For This We Labour

For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. Prescribe and teach these things. Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe. Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching.  1 Timothy 4:10-13 NASB

Here we are, in the year of our Lord 2022, and we have printed Bibles and electronic Bible apps at our fingertips. In fact, many of us have various Bibles in our homes and maybe even one or two different Bible translations on our phones and computers. 

However you choose to meet with the Lord (in prayer - with songs of worship), remember a simple rule- read your Bible, the Word of God . . . It sounds simple, right? Here’s the thing: it is simple . . . and it should be! It’s simple but so significant, and it needs to be said again - Read your Bible! There is no other book that even comes close to it. 

It should go without saying just how important this is as we seek to understand and apply God’s will to our lives and walker further and further alongsideJesus.

But remember too that the goal behind reading the Bible is to be with God. So consume big chunks of the Bible, try a few chapters at a time—for practicality, let’s say 2-3 chapters a day—Why? Because when we do this, we are allowing the entirety of God’s work of redemption to pass before our eyes, enter into our minds, and permeate our hearts. 

Consider the following verses (and search out some others) where Jesus teaches us through the Bible of His coming:

Luke 24:27 NASB Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, Jesus explained to them the things written concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.

Luke 24:44-47 NASB Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and He said to them, Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

Did you see that? Jesus showed His disciples—and in turn us—the Bible points to Him and speaks of Him. He showed them and shows us the signposts of His Gospel throughout the Bible.  He points out all the moments of foreshadowing and the many times He appeared to His people before coming and also how He performed miracles, Jesus opened the hearts and minds of His disciples so they could truly understand His Word and in turn understand who He was, His work, and their purpose; and He did it through the teaching, reading and revelation of all of Scripture.