[S] 2 Timothy 3:16-17 --
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
[O] Our company is having a bake-off contest for employees to show off their baking skills. As each of the contestants explain the process of preparing and making the desserts it is quite amazing at how much effort they put in to present (and to win) the goodies. God's Scripture to us is like that where God put together an amazing package of principles and wisdom for us to follow in order to face all aspects of life and to produce good works in the midst of them all.
[A] The ultimate purpose of the Scripture is to equip me for every good work. So as I read more of His Scripture, my life should produce more good works. If not, then I'm not soaking up His word correctly.
[P] Dear Father, thank You for the wonderful Scripture for me to be equipped to serve others and You to produce many good works. May I have to right perspectives at all times to equip myself in doing just this on daily basis. In Jesus' name. Amen.
From my Life devotional journaling and more (Read Today's Passage)
Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
Showing posts with label Scripture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Scripture. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Wednesday, August 03, 2011
Go To the Source
[S] John 6:39-40 --
39 "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; 40 and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.
[O] At first read, I'm asking what was wrong with reading the Scripture, but re-examining the passage it says "search" not "read" or "study" the Scripture, for eternal life. The Scripture itself is nothing more than black ink on white paper and the words themselves do not have the life but what those words point to -- Jesus -- gives eternal life.
[A] Discernment of the author from what the author wrote, miracle from the miracle worker, the message from what the message is pointing to is very critical in living out Christ-following life because it is so easy to get all wrapped up about busily searching for the truth from the wrong places because I miss purpose or the original intention of God. I have to constantly reaffirm myself of God's heart in my life and all that I do so that I won't get lost in my busy-ness not realizing what God desires from me.
[P] Dear Jesus, I come to You for eternal life, guidance, and forgiving grace for my life. I surrender all I have such that my life will live out Your purpose that You designed for me from the beginning. In Your name. Amen.
39 "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; 40 and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.
[O] At first read, I'm asking what was wrong with reading the Scripture, but re-examining the passage it says "search" not "read" or "study" the Scripture, for eternal life. The Scripture itself is nothing more than black ink on white paper and the words themselves do not have the life but what those words point to -- Jesus -- gives eternal life.
[A] Discernment of the author from what the author wrote, miracle from the miracle worker, the message from what the message is pointing to is very critical in living out Christ-following life because it is so easy to get all wrapped up about busily searching for the truth from the wrong places because I miss purpose or the original intention of God. I have to constantly reaffirm myself of God's heart in my life and all that I do so that I won't get lost in my busy-ness not realizing what God desires from me.
[P] Dear Jesus, I come to You for eternal life, guidance, and forgiving grace for my life. I surrender all I have such that my life will live out Your purpose that You designed for me from the beginning. In Your name. Amen.
Monday, January 24, 2011
My Mind Has a Valve
[S] Luke 24:45 --
45Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,
[O] What sets the Scriptures from other manuscripts is the fact that I cannot understand it with my own efforts no matter how many times I read it because it is God ordained and so He must grant permission for me to comprehend it. As if there is a valve that unless He opens it my mind cannot absorb the meaning of Scriptures. Doing the Life Journal devotion at first was done with my sheer efforts of reading and trying to squeeze out some meaning but I soon found out repeating myself about the same concept limited to what was in my own head. I've been asking God to open my mind so I may understand the truth that He intended for me to grasp.
[A] Continue to start my devotion by praying to God to open my mind to understand the Scriptures.
[P] Dear Jesus, please continue to open my mind that I may understand the depth of your Word and so I may apply them to my life to initiate the transformation You desire in me. May I not try to understand Your word with my own might but rely on Your Spirit as I ask in Your precious name. Amen.
45Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,
[O] What sets the Scriptures from other manuscripts is the fact that I cannot understand it with my own efforts no matter how many times I read it because it is God ordained and so He must grant permission for me to comprehend it. As if there is a valve that unless He opens it my mind cannot absorb the meaning of Scriptures. Doing the Life Journal devotion at first was done with my sheer efforts of reading and trying to squeeze out some meaning but I soon found out repeating myself about the same concept limited to what was in my own head. I've been asking God to open my mind so I may understand the truth that He intended for me to grasp.
[A] Continue to start my devotion by praying to God to open my mind to understand the Scriptures.
