Thought for the Day

I'm going to have to lead devotions for 4 different camps in the next few months and so I thought I should get some practice and start writing a few thoughts down.

Truth...God's Word is truth. Absolute truth. Infallible Truth.
The Bible is not something that we can pick and choose what we want to believe, or say that it is not applicable now. God doesn't change. This is a big subject, but all the passages that I have flipped through seem to be screaming "TRUTH" at me. I can't get away from it. :)

2 Timothy 2:14-15
Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. Do your best to present yourself to God as one appoved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of TRUTH.

Correctly handling God's word is of utmost importance. I almost cringe as I write this, because I know that at times I speak before I think or know things. We are responsible before God to represent him truthfully and use his Word to correctly teach others.

2 Timothy 3:14-17
Bus as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation throught faith in Christ Jesus. 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.

We all too easily fall away from truth. We hear something that sounds "better" or "more interesting" or "exciting" and fail to make sure that it agrees with God's Word. Acts 17:11 says, "Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." We need to be careful what we accept as truth. We are very easily deceived.

Galatians 3:1-5
You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you! Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? Have you suffered so much for nothing - if it really was for nothing? Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law or because you believe what you heard?

Paul is correcting the Galatians who were beginning to believe that they needed to fulfill the Jewish law in order to be saved. Paul reminds them of the truth that they received from the first. Jesus Christ was crucified. They received the Spirit by believing on Jesus Christ as Savior, not because they started fulfilling the Jewish law.
One of the most important things you have to know before reading the bible is "Read it the way God wrote it and not the way you see it through your own experience." When God used the Holy Spirit to guide the writers hands He had only one meaning in mind for each thing written. We are not to distort scripture so that it fits with our lives. Reading within context and understanding within that context is paramount. I feel like I'm writing a lecture..I'm just going to stop right now and yeah..forgive me for running on. I'm having a hard time writing in the English language and getting my thoughts clear.