No Substitute for God’s Word
Café Menu for Friday, May 1, 2015
Today’s Special is: No Substitutes Here
Carefully prepared just for you by your friend, Carolyn Dale Newell
Main Ingredient:
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.
2 Timothy 3:16 NKJV
Entrée:
Here in the South, we like our tea sweet, and there are many sugar substitutes we can use. However, when it comes to God’s Word – the Bible – there is no substitute. The Bible is the only work that is inspired by God or “God breathed”. Writers, like myself, can be led by God, but our work is not inspired by Him.
Scripture contains all the doctrine or instruction that Christians need for life and godliness. Reproof refers to Scripture’s rebuke of wrong beliefs and conduct. Scripture also corrects those wrong areas of our lives, and the Bible instructs us in how we should believe, think and act. Basically, it is our go to book for everything in life.
The Bible tells us to be honest in business. It tells us to honor our parents. It is God’s love letter to us, and it is full of His promises and comfort. However, we cannot know what God is speaking through the pages of Scripture if we do not spend time there. Like the Bereans, we need to “search the Scriptures daily” (Acts 17:11).
We are blessed in the U.S. because we can own a Bible. In certain countries, a Bible means death. A North Korean woman was given a Bible by some missionaries several years ago. She told them that she had been holding on to one page of a Bible for 60 years. She was sharing that page with others. Can you imagine if you only had one page of Scripture?
Most of us have several Bibles, and they are available online and apps. Let’s appreciate God’s blessed Word. Carve out a specific time for God, and begin reading today.
Take Out:
· It is vital that you read your Bible every day. Devotions and other Christian books are good, but they cannot be a substitute for Bible study. Below are a few ideas about Bible study.
· Online Bible studies
· Pick a topic (i.e. Prayer, fasting…) using a concordance to look up the passages on it.
· Read through the Bible in a year, but spend time digging into specific areas. Otherwise, you may overlook something. Quality is better than Quantity.
· This is usually my method. Pick a NT book of the Bible, and divide into sections- 2-5 chapters each month. I read the same section every day for 30 days. You would be amazed at what pops out at you on day 28. This helps you remember where these verses are located in the future. Each day, I take a portion of those chapters, and I read my study Bible notes and a commentary on those verses.
Dessert:
Dear Lord, Thank You for the Bible. Thank You for the freedom we have to own it. Please keep Christians safe in countries where they risk their lives for being believers. Help me find the right Bible study and guard the time I set to do it. In Jesus’ Name, I pray. Amen.
© 2014 by Carolyn Dale Newell. All rights reserved.
Do you know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior? Pull up a chair… He’s been waiting for you.
Need a refill? Please join us at the Encouragement Café with Luann and Friends.
The conversation at the Café is always hot and fresh. We invite you to listen inas Luann and Friends gather around the table to discuss everyday life.
Comfort food for your soul is always on our menu, and friends are always close enough to hug. We invite you to join us daily, as our writer’s share how the Lord continues to transform them into His glorious image.
Still craving more…Join us as we grow together in grace and truth through our online bible study.
Stop by Encouragement Café and listen as the girls share life. Find podcasts, videos, Bible studies, prayer, resources and daily helpings of hope, laughter and friendship around our table. We've saved a seat just for you!
Originally published Friday, 01 May 2015.
SHARE
