Tuesday, July 19, 2011

words

Colossians 3:16 Lets the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts & make you wise. Use His words to counsel each other.

And the way we let them live in our hearts?

Read them, every day!!!


Today, I read Proverbs 3. You may not know that I read through Psalm & Proverbs sequentially every day. I read a psalm each day. When I finish psalms (there's 150 of them), I read through Proverbs (31 chapters). So I basically read through them twice a year. (ain't I holy! ;-) LOL!!!) I heard about 10 years ago that Billy Graham does that. I figured if it was good enough for him, I'd give it a try. I recommend it!

Back on January 18, 2010, I was reading Proverbs 3 also. For some reason I chose to read verse 5 in The Message. (I usually read in a first edition of the New Living Translation that Pastor John gave me). It turned out to be one of the 5 passages God is using to keep me straight & keep me from going crazy these past 18 months.

Here's what it is in The Message...

"Trust God from the bottom of your heart;

   don't try to figure out everything on your own. (you have NO idea how often God reminds me of this!)

Listen for God's voice in everything you do,
   everywhere you go;

He's the One Who will keep you on track."


I've said this over & over again - I wouldn't have this anchor of a verse if I hadn't been reading daily.

God knows what's ahead for all of us (duh!).

If we're reading in His word every day, He can use that effort to speak to us - that's right; the God of the universes chooses to speak to us through His Word - and the things He speaks are directed at what's currently going on in our lives, or will be going on soon, or both!

People sometimes tell me they just don't ever feel like they've had God talk to them or direct them. I usually ask them if they're reading the Bible ever day. Usually they are not.

Uh huh...

Well, pick it up!

Now, God knows me pretty good - He knows I try to figure out things & situations & what I'm supposed to be or do.

These last 10 months have been puzzlers, & it doesn't look like they're gonna get any less puzzling any time soon.

"don't try to figure out everything on your own"

these 10 months in many ways have been all about trust - trusting Him, especially when things don't look like they make any sense.


Anyway, you wanna hear God speak? You want some direction? You wanna grow into a closer connection with God?

read the Bible!

if you don't know where to start, read the gospel of John. Then go to maybe Luke, then Acts, 1 & 2 Corinthians, then read the 4 short books: Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians.

Read a psalm every day. When you finish Psalms, go to Proverbs.

When you get to the end of all that & still feel like you need advice where to read, message me on FB.

Now remember this: if you start reading the Bible every day, God will mess with you - especially in the areas you don't want to be messed with.

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