How Do You See It?

It dawned on me over the weekend, that I might see the Word contained in my Bible a little differently than some other people.  To me it is God directly speaking to me just as if He was standing before me.  That’s what makes it so special to me.  I’ve heard many members of the various congregations we served, talk about what they would do if Jesus suddenly appeared before them.  Well, to me, that is exactly what happens every time I open up and study my Bible!

I remember watching a Christian western many years ago where in one scene, the bad guy tossed a Bible, that was just handed to him by the arresting US Marshall, to the ground with careless disgust.  The Marshall immediately bent over and picked up the Bible, dusted it off and said, “Don’t do that, that’s the Word of God!”  And I clearly remember turning to Piper sitting next to me and whispering… “See he gets it!” and she, of course, nodded in agreement!

I look forward to studying the Word every morning.  In fact, I rush to get the coffee on, take the dog out in order for him to care for his morning needs, and then pour a steaming cup of my morning brew, so that I can finally sit down and fellowship with God in His Word.  As did my lovely wife, I tend to take a Bible with me most everywhere I go.  Piper always had a green Gideons New Testament in her purse and kept another one in the glove box of her green Suburban (hummm… I wonder if she color coordinated them on purpose?).  I have a red God’s Word © New Testament in the Equinox and like most others have a Bible app on my phone with multiple available translations!

Over the past few years, I’ve become increasingly more and more aware of how the enemy of our faith, the devil, thinks oppositely about the Word of God than I do.  I’ve been thinking a lot about it lately and realizing that most of the adversity that Piper and I faced, especially at the beginning of our stand of faith for her health starting back in 2009, was not as much against us personally as it was against the Word that we had chosen to stand on!

Jesus tells us in John 10:10 that, “The thief (ie; the devil) does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy…” (EMTV)  In the parable of the Seed and the Sower,* Jesus tells us just what it is that the devil comes to steal.  He compares the seed sown in the ground to the Word that we sew in our hearts and explains how that the devil immediately comes to steal (kill and destroy) that seed, or the Word, that we plant in our hearts.  He also teaches how that sufferings and persecution are the tools which the devil uses against us as a means to destroy the Word we are standing on.  He declared that “When suffering or persecution comes along because of the word, he (the believer without deep understanding of the Word) immediately falls from faith.” (Matthew 13:21 God’s Word ©) 

In his Gospel and letters in the New Testament, the Apostle John tells us a lot about the power and significance of the Word of God for our lives.  In John 1:1-5 he begins by establishing the fact that God and the Word are one and that God’s Word is not only responsible for the creation but continues to be the life and light of each one of us who believes.  He tells us how the light of His Word shines in the darkness that is all around us in this world and how “the dark has never extinguished it.” (John 1:5 Gods Word ©) 

All of this explains a lot to me.  It helps me to remove the frustration I have had with people and gets me to focus on the real source of the persecutions we faced!  It also deepens my daily resolve to “be strong in the Lord (ie; in His Word), and in the power of his might.” (Ephesians 6:10 KJV)

So yeah… I not only see the words in my Bible(s) as words of encouragement, peace, comfort and strength, but also as my lifeline in my daily steps!  His Word is my source of love, life, light, and abounding joy, as well as my direct connection to His will and power!

Is that how you see your Bible?  Think about it!

Have a great new week, and as you do, say along with me… “I am expecting God’s Word to empower me today!”

*Matthew 13:18-23, Mark 4:14-20