In the second letter written to his ‘son in the faith, Paul writes:
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
“God-breathed” – Paul is saying God directed the authors in what they should write – He ‘breathed’ or spoke the Word into them, and they faithfully transferred it to paper (or papyrus, or stone tablets, or whatever they used before MS Office…).
Further, Jesus referenced the written scripture Himself – and did so as an authoritative source for His own life and actions.
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. (Luke 24:27)
Jesus clearly believed the Word of God…. After all, He is the Word of God! Who do you think the real Author is, anyway? As a side note, how crazy is it that the Author of His own Autobiography used that very book to describe to His followers why He had just been killed and raised back to life? Nearly gives me a headache just thinking about it…
In the Holy Word of God, I also believe you will find every answer to every truly important question in this life.
What is my purpose? Why was I made like this? What am I supposed to do? How should I respond when bad things happen? Why do bad things happen?
The answers to all of these are here!
It often amazes me how many people on the one hand say they believe the bible is the very Word of God that tells us about God and ourselves in a way no other book could ever do; and on the other hand rarely read it for themselves and learn what it really says…
May I suggest a different kind of ‘fast’? Instead of fasting from food, or drink, or television, or anything else – how about we do a reverse fast. Instead of removing things from your life – add reading God’s Word for just 15 minutes a day, every day.
Try first thing in the morning before the circus of life starts, or go to bed 15 minutes early and read and pray as the last thing you do before closing your eyes.
I believe if you do this for just one month – 30 days – you will find more benefit from this than you would from anything else you could do in those 15 minutes.
Let me know how it goes!