The first thing she emphasized is that the Bible is not a self-help book. People often come to church and the Bible looking for advice on how to sin less, improve their marriages, be better at their jobs and with people. The Bible is not about that and church should be teaching what the Bible teaches. The Bible is simply God's communication to his lost people about why they are lost and who the solution is. When man sinned against God he did not have to give them a way to get back into a good relationship with him, but he sent one way and one alone: Jesus. He makes it possible to come back to God through taking the punishment for your sins and by giving you his righteousness. He sends the Spirit to call you to him and to change your heart.
But here is what happens when you do read the Bible:
1) First, it will lead you to prayer. The other day I was reading 1 John 2. Usually when I read the Bible I have a notebook next to me of all the people and situations I want to pray about. And although I follow that, 1 John 2 says, "My dear children, I write this to you so taht you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father -- Jesus Chrsit, the Righteous One." I thought of the children I used to care for at CCS after school and how my heart still aches for them. Especially when I see them making the same mistakes over and over and after I've invested so much in them. This passage caused me to pray for them.
2) It will lead you to repentance. Another thing Kelly mentioned is that repentance isn't so much turning away from sin as it is turning to Jesus. A lot of people can repent and not be saved. Judas Iscariot repented of his betraying Jesus but he never turned to Jesus. He took his life. Peter also betrayed Jesus by denying him, but he repented to Jesus. Actually, Jesus initiated that by calling him back again when he was fishing. The same day I read 1 John 2, I also read Numbers 16, where Korah and other people didn't like how Moses and Aaron were leading Israel and insisted that God had appointed all Israel to lead Israel. I had to repent of ways that I've been angry at certain leadership and people who get privileges that I don't get. I need to recognize that God has them in charge for now. Whenever I'm in charge, I simply seek my own glory and worship myself. That is why I can't do it. But I must not simply repent. I need to turn toward Jesus.
3) It should cause you to worship. The Bible's words all should be in red because they are all Jesus's words. He is God's Word and he is very much alive and in your life. This is the one book where the author is alive and in the room with you. It should cause you to both talk to him and fall in love with him. He chose you to be able to read this book and to read the words that cause you to come back to him.
Now for Hosea 13:4-8.
4 But I am the LORD your God from the land of Egypt; you
know no God but me, and besides me there is no savior. 5 It was I who knew you
in the wilderness, in the land of drought; 6 but when they had grazed, they
became full, they were filled, and their heart was lifted up; therefore they
forgot me. 7 So I am to them like a lion; like a leopard I will lurk beside the
way. 8 I will fall upon them like a bear robbed of her cubs; I will tear open
their breast, and there I will devour them like a lion, as a wild beast would
rip them open.
Think of these questions whenever you read a passage:
• Do I have any incorrect thoughts about God that need to
change?
“God is a God of love that I don’t have to fear.” If you forget God, he will not sit
still. He will not share his glory with
another.
• Is there something to worship God for or thank Him for?
I need to worship only God and thank him that he will
take vengeance on evil and all people who oppose him.
• Is this passage exposing sin, namely self-trust or
self-worship, that needs to be confessed?
It is exposing people who claimed to be God’s people but
who turned their backs on him and worshiped idols.
• Where is repentance (turning from self and clinging to
God) needed?
It is needed so that God does not cast us into an
eternity filled with his wrath.
• Is this passage revealing a truth about God or the
Gospel of Jesus Christ that I need to believe?
It doesn’t seem to do so at first. But all the Bible is about Jesus, both Old
and New testament. It shows the urgency
to repent and turn to Jesus. It is the
only way God will forgive us of our sins.
And it mentions the “savior.”
Jesus is the savior. We have no
savior other than God, so Jesus is God.
• What false beliefs must I turn from?
That God will never hold people accountable for their
sins. Their sins will be punished. Either in them or in Jesus.
·
What would my life look like if I believed the
meaning of this text? How different is that from my life now?
I would probably be more open about sharing the Gospel
because I no people all around me who live in sin against God and are not
repentant.
• What actions steps do I need to take – empowered by the
Holy Spirit – today? ✦ Make your application specific
to your life, not just a general principle. ✦ Make your application
realistic and doable.
Isn’t the Spirit a gift, someone I already have in my
life? I’m already empowered by the Holy
Spirit. I suppose I could ask him to
show me where I need to speak up and also give me a way to do it. Right now I can’t do it.
• Is there someone to pray for or something to pray about?
My co-workers who don’t know the Lord except as a curse
word.
• Is there a verse or passage on which to memorize or
meditate?
Hosea 13:7, I am to them like a ion; like a leopard I
will lurk beside the way.
• Who can I share this with?
Duh, my blog.
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