Rooted In Scripture
Opening Prayer
Lord, You are my rock. Whatever comes, I will stand because You are the foundation of my life.
Read 2 Timothy 3:10-17
[10] You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, [11] persecutions, sufferings-what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. [12] In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, [13] while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. [14] But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, [15] and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. [16] All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, [17] so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Do you consider yourself to be rooted in the Word of God?Paul is blunt. The Christian life is not devoid of difficulties or hardship. Persecution will happen (12). But Paul challenges Timothy to stand firm by grounding himself in the Scriptures (14-17). The term “Scriptures” here of course refers to the Old Testament, but there are indications that it was already beginning to include parts of the New Testament (cf. 1 Tim. 5:18; 2 Pet. 3:16).For Paul, Timothy should root himself in the Scriptures because the Word is authoritative (“God-breathed,” 16), teaches us about salvation (15), and helps us grow (16). It does this because it is a barometer by which we know what to teach and how to train a person in the things of God. It is also a measure by which to correct and rebuke. This was significant for Timothy in Ephesus, but is equally important for us now. In today’s world, where truth is thought of as only personal to you, the Scriptures provide an external challenge to our own and others’ internal perceptions. The Bible isn’t just a nice thing to read–it is what we should live our lives by!
Apply
Thank God for the Scriptures and invite him to continue speaking to you through his Word.
Closing prayer
Gracious God, You are good and You only do what is good. Help me to trust in You alone.
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