Start With The Word of God

“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:10 & 11.

Do you struggle with reading God’s Word? Take some time right now to examine why that might be. Does it have to do with time? Does it have to do with not knowing where to begin? Does the prospect of opening the Bible give you the feeling that you are starting something that is too big to finish?

As pastor Chuck Swindoll often tells his congregation: Relax. These are all normal feelings that are shared by practically every person who has endeavored to study God’s Word. The fact is that it is a huge undertaking, with cosmic importance to you and those around you. But it doesn’t have to be a huge problem for you, and it doesn’t have to equal the weight of the world on your shoulders.

Start by reading a book of the Bible that interests you. Scared of Revelation? You don’t have to start there, nor do you have to start with prophets or the Psalms. If you are a student of history try the book of Acts. It reads like an informal history of the early church, with incredible detail as researched by the author, Luke. Or are you searching for guidance and foresight on a specific topic? Look at Proverbs which gives the reader the straight dope on hundreds of specific practical issues directly from the wisest man there ever was, King Solomon.

Are you partial to the workings of war and politics? Like a good Tom Clancy novel? Check out First and Second Samuel and First and Second Kings to know the history and politics behind King David’s reign and his successors.

The point is, don’t let the prospect of learning God’s Word scare you. Any little fragment of His Word will act like water to your soul, and you will find yourself growing in spite of yourself. God loves you and He wants you to know Him. He has provided the most important, most powerful tool in the universe in His Word. Take the time to become acquainted with it.

Our Fight

Gideon was not the man with the strongest character. He was not the biggest, nor was he the best or the brightest. In fact, where did the angel of the Lord find Gideon when it came time for him serve? On the threshing floor, beating wheat as fast as he could because he knew it would be taken from him by the Midianites. He was not planning a great battle against Israel’s oppressors; he was taking care of his own business.

Yet God called him as one man to stand against an insurmountable enemy. God called him to a job that He had designed for him. Gideon had no personal thoughts of action according to the scriptures. But even though Gideon might not have believed God at first, he did eventually acknowledge God’s will and agreed to do it.

As Christians, our fight is against the spiritual enemies that exist in this fallen world. Our enemies are as real as you and I, and no matter what your state of mind, they are relentlessly attacking you and everyone that you love. So the question is: what has God called you to do? What has the Spirit laid upon your heart to take up? What did He say to do today that you did not do?

Like Gideon, you may not be the most spiritually minded Christian. You may not have a comfortable grasp on prophecy. You may not volunteer at homeless shelters or spend time with the elderly. But God has called you to be a part of this fight. You have a function in this Body.

And just like Gideon you must continue to press on toward that which God called you. Even though it looks like it could not possibly happen the way you first envisioned it. Even though you feel weak or indifferent, you must charge on, past the exhaustion and the distraction, with a singular focus. This is how Gideon and his men defeated the 135,000.

For further study:
Judges 6-8