The Impact of the Scriptures
II Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
Romans 15:4
For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart
Isaiah 55:11
So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
Lessons Learned
The Bible we study is not only a spiritual book. It contains a legal text, historical text, cultural text, and poetic text. It is not a single book, but a collection of sixty-six books written by 40 different authors between 1,500 BC to 97 AD. It began as an oral tradition passed from generation to generation and became a written text protected by different people as the Children of Israel matriculated through different regions under the domination of different empires. It did not become a complete text until 397 AD and has been the subject of many translations and interpretations since then. Its existence is a miracle. We are told that if you search its pages, its impact on your life will be equally miraculous.
THINK ABOUT IT
1. What role do you allow the Bible to play in your life?
2. Taking into account the history, culture, and laws that shape the Bible, how do you study the Bible?
3. What are some ways your life has changed or your beliefs have shifted as a direct result of your study of the scriptures?
Working It Out Yourself
Philippians 2:12
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but so much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Isaiah 64:8
But now, O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are our potter; and we all are the work of Your hand.
Psalm 139:16
Your eyes saw me unformed, yet in Your book all my days were written, before any of them came into being.
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans that I have for you, says the Lord, plans for peace and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Lessons Learned
At times it can seem as if we have been left to our own devices when it comes to seeking to understand God and His purpose for us. Paul tells us that we can work out our own salvation in the absence of leadership. However, that can be intimidating when it seems your eternal destiny is based on your understanding of some pretty abstract concepts. However, the other texts listed above seem to indicate that our spiritual and mental growth is not left to us. It seems that what we are becoming is being guided and shaped. It is comforting to know that even in the moments when I feel the most ignorant and confused, I am unaware of the forces that are still perfecting me?
1. In religious or spiritual matters where or when do you feel the most uninformed or uncomfortable?
2. In these times what process do you use to become informed or overcome your discomfort?
3. When do you feel the most growth in your spiritual experience?
Chapter 16
Face the Truth and Change
II Corinthians 4:16-18
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
Genesis 32:28
Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.”
II Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Lessons Learned
The goal of this journey is constant change and constant growth. The scriptures inform us that this change will be difficult and confusing at times. The process will make us feel unworthy and even lost as we view our present condition, but God takes us through the proverbial wilderness to bring us closer to Him. It seems that if we trust Him and trust the process, we will always move forward. Even in the times we feel as if we are digressing, we are moving forward and we are moving closer to Him.
1. What scares you about change in your life?
2. The second text is a part of the story of Jacob wrestling with God. In this story Jacob, whose name means liar, was asked by God what his name was. It would seem that Jacob didn't want to say this name or confront this side of himself because this is the side of himself that had always gotten him in trouble. Imagine you are in this situation and God asks you your name, challenging you to confront the worst that is in you. What name would you give the "Jacob" side of you and why?
3. Once Jacob confronted who he really was by saying his name and once he was willing to fight through the pain of his contending with God and announce what he really was, God changed his name to Israel, meaning to rule with YAHWEH. What name would you give the "Israel" side of yourself and why?
Introduction
We are all searching for understanding. We want to understand the mechanics of the universe. We want to understand our purpose in this universe. We want to understand the Creator of it all. This can be a daunting task because that which we want to understand is so vast and our experiences are so varied. How can people with different backgrounds, beliefs, and perspectives living in this vast cosmos ever arrive at a single truth? Where do we even begin?
The Truth Will Make You Free