With God’s Word in our hearts and in our hands, our lives are sorted!
When I was young, I used to love reading Bible stories. At the time, that’s all the Bible was to me – a book of captivating stories about Bible characters. As I grew older, however, I realized that the Bible was a lot more than a collection of good stories about Jesus, Moses, David, Joseph, etc. The Word of God is actually a manual – the only manual that touches on every aspect of life on this earth.
What benefits come along with studying the Bible often?
If I obey God’s Word, I will be blessed
Psalm 119:1-2 “Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.” (NIV)
I have been studying the book of Deuteronomy of late, and in the chapter that I read today, God told the Israelites if they committed themselves to knowing and obeying His word, they would be blessed. The question is, was this just about memorizing the word? I believe not.
Did you know that if you read something repeatedly, after a while you being to believe it and practise what it says? Just as a little child gets to learn the alphabet through lots of practice, we Christians get to know the word of God through reading it often. The results? We internalize what it says, and begin to put into practice the precepts and instructions we find within its pages. What happens next? Our actions, which are based on Biblical principles, please the Lord, and He blesses us! He promises abundance, prosperity, and peace to those who obey his word, just as he promised the Israelites in the book of Deuteronomy.
God’s Word helps me stay pure
Psalm 119:9 “How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.” (NIV)
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Have you noticed that purity is becoming a rare commodity these days? I’m not just talking about sexual purity here – I am talking about purity in thought, word, and deed, just like Bible talks about.
Any Christian can attest to the fact that there is much around to divert one’s attention from the standards that accompany Godly living. The TV, internet, smartphones, magazines, newspapers, etc are full of all kinds of content that seem ‘okay’ and ‘acceptable’ but are not what should be filling our hearts and minds as Christians.
How, then, do you make sure that you stay on the right path and remain pure even in this day and age? Simple – immerse yourself in the Bible, and listen to God speak to you through his Word. Soon you will begin to think like Him, and all your thoughts, words and deeds will be influenced by His word.
Psalm 119:11 “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (NIV)
Hide his word deeply and safely inside your heart, and you will be able to stay pure even when tempted otherwise by people and circumstances around you.
God’s Word lights up my life’s path
Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” (NIV)
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I hate blackouts – I really do. One minute I am busy typing something on the laptop or phone, or cooking, and then everything turns black! When this happens, my first thought is (or was, before the advent of phone flashlights), where is the nearest candle, and where did I throw that matchbox? As soon as I light the candle, its orange glow slowly and surely fills the room, and I continue with what I was doing!
Life also has its blackouts, doesn’t it? One minute you are living your life with such energy and enthusiasm, and the next, you are lying in a hospital bed. One minute you are enjoying a high-flying career, a great job and the kind of salary that allows you to swipe your debit card all over the place, and the next, you are wondering where the twenty shillings for the next meal will come from. In the midst of these life blackouts, you feel like you are stumbling, unable to find the right place to put your feet as you navigate through life.
God’s word is an awesome light during these moments. Just a simple scripture from the Bible can light up the dark path that you are stumbling on. A few words from the Bible throw light on the path ahead of you, and suddenly you are able to see where you are going, and the obstacles that lie ahead.
Let me share some scriptures that have lit up my life’s path over the years.
Roman 8:28 “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (NLT)
Psalm 56:3 “But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.” (NLT)
Psalm 121:1-2 “I look up to the mountains— does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!” (NLT)
I like to refer to the Bible as my manual for daily living because hidden within those precious pages is an answer to every question I may have. God’s word is truly all that I need to make it through this life!
Hi everyone! Thanks for reading this week’s article. Out of the many benefits of reading and studying the Word of God, these three stood out for me this week. How about you? What benefits do you get from spending time reading and understanding God’s Word? Please share in the comments section, and don’t forget to like and share this article! Have a great week and don’t forget to read your Bible!
