Jesus taught that all scripture testifies about him so that in him we might have life (John 5v39-40). King David taught that it is only by living according to God's word that we're kept on the right path (Psalm 119v9). What then could be better than reading the entire Bible? Click the menu to read about the program, choose a month or Bible book - or just work through the blog posts day by day.
BEGIN WITH PRAYER
"Lord open my eyes and my heart."
Read slowly so that you take in. And as you do, turn your heart to God, thanking him for the good you discover and praying his will home for you, your family, your church and the world.
Wisdom to chew on
Understanding to grow in
It's very easy to be made to feel spiritually lacking as a Christian. Even within the church, people can imply we lack some key insight from outside scripture, that we could gain a greater level of assurance or of victory over sin if we only follow certain rules, or that a deeper experience of God can be ours if we only worship a certain way. This was the case for those Paul wrote this letter to, around AD60. And this draw to something more was leading his hearers away from Jesus himself. Throughout Paul therefore stresses that we have all things in Christ: We "have" been transferred from the kingdom of darkness to that of light. We need nothing but Christ as he is head over all, and has reconciled us to God, presenting us as holy. Moreover, in the gospel everything we need to know has been made known, and through it we can gain spiritual maturity. So in Christ we have already been brought to "fullness" as we have been made spiritually alive so that we can attain that maturity, and fully forgiven our sin. In short, we need nothing else than what the gospel gives. So we do not need to look to non-scriptural ideas, strict regulations, or anything else, for our spiritual growth - only to Christ, praying for a deeper understanding and application of the gospel, so that we would bear fruit (1v9-12). As you read note what we learn of Christ.
Colossians 1-2
Colossians 1-2
Finish this reading by pausing to ask yourself:
1) What’s the main thing it teaches me about God or his purposes in Christ? Then praise him for this.
2) What’s the main thing it teaches me about his will for me or the world? Then pray that home.
Devotion to offer up
You could read this aloud and perhaps as a springboard to further prayer.