3/17/2022 0 Comments God and His Word Are SolidPsalm 18:2 (NIV); Matthew 7:24 (NIV) Scripture often talks about God as our rock. He is our firm foundation. The same goes for His Word. When we hear His Word and put it into action, we’re like the wise person who built their house on the rock.
Questions for further thought:
Challenge: Commit to praying for God to be your solid rock. Also, pray that He will be that solid rock for those in your life who don’t know Him.
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3/16/2022 0 Comments God's Word Won't Fail UsJohn 17:17 (ESV); Psalm 119:160 (ESV) If you have ever doubted the accuracy of the Bible, think of all the lives it has changed. No other book can claim that it has changed lives like the Bible. God’s Word is faithful. He made it available to us. We can trust that it is true and that it will endure forever.
Questions for further thought:
Challenge: Listen to the song “Word of God” by Brenton Brown and focus on the lyrics. Everything will fade away, but God and His Word will remain. James 4:7-8 (NIV) God provided a way for us to know Him and know His will for our lives. It’s through His Word. If we choose to put our focus on Him through reading the Bible, He will draw near to us. Reading and applying Scripture will give us the desire to seek His righteousness for our lives.
Questions for further thought:
Challenge: The Bible communicates truth every time we read it. Keep a journal so you can write down how God is revealing truth to you. 3/14/2022 0 Comments Infalibility of the Bible2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV) The Bible is described as infallible, which means it is incapable of being wrong. Because God is perfect, we can rely on the infallibility of the Bible. It is God-breathed and is useful for His people.
Questions for further thought:
Challenge: Think of how much a parent loves their child. God loves us even more. He provided His Word to help His children and we can trust that it is true. How can you make His Word the focus of your life? 3/11/2022 0 Comments The Right Hand of GodJesus left the Father to come to earth to create a path of salvation for all mankind. Jesus was the Word who became human to live among us. He became the sacrifice for all sins for all people for all time when he offered himself to die on the cross. After his death, he was resurrected and he returned to the Father. Jesus is now seated at the right hand of God, the most honored position in Heaven.
Questions for further thought: 1. Is the information discussed above confusing to you? Explain 2. What questions come to mind? Challenge: Ask God to bring someone into your path to discuss any questions you have about any of these verses. 3/10/2022 0 Comments Light of the WorldIf you have ever been on a tour of a cave, there is a point in the tour where they turn the lights out. In that moment you grasp what true darkness is - the total absence of light. You are unable to see your hand in front of your face. Jesus promises his followers that he is the light of the world. When we follow him we will never experience darkness. That doesn’t mean there won’t be dark times, but we will never experience the absence of his light. He will always be with us. There will always be light.
Questions for further thought: 1. Recall a time when you were afraid of the dark. 2. In the situation above, what made the fear of darkness go away? Challenge: Do you have remaining fear of the dark? Ask Jesus to fill that darkness. 3/9/2022 0 Comments In the Beginning Was the WordNotice in these verses Word is capitalized - it is a name. The Word is another name for Jesus. These verses tell us Jesus was at the beginning with God and he was God. Jesus was present with God and present at creation. In fact these verses tell us that nothing was made without Jesus. If you have followed the series “The Chosen,” the first episode of the second season reveals a version of how John came to write these verses. However creation came into being, God and Jesus were a part of it together.
Questions for further thought: 1. Did you imagine Jesus as part of creation? 2. What questions do you have about creation? Challenge: Read Genesis chapter 1 and John chapter 1 and compare the two. 3/8/2022 0 Comments In the Beginning...This is the beginning of the story of creation according to scripture. It is often what separates Christians from scientists. Was it God who created everything, was it a big bang, or did God use a big bang to create the heavens and the earth. What you believe about this subject can draw you towards people or push you away from people. We are usually drawn towards people who believe similarly to us. Does this topic cause division or arguments with people in your circle?
Questions for further thought: 1. Do you know why you believe what you do about creation? Explain. 2. How comfortable are you discussing this subject with others? Challenge: If this is a subject that disturbs you or causes conflict with people, spend some time researching or discussing with a friend. 3/7/2022 0 Comments Belief Without QuestionDo you believe everything you read, hear, or see? Are you the kind of person that has to have things proven to you, backed up with data or evidence? As followers of Christ, we have a responsibility to place ourselves where we can hear the word of God spoken. Once we have heard the word, we need to do our own research to ensure it is true. The Bereans provide us with a model of how we should act. They were open to God’s word and they studied scripture daily to see if what they heard was true.
Questions for further thought: 1. Is it easy for you to believe what you hear on Sunday morning? Why or Why not? 2. What do you do when you don’t agree with what you hear? Challenge: When you get your bulletin on Sunday morning write down a question you have and find someone to discuss it with. As we noted earlier this week, the Bible is God’s word for us to know Him, be loved by (and to love) Him, and to show and share that love for His other creations, our brothers and sisters worldwide. We cannot improve upon His word. We should not try - ever (God is quite clear on this). His word really IS enough for us in our lives, and in the lives of our families, friends, colleagues, neighbors, communities, and world. We should rest in Jesus, and show others they can do the same. There’s no higher purpose.
Questions for further thought: 1. Do we, ourselves, often “add” things in the Bible to suit our purposes or wishes, etc? 2. Do we add things that we “thought” we had from pastors or sermons or import famous sayings from famous people in history, and call it God’s word (however inadvertently)? Challenge: Let’s remember to “not go beyond the text” and, in interpreting Scripture and trying to live by it, we allow Scripture to interpret Scripture (exigesis) and nothing else. If we have questions about God’s word, let’s remember to ask our Pastors and church leaders, or pray that God Himself would answer what He means by anything in Scripture. God does not want us confused at all. Pray that we seek His guidance in all things but especially concerning His Holy Word for us. Amen. |
AuthorThis devotional is written every week by Hillcrest members. Archives
March 2024
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