“All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (KJV) Hi Friends, How are you today? I am not trying to get nosy or personal here, but do you read the Bible? You don’t have to answer. There is no quiz at the end of the post. It is just a question you can ask yourself. You may also ask yourself, if so, why do you read the Bible or if not, why not. It might be the same for you, but I have gone through seasons of reading and not reading the Bible. Now, I am definitely in a season of reading the Bible. I enjoy reading the Bible, learning about God’s Word, about God himself, about Jesus, about God’s Holy Spirit, about God’s will for me, about the people in biblical times, and about the lessons God wants me to learn. I now read the Bible for many reasons. I know that some people are intimidated by reading the Bible. They may have started reading a difficult translation, such as the King James Version, and couldn’t understand it through all the “thees” and “thous” in that particular version. Others may have started at the beginning and tried to read it like a book, which is difficult to do if you are new to reading the Bible, especially for the first time. For others, time or obedience, may be the issue. Those have all been reasons I haven’t read the Bible at one time or another. So, on a logical level, I understand. Yet, today, I yearn to read the Bible. I want to read God’s Word! Reading the Bible, like prayer, is time I get to spend with God, to learn from God, to know God better, to see the path that God has set for me. It is personal and rewarding. It brings me joy. Each time I read the Bible I see something new, learn something new, and understand something new. That isn’t to say that the words are different, but as I mature and as my needs change, different things about God’s Word catch my eye and tug at my heart. Also, the more I read the Bible, the more I learn and the deeper my understanding goes. During biblical times, St. Paul wrote a letter to Timothy telling him all about the bad and evil ways of people in “the last days”. (2 Timothy 3) Yet, St. Paul was trying to encourage Timothy by the words at the end of the chapter, saying pretty much that, “It is going to be okay for you. You have God’s Word, and that is all you need to show you the way.” Just as St. Paul encouraged Timothy, it is one of my prayers and hopes through the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations to encourage you to read, pray, and rely on scriptures for your compass in life. If you feel intimidated or have trouble reading the Bible, please feel free to comment or contact me. I will try to give you some ideas, prayers, and encouragement. Why Read the Bible? I go to church, so why do I need to read the Bible? I know for me, I wanted to know why my parents and my church were asking me to do this or that. I wanted to see what the Bible said about things that happened at church and at home. Maybe I was rebellious, but I wanted to know for myself what God said. It isn’t that I distrusted my parents or my minister. (Although, some people and even ministers don’t relay God’s words truthfully.) I just didn’t want to rely on them for the information. That reason may not be your reason for wanting to read the Bible. Like reading the Bible and learning from the Bible, the reasons to read the Bible are personal. We each have our own set of reasons. As St. Paul tells Timothy in 3 Timothy 2:16, there is more than one reason to read scriptures. The Bible can be used to teach, to learn, to correct, to discipline, to encourage, to understand, to pray, to talk, and to relate. Often, we will have different reasons to read or proclaim scriptures each time we do it. Heavenly Father, Thank you for giving us your holy Word! Thank you for providing scripture for us to read and to use as a compass in our life to show us the path you have set for us. Help us to read and understand the Bible, so that we will know You better, know Jesus better, and know your Holy Spirit better, and know your will for us better. Show us through the Bible the lessons in life you want us to learn. Help us to be better people, better Christians, better neighbors, better friends, better stewards, better ministers, better parents, and better children through reading the Bible. Help us to be healthier and wiser through reading the Bible. Help us to seek you, to praise you, and to worship You more fully, by reading the Bible. I ask you this through your Son, Jesus. Amen. Reflective Questions to Ask Yourself: *What does 2 Timothy 3: 16-17 mean to me? *Do I read the Bible? If so, why? If not, why not? *Do I want to read the Bible? *How do I feel reading the Bible? *What are my Bible reading goals? *What would help me read the Bible? What are your thoughts? I would like to read your comments! I am always open to feedback, comments, and ideas. I would enjoy knowing your thoughts. I am happy to learn from you and encourage you. Here is a Resource for YOU! I have created a resource for you to get more out of your Bible reading. They are "5 Reflective Questions to Delve Deeper into God's Word" by DUO Inspirations. They are questions to ask yourself as you read and reflect on the verses you read to understand God's Word at a deeper level. Sign up and start using these reflective questions today!
