LEARNING DAILY

John 14:15, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

According to what I found in an article by Barna, weekly Bible reading in U.S. by adults is up from a 15-year low of 30% to 42%. That is good, right? Yet, while more Americans are reading the Bible, they do not fully believe the Bible is accurate, according to the study. The article said that in the year 2000, 43% strongly agreed that the Bible is totally accurate in what it taught. Now the number is 36%; even among those who say they are Christians, only 44% believe the Bible is accurate. “Engagement is outpacing conviction. People are opening the Bible more often, but they are wrestling with what they believe about it. That gap between reading and trusting is worth paying attention to” (David Kinnaman).

I have two concerns this morning. My first concern is about what you have read often in the blog. It is my hope that you are encouraged to be reading/studying/meditating on God’s Word every day. I believe doing so is essential to the Believer’s growth and their desire to walk the narrow way in faith and obedience. In life it is so easy to dedicate yourself to so many things, to be so busy with work and activities without giving time to draw close to the Lord through His Word. The statement by Jesus recorded by John is a simple but profound statement emphasizing the importance of a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ that is not based on words only but on daily actions from a heart committed to following Him. Believers demonstrate their love for Him by knowing and keeping His commands; knowing His commands comes from being in His Word daily, not just an hour on the weekend. To borrow the words of Jesus from the last page of the blog, “Do you believe this?”

The second concern is that the Bible is read like one would read a novel, reading to check off a box on a “to do” list. Taking time to read God’s Word is not about reading a certain number of verses or chapters each day. No, it is about putting the Word of God in your heart; it is meant to be obeyed. That might be only a few verses that you really meditate on and study more fully. Right after saying this, Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit. Why? Accepting the truth of God’s Word is difficult because people resist God’s ways and reject the Bible’s truths without the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

Believers are to demonstrate the relationship between the love for Jesus, obedience to His Word (His commands), and the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives. The Holy spirit helps Believers understand God’s Word and demonstrate their understanding of it through how they live their lives. The Holy Spirit will guide Believers as the Spirit of truth, giving them the power and ability to live out their faith in a world that does not know the love and grace of Jesus Christ nor does not know if His Word is true or not. By reading/studying/meditating on the Word of God, Believers can show the truth and the power it brings to live the life God desires. Whose life could you touch by doing so?