Study the Word
“The Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible.” A good slogan but I wonder how many people even attempt to live life with the Bible as their sole guide.
There are some verses that are relatively easy to apply when coming to know Christ. After all, who wouldn’t want to live in Heaven forever? Let’s sing, “Every promise in the book is mine” and cling to those promises. But what about, “Love your enemy”? “Do good to those who hate you”? “Bless those who persecute you?” Or even, “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them so that your Father in Heaven may forgive your sins”?
Throughout the New Testament, the running themes are: love, forgive, bear each other’s burdens, go the extra mile, care for others more than you care for yourself. These are not always easy to do but we are commanded to do them just the same. If you are a parent, these are the things that you need to be emulating for your children. They are much more likely to do what you do than what you tell them to do.
If you want your children or grandchildren to show you mercy, teach them how to be merciful. If you want them to be patient with you, be patient with them. In everything you do, ask yourself: Would I want my child to do this or to act or talk this way? I don’t have children so I think of my siblings and my nieces and nephews and others who look up to me. No matter what your status, people are watching.
There is a reason that we are to hide God’s Word in our hearts. We must study it so that we know what it says and, therefore, we’ll know whether or not we are living up to God’s standards. If you are not in a habit of studying your Bible, I encourage you to start today. Know what it says and then ask for God’s help to do those things. This is the only way to truly have joy unspeakable and full of glory.
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