Created For The Word

Loved this week's chapter from Debbie. I love the time I spend in God's Word and it always speaks to me. I have often prayed God's Word but don't remember a time when I have done the one she used. It was Paul's prayer for the Ephesians (3:14-21). After reading it through I did then pray it out loud for a couple of people who are going through a tough season in their lives. I have found that there is nothing more powerful than praying God's word out loud for someone. It is something I learned from Beth Moore and Stormie Omartain. This was of course the passage the was used by Pam Gibbs for the Diving Deeper Retreat.
The next section "Believing What We Read" has never been an issue with me. I know that the people who wrote it AND translated it (including the King James Version which is a translation) we God-inspired. I also like the simplicity of the three options she quoted from Voddie Baucham (pastor and speaker). Those really are the only three options and leave you with only one option. The three options are:
1. Men were the source of the Bible.
2. Satan was the source of the Bible.
3. God is the source of the Bible.
Baucham explains that if men were the source then they were evil men attempting to deceive people. If the Satan was the source he painted himself as the villain and revealed the only means by which men can resist and defeat him, which doesn't make sense. Therefore it comes down to the God is the source of the Bible.
I also agree that I have been guilty of what she talks about in the next section, which is using the Bible to bail me out. I have learned has Debbie says to spend consistent time with God, reading and studying his word. I may use her idea of each year reading through a different version of the Bible. This year I am using the Chronological Bible and maybe next year I use The Message or maybe one of the one that have The Message and another version together. Maybe her selection of the New Century Version which I have never used before.
Next she talked about the four words she uses as criteria for every story she writes. These four words are: provocative, relevant, creative, honesty. She then equated those four words to the Bible.
Her next section talks about the fact that studying God's Word require discipline and she equated this to knitting in a very interesting way that I had never thought of. First is you only practice knitting a stitch for a little while and then quitting you don't progress as a knitter. The more you knit the more accomplished you become and the more you study and put God's Word into your heart and lives the more beautiffuly His love is able to be revealed. Then if all you ever knit is scarves using only one stitch you miss out on the other beautiful things that can be made. If we only go to the Bible when times are difficult we never develop that close personal relationship with God.
Then she talks about developing an active prayer life. In this section she reminds us that there are times when God leaves prayers unanswered and we will ultimately see that this was for our good. We forget that God has the big picture. I know in my life I have seen this to be true but it is only in hindsight that I realize this.
Lastly she closes the chapter with a section entitled "Savorin God's Word" and shares that for her the best way to savor God's Word is to be in Bible studies with other people, particularly women, as either a student or a teacher. She closes the chapter with a wonderful story about having her heat go out during cold period in Seattle where she lives. It turned out the only thing wrong was that the filters were dirty and needed cleaned out. She leaves this chapter will the following advice:
"If you are in need of a heart cleanup, the best place to start is with the Word. Take the time you need to spend with God each day. Study His Word and memorize it so you can take it with you wherever you go. Savor His love for you, and remember that you are indeed created for the Word. It is our only true road map that will show us where to go next."
So spend time with God through His Word this week.