Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 4: The Bible: God’s Inspired Word!”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
It’s only once in a lifetime that you get to wish your dad a Happy 80th birthday…so today I will.
Happy Birthday, Dad!
Ironically the passage on Bible Gateway yesterday as I was writing this devotion was this:
Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck. (Proverbs 1:8-9)
King Solomon was inspired by God’s Spirit to acknowledge the value of a faithful dad and mom who gave instruction and training to their children. Although I don’t think they ever encouraged me to put a garland on my head or a necklace around my neck, they did give me teaching that has equipped me for life, especially a life of faith.
80 years comes with much wisdom and experience. For dad, it has been a lifetime of not just secular learning, but a dedication to daily training in the word of God. For 80 years, God has equipped him for the good works he prepared in eternity for him. I pray God has many more planned for him!
The Apostle Paul also understood the value of parents teaching the Scriptures to youth. Timothy had faithful mom and grandma who taught him.
2 Timothy 3:14 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.
From infancy, Timothy’s mother and grandmother were convinced the best training Timothy could receive was training in the Holy Scriptures. They knew that the Bible was the source of “salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” So they dedicated time to bring those same Scriptures to Timothy.
Whether or not you have had faithful parents like Timothy and I have, the Scriptures are still your source for credible, solid training for life and eternity.
Paul continued, “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” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
How does Scripture equip us for every good work?
First Scripture equips us when it is used for teaching.
Teaching is the imparting of knowledge from one person to another. It can be in a classroom, a conversation, or solving a challenge. We will never be equipped for life if a) we never allow our hearts and minds to be taught by the Word of God and b) if we never take time to allow the Scriptures to teach us.
I get it. We all had days we didn’t want to go to school and we are glad today that we don’t have to go to school. However, our days of learning should never stop. Parents – impart your knowledge and the Bible’s knowledge to your children. Adults, connect to a Bible teaching church and grow in Bible Studies or groups. Take personal time to read the Word of God.
I thank God today for a dad who took time personally and with us as a family to teach us the Scriptures to equip us for a life of following and serving Jesus.
Second the Scripture equips us when it rebukes us.
The idea of this use is it calls us out when we miss and break God’s standard. It calls sin, sin. It calls us to repent and change our mind and life direction away from sin and back to God. It never does it for the sake of ego or being judgmental, but always with a love for the soul of the individual and desire for it to remain close to Jesus.
Rebuke isn’t fun to give or receive. But we need to know the bumpers of God’s law so our lives stay in line with God’s heart and will and don’t wander where our sinful nature would love to go.
I thank God today for a dad who was willing to rebuke me, call out sin, and be oh so ready to extend God’s love grace and forgiveness.
God does the same for you – uses his Word to rebuke, call us to repent, and give us his forgiveness to cover all our wrongs.
Dad, Happy Birthday! I thank God for you, but more importantly I thank God for using you to bring the Scriptures to my heart and life and that of our family and many others. You understand the source of Scripture is credible and the power of its use is to equip us for every good work God has ordained for us. I pray he has many more for you and for all of us!
(Tomorrow…”correcting and training in righteousness”)
Apply: Are you learning from the Scripture? Commit today to personal Bible reading and to join a solid Bible teaching church or group to grow together in God’s Word! Take time today to thank a person that has taught the Scriptures to you!
Prayer: Lord thank you for my dad and many others like him who understand and trusted the Scripture as the source of your message of grace and salvation as well as the way you equip us for every good work you have planned for us. AMEN.