Day 1. There have been so many verses and passages that have been a blessing or a challenge during different seasons of my life. So I will start with the first Bible verse I memorized: John 3:16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. My daddy taught this to me when I was about four years old. It is the gospel in a nutshell. And while it took many years for that nut to sprout and grow in my heart, it eventually did. My daddy went to Heaven during my rebellious teen years, so he didn't see in me the fruit of his efforts. But his faithfulness to teach his children about God's loving gift of salvation was rewarded, and some day I will get to thank him for teaching me about Jesus.
Day 2. Continuing with this theme of verses that were especially meaningful at different times of my life, today's verse is one that jumped out at me when I was a teenager: James 2:10. For whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. Wait a minute! If that's the case, who can possibly be good enough to go to Heaven? The answer is no one. As Romans 3:10 says, There is none righteous, no, not one. And Romans 3:23 tells us, For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Apparently, That idea of listing the good stuff you've done on one side of the page, and the bad stuff on the other, doesn't work! Romans 6:23 tell us, For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. What's this about a gift? Read Ephesians 2:8-9. For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast. The definition of faith is complete trust or confidence in someone or something; belief. And that brings us back to John 3:16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Day 3. Today's verse is one that spoke to me when I was a new Christian: Galatians 2:20. I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I was no longer the same as I was before. In 2 Corinthians 5:17, the Bible says, Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. As I began my life as a young wife and mother, Titus 2:3-5 became a mission statement of sorts: Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so to train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands , that the word of God may not be reviled. Back then, I was one of the "young women". Now, I guess, I am one of those "older women"! But I am still learning from many women who are older than me.
Day 4. Raising five children is serious business, and I purposed in my heart to take the job seriously. As we considered what to do about their education, there seemed to be only one option for us -- homeschooling. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 tells us, These words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. The best way to do this, we believed, was to teach our children ourselves rather than send them off to strangers. Homeschooling was not nearly as common back then as it is today, and with fear and trembling we followed our convictions. By the grace of God, we were able to give our children the education we never had. Those 23 years were such a blessing, and I think I learned even more than they did! The verse that became our precept, and which graced each student's diploma upon graduation, was Proverbs 9:10: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
Day 5. On this last day of the Five-Day Bible Challenge, I will share a verse that even Anne of Green Gables recognized as life-changing: John 8:32. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. There seems to be a serious lack of truth in the world these days. Politicians lie to us, news anchors "misremember" things, and scientists tamper with data so it supports their agenda. So what is truth? Pontius Pilate asked Jesus this question in John 18:38. Jesus told his disciple Thomas, in John 14:6, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me. There is no other way. There are many religions that burden their followers with rules and rituals. But the only way to be free from the burden of sin is through the Lord Jesus Christ. If you want to know the truth, go to the Word of God. As 2 Timothy 3:16 says, All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. Make some time each day to see what God has to say in His Word. Even just 15 minutes of reading the Bible will be worthwhile. Find a good Bible reading plan and set a goal to follow it. What if you miss a day or a week or more? Just pick up where you left off. It's that simple.
Today I invite you, Dear Reader, to participate in the challenge. I know you will be blessed!
No comments:
Post a Comment