Tag Archives: understanding the Bible

May 30, 2023 · 5:34 AM

Hearing From God

God’s Word is alive and active. There have been some times in my life when I was feeling low and away from God. During that time I had a friend who would come to me often with Post It notes. They would have scriptures on them with exactly what I needed. At other times, I’ve been desperate to hear from God and couldn’t hear anything. In those moments, I would pray, “Lord, for whatever reason, I can’t hear your voice. I’m going to open my Bible and read. Speak to me through your Word.” Each time He would lead me to verses that spoke to me. Sometimes it’s verses I’ve read before, but didn’t speak to me. Because God’s Word is alive, it speaks to us in different ways at different times as our eyes are opened.

In Luke 24, there were two men walking to the town of Emmaus from Jerusalem after Jesus’ resurrection. As they were talking about everything that had happened, they were joined by another man who asked what they were discussing. They told him about what had happened to Jesus. The man then went through the Scriptures they had read their entire lives and explained to them why Jesus had to suffer, die and be risen. For seven miles, this man taught them as they walked. When their eyes were opened to see it was Jesus, He disappeared. In verse 32 they said, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was talking with us on the road and opening the Scriptures to us?” (AMP) Jesus opened their understanding of the Scriptures and something ignited in them as He quoted verses to them.

Psalm 119:18 says, “Open my eyes [to spiritual truth] so that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law.” I love this prayer from David because it’s one we can pray too. Just as He answered it for David, He will answer it for us. God wants to reveal Himself to us, but the Bible is clear that we must be seeking Him. If you’re feeling far away from God or that you can’t hear Him, seek Him in the Bible. Ask Him to reveal Himself and spiritual truths to you as you read. Don’t stop reading until you’ve heard from Him. Sometimes it will be instant, and others you will have to be persistent. God will then use His Word to guide you, speak to you, correct you or help you. It’s one of many things He’s given us to reveal Himself to us. Don’t neglect time in God’s Word. Read it with a listening ear anticipating that God is going to speak directly to you through it.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

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March 1, 2021 · 5:45 AM

A Teachable Heart

Sometimes before I train a class, a boss will reach out to me to warn me of someone that will be in class. I can usually spot them when they walk in. They typically sit in a place where they can be seen and heard. They make noises and sigh loudly. They have their arms crossed and will even challenge me in front of the others. People like this feel like training is a waste of their time. They know it all already. Their arms are folded because they’re closed off to anything you try to teach them. They won’t be ignored either. If they’re miserable being their, they make it their goal to make everyone else in the room miserable. Having an unteachable spirit is a sad thing to me. The moment we fail to be open to learning is the moment our growth stops.

The Bible has its share of know it alls, but there are more examples of people who are humble enough to admit they don’t know everything. They’re the ones whom God used in some pretty incredible ways. David was one such person. He was constantly open to learning and hearing from God. I wonder if that’s what made him a person after God’s own heart. He was humble enough to admit he didn’t know it all and that he didn’t have the proper education in the scriptures since he was raised as a shepherd. He was constantly praying, “Teach me your ways, show me your ways or lead me into your truths.” He knew that being teachable and having an understanding of God’s Word were the keys to his success as a leader.

Psalm 199 happens to be the longest chapter in the Bible. It also happens to be full of these prayers. One such prayer is found in verse 125. It says, “I am Your servant; give me understanding [the ability to learn and a teachable heart] That I may know Your testimonies” (AMP). He recognized his place as God’s servant first. Then he asked for the ability to understand and learn, along with having a teachable heart. These are the things that each of us need. I’m constantly praying a prayer like this. I daily ask God to open up my understanding of His Word and to show me things I’ve never seen before. When we approach God in this manner, and with this attitude, the Bible becomes alive and God reveals it to us like never before.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

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November 19, 2019 · 5:59 AM

Being Permeated By God’s Word

One of the artisan things that has been mostly lost is the art of making bread. It’s so easy to go to the store to buy a loaf that few of us have time to make it unless we have specific dietary needs. My father in law though still makes tortillas. While it’s not a loaf of bread, the process is similar. He always heats water on the stovetop while he mixes the dry ingredients. He then adds a little water at a time until the mixture is just right. He then separates it out into smaller balls of dough, then he takes a wet paper towel, covers them and waits. He gives the yeast time to activate and interact with the dough. Once it has permeated the whole ball of dough, it time to roll them out and cook them. It’s a process that can’t be rushed or you change the end result.

Meditating on God’s Word is a lot like that process. We have to take the water of God’s Word and add it to the dry mixture of our lives. It then has to be kneaded into every area so that the dryness is gone. This means that we can’t just read the Bible for the sake of reading it. We must look at it and consider how we apply it and live it out. After that, it’s time to stop and think about it on a deeper level. What is the context? Why did God put this in the Bible? What all is He trying to say? You then look at it from the angle of every person in that passage thinking about its implications to them. By asking these questions and really chewing on the verse or passage before applying it, you allow it to permeate your entire being and gain deeper understanding of it. Then, when you’re crushed or walk through fiery trials and the heat of life is applied, you will produce the life you’re called to live.

In Matthew 13:33 Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and worked into three measures of flour until all of it was leavened” (AMP). Each of our lives must allow the Word of God to be worked into our lives through meditating on it. There are promises of being successful if we do (Joshua 1:8) as well as having a life that produces fruit in every season of life (Psalm 1:2-3). We are also told in James 1:22 to not just be hearers of God’s Word, but to also be doers of it. To do that, we must pray for insight and direction as we read, then spend time asking the question and meditating on it. God’s Word, like yeast, is alive and active and is wanting to permeate every ares of our life if we will slow down the process and allow it to do its work. Don’t read it to check off a Christian box. Read it to transform your life, to guide you and to lead you into His promises.

Photo by Nadya Spetnitskaya on Unsplash

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