Welcome back to Time in the Word! Last week we started our 2022 Healthy Spiritual Habits adventure talking about Bible Reading and Bible Study. You can catch part 1 here. Today we will take a deeper dive into reading and studying the Bible by discussing a few “helps” you can use to make your time enjoyable and enriching.
We are privileged to be blessed with multiple Bibles in our homes. At one time having your own Bible was unheard of. Being able to read was in itself, a luxury, afforded to the wealthy. Many European churches chained the Bible to the pulpit; if you wanted to read it, if you could read, it was to be read right there.
The Guinness Book of World Records lists the Bible as THE BEST SELLING NON-FICTION BOOK. The Bible has its own rich history that goes behind its age, authors, and development.
Welcome to 2022 Time in the Word! I’m glad that you’ve dropped in and I look forward to the adventure that awaits. Whether our lives in 2022 will be white water rafting or floating on the lazy river, we’ve got Jesus to see us through. I thought it was important to get 2022 off on the right foot and form some healthy spiritual habits.
This time of year we hear about “healthy eating” and “forming healthy eating habits”. I think emphasizing healthy spiritual habits needs to be done as well. Healthy spiritual habits are key to growing spiritually. Without spiritual growth, we become stagnant and lose our spiritual edge.
I’m finding treasure in Erin Davis’s study, 7 Feasts – Finding Christ in the Sacred Celebrations of the Old Testament. This book has truly been a blessing to me. The final day’s study was a brief look at Psalm 119. Yes, it’s the longest book in the Bible but it has become one of my favorites. I see a need to study it once a year. It’s an acrostic using the Hebrew alphabet, divided into sections, so very easy to take a month to concentrate on just
Read His Words First
ז Zayin
Remember your word to your servant; you have given me hope through it. This is my comfort in my affliction: Your promise has given me life. The arrogant constantly ridicule me, but I do not turn away from your instruction. Lord, I remember your judgments from long ago and find comfort. Fury seizes me because of the wicked who reject your instruction. Your statutes are the theme of my song during my earthly life. Lord, I remember your name in the night, and I obey your instruction. This is my practice: I obey your precepts.
What Challenges Did David Face? Can You Relate?
The arrogant mock him unmercifully
Idignation grips him because of the wicked who forsake God’s law.
Yikes! That sounds kind of familiar. Recently, I have been ready to quit watching the news and reading my Facebook feeds. It does make me indignant at how people can respond so nastily to an innocent post. Whatever happened to kindness and honor? Maybe we should be reading our Bibles more and the news less.
What Treasures did David Find? What does it do for us?
Sciprutre Reading tops my list of things to do every day. We just can’t get by without taking time to hear from God. A few facts about Psalm 119.
It’s the longest book of the Bible
It is all about how important the Word of God is for our lives.
It is placed right smack in the Bible of the Bible.
These facts tell me that scripture reading is highly important to God. Here are a few benefits David finds in the Word of God.
It gives us hope
It preserves our life.
Scripture is the theme of our song.
It comforts us.
It helps us obey God’s law.
That right there is enough to convince me that Scripture reading is of most importance. Erin stated in the book,
God’s Word is our tether. The Bible keeps our hearts closely tied to the Lord.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus Look full in His wonderful face And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of His glory and grace
After a prompt from Five Minute Friday, my thoughts went directly to an old hymn favorite, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus. I haven’t written on a hymn in a while so…
Let’s do a quick hymn study.
O soul are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see? There’s light for a look at the Savior And life more abundant and free
I know that I am weary and tired of the struggles we have been facing for the past several years. At times, you wonder, “When will it all stop?” But I know that my Jesus is working, even when I can’t see it, He is there through it all. He promises a life abundant and free. If we will just turn our eyes to Him. Get our focus away from the storm around us. Then the waves will calm and our hearts will relax.
Secondly, We are More Than Conquerors
Through death into life everlasting He passed, and we follow Him there Over us sin no more hath dominion For more than conquerors we are
Jesus said that we will have trouble in this life. And when you look at the lives of people in the Bible, you see that it is true. But don’t forget to keep reading that same verse in John 16. He also said that He has overcome the world.
Praise the Lord!
Third, His Word Shall Not Fail You!
His Word shall not fail you, He promised Believe Him and all will be well Then go to a world that is dying His perfect salvation to tell
Hymn,Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
Photo Credit Pedrovia @Pixabay
Are you into the Word every day? Are you telling others about Him?
His Word is dependable. It does not fail! Trust it! Memorize it. These words will come to you when trials arise and you will be able to resist and lean on Jesus!
