“I know what the Bible says, but …” How are you tempted to fill in that blank? It’s an important question because Paul told the Corinthians that we are living epistles. An epistle is a letter. People around us are reading the letter that is our lives. What is the letter of your life saying to others about who God is?
Today’s Readings:
Isaiah 13 & 14
Psalm 106.19-23
Proverbs 25.6-7
2 Corinthians 3.1-18
I Know What the Bible Says, But …
Isaiah 13 & 14:
I Will Be Like God!
Chapter 14.12-14:
12 ‘How you are fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground,
You who weakened the nations!
13 For you have said in your heart.“I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the mount of the congregation
On the farthest sides of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
I will be like the Most High.”’
In this glimpse into heaven, we see Lucifer, one of God’s created angels, cast out of heaven because he wanted to exalt his throne, his authority, above God’s. He wanted to be his own god.
And isn’t that what he suggested to Eve?
Then the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil’ (Gen. 3.4-5).
It seems ridiculous that either of them thought that was a wise decision … and yet, every time we say, “I know what the Bible says, but …” we’re doing the same thing! Every time we allow what we want to be more important than pleasing God (2 Cor. 5.9), we set ourselves up as the god of our own lives.
So, are there things that tempt you to say, “I know what the Bible says, but …”?
I Know, I Know …
I know what the Bible says about unforgiveness, but (you don’t know what he did to me).
Or I know what the Bible says about divorce, but (I’m sure God wants me to be happy).
Or I know what the Bible says about homosexuality, but (I was born this way).
I know what the Bible says about abortion, but (you don’t understand my situation).
I know what the Bible says about sex before marriage, but (we’re going to get married anyway).
Or I know what the Bible says about living together without getting married, but (it’s just a piece of paper).
How do you fill in those blanks? I know what the Bible says about ___________, but __________.
Have you been justifying a sinful response in some way? If so, repent. Ask God to forgive you. But remember, repentance is more than just experiencing sorrow over sin. Genuine repentance is a change of heart and mind that leads to a change in action. It means recognizing that you were going your own way and turning 180° to go God’s way.
Today’s Other Readings:
Psalm 106.19-23:
Forgetting God
Verse 21 begins, “They forgot God their Savior …” It’s so easy for us, too, to get our eyes off of Him and unto the circumstances of life … to forget what He has done in saving us … so easy to focus on our perceived needs or to justify our sinful attitudes and forget our God.
Proverbs 25.6-7:
Don’t Toot Your Own Horn
Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, and do not stand in the place of the great; for it is better that he say to you, ‘Come up here,’ than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, whom your eyes have seen.
In other words “don’t toot your own horn” or you may be embarrassed when you are put in your place. Or as James said, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (Jas. 4.6).
2 Corinthians 3.1-18:
Living Letters
You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men (v. 3.2).
Each of you is an epistle, an open letter, read by those around you. And make no mistake they are reading you!
Some are reading with a heart to understand what is different about you. Others are reading with a skeptical attitude, just waiting to see you act like the rest of the world. Still others are waiting to trip you up. But whatever the motivations of their hearts, they are reading you.
Epistles & Ambassadors
It’s a big responsibility and sometimes it’s tempting to wonder why God would entrust others’ opinions of Himself to us, but He does. And while He doesn’t need us to “help Him out” in any way, He has called us to be His ambassadors.
Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us … (2 Cor. 5.20).
We must seek His grace daily to make a good representation of Him to a dying world.
Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world (Phil. 2.14-15).
What are others reading about God from your life?
What Do You Think?
Have you found yourself saying, “I know what the Bible says, but …” in some area? How did you combat those thoughts? Is there something you need to change so the letter of your life presents a better picture of Christ?
Coming Up:
In the coming days, we will talk about the importance of good doctrine, presumptuous sins, how our whining keeps us from shining God’s light into a dark world, and how delayed obedience = disobedience.
I hope you’ll sign up so you don’t miss any of them. You might also like to check out our YouTube channel.
If this post spoke to you, I would love it if you would share it on your favorite social media platform.
And if you don’t already have a copy, you might want to purchase a copy of my eBook, 10 Benefits of Keeping a Spiritual Journal. It’s available on Kindle or in paperback (the paperback has 31 days of blank journaling pages with prompts to help you get started).
Blessings as you grow in Christ,
Donna ♥
Note about this post:
I began blogging through the Bible in 2012 and have done so every year since then. These posts are the product of many edits and additions throughout those years. Some days I make major changes, other days fewer.
A while ago, I read Jen Wilkin’s book None Like Him about the attributes of God. One is His incomprehensibility. In it, she says, “God is incomprehensible. This does not mean that he is unknowable, but that he is unable to be fully known.”
I have found that to be true each year as I’ve gone back through the Bible. Sometimes I find myself feeling as if a passage just appeared there for the first time. I’m reminded that no matter how many times we read through the Bible, we have only scratched the surface. I hope you feel the same.
Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways,
And how small a whisper we hear of Him!
But the thunder of His power who can understand?” (Job 26.14)
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