ALL Scripture!

If you recall, about a month ago, I decided to get serious about my Bible reading. I got an account with Bible Study Tools and started a chronological reading plan.

I am pleased to tell you that I have stuck with that commitment to read the Word everyday. It hasn't been perfect. I don't always feel like my heart is in the right spot or that I am gleaning everything that I can from each Scripture, but I am being faithful and the Word is being planted. And we know that God's Word always brings about fruit!

One of the trickier parts about a Bible reading plan is that they tell you what to read. (Huh? That doesn't sound tricky to me!) What I mean by that is you can't just read the warm, fuzzy passages of Scripture. I started in Genesis- which was wonderful- lots of good stories. I even discovered some things that I hadn't noticed before, even in stories I had read dozens of times.

But then, I went to Job. Some parts of Job are sooooo tedious! (I'd like to write a full post on that later....) Then I went to Exodus, which starts with a good story, and ends with a good story, but has blueprints in the middle of it. It's hard to apply tabernacle measurements to your life...

Last night at youth group, I spent time talking with high schoolers about their Bible reading experiences. We talked about how it seems hard to make time for it, hard to understand, hard to have a hunger and thirst for the Word.

With all this hard stuff, I keep coming back to 2 truths:

1) 2 Timothy 3:16 & 17 "ALL Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

2) Isaiah 55: 10 & 11 "As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it

without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. "

So honestly, I don't know why some things are in the Bible and how we are supposed to apply them to our lives (I'm going to get the commentaries out, though...)

But I do know that it is to our benefit to read His Word and it brings Him great glory when we treasure it. ALL of it : )