May 29 2017 – Click here to listen
I read in Ecclesiastes 10:10 this morning that “a dull ax requires great strength; be wise and sharpen the blade.” So, what do you suppose God is really telling us with this verse that was written down by His servant wise old King Solomon?
I love to find a verse that jumps out at me and just sit back and think about it for a while. The Bible says of itself in Hebrews 4:12 – “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword . . . ”
Do you suppose God was referring in this passage in Ecclesiastes by telling us that we can gain wisdom through studying the Bible? Can we be wise by sharpening our blade by studying the sharper than a two-edged sword Word of God?
Yes, I think so. You may disagree and in fact be dead on. Because God explains His word to us individually. I’ve been studying the Bible for nearly half a century and I learn something new every day from passages I’ve studied for decades. Even when I come back the next day and read the same passage, God seems to give me new insight on it. He speaks to us individually through His word. It is living and powerful.
If you don’t read the Bible daily you are missing out on the premiere treasure of life. If the Bible is true, then it is alive. That means that Jesus, who is the “word” and was the “word” since the beginning of time, is actively speaking to us through this medium. Who in their right mind wouldn’t want an opportunity to speak directly to God Himself.
If you have a problem, what better place to go for advice? I can’t think of any . . .
Recently I met a man who mentioned the possibility of him setting up a trip for me whereby I would go to the Whitehouse and have a conversation directly with the President of the United States about an important matter. That would be quite an honor, but I can meet with the Creator of the entire Universe daily, without any special connections with anyone. So can you!
One tip for reading the Bible that I would recommend is not to be in a hurry. So many people, including me at one point in my life, decide to read a prescribed amount of the Bible each day such as one chapter. I’ve found it better to allow God to dictate how fast I go. If something jumps out at me, I stop and reflect on it and sometimes pray for better understanding.
The word “Selah” is used throughout the book of Psalms. In fact, it is used 71 times. It also appears three times in the third chapter of the minor prophet Habakkuk. Some think it was a musical interlude and was used in that fashion. I understand it to mean to stop and rest and meditate. I am so enamored by this concept that I even named my house at Honey Lake “Selah” in honor of it.
The amplified Bible describes its meaning as follows: “pause and calmly think about that” to each verse where Selah appears. When we see the word Selah in a Psalm or in Habakkuk 3, we should pause to carefully weigh the meaning of what we have just read or heard, lifting up our hearts in praise to God for His great truths.
Selah is great for those chapters where we are told to stop and meditate, but what about all the rest of the Bible where Selah doesn’t appear? God will bring those verses to your attention as you read. Sometimes they leap out at you, and sometimes they gently nag you to slow down and think. Whenever I get that feeling I insert my own Selah and stop, rest, and meditate.
Try reading your Bible in such a fashion and start enjoying your private conversation with Almighty God this morning.
Jer. 23:29
“Is not My word like fire?” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer which shatters a rock?