Tag: Psalm 119:105

Formation (Part 2)

One of the best ways to become more like Jesus is to replace an unhealthy habit with the practice of reading Scripture daily. In fact, the Center for Bible Engagement surveyed more than 100,000 people from all over the world about their spiritual lives and found that engaging the Bible four or more days a week is the “single most powerful predictor of spiritual growth.”1  This week, you’re being encouraged to make Bible reading a daily practice as we continue our journey through John Mark Comer’s Practicing the Way.

Let’s start with some encouragement straight from the Bible that shows why this practice is worth your time:

  • “Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies. I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts.” (Psalm 119:98-100, NIV)
  • “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” (Psalm 119:105, NIV)
  • “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’” (John 8:31-32, NIV)
  • “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.” (Hebrews 4:12, NIV)
  • “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NIV)

Even when we believe its benefits, knowing how to approach this multifaceted sacred book makes a big difference. Flipping to random pages with no context is unlikely to lead to meaningful understanding, let alone life transformation. Let’s explore a few helpful approaches to keep in mind when reading the Bible.

Interpreting Scripture: The Bible must always be interpreted in light of its context. The environment or setting in which it was written helps us determine what a passage does and doesn’t mean. Repeated phrases and ideas in the text help us to figure out what’s important. As we read, we should ask ourselves:

  • What was the importance of this text for the original audience? (For them then?)
  • What does it say that applies to all people or believers? (For us always?)
  • How is this true in my current circumstances? (For me now?)2

Reading Literarily, not Literally: The writings in Scripture include many different genres including law, history, poetry, wisdom literature, prophecy, gospels (biographies of Jesus), epistles (letters), and apocalyptic writing. Everything in the Bible isn’t meant to be read literally, but literarily. Bible teacher and author Jen Wilkin explains: “Language obeys different rules in  different contexts, and the language of the Bible is no exception. A literate reading takes these rules into consideration…When an author chooses to communicate through a particular form, they do so for a good reason. They believe that particular form will best communicate the meaning they intend. The way that biblical poetry uses language is different than the way that historical narrative does. Prophecy uses language differently than a law code. And so on.”3 Knowing what genre you’re reading impacts your understanding and application of the text.

Recognizing the Difference Between Descriptive and Prescriptive: It is important to determine whether a passage is descriptive or prescriptive. A descriptive passage shows us what happened while a prescriptive passage tells us what to do. “If a verse or passage is simply describing something, with nothing said in the positive or negative about that something, then it is descriptive and should not be considered something we are commanded to do. It is only when Scripture specifically instructs (prescribes) that New Testament believers do something that we are to take it as a command to obey.”4

We often approach the Bible looking for a shot of inspiration or a truth about ourselves forgetting that first and foremost, it is a book about God. Whether you’re starting to read the Bible regularly for the first time or have been doing it for years, the most important thing is to pray first. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand what you read and to show you what He wants you to learn about the Lord.

Now, let’s explore a bit of Bible background to enhance your knowledge, provide context, and build your enthusiasm about reading it daily:

Major Themes: God’s redemption story contains a four-part pattern that has been repeated throughout history:  1) Rejection of God’s way 2) Decline of God’s people 3) Consequences allowed by God’s hand 4) Restored relationship to God’s presence.5

Word Meanings and Organizational Structure: The word “Bible” comes from the Greek word biblos meaning “book” or “scroll”; the plural form “biblia” refers to a collection of scriptures that are treated as one book. The 39 books of the Old Testament were written mostly in Hebrew (a few short passages in Aramaic).  About 100 years (or more) before the Christian era the entire Old Testament was translated into the Greek language.  Our English Bible is a translation from these original languages. The word “testament” means “covenant,” or “agreement.”  The Old Testament is the covenant of law God made with humans. The 27 books of the New Testament explain the covenant of grace God made to provide salvation for sinful humans through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.6

Chronology and Content: The books of the Bible are not all written in perfect chronological order. Some books have overlapping stories and themes with others. All of them can be read as stand-alone books. The Old Testament focuses on the story of the Jews (also called the Israelites, Hebrews, or Children of Israel) from their earliest beginnings. It chronicles their history as God’s chosen people. The Old Testament covers a span of 1000 years. The New Testament focuses on Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy who came to save and redeem not only the Jewish people but all of mankind as well.  The New Testament was written over the span of 100 years with the earliest being written between A.D. 48 & 60 and the latest between A.D. 60 and 100.7

Authors: The Bible was written by about 40 authors over 1600 years.  The authors were kings and princes, poets and philosophers, prophets and statesmen. Some were learned in all the arts of the times and others were unschooled fishermen. Some of its authors knew Jesus personally. Two of them were his brothers (James and Jude).8

Consistent Source of Guidance: The Church believes that Jewish and Christian writers were guided by the Holy Spirit in the selection of the Scriptures that became the Old and New Testaments. The Apostle Peter explains, “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 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.” (2 Peter 1:20-21, NIV).

Reading the Bible is an essential spiritual practice for believers. Doing it consistently enables you to be with Jesus so you can become like Him and do as He did. Ask the Lord to help you make it a consistent part of your daily rhythm.

*This post is part of a series based on Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer and weekly practices described in the eight-session study guide. Order your copy of Practicing the Way using this link or buy it anywhere books are sold.

