In yesterday’s blog I shared that on Sunday my pastor challenged our church to read two or three chapters of the bible every day for 30 days. We are to read expecting God to speak to us through His word which is God-breathed. The pastor asked us to start reading the book of Luke. He also recommended we read the bible in a different translation than we usually do, (maybe even use a paraphrase), to see if that will help the Word come alive for us. I promised to share with you what God breathed to me through His word.
Before I start, please know that I am no bible scholar, and I am not going to try to get all spiritual with you, and try to come up with some deep meanings into what I read. I usually study the bible in the New International Version, but this time I used the New Living Translation, (1996), a very modern, easy-to-read paraphrase of the bible.
I was afraid I would get very little from this first day, since I’ve read Luke chapters 1 and 2 SO MANY times before. I was shocked how much I felt God speaking to me! Here is what stood out to me:
Luke 1:4 Luke wrote this book to reassure you of the truth of all you were taught.
Luke 1:13 Don’t be afraid!
Luke 1:37 For nothing is impossible with God.
Luke 1:45 You are blessed because you believed that God would do what he said;
Luke 1:74 We have been rescued from our enemies, so we can serve God without fear,
Luke 2:9 The radiance of the Lord’s glory
So, from my first morning’s reading, I get: God wants me to see His radiance, and know the bible is His truth. I do not need to be afraid, (and I have spent a good portion of my life being afraid – of my parents, of my ex-husband, of what others think). God has rescued me from the need to fear, because He has rescued me from my enemies. I am blessed because I believe God will do what He says, and He says that
NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD!
WOW! Talk about getting a new, encouraging word from the Lord! I was blown away!!
I didn’t find any hidden meaning here. You might have read these chapters and found something completely different. The bible is personal for each of us. It has been studied and analyzed within an inch of its life by theologians. Don’t get me wrong, there is a place for that, and even a need for it. But, if we are to allow the bible to speak to us, and allow God’s breath to flow from the bible’s pages into our hearts, I believe I can just come to the bible, and simply listen to what God is saying in this moment to ME, and you can come and listen to what God is saying to YOU. PRAISE JESUS!
Question: Have you taken the time recently to sit down, read God’s word, and allow Him to breath into your life? If so, what did He say to you? If not, I pray you will today.
Blessings friends!
Caroline
P.S. The reading plan for week 2:
- Day 8 Luke 15, 16
- Day 9 Luke 17, 18
- Day 10 Luke 19, 20
- Day 11 Luke 21, 22
- Day 12 Luke 23, 24
- Day 13 Psalm 1, 2, 5
- Day 14 Psalm 13, 16, 19
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