Discovering the Bible – Page 8

James 1:19-27 💛 Save Your Soul

heart shaped puzzle with one piece missing and about to be put in place

Was it just me, or did you read today’s passage and feel like it was highly appropriate for today and all that we see transpiring in the world around us? God’s word is timeless. It always says the right thing we need to hear. Do you trust it as a reliable guide for your life? I hope we can all agree we can certainly depend on the truth we find in the Bible.

There are plenty of skeptics turned believer out there with some great stories of their journey to faith. It doesn’t get old hearing about those transformations. Often, they share about how the Bible is real and reliable. It does us good to remind ourselves how precious God’s word is and why it is so important to listen to its wisdom. As James puts it, “humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.”

2 Timothy 3:14-17 💗 Inspired by God

Read 2 Timothy 3:14-17

An old Bible opened with cloud superimposed around it on a sunset background

This week our texts have been focusing on the importance of Listening to God’s Word. This is one of the passages that always comes to mind for me when I think about the gift we have in our hands—the Bible.

Some of us have been acquainted with the Bible since childhood. Others may know the Bible exists but have no idea yet how precious it is. My heart breaks for those who are not reading God’s word and listening for his voice. They are missing out on trusting Jesus for our salvation. “You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.”

Acts 9:1-9 💜 God Gets Our Attention

Read Acts 9:1-9

black exclamation point inside a red triangle to signify important information

If you’re not familiar with Saul, he’s a devout Jew but, up to this turning point, had not believed Jesus was God’s son. Saul had been doing horrific things to persecute the followers of Jesus. Saul believed he was being true to his Jewish faith.

I love how God shows up in this passage to get Saul’s attention! This becomes a life altering moment for Saul. I imagine that any time God gets our attention by speaking out loud our lives are changed.

Psalm 119:9-16 💚 Delight in the Word

Read Psalm 119:9-16

woman with arms outstretched looking at a blue sky full of floating balloons

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible! The whole thing is a great meditation on the importance and beauty of God’s word in nurturing our faith. Fun fact: in the original Hebrew, this psalm has 22 sections, each starting with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Repetition is common for their culture because it would have been memorized and shared orally. God’s powerful word is that important!

We are given all sorts of ways we can interact with God’s word. We can obey, memorize, recite, study, reflect, delight, and not forget!

Deuteronomy 6:1-9 💙 Who Holds Your Heart?

Read Deuteronomy 6:1-9

figurine of woman holding heart lovingly

I knew we would encounter these verses sometime during our Bible discovery challenge! While I’m not a fan of preaching about “rules” for Christians to follow, this counsel spells it out clearly and is repeated in other places within the Bible for added emphasis.

It’s pretty much a no brainer that if we are believers, we love God. But do we love him with our whole heart, soul, and strength? Are we even capable of loving him that much? Don’t we have our spouses, families, and friends whom we also love? How do we give God our “whole” heart?