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 Mark 12:30 (KJV) “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.”
Mark 12:30 (KJV) Hi friends! Welcome to the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations! My name is Jodi Desautels and I am owner of DUO Inspirations. I am so glad you are here! I chose the words in Mark 12:30 to share as a welcome to the Faith Blog and DUO Inspirations as a whole, because they are words that warm my heart and embody everything I strive to do in life. If you feel the same way or want to feel the same way, you are in the right place. Thank you for being here. This one verse that Jesus spoke is the leading directive for us as Christians. It is a guiding principle of which we all should strive to follow. Yet, do we? I aspire to follow this first and most important commandment, but fall short in so many ways. These words of Jesus are the guiding principle in my own life and in DUO Inspirations, no matter how short I may fall. I know from experience how difficult it is to live fully for God and to love God with our whole being. So, my prayer and dream is to be able to help you do just that. I believe we can help each other, and in doing so and with prayer, God will help us all. I believe that as our Creator, the one true God, the Almighty, and our Heavenly Father, God deserves every bit of the love in which we are called to give. I believe He deserves not only the love, but also the respect and trust that goes along with such a love. I also believe that this commandment is not only for God’s benefit, but also for our benefit. If we love God with our whole being and strength, we will live a more complete, loving, joyous, and fulfilled life. * * * * * * * * * * * * * The closest we might come to showing this sort of love, might be with our family, in a ministry or during mission work, or even in our weekly worship. We know that we need to love, respect, and provide for our family in every waking hour. We can’t just love our loved ones part time. If we join a mission or ministry, we desire to help God’s people with the time we can give. We know that worshiping God at church or at home is a good thing. It is all the areas of our life where it is difficult to fulfill this commandment. For me, I often don’t think to love God with my whole being during some aspects of my life. What about you? Can you love God, by the foods you eat? Yes! Do I think of that, most of the time when I eat? No. Ugh. Can you love God during your shopping trip or driving down the road? Yes. Do I think of that, most of the time when I am doing these things? No. Ugh. We are called to love God always, in all ways; in every thought, every feeling, every sentiment, and every action. We are called to love Him physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Yet, thankfully, God is patient, kind, and loving. He does get upset when we fail to do these things, however He is always happy to welcome us with open arms if we are sorry for not doing our best. He gives us scriptures, each other, prayer, and many ways to help guide us back to His love. I pray that through DUO Inspirations, we can help each other to find His holy love and to help each other to follow the commandment that Jesus spoke in Mark 12:30. For posts on healthy Christian living, Bible study, devotion, prayer, and more, please continue to read the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations. * * * * * * * * * * * * * My strengths are in faith, education, and creativity. They are the talents, interests, and desires God gave me. It is through these areas, that I can offer the most help to you to live a life of love for God with every fiber of your being, “with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” That is my hope, dream, and prayer with DUO Inspirations. * * * * * * * * * * * * * Here are some reflective questions for you to ask yourself: *What does Mark 12:30 mean to me? *What is most difficult for me to follow the first commandment as stated by Jesus in Mark 12:30? *What can I do to better follow the words Jesus spoke in Mark 12:30? Here are a couple of questions from me: (I would enjoy hearing from you. Put your answers in the comments or feel free to contact me.) Thank you. *Which topics are you most interested in... faith, education, or creativity? (You can choose more than one.) *What type of topics concerning faith and Christian living would you most life to see? If you would like to hear from me in your inbox, sign up through the form in the side bar or on the DUO Inspirations home page. See you there. Thank you. |
Hi friends!
This is Jodi. I am so glad you are here! I am a Christian and life-long learner. I enjoy sharing and encouraging others. I pray you are blessed by this blog. Thank you for being here. ArchivesCategories |
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