Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – January 22, 2017
But if I say, “I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.” Jeremiah 20:9
The word of God flows through the human heart like orange-hot lava out of an erupting volcano. Nothing can hold back the effects of God’s word. It penetrates the hardest of hearts and disturbs its apathy. It ignites a tender and teachable heart with confidence and gratitude. The heart cannot contain the Word of God any more than a mother can hold back her joy after the birth of her baby. There is an engagement with endurance and excitement that happens when Scripture seeps into your soul. It cuts into your being (Hebrews 4:12). You cannot remain unchanged by the living Word of God. It arrests your thinking. Scripture engages you with eternity; its eternal truths demand a response.
Any open-minded person who seeks to understand the Scripture will benefit now and for eternity, if he embraces its claims. You cannot silence a person who has been spoken to by the Lord via His Word. The Bible is a conduit for knowing Christ. It facilitates faith like nothing else. As a follower of Jesus, you engage with eternal purposes when you hide God’s Word in your heart. You hide it within, but it explodes without. Truth in is truth out. Moreover, Jesus was a man of the Word (Matthew 7:29). The Scripture was fire in His bones. He spoke like no one else because His authority was not in His words but in the words of His heavenly Father.
You can stand confident in Christ when your decisions and rationale are based on the Bible. The Word of God perseveres. It is your teacher. The Bible defines your belief system.
Lastly, learning and obeying the Bible frees you from the excuse of not knowing; understanding and applying the truth makes you accountable. If you really want to comprehend and increase your accountability, then teach the Scripture because teachers are held to a higher standard (James 3:1). A teacher who does not teach is frustrated and worn out. It has to come out, or you are hard to live with. Don’t hold back any longer what the Lord is teaching you. A teacher must tell or they will not feel well. The Bible begins to boil in a heart full of truth. Sin surfaces to the top, and the Lord skims it away by His grace and forgiveness. The fruit of the Spirit has the potential to flourish in a heart flush with the Word. Faith and hope hang out in a heart recalibrated by Christ’s words.
The Bible is your reality check. Though Holy Scripture is up to 3,000 years old, it keeps you relevant today. Carry Scripture with you. Read and study it with others. It is a fire that melts fear and burns away bad attitudes. Scripture leads you to your Savior. Stoke the fires of your faith with God’s word. Watch it burn brightly. You will see Him.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, stir up the fire of faith in my heart so I burn brightly for You.Application
Where can I show up so God has a bold opportunity to show off?Related Reading
Today’s reading is taken from Boyd’s most popular book: Seeking Daily the Heart of God, a 365 day devotional.Post/Tweet today
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