April 29, 2010- I FINISHED THE BIBLE!!!!!
Genesis to Revelation in 4 months, I can’t believe we finished it!! You better believe that KC, Nadia, Brittany and I had a celebration that day!! Mac-N-Cheese for lunch with pineapple Mirinda, treats galore and fellowship. Good good day. I am so grateful that I was able to walk this out with my teammates.
Looking back over the last 4 months, it is amazing what God has been teaching me through this read-through. First, I have learned obedience and discipline in my faith and walk with God. I can’t even begin to count the times that I have failed to follow through on a commitment to God, which is so displeasing and dishonoring to Him. He deserves my very best and instead I was lazy and undisciplined in my faith which led to disobedience to God. He has used this time to teach me sacrifice and obedience to him. I have a long way to go still but God is refining my faith and preparing me for my future walk with Him.
I also learned just how little I had known about the word of God. I always read the same parts, the books that I liked rather than devoting myself to digging into the complete word. My horizons have been expanded and stretched. I know the Bible better, can reference things, know what God has done in the past, what He will do in the future, and what He is calling me to right now.
I’ve realized just how critically important it is to know the word, to study it, to have it written upon my heart. I have come up against so many attacks from Satan and spiritual warfare, but without knowing the word, I was going into battle unarmed. Satan knows the word, better than I did or probably do, and being the father of lies, he uses it to deceive us by twisting the word. It is so important to be on guard!
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”-Ephesians 6:10-17
We are called to put on the FULL armor of God, but there I was running into battle, swinging my arms and shouting but only partially armed and with out a weapon. Not a very good battle strategy if you ask me. 2 Corinthians 10:4 tells us that the Word is our weapin, not things of this world. So if we are to be ready for battle, which will come, regardless of if we are prepared or not, we must know the Word, and not just know it but put it into action, to live it!
Lord, thank you for the word. Thank you for the promise and hope you give us through the resurrection of Jesus. Thank you for the example He set for us through his time here on Earth. Thank you for the instruction and guidance you give us in the word. Thank you for giving me everything I need to fight the evil one. Help me learn how to use the tools you have given, to refine me. Guide me in my further study of your word. I can’t wait to dive deeper in!
