January 30: “Standing Firm” by Eric Reynolds

Psalm 119:11, “I have hidden Your word in my heart so I might not sin against You.”

My wife and I have three sons, two of which are voracious readers. During their years in KISD they loved competing in the Accelerated Reader (AR) program, striving to finish with more pages read than all their classmates. Then there is son number three. As a now 25-year-old he readily admits the last books he enjoyed reading were the Hank the Cowdog series in 2nd grade. How he made it through col- lege is a mystery to us all! Wherever you fall on the spectrum of reading enjoyment, Bible reading and study are vital components in an ongoing, maturing relationship with Christ.

In our current culture, especially with the impact of the internet, there are more voices attempting to tell you what to do, how to think, what to believe and where to place your allegiances than ever before. How in the world can one know what is true, or good, or beneficial? Faced with a similar problem in the early Christian church, Paul wrote to the believers at Phillipi in Ephesians 4:14, encouraging them to grow in their faith so that, “Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.” The Bible provides a standard by which the messages of the world can be judged.

In our LifeGroup we at times discuss whether God personally speaks to us, today. I am clear that in fact, I do believe God speaks to me. I don’t hear His voice like I hear the radio in my car, but I do hear Him distinctly in my thoughts, especially when praying. I may be praying regarding a concern about the health of a family member and into my brain pops the scripture I memorized decades ago from Philip- pians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition present your request to God and the peace of God, which surpasses understanding will guard your hearts and mind in Christ Jesus.” Much of the time I hear from God, it’s through remembering a scripture passage or bib- lical theme at just the right moment.

To know God, to understand His eternal, unchanging nature, it’s necessary to study the Bible. It’s not the only way, of course, but it’s the basis for which all other ways are derived. Throughout the course of this week, we will dive into how to best read, understand, and apply the Bible and its message. What differ- ence would you experience by incorporating additional Bible reading and study?

Good Father, create in each of us a desire to know You more deeply and to hide Your words for those days when we will need them desperately. Amen.