More Than Knowing the Word

Day 1 — More Than Knowing the Word

Read

Read Psalm 119:9–11, 34–35, 105 and 2 Timothy 3:16–17 slowly.

Psalm 119:9–11 (HCSB)

9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping Your word.

10 I have sought You with all my heart; don’t let me wander from Your commands.

11 I have treasured Your word in my heart so that I may not sin against You.

34 Help me understand Your instruction, and I will obey it and follow it with all my heart.

35 Help me stay on the path of Your commands, for I take pleasure in it.

105 Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 (HCSB)

16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness,

17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Reflect

One of our core values at Kairos Church is Scripture Guides Us. We will challenge each other to daily seek God's guidance through Scripture and then apply it to our lives.

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible, containing 176 verses that continually emphasize the importance of God's Word. Throughout this chapter, the psalmist speaks of God's Word as his treasure, delight, pleasure, comfort, joy, security, hope, and salvation. It wasn't simply something he knew or occasionally read. It was something he loved, treasured, and allowed to guide his life.

But here's a question worth asking: Does Scripture actually guide your life?

Does it guide your thoughts, words, and actions? Does it shape your relationships, decisions, and the advice you give others? Or are those things being guided by something else?

In order for Scripture to guide you, it must be with you at all times. And I'm not just talking about carrying a Bible around or having access to it on your phone. I'm talking about knowing God's Word, believing His Word, and allowing His Word to become part of how you think, speak, and live.

Paul reminds Timothy that all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. God's Word is not simply a collection of historical accounts, commands, and teachings. It is God's inspired Word, given to guide us, protect us, and remind us that we are called to be holy, set apart from the world.

Scripture guides us to be set apart from worldly culture, from the selfish and sinful desires of our flesh, and to have our minds set on things above. Ultimately, Scripture guides us into the likeness and fullness of Christ.

But in order for Scripture to guide us, we first have to know it.

And knowing Scripture means more than being familiar with a handful of verses or remembering something a pastor said on Sunday. It means becoming students of God's Word, allowing it to challenge our thinking, correct our behavior, and shape our understanding of who God is and who He has called us to be.

We don't just know the Bible to know the Bible. We know it to live it.

Respond

Consider how much influence Scripture currently has over your everyday life. When you're making decisions, navigating relationships, responding to difficult circumstances, or wrestling with personal struggles, what tends to guide you first?

Is it God's Word, your own understanding, past experiences, the opinions of others, or what feels right in the moment?

What has kept you from spending more time in Scripture? Are there things about God's Word that confuse you, challenge you, or even frustrate you? And when was the last time something you read in Scripture genuinely changed the way you thought, spoke, or acted?

Consider one area of your life where you need to allow Scripture to guide you more intentionally this week.

Pray

Lord, thank You for giving us Your Word to guide, protect, correct, and equip us. Forgive me for the times I have allowed my own thoughts, experiences, or the opinions of others to guide me more than Your truth. Give me a greater desire to know Your Word, understand it, and apply it to my life. Help me treasure Scripture in my heart and allow it to shape my thoughts, words, decisions, and relationships. Continue transforming me into the likeness of Jesus. Amen.