If you’re participating in a group in person at CPC Danville, copies of the Reading Reflection Guide are available at Focused Living AM and PM and in the church office. If you’d like a digital PDF to download, please reply in the comments.

Was this forwarded to you? Click here to submit your e-mail and subscribe. You’ll receive future posts automatically in your inbox.

  1. Bible Engagement and “The Power of Four”: A Key to Spiritual Growth. Click here for full article.
  2. Adapted from Jen Wilkin and the Village Church Bible study materials.
  3. Jen Wilkin, “Why We Should Read the Bible Literarily” Click here for full article.
  4. “What does it mean that a biblical passage is descriptive rather than prescriptive?” Click here for full article.
  5. This is a commonly held truth among Bible scholars.  This particular statement is paraphrased from Priscilla ShirerGideon: Your Weakness. God’s Strength. Lifeway Press, 2013.
  6. Paraphrased from Henrietta Mears’ book What the Bible is All About, Tyndale 1953.
  7. Paul E. Little, Know What You Believe, Victor Books, 1987.
  8. Henrietta Mears, What the Bible is All About,Tyndale 1953.

 

 

The Lure of Lesser Lights

The best way to keep Jesus in the center of the Christmas season is to keep Him central in our daily lives, especially when we feel too busy.

IMG_7425

Jesus tells us: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12) The many lights that twinkle during the Christmas season celebrate this truth. I like to believe that all lights people hang at this time of year give Him praise, whether they were intended to or not. However, as much as I love this season, I often take my eyes off Jesus. Sometimes the true Light is only in my peripheral vision as I let lesser lights guide me during this hectic time of year.

The Bible reminds us that God’s word is a lamp for our feet and a light for our paths. (Psalm 119:105) However, spending quiet time with the Lord can get pushed aside as other things vie for our attention. So many shiny lights blink with urgency that it’s easy to let them guide us in place of God’s Word.

One of the biggest pitfalls for us is the lure of meeting expectations that abound during this season. All of those real or imagined hopes we try to fulfill lead us down a path to exhaustion.   We can spend the season trying to find the right gift, decorate the house exquisitely, bake everyone’s traditional favorites, wear the perfect Christmas outfit, or maintain cherished traditions. The season can become engulfed with fulfilling expectations. However, when we let them be the lamp to our feet and the light to our path, we often end up feeling physically and emotionally depleted.

Every day we have to make a conscious choice: we can choose to light our paths with the world’s expectations or we can choose to light our paths by spending time with the Lord in His Word. The light we choose to lead us influences the direction we go. One path leads to disappointment, the other to joy. The best way to keep Jesus in the center of the Christmas season is to keep Him central in our daily lives, especially when we feel too busy. Even if our formal Bible study groups are on a break for the holidays, our personal times with God can continue. It is the one thing that will keep us in alignment with Him during this busy season and into the New Year. Let’s not let the “urgent” tasks of the moment cause us to sacrifice what is ultimately most important.

Thinking about this reminded me of a letter my husband and I wrote to our boys last Christmas. We’d bought them new Bibles and wanted to explain their importance. Our goal was to help them understand the reason we make reading and studying the Bible a priority in our lives. Here is a short excerpt from that letter:

“Our hope and prayer is that as you get older, you will immerse yourself in God’s word and see that it is the jumping off place for everything in life. It will give you wisdom about your daily choices, your relationships, your future plans, and so much more. It will show you who God is and what He thinks of you. It will show you how to pray and what to pray for. It will equip you with the tools you need to engage in spiritual battle. It will give you confidence to obey God when it would be easier to follow the crowd. It will give you hope no matter what difficulty you find yourself in. It will tell you the truth when the world tells you lies. It will give you a firm foundation for making big life decisions. It will give you wisdom when you don’t know what to do. But, it will only do these things if you take the time to read it, study it, and talk about it with others. As you “marinate” in the Bible, the truth you discover will flavor who you are and impact the world around you. You will further God’s kingdom on earth as you live out the things you learn in the Bible.”

This Christmas season, let’s not let our Bibles gather dust on our shelves as we’re on a break from our usual routines and engrossed in the holiday season.   Before you turn on your computer or tablet, check your phone, unfold the newspaper, or click on the TV, try sitting quietly with Him for a few minutes at the beginning of your day.

-Read through the Christmas story in Luke 1 and 2 and Matthew 1 & 2 and prophesies about Jesus in Isaiah 9:2-7, Isaiah 42:1-9, Isaiah 55:1-13 and Micah 7:18-20.

-Review your most recent Bible study workbook and complete the parts you skipped during the busyness of the fall.

-Write a short prayer. Commit your day to God and trust Him to guide you. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you.

The things that seem so urgent will still be there when you’re finished. The ones that need your attention will get done and the others won’t matter quite so much.

If these suggestions sound idealistic and unrealistic because of your hectic schedule, pray that God will multiply your time. He’s ready and waiting to spend time with you and will orchestrate your day to make it possible. All you have to do is ask.

Start a new tradition this Christmas and make time daily to let God’s Word light your path instead of letting expectations be your primary guiding light. Instead being disappointed and exhausted, you’ll find God’s Word leaves you fulfilled and energized. As His peace rests upon you, you’ll bless others in a way that outshines fulfilling even the grandest of expectations.

Click on the link to celebrate the true Light of Christmas with Chris Tomlin’s “Light of the World.”