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Prepare Your Heart
To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a few minutes to breathe deeply and quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, ask the Lord to speak to you in this time. Let Him know that you will listen and make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.
Read God’s Word
A Verse for Today
Slowly and reflectively read the following verse(s) and listen to what God will say to you through His written Word. Consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.
John 5:39-40 (CSB): “You pore over the Scriptures because you think you have eternal life in them, and yet they testify about me. But you are not willing to come to me so that you may have life.”
Reflecting on God’s Word
There is no other book like the Bible. It does not merely contain truth; it is the standard of truth (John 17:17). It is not a dead book filled with what God said; it is a living book filled with what God is saying (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12). It has the very words of life (John 6:63, 68) and is incredibly powerful (Jeremiah 23:29).
God’s Word is all of this and so much more!
But if we are not careful, God’s Word will become an end in itself. We will study it, delight in it, and share its truths with others, and possibly miss the very Person it points us to.
The Bible is not an end in itself. It is a means to an end. The ultimate goal of the Bible is to point us to Jesus so that we can trust in Him to make us right in God’s eyes, and then help us continue to grow in our relationship with Him. It shows us, motivated by our love for our God, what we are to believe and how we are to behave in order to act like the forgiven and holy person Jesus made us when we first trusted in Him for salvation.
Simply put, if you study your Bible but you aren’t being drawn to Jesus, you are missing the whole point.
Just listen to Jesus’ words again. He warned the religious leaders against making the Scriptures an end in themselves as they resisted Him and His ministry.
John 5:39-40 (CSB): “You pore over the Scriptures because you think you have eternal life in them, and yet they testify about me. But you are not willing to come to me so that you may have life.”
So, my friend, read your Bible. Study your Bible. Enjoy your Bible. Seek to understand it and apply it. But be thoroughly convinced that its primary purpose is to point you to Jesus. If you are being drawn to Jesus as you dig into His Word, you are responding exactly as God intended when His Holy Spirit used about forty men to write His Book.
Spend Time in Prayer
- Ask God to help you look for and see Jesus as you read your Bible.
- Ask God to help you grow in your love for the Lord Jesus and service to Him that flows from that love.
Going Deeper
If you want to dig a little deeper into some of the places Jesus shows up in the Bible, consider reading the following GotQuestions article:
“Is Jesus in every book of the Bible?”
Sharing
If this post has been helpful to you or if you think it could help others, please consider tapping one of the social media buttons below to share it on your favorite platform.
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Matt Ellis is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Polk City, Florida (fbcpolkcity.com)
Matt’s Musings 