Approaching God
God’s Word was written long ago, but the same Spirit that inspired its human words continues to use these very words to speak to us today. These are God’s words, written for us.
“And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God.” (1 Thessalonians 2:13)
Listening to God
As you receive God’s words, notice that these are not just any words. No other text can truly claim to be of divine origin. This book is not like any other book. According to the writer of Hebrews, it is active and not dead:
“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)
What is the Holy Spirit saying to you through His Word?
Talking to God
Are you sensing something from the Spirit? If not, what is going on inside your heart? Are you feeling, fearing, or wondering about something related to God’s unique Word to you? If so, take a deep breath and speak honestly and openly to God. Express what you sense from the Spirit, your fears, concerns, confusion, or even failures.
Responding to God
After speaking to God, stop for a moment and evaluate the past week. What guided your decisions? What moved your emotions? Are there other “texts” or “books” in our culture that carry more weight for you than Scripture? If so, confess this and ask the Spirit to renew your heart’s desire to be guided by God’s Word.
Surrendering to God
“Heavenly Father, Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and help me lead a life that depends on and is guided by your Word, for it is a lamp unto my feet. I ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.”
By Jordan Barrett
A HISTORICAL SIDEBAR
Although they were not systematized until the 20th century, the 5 solas (Latin: sola, meaning “alone”) represent and summarize the Protestant Reformer’s core theological convictions about salvation. For example, the Reformers rejected the Roman Catholic view that the authority of the church stems from Scripture and tradition. In contrast, the Reformers argued for sola scriptura (“Scripture alone”). Scripture is not the only source and authority, but it alone is the final and most authoritative source because in it Jesus is revealed to us, the one who is Lord and our ultimate authority. John Wycliffe’s translation of the Bible into vernacular English (1382–95) is an early example of this conviction.
