefore, where are their hearts and minds at? Are they working on their relationships with God on a daily basis? Anyway, if you're curious about where Jesus quoted from the Old Testament, you can find it here:
Footnotes
Traditions can be okay. For example, there is nowhere in the Bible in celebrating Christmas and how to do it. When traditions blocked your relationship with Jesus, you’re become more legalistic. The most important as a believer is to always study God’s Word often. Put God first and everything will fall into place.
The religious leaders didn't like Jesus at all. They would have kept coming to try to trick Jesus. They didn't like that he, who was not a trained rabbi, was teaching the people. They did not recognize him as the Messiah and the son of Man. They held onto their traditions and being so legalistic (following the man-made laws of following their faith) believing that is how they are to stay righteousness. Their hearts were hardened that they were not able to hear what Jesus was preaching.
What I love about Jesus that he quoted from the Torah to support his message. In Jesus' time on earth, the Jews used books (that they called Torah; as our Christians called the Old Testaments) that came from God as their guidebook on how to live and learn about God. By the way, I'm not familiar with the Torah so you will have to research how many of the Old Testament books are used in the Jewish Bible. How did Jesus respond to those religious leaders and teachers? He first listened and asked a question to make them think. Next, he used Scriptures to point out some instructions from God in honoring your mother and father. Then he points out the hypocrisies that the leaders does when sticking with traditions so strictly. Jesus also used the Prophet Isaiah's prophecies about religious people who follow things religiously that they don't have room to have a real relationship with God. As for so-called Christians who say, I believe this and that; I will stick to my traditions which supports my religious life. Therefore, where are their hearts and minds at? Are they working on their relationships with God on a daily basis? Anyway, if you're curious about where Jesus quoted from the Old Testament, you can find it here:
Footnotes
- Matthew 15:4 Exodus 20:12; Deut. 5:16
- Matthew 15:4 Exodus 21:17; Lev. 20:9
- Matthew 15:9 Isaiah 29:13
Traditions can be okay. For example, there is nowhere in the Bible in celebrating Christmas and how to do it. When traditions blocked your relationship with Jesus, you’re become more legalistic. The most important as a believer is to always study God’s Word often. Put God first and everything will fall into place.
16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
~1 Timothy 4:16
Dear Christian brothers and sisters as well as seekers, I am only human. I still consider myself a disciple of Jesus. In this blog, I do my best to teach you what I learned from my own quiet time or learning with other disciples. Please read the Bible on your own to see what God want to share with you today. However, if you're confused about the history or the culture of the past eras or even how certain parables and stories doesn't make sense, it's okay to learn from mature believers who has studied the Word on a daily basis and have a deep relationship with Jesus Christ.
Anyway, back to the lesson on hand. What does that verse mean? Be constant in studying God’s Word and review what’s happening with your relationship with God. People see it when you live your life for God; they see how you place your priorities in where Jesus fit in your daily life and how God works through you.
The following Bible verses are a good re-discovery for me so read on:
Anyway, back to the lesson on hand. What does that verse mean? Be constant in studying God’s Word and review what’s happening with your relationship with God. People see it when you live your life for God; they see how you place your priorities in where Jesus fit in your daily life and how God works through you.
The following Bible verses are a good re-discovery for me so read on:
10 As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12 As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.
Acts 17:10-12
I first rediscovered these verses through a Bible Talk group not so long ago. Tonight, the leader revisited the same passage. What can we learn from the Bereans? They examine God’s Word every day with great eagerness. Through examining God's Word against what Apostle Paul's preaching, they can know what Paul's teaching aligns with what God says is true. To make it personal, I feel like this month I'm like the Bereans. I love God's Word.
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
~James 1:22-25
Not reading the Word is enough. How does the Bible verse(s) apply to you in helping you become closer to Jesus Christ? What did you learn that you can apply to yourself as a believer that pleases God? You will be blessed when you follow God’s Word by applying them to how you live your life.
The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day."
~John 12:48 ESV
Only God judge you based on His laws which are found in His Word.
Here is a reflective question to ponder: Will you live by traditions, feelings and desires or will you live by God’s word?
Here is a reflective question to ponder: Will you live by traditions, feelings and desires or will you live by God’s word?