“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.”
We need the Word of God.
I want God’s Word to be everything to me. I want to want it more than the air I breathe and the bread that I eat. The first thing I hear when I rise and the first thing I see with my eyes, Word of God speak to my heart. Besides connecting us to our Creator, what else does God’s Holy Word do for us?
- Joshua 1:8 says when we meditate on it day and night and do all that is written in it then it will “will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”
- 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says God’s word is “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
- Psalm 119:130 states “The unfolding of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.” It makes us wise!
- Psalm 119:11 says, “Your word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.”
- Ephesians 6:17 states we fight our battles when we take up “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
- Isiah 55:11 declares God word is effective and trustworthy. “So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”
- Luke 11:28 states “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
Praying for the Word of God
I often pray for God to light a fire in my heart for His Word; that I would long for it more than my necessary bread. Since I want the word of Christ to dwell in me richly, this summer one of my goals is to read, listen to and memorize more Scripture. Like the prophet Jeremiah I want to get His word in so I can speak His word out (“His word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot”). And as always, God was way ahead of my goal setting.
Get the podcast.
As if on cue, an amazing friend shared with me a life-changing resource, The Bible Recap. “The Bible Recap offers short daily recaps of God’s Word—explaining the challenging parts and connecting the dots to help you develop a deep friendship with God.” But this is not all.
Get the Word of God.
This multi-modal Bible scripture plan (reading, listening, journaling) is just what I need in my life for such a time as this. My “such a time as this” includes grand-babies, children, in-laws, grandparents, and full time work. My unpredictable schedule does not allow for many “schedule driven ” activities. At this stage of my life I need God’s Word straight up, unhindered by amusing anecdotes or experiential stories. Just give me Jesus.
Get the app.
You can get all the information you need about the Bible Recap by clicking on the link above. Below is a brief run down on the platform.
- Search for and follow the Bible Recap podcast on Apple Podcast
- Download The Bible App by YouVersion from the App store
- Once you downloaded The Bible App, click on the Bible tab and choose a version (ASV, ESV, KJV, etc.) of the bible that has a little speaker icon next to it so you can listen to the Bible as well as read it.
- Click on the Plans tab and search for The Bible Recap with Tara-Leigh Cobble plan in the search bar and click START PLAN.
- Each day do your Bible App devotion first. You’ll start with a 5 point prayer (Devotion) and read 1 or 2 chapters of Scripture. The Devotion will direct you to the corresponding episode of the Bible Recap podcast.
- Go to your podcasts, click on the Bible Recap and then scroll to find the correct episode and listen to a recap of the chapters you read on the YouVersion Bible app.
More Word of God
Later in the evening, I go back to YouVersion and listen to the same two chapters I read in the morning. I also ordered a Bible Recap Study Guide and the Bible Recap Journal from Amazon to deepen my learning. You can also order the Bible Recap Study Guide from their website. There are several other resources to order and in-person or online discipleship groups to join.
A last word about the Word!
God’s Word is eternal and life-giving. It always accomplishes what He says it will. My heart is being transformed day by day, word by word as I immerse my self in The Living Word. Thank you, Jesus.
In closing, I love this quote by A. W. Tozer, in reference to the word of God, “And we must not select a few favorite passages to the exclusion of others. Nothing less than a whole Bible can make a whole Christian.”
by Mary Kane
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