Tag: Bible

Growing in the Truth

On By BrianIn Habit of Scripture

“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” – John 17:17

We live in a world of opinions, lies, half-truths, and competing truths.  But Jesus reminds us where to find truth – in the Word of God.  The Bible is truth.  It is our standard.  It is the measure by which we determine what is true and false in our world.  The question for us is always: does this idea or thought that I am hearing or thinking line up with the Bible?  The truth of the Bible gives us direction in the confusion of opinions around us, a star to follow that cuts through the smog of false ideas and pretend truths.  Biblical truth also shows us how to grow up in Jesus, how to be mature Christians.

Jesus says that we are sanctified by the truth.  “Sanctify” conveys the idea of being set apart.  We are to be set apart in the truth of the Bible.  We are to live according to the truth.  Sanctify also means to make holy.  Sanctification is the process of God making us holy, of growing up in Jesus to be mature Christians.  And this happens as our lives line up with the truth.  Which leads to three responses:

  • First, we need to learn the truth.  We can’t line our lives up with the truth if we don’t know it.  As such we must be committed to digging into the Word.  We are to meditate on God’s Word day and night (Psalm 1:2).  We are to store up portions of God’s Word in our hearts (Psalm 119:11).  We should gather regularly with God’s people to hear the word taught and preached.  We must immerse ourselves in God’s Word that we might learn the truth.
  • Second, we must believe the truth.  We must join the Psalmist who says, “I trust in your word” (Psalm 119:42).  We must believe what we learn, conforming our thinking to the Book.  We simply can’t say, “This is what the Bible says, but I think….”  What we think is simply wrong if it doesn’t match the Bible.  We must submit ourselves completely to the truth revealed by God in his Word.  We must believe the truth.
  • Third, we must live the truth.  As we learn it and believe it, we must conform not only our thinking but also our lives to the truth.  James 1:22-25 speaks of the foolishness of hearing the Word but not doing it.  We live in a world of information overload, and we hear so much that we never do anything about.  But our approach to the Bible must be different.  As we read it, mediate on it, memorize it, study it, and hear it preached, we must make every effort to do what it says.  We must live the truth.

What will you do with the truth today?

Quotes to Ponder

On By BrianIn PASSION Quotes

If you haven’t been jarred when you’re reading the Bible, you’re not reading it. —John Piper

Disregard the study of God, and you sentence yourself to stumble and blunder
through life blindfolded, as it were, with no sense of direction and no understanding
of what surrounds you.  This way you can waste your life and lose your soul.
– J. I. Packer

The Spirit-filled walk demands, for instance, that we live in the Word of God
as a fish lives in the sea….  I mean that we should “meditate day and night”
in the sacred Word, that we should love it and feast upon it and digest it
every hour of the day and night.
– A. W. Tozer

I would rather lay my soul asoak in half a dozen verses all day
than I would, as it were, rinse my hands in several chapters. 
Oh to bathe in a text of Scripture till it saturates your heart!
– C. H. Spurgeon

Acts Articles – Church 02

On By BrianIn Book of Acts, Church Life, Habit of Scripture

In Acts 2:42, we find the early church devoted to coming together for the apostles’ teaching.  The apostles of course were teaching about Jesus from our Old Testament and eventually wrote the New Testament about Jesus, so we devote ourselves to the apostles’ teaching when we devote ourselves to God’s Word, and especially to the teaching about Jesus from the Bible. 

Like the early church, we should be devoted to coming together to study God’s Word, so we can learn and know more, and ultimately grow.  We should gather to listen attentively and respond appropriately.  We should have a real commitment and a real hunger.  Our attitude should be that we can’t wait to meet together with God’s people to study the Word. 

Is that your attitude?  Are you devoted?  How might you grow in your devotion to gathering together with God’s people to study His Word?

Jesus Predicted in the Old Testament

On By BrianIn PASSION Collections

Throughout the book of Acts, the apostles preach about Jesus from the Old Testament.  Here a helpful list from Ben Falconer of at least many of the ways the Old Testament does indeed point to Jesus:

He is the promised seed of Adam who would crush Satan’s head (Gen. 3:15).

He is the descendent of Abraham through whom every nation on earth would be blessed (Gen. 12:3).

He is the son of Judah, who reigns eternally as king, whose garments are washed in the blood of grapes, and whose hand is on the neck of his enemies (Gen. 49:8-12).

He is the Passover Lamb who was slain to protect God’s people from the Angel of Death (Exod. 12).

He is the greater son of Israel who came out of Egypt, and He is the great redeemer who brings his people out of a bondage and slavery that is far worse than anything the Israelites experienced there (Exod. 12-14).

He is the true bread from heaven that actually nourishes and feeds his people (Exod. 16).

He is the Rock from whom the only life-giving water flows (Exod. 17).

He is the fulfillment of the Law, perfectly obeying not only the 10 Commandments, but all 613 from the day of his birth (Exod. 20).

He is the One through whom we enter into our lasting Sabbath rest, not just for one day out of seven, but for every day from now through all eternity (Exod. 23:10-12).

He is our great High Priest who offers his very body as an atonement for the sins of his people (Exod. 28-29).

Continue Reading….

Passion Points

On By BrianIn PASSION Points

Here are some good posts for your weekend reading:

4 Results of Christ’s Ascension – R. C. Sproul (via Tim Challies)
Goes well with our focus in Acts this week!

Theological Primers: The Attributes of Scripture – Kevin DeYoung
Four important characteristics of Scripture for our lives.

What Christians Do When They Believe and Feel about the Word of God Rightly – Kevin DeYoung
Seven responses to the Word according to the Psalms.

A Quiet Place, A Quiet Hour, A Quiet Heart – David McIntyre (via Tim Challies)
Three essentials for a powerful prayer life.

Hope you have a great Lord’s Day praising our ascended Lord, responding to His Word, and seeking Him in prayer!

Passion Points

On By BrianIn PASSION Points

Here are some good posts for your weekend reading:

A few years back I started going book by book through the Old Testament looking for examples of grace.  I only got through I Samuel.  This week I found this post by Dane Ortland who gives us a brief summary of how each book of the Bible shows forth God’s grace.

Mike Bullmore tells us from the Bible what we should expect from the Bible.  Do we come to the Bible with these expectations?

Finally, Tim Chester has been posting a number of Apologetic Sound Bites to help us answer skeptics who ask the following questions:
How can you claim there’s only one true religion?
Why do you want to force your opinion on me?
Why does God allow so much suffering?
Why doesn’t God reveal himself more clearly?

Hope you have a great Lord’s Day hearing the Word preached in your local church!

Scripture Memory Cards

On By BrianIn Habit of Scripture3 Comments

One of my new year’s resolutions is to refocus on Scripture memory.  In the past I made verse cards which can take a bit of time to do.  I recently found a website that makes verse cards for you.  All you do is put the references in, choose your preferences, click the button, and print your cards.  Check it out at http://www.mcscott.org/index.html

Quotes To Ponder

On By BrianIn PASSION Quotes

A few quotes related to the Scriptures:

Let the man who would hear God speak read Holy Scripture.
– Martin Luther

Reading the Bible is not an obligation to be endured
but a dialogue to be savored and enjoyed.
– T.J. Addington

Bible memorization has the effect of making
our gaze on Jesus steadier and clearer.
– John Piper