Daily time in the Bible has been a vital part of my life for a number of years now. It's been particularly helpful to help me keep focus on God's way of doing things rather than my own, especially during challenging times.
There are some really good lessons and applications waiting to be discovered, if we only give it time and attention. Here's a few of my discoveries from the last couple of days, using YouVersion's online Bible and Wayne Cordeiro's SOAP (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer - I'll keep that part personal) approach for journaling:
Scripture: Exodus 31 - the Lord was speaking to Moses about building the altar, ark and so on:
2 “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts— 4 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 5 to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship. 6 Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given skill to all the craftsmen to make everything I have commanded you.
Observation: When God calls us to do something for the Kingdom, He fills us with the Spirit and also equips us or others, who are to be involved, with the skills, ability and knowledge for it.
Application: Am I using my skills and abilities for the cause of the Kingdom? Who should I be working alongside to accomplish the task?
Scripture: Exodus 32, when Moses came down from the Mountain to discover the golden calf:
19 When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain.
Observation: Moses came down from the mountain with the ultimate souvenir - tablets inscribed by the very finger of God! Yet, in his anger over what the people had done, he threw them on the ground, smashing them to bits. His anger was so fierce that he lost the ability for rational thinking or action. He did have a bit of a track record this way... there was that Egyptian mistreating his Hebrew slave way back at the beginning of the story.
Application: Do I let anger get the best of me? Do I let it destroy things that are valuable to me in the process?
Scripture: 21 He said to Aaron, “What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?” 22 “Do not be angry, my lord,” Aaron answered. “You know how prone these people are to evil. 23 They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him.’ 24 So I told them, ‘Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!”
Observation: It's really amazing the stories we can conceive when trying to avoid the truth. This calf coming out of the fire is almost as good as the theory of evolution!
Scripture: Moses was speaking with God in the Tent of Meeting in Exodus 33
15 Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”
Observation: Moses resolved not to move unless he know God was leading him and was with him.
Application: Do we have the same sense as Moses, that we will not move without God's Presence? Perhaps we thought we could live and move on our own, whether or not God's Presence was with us and leading us. What we did seemed to prosper - life was good and things were plentiful. We could do things quite well on our own. ...until the economic meltdown! For Christ-followers, the very Spirit of God dwells within us, able to distinguish us from all other people on the face of the earth. His Presence distinguishes us as we live the fulfillment of the Law, loving God above all else and our neighbour as ourselves. These tough economic times are great opportunities to be distinguished in this manner, knowing that our God will supply all our needs as we live in accordance with His laws and leadings.
Scripture: In Exodus 34, Moses went back up the mountain with new tablets, spending 40 days and nights in the presence of God.
29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord.
Observation: When Moses came down from spending 40 days and nights with the Lord, his face was radiant. It was readily apparent to everyone that Moses had been with God.
Application: What about me? Can people see radiance in me from my being in personal contact with God?
Scripture: Psalm 90
2 Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God. 3 You turn men back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, O sons of men.”
Observation: This big picture is really clear - He is God, I'm not. He is everlasting to everlasting, I am dust to dust. What a good perspective to keep. The amazing part of this big picture is that everlasting God would become dust for our sake, to relate to us and show how we should live, and to die for us so that we can be everlasting!
And one last Scripture: I Corinthians 2:1,4-5
1 When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.
Observation: Paul clearly spent little time worrying about his words and more about letting God's power be evident through him.
Application: In our "modern" era, have we come to rely on intellect, wisdom and eloquence as the means to convince people or to learn about the Gospel? Have we put the emPHASis on the wrong syllABle?
It’s been exciting for me to have the scripture come alive each time I set aside time to read with an open mind and open heart. If you’re not in the habit, won’t you join me? I’d love you hear the insights you find.
