Scriptures: June 21, 2010

Today's Word for Monday June 21, 2010

SCRIPTURES

DEFINITION
The Bible; Any sacred writing.

SCRIPTURE

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." II Timothy 3:16

"Finally my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me is not grievous, but for you it is safe." Philippians 3:1


KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

In the last devotional we sent you, we talked about the first of four ways Paul told us how we could and should guard against the trials of life we face daily. We first learned that we should at all times be alert for all evil influences we face and rejoice in the Lord always.

The second way that Paul tells us, in verse one, is through the writings - the scripture. The scriptures are full of promises that we as believers need to heed in order to guard against the trials of life we face. The scripture is as powerful to us as a two edged sword, we are told, and is our defense in the spiritual and moral battle we face.

Paul notes in this first verse that he is writing some things that he has written before. But he says it is so important it must be written again. The scripture says that it was written to instruct us and to help us in pressing on for Christ. No person can press on and grow spiritually without heeding the scripture. If we fail to study and obey the scripture we will cave in either to the trials of life or to false teaching. Only as we obey the scripture which contains the commandments of the Lord, can we show our daily love and loyalty to the Lord.

Over and over in the scriptures we are told to obey the Word of the Lord and keep His commandments. It is so important that in just one chapter, John 14, Jesus said three times to obey His commandments.

In verse fifteen Jesus says, "If you love me, keep My commandments." In verse twenty-one Jesus said, "He that has My commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves Me: and he that loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him."

In verse twenty-three Jesus says, "If a man loves Me, he will keep My words, and My Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our abode with him."

It is not only necessary to keep God's commandments to show we love Him, but if we truly love Him we will want to obey His Word. We must read and study the scripture daily in order for us to put up our guard against the evil we face daily in our lives.

LEARNING

Our memory verse for this week is found in II Timothy 3:16.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

PRAYER

Today I turn my life completely over into Your hands. Help me to be on guard in my daily life and help me to study and obey Your Word - the scripture - in a new and fresh way, so that I can not be affected by the evil of this world and any false teaching that comes my way.