Read The Bible

Until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then I understood their end. Psalm 73:17 NKJV.

At the outset of this new year and a new decade, allow me to pass on an important encouragement.  It is simply this; Read the Bible.  That’s the simple yet profound, the metamorphic and life-changing message of this Brief Word.

Every single one of us, no matter what role we have in life, will benefit from a regular reading of God’s Word.  If we believe the Word of God, is the Word of God, then we will commit to the priority of waiting on God, and listening for His voice as we spend time in His Word.

Recently I was reading Psalm 73.  The Psalm writer Asaph was noting how the wicked prosper, and are in blessing, and he started to envy their blessing.  But he had a revelation, from God’s sanctuary, from His presence, from the meeting place with Him.  He says, Until I went.  His revelation was this: in reality, without God they are doomed, but the righteous are safe forever in His presence.

Perspective comes when we’re in His presence.  We see things as they are.

Until I went.  Before; no revelation.  After; revelation.  Until we go into His presence, we’ll still see things from a wrong perspective, we’ll still see things from a temporary and human perspective.

Are you and I in need of some perspective on life?  Is there a situation that on face value seems to look like its hopeless, wrong or just plain unfair?  When we go to God, seek Him, and spend time in His presence, He can open to us a view we hadn’t seen before.  We can see things as He does.  That fresh, Godly perspective changes everything.

A few days after that I read this; “Oh, that My people would listen to Me, That Israel would walk in My ways! Psalm 81:13. NKJV.

If God is wanting us to listen, then He must have something to say.

Let’s be a God-listener.  In the busy-ness of life and the many pressures and demands we have on our time, lets prioritise our place and time to meet with our Saviour to read, listen, and pray.  Then…, we are empowered to walk in His ways.

The thing about reading the Bible is that it is not like a chore around the house, it is not just something that must be done.  It is far deeper than that.  It is the Word of God, so as we read we are communing with Him.  Jesus is the living Word, so when we come to our time of reading we are actually coming to Him.  I can’t wait to get up in the morning and come to my place and read His Word.

Then one morning I read this;

In Judah God is known;
His name is great in Israel.
2 In Salem (Jerusalem) also is His tabernacle,
And His dwelling place in Zion.
3 There He broke the arrows of the bow,
The shield and sword of battle. Selah Psalm 76:1-3. NKJV.

There is a place where we can meet God.  A place where He can be known.  A place where His presence is particularly manifested.  It is there where the battle is won, where the enemy’s strength is broken.  It is the place of prayer, the place of meeting with God, our own personal Jerusalem.

There when we meet with Him;

• He is known
• His name is great
• There is His dwelling place
• He breaks the enemy’s attacks
• He breaks the enemy’s defenses

Thank You Lord!  How important it is to be there, where He is, to meet with Him in our own Jerusalem.  There are places where God can be met and known more so than others including our own prayer closet and the house of God.

The spiritual battle is won in God’s presence.  It is there to be won in His presence.  If we fail to come to our own Jerusalem, the battle against us may not be won.  We may fight on various fronts (issues of life) but it is won from the throne room, it is secured from where God is, it is won from where He is known.  We can only fight and win when we start from where He is, His presence, His dwelling place.  Then, He assures us of victory.

Are we there?  Are we meeting with Him, are we going to where He is?  Going physically, emotionally, spiritually?  Oh the joys, the victories, the wonders, the peace, the safety and security of being there, in His presence, where He is.

This is very true; The more quantity time we take, the more quality it becomes.

John MacArthur writes in his book Daily Readings From The Life Of Christ,

“The Christian walk is … exactly that.  A walk.  A daily walk.  A relentless, systematic, regular pursuit of God.  It’s not a sprint, where exhaustion and collapse are inevitable, and it’s not a crawl where forward progress and a sense of growing intimacy with God are nearly immeasurable”.

Many find it difficult to establish a regular pattern of Bible reading and prayer.  I know the pressures of doing just that; shiftwork, certain seasons of life and health issues make it difficult.  Yet the invitation remains from the Holy Spirit, to come aside regularly and commune with Him.

Until I went … Then I understood … Psalm 73:17 NKJV.

There’s a wealth of understanding and perspective God wants to show you and I. He wants to go us 20/20 vision.  For our family.  For our work.  For our business.  For our parenting.  For our ministry.  For life!

The invitation stands.  He loves you!

But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.  Isaiah 40:31 NKJV (emphasis added).