Often times when we have struggles and doubts we go to the Internet to seek answers. The problem with that approach is that there are so many people offering their opinion we can always find exactly what we WANT to hear. It can be skewed information.
Pilate asked Jesus "What is truth?" (John 18:38). Is there absolute truth? If so, where can we find it? Is the Bible trustworthy?
Pastor Adam's message tackled three areas regarding this issue of whether of not the Bible is trustworthy: 1) Do we have the right words from the scriptures we are reading? 2) Do we have the right books (there are 66 in the Bible - were important ones left out?) 3) Is it true?
The teaching on Sunday was phenomenal. You are encouraged to listen to it if you missed it. Since it was mostly ABOUT Scripture (history, the translations, textural criticism etc.) and not exactly FROM Scripture, this week's Bible study is a little different.
Taking Pastor Adam's third filter (Is it true?), he pointed out that we are not trying to argue this point or prove anything in the teaching, nor in Ten Minutes With God this week. Each person has to make this decision from within their heart. No one can "argue" you toward or away from the truth of the Bible. It is between you and God. However, we are inviting you to let Scripture speak to your heart this week. What might it be like for you to move beyond seeing, doing and figuring things out to simply BEING?
INVITATION: Are you willing to give God some time and open your heart to him, using His Word as a tool? Ten Minutes With God takes you prayerfully and meditatively into some scriptures this week, and invites you to ask Jesus to help you take down any walls, hurts, pain or preconceived notions about Jesus, about Scripture and about Christianity. Will you spend some quiet time with these verses this week? See what GOD can do in your heart as you are willing to be open and honest and as you "marinate" on a few verses from Scripture. This may be a new way for you to be in Scripture - - - it is more about Scripture (God) speaking directly to you rather than you taking charge and figuring out the context, history and what Scripture is trying to say. It reads you rather than you reading it. Can you put aside how humans who supposedly represented Scripture may have hurt you or betrayed you in the past and just deal with Scripture alone this week? What if God Himself - through Scripture - has profound and life changing words, thoughts or emotions for you this week?
MONDAY: 2 Timothy 3:16-17: All Scripture is useful. Even if this is a new way to be in Scripture, and perhaps feels foreign to you, or that you're not "doing" enough, can you trust the process this week? Can you trust God? Could it be that you've been trying TOO hard? What if you "tried softer" this week? What if you REST in and with Scripture and just trust God and trust the process? Take a deep breath and BE STILL and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10).
TUESDAY: Isaiah 43:1-7. Read this scripture as if it was written to you personally. What is God's message to you in this passage? What feelings arise within you as you read through it and hear to what lengths God is willing to go in order to be your God? How do these verses make you feel toward God?
WEDNESDAY: Psalm 32:1-5 & Romans 8:1: Many times a road block to God and Scripture is our opinion of ourselves. You are forgiven and are not condemned. If God doesn't condemn you, why might you be so hard on yourself? As written earlier, what if you "tried softer" this week? As you consider God's forgiveness of you, how does it make you feel toward God? Are you able to internalize God's forgiveness and get it from your head to your heart? Why or why not? How might you pray about this today?
THURSDAY: Psalm 107:43 & Ephesians 3:17-19: Below are some words various writers have used to describe God's love. Read through the list, sitting with and reflecting on each word. Consider coming up with some of your own.
Unfailing Lavish
Extravagant Wastefully abundant
Wondrous Indiscriminate
Boundless Unconditional
You are the chosen one - the beloved of God! What is your reaction to this statement and these descriptive words? Spend time pondering the fact that you are rooted and established (grounded) in love. What does this stir within you?
FRIDAY: I John 4:16: And so we KNOW and RELY on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. (emphasis added). In order for our knowing of God's love to be truly transformational, it must become the basis of our identity. Our identity is who we experience ourselves to be - the "I" each of us carry within. Has your "I" been too much ego and not enough God? Could ego be blocking you fully appropriating how loved and accepted you are? An identity grounded in God would be that when we think of who we are, the first thing that comes to mind is our status as someone who is deeply loved by God. What would happen today if you constantly reminded yourself you are DEEPLY LOVED BY GOD? What would happen if you began using a verse like this as a daily "breath prayer" as a reminder of your true identity rather than the condemnation we tend to feed ourselves, or allow our culture to feed us?
SATURDAY: A time of recollection: As you consider your week marinating and praying in Scripture, what stands out for you? How does it make you feel about God? How does it make you feel about Scripture? What was it like to allow Scripture to "read" you rather than you being so much in charge? What might it look like to imagine your spiritual life and life in scripture as a BURN OFF rather than a BURN OUT? Are there doubts and habits that God might be inviting you to "burn off" right now as He gently guides you in your Christian journey? Could part of the "burn off" be trying softer? Could it include restfully being in Scripture and prayer and with Jesus rather than constantly striving? Has anything from this week helped you in regard to questions about whether or not Scripture can be trusted?