The Bible tells us that the word of God is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (Psalm 119:105). When you take time to pause and meditate on this verse, it becomes clear that God is telling us, through the Psalmist, that His word gives us personal direction as well as a clear outlook and vision for the future; and this is what we all need. Imagine how much easier life would be if we had clearer vision and direction. Many people seek out and hire Life Coaches. They do this in an effort to get an edge on life. Their hope is to create goals that will make them successful and wealthy, allowing them to rise above the average life. But the reality is that while this all sounds good, what eternal value does this afford? The reality is that over and above any Life Coach, people need the Bible to be their Life Coach.
In Proverbs 23:4 we are advised, “Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, cease from your consideration of it.” This verse does not mean that we should not work, or even work hard. Rather this verse should be interpreted – work to live, don’t live to work. When we read the Bible and understand and embrace its wisdom, it becomes clear that God is offering us a life that is directed though eternal knowledge, practical wisdom and spiritual life direction. For this reason, Jesus opened His disciple’s minds to the Scriptures (Luke 24:45) and promised that, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13).
Since this is the will of God for our lives, we, as confessing believers in Christ, must actively seek to know, understand and apply the word of God to our lives. With this in mind, I would like for us to focus in on reading and applying Holy Scripture to our lives. To further this effort, I want to offer several options for you this week.
Option One – Read an entire epistle throughout this week and journal your thoughts on how you can apply its truths to your life. Some suggestions include, James, Philippians, Ephesians and Titus.
Option Two – Read the parables of Jesus in the gospel of John or the Sermon on the Mount in the gospel of Matthew (ch. 5-7).
Option Three – Meditate on verses like these: Deuteronomy 17:19, Joshua 1:8, Job 23:12,
Nehemiah 8:1-3, Romans 10:17, Hebrews 4:12, 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
May God bless you as you seek to enrich your life with His Holy Word.