[P] Dear Jesus, please continue to open my mind that I may understand the depth of your Word and so I may apply them to my life to initiate the transformation You desire in me. May I not try to understand Your word with my own might but rely on Your Spirit as I ask in Your precious name. Amen.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Don't Try to Pack in The Word
[S] John 8:37,43 --
37"I know that you are Abraham's descendants; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 43"Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word.
[O] Especially during this time of Christmas where Joseph and Mary couldn't find any room in the inns so gave birth to Jesus in the manger, this passage about having no place for His word stood out today. Not having room (place) means other things are already fully pre-populating so unless they are offloaded there won't be anymore capacity to withhold anything else. With my full-plated life I can relate to this dilemma of wanting to retain what God has in store for me while having no room to hold on to His word, and as mentions in verse 43, my senses become more insensitive and I become dull to His word. This includes the fact that I may be reading His word daily but it will not sink in to the already-crowded heart of mine.
[A] In preparation for reading God's word and absorbing the right nutrients, I need to clear out my crowded heart first to make room for His word to stick. How can I unclutter my heart more to create space for His word?
[P] Dear Father, just like trying to fill the overflowing glass with more water, may I not just go through the motion of reading Your word when there is no room for it to stick around. I want to first prepare my heart to make room and time to soak up Your word. Please give me wisdom to trim out the right places in my life to make such a room. In Jesus' name. Amen.
37"I know that you are Abraham's descendants; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 43"Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word.
[O] Especially during this time of Christmas where Joseph and Mary couldn't find any room in the inns so gave birth to Jesus in the manger, this passage about having no place for His word stood out today. Not having room (place) means other things are already fully pre-populating so unless they are offloaded there won't be anymore capacity to withhold anything else. With my full-plated life I can relate to this dilemma of wanting to retain what God has in store for me while having no room to hold on to His word, and as mentions in verse 43, my senses become more insensitive and I become dull to His word. This includes the fact that I may be reading His word daily but it will not sink in to the already-crowded heart of mine.
[A] In preparation for reading God's word and absorbing the right nutrients, I need to clear out my crowded heart first to make room for His word to stick. How can I unclutter my heart more to create space for His word?
[P] Dear Father, just like trying to fill the overflowing glass with more water, may I not just go through the motion of reading Your word when there is no room for it to stick around. I want to first prepare my heart to make room and time to soak up Your word. Please give me wisdom to trim out the right places in my life to make such a room. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Direct Source of Equipping
[S] 2 Timothy 3:16-17 --
16All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;
17so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
[O] Verse 16 is well-known to explain how the Scripture came about -- it came directly from God through various authors and that make Scripture very credible. However the question to ask at this point is: "What difference does this make for me?" Unless there is a direct impact in my own life, that fact alone, although it's true and fantastic, may have nothing to do with me. That's why Paul continues with verse 17 where he explains the purpose of God-inspired Scripture given to us. It is a tool to keep me adequate, equipped for every good work. Now the question is will I be utilizing this tool to do just that?
[A] There is a direct relationship with my desire of serving God and doing His ministry to how much I delve into the Word of God because without doing the latter, the former is impossible to accomplish because I won't have the right tools to stay equipped to carry out the good works for God.
[P] Dear God, I pray that Your Scripture will be directly impacting my life equipping me to carry out the wonderful tasks You had planned for my life. May I not try to take short cuts in supplying myself with adequate dosage of Your Word every day. In Jesus' name. Amen.
16All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;
17so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
[O] Verse 16 is well-known to explain how the Scripture came about -- it came directly from God through various authors and that make Scripture very credible. However the question to ask at this point is: "What difference does this make for me?" Unless there is a direct impact in my own life, that fact alone, although it's true and fantastic, may have nothing to do with me. That's why Paul continues with verse 17 where he explains the purpose of God-inspired Scripture given to us. It is a tool to keep me adequate, equipped for every good work. Now the question is will I be utilizing this tool to do just that?
[A] There is a direct relationship with my desire of serving God and doing His ministry to how much I delve into the Word of God because without doing the latter, the former is impossible to accomplish because I won't have the right tools to stay equipped to carry out the good works for God.
[P] Dear God, I pray that Your Scripture will be directly impacting my life equipping me to carry out the wonderful tasks You had planned for my life. May I not try to take short cuts in supplying myself with adequate dosage of Your Word every day. In Jesus' name. Amen.
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