New Authority in Christ: God’s Love-Letter

Newborns feed.

What a passion babies have for food. And anytime is convenient. Similarly, God gives His children an inborn hunger for spiritual nourishment, His Love-letter to us (1 Peter 2:2-3). “Crave pure spiritual milk,” God’s Word. Crave describes a powerful desire that pushes through any and every inconvenience. For healthy growth, make ingesting God’s Word as high a priority in the spiritual realm as milk is for newborns in the natural. And I have good news. Your spiritual life comes pre-packaged with this Spirit-formed desire to personally engage with Scripture as our authority on our journey, just like with newborns.

Have you ever thought the Bible is old and irrelevant?

 

Yes, it’s 2,000 years old. Yet more relevant than our daily internet news, since God’s authority flows out of it. After I bowed my knee to King Jesus, the Bible finally began to make sense and released a joy in discovery. There’s a reason. God sends a personal Helper to live within us, the Holy Spirit. One of His jobs is to teach us what the Bible means so we grow by responding to Scripture (John 14:26, 16:14-15). Ask for His help often as you read since not everything is clear now. I have a bucket full awaiting more insight (I call it my “Deuteronomy 29:29 Bucket.”)

Develop a daily habit of time in the Bible. We make time for what is important to us. Do the “Two-Step,” asking “What?” and “Now what?” What does it mean? Now, what impact can this have in my life as I respond? Of course, the goal of our Bible time is not primarily to gain knowledge (although we will). It’s to grow personally and to deepen our relationship with the Father, Son and the Spirit. I have written a number of helps to provide a practical way to get key books of the Bible into us in a life-relevant way (website: JimFredericks.com). These 5-week “Companions” are also easy to use together in a group. Approach God’s Word as an adventurer seeking the treasure of God’s blessings. And tell others what you are learning. This causes the truth to deepen within you.

Take a moment now to read 2 Timothy 3:16-17. Quickly jot down some promises you see before continuing. Active learning is crucial.

God’s Word stands alone among all literature.

 

It’s in-breathed by God Himself, with both human and divine authors. It promises to outfit God’s people for His call on our lives. I wish we had more time together to look at some of the other fabulous word-pictures the Bible uses to describe its benefits. You would be astounded to know what the Bible says about itself. These word-pictures have motivated me to spend more time drawing from the Word as seed, water, food, light, honey, scalpel, mirror, hammer and fire, just to mention a few.

This is Reflection #9 in my book, Foundation Stones. I also have a web-site with tools, books and "more than Bible studies" that have helped me to live out of this spiritual DNA, www.JimFredericks.com