Touching on another one of my desired breakthroughs today … ‘an intimate knowledge of the Scriptures’. Today I am exploring why an intimate knowledge of the Scriptures should be a desire for every believer/follower of Christ Jesus … Let’s begin with a prophecy from Jeremiah.
But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
Jeremiah 31:33-34 (ESV)
BECAUSE … the Lord declared the law would be written on ours hearts and we would no longer need to be taught … we could stop there but I think there is more to discover.
First, let’s look at the abide or dwell verses …
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 (ESV)
BECAUSE … if you abide in the word of Jesus, you will truly be disciples of Christ Jesus and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. John 15:7-8 (ESV)
BECAUSE … when the words of Jesus abide IN you, your answered prayer and fruit will prove you to be disciples of Christ Jesus.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:16 (ESV)
BECAUSE … because when the word of Christ dwells IN you, it will enrich your fellowship with other believers.
I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you,and you have overcome the evil one. 1 John 2:14 (ESV)
BECAUSE … if the word of God abides IN you, it will help you overcome the evil one.
Next let’s look at the keep verses remembered a definition for keep of to retain possession of, conform one’s action or practice to, stick to correctly or closely.
Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” John 8:51 (ESV)
BECAUSE … to keep the words of Jesus will prevent one from seeing death.
Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me. John 14:23-24 (ESV)
BECAUSE … keeping the word of Jesus will be a confirmation of your love for Jesus and both the Father and the Son will make their dwelling IN you.
Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked . 1 John 2:4-6 (ESV)
BECAUSE … if we keep the word of Jesus, the love of God will be perfected IN us and we will walk in the same way Jesus walked.
BECAUSE you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. Revelation 3:10 (ESV)
And since I teach through the blog and in my family and in a men’s small group …
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. James 3:1 (ESV)
BECAUSE … teachers will be judged with greater strictness, I must handle the word of truth rightly … which is exactly what Paul wrote to Timothy …
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV)
Oh Lord, help me to abide in, keep, teach and rightly handle the word of truth!
Bernie
I really like this post. So much food for thought … especially for those who embed ourselves in HIS word and write about it. I am humbled by these scriptures. Oh Lord, help me become intimate with your word! Jim D. (jimdavenport.wordpress.com)
My response as I did the study was and is much the same Jim – I share in your prayer to the Lord.
Bernie