Title The Word of Grace (Acts 20:32)
Contents
get close
The Bible is closest to us, yet it is actually far away. It has become a decoration that is not used once a week. Many believers with spiritual anorexia are dying of spiritual malnutrition because they do not read the Word. Therefore, in order to become a man of God, it is most important to draw close to the Word of God. Jesus said, “Abide in my word.” When you abide in the Word, you become a true believer.
Those who abide in the Word acknowledge the authority of God who speaks. The Bible should be the most authoritative standard in our lives. The Bible should decorate the beginning and the end of our lives. We make mistakes because we make decisions or act on the basis of unreliable and unjustified authority. “Because everyone does it,” “everyone has done it,” “logically,” “feeling like the right thing to do,” so there is always a problem with acknowledging the authority of something other than the Bible and making it a standard for life. However, the Word of God is perfect, without errors, and guides us on the right path, which is easy to make mistakes and easy to make mistakes.
It is said that Billy Graham was troubled by doubts about the authority and accuracy of the Bible in the early days of his ministry. One moonlit night, he knelt down in tears and prayed to God. From that moment on, he promised to fully trust the Bible as the sole authority for his life and ministry, even if there were passages he did not understand. After that, he was captured by the power of God and became a great minister of the Word.
When making a decision or doing something, we should start with the question, “What does the Bible really say?” When God says something, even if it doesn't make sense or you don't want to do it, you have to do it with an attitude of obedience to the Word. Based on the experience that Peter had on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus' command to cast down the net in the depths was ineffective, but when he lowered the net by relying on the word, he was able to catch so many fish that the net was torn. This is how we live close to the gracious Word of God and live centered on the Word.
make it mine
It is not enough to simply believe the Bible. We must fill our hearts with the Word and allow the Holy Spirit to transform us through the truth. To do this, we must accept and acknowledge the Bible with an open mind. Whether the Word of God takes root and bears fruit in our lives depends on the degree of our acceptance. As in the parable of the sowing in Matthew 13, a closed heart (hard ground), an outward appearance (shallow ground), and a confused heart (a land with weeds) cannot fully accept the Word. With a proud heart and attitude, you cannot learn anything from the Bible. That's why James said, "Put away all filthiness and overflowing evil, and receive with meekness the planted word, which is able to save your souls" (James 1:21).
And you must read the Word. For most of the 2,000-year history of Christianity, it was impossible to have or read the Bible without a priest. But now anyone can read the Bible if they want. Nevertheless, reading the Bible is more neglected than reading the newspaper. So how can we hope to grow spiritually? Watching TV for more than 3 hours and not reading the Bible for even 3 minutes, it is natural that we cannot grow spiritually. If you read the Bible every day, you can live each day in the Word of God. So God commanded the kings of Israel to live with the Bible nearby. Don't keep it nearby and read it regularly. You must carry it with you at all times and read it daily (Deut. 17:19).
It is also important to remember what you read and realize. Memory is a gift from God. Some of us may think we have a bad memory, but we already have millions of thoughts, facts, and truths in our memory. I try not to forget the things that are important to me. Do not forget where you put your bankbook, password, lot number or location. Because it's important. If you value the Word of God, you will try not to forget it and remember it. Memory is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets and the easier it is to remember. If there is a word of grace, let's try to memorize it while working, waiting for someone, or before going to sleep. What matters is repetition. If you repeat it over and over again, you will memorize the words without realizing it and become your own.
And you have to meditate on it. Just like a herbivore chews the cud, we need to keep thinking about the Word. The worldly meditation is about emptying your mind and immersing yourself in other thoughts, but Bible meditation is about focusing on the Word and continuing to think. The reason God said that David was a man after my own heart was because he enjoyed meditating on the Word. He said, “How I love Your law! I recite it in a small voice all day long” (Psalm 119:97). Serious meditation on the Word of God is also the secret to answered prayers and successful life.
practice in life