“They . . searched the Scriptures daily.” Acts 17:11 NKJV
“The Bible is user-friendly, practical, and readily available at your fingertips.”
My thoughts today are about “minimum daily requirement.”
To better understand who you want to be and how you want to live, you need something to guide you. If you just do what you want or simply do your best, your life will never be all that it can and should be. God provides all you need to live wisely and pleasing to Him, which is ultimately synonymous with your best realizing your fullest potential in any and every area of your life.
God has given you the Bible – God’s Word – an unequaled treasure of knowledge and wisdom. The Bible is user-friendly, practical, and readily available at your fingertips. It is not all that you need, but all else is inadequate without a ready and reliable familiarity and understanding of the Bible. “I have esteemed (God’s) words more than my necessary food.” Job 23:12 KJV. The Bible is among the minimum daily requirements for healthy, spiritual development.
Don’t avoid it with the excuse that you do not understand it; you do not understand it merely because you avoid it! There is a wealth of contemporary translations and numberless books of commentary and explanation. It is as true today as when first penned, “I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You . . Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” Psalm 119:11/105 NIV.
God has given you a Savior, His Son, Jesus, a flawless example to follow. There are many models of noble character and benevolent conduct from which you can learn. In every profession there are exemplary people that serve in our communities, who lead by their skills selflessness and can model and inspire your efforts to serve and excel. But no other has lived as perfectly, obeyed God as fully, or sacrificed themselves so redemptively as Jesus. “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in His steps . . Salvation is found in no one else for there is no other name under Heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” 1 Peter 2:21/Acts 4:12 NIV.
God has given you His Spirit, a personal and infallible guide to live within you and direct you with Godly counsel. The Holy Spirit inspired, anointed, and directed the words of the men who faithfully and painstakingly inscribed the Scriptures. Who better to explain God’s Word and its meanings and applications in everyday life than the author? You are not left to guess and decipher what God’s intention and will is; you are given a teacher – a personal tutor – to instruct you as you follow Christ. “When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth . . He will bring Me glory by revealing to you whatever He receives from Me. All that the Father has is mine.” John 16:13-15 NLT.
The Bible, your Savior, and God’s Spirit are not to be shelved all week and then brought out on Sundays. These invaluable gifts from God’s love are spiritual resources to instruct and direct your life everyday in the most personal and practical ways. God’s wisdom exceeds all else. Your benefit is directly proportional to your personal investment of heart, time, and effort. Do that systematically and consistently. See 2 Timothy 2:15 NIV/3:16-17 NLT.
Be as those Christ-followers in ancient Berea, “These were . . of noble character . . for they received the Message with great eagerness, and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” Acts 17:11 NIV. The Word of God is the definitive word; trust it, whatever others’ opinions.
My prayer for you today is that you study the Word of God diligently, and know it well.