the B-I-B-L-E

yesterday i was engaged in a conversation concerning the Bible. the discussion was birthed out of a voiced concern that many Christians don't have a good working knowledge of the scripture. many can quote some verses and even articulate some of the major truths communicated through the scripture but all in all there seems to be a complacency among believers when it comes to knowing the Word, the history of the Word and God's ultimate purpose for the Word.

i suppose there is a different line for everyone when it comes to how much knowledge we need as it relates to scripture. a history buff would argue that knowing the historical background of the scriptures is vital to a proper understanding of God's character as it has been demonstrated throughout history. an academician would argue that it is vital to know how the books of the Bible came to be and the process by which we arrived at these specific 66 books. an evangelist might argue that the specific verses that speak to God's grace and mercy and judgment are the most important. it seems to be a moving target....at least from a human perspective.

i wonder what makes us stand at an arms length to really knowing the Word? here are a few thoughts i have come up with as to why many believers don't KNOW the Word:

• laziness: we just don't carve out time to really invest ourselves in the scripture
• apathy: we just don't care....can't see an immediate pay off
• fear: we worry what we might discover/what God may change in us/what God might call us to if we really knew Him
• ignorance: we have just convinced ourselves it doesn't matter/we already know enough

as i read the scripture i don't get the impression that God wants us to know the scripture so we will be smarter. i tend to believe it is because He wants us to be secure. He wants our footing to be secure. He wants us to live under the security of His promises so that we will be courageous in the face of difficulty. He wants us to feel secure in our salvation....He paid much to a high a price for us to live in uncertainty.

we need to know the WORD. it is one of the strongest ways God reveals Himself to us. spend some time with the verses below and pray God develops a hunger in your soul for more than a surface level, superficial, basic understanding of himself....i'm just guessing He will blow your mind in the process.

Eph. 6:12.....our struggle isn't with people it's with spiritual forces
Prov. 29:18.....the Word helps us
James 1:22-25....just knowing the Word isn't enough
2 Timothy 3:16-17....the Word is useful and we didn't make it up
2 Timothy 4:2....it's hard to preach what you don't know
Psalm 119:105....never drive at night without your lights on

*****THE CAUTION***** there is a tension between knowing the WORD and living out the truth of the word. just having knowledge isn't the goal. knowing God and living in a way that honors Him is the goal.

be blessed.....