This Word Is Not For You

Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves.  Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification.  For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.”  For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
Romans 15:1-4

The enemy, the father of lies is speaking to many of our lives saying, "You can't understand the Bible. It's not for you. Well I'm here to tell you that even Satan uses the word of God to try to condemn the saints. I remember reading the verse, 2nd Corinthians 4 which says...

 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,  in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 

...and I used to think that must be me because I read the Bible and I can't understand it. I used to believe the lies that the enemy was speaking to my mind. The only power Satan has is when we listen to his lies and give them credibility. During those days when I was struggling with understanding the word, like Peter I would cry out in prayer to Jesus, "Where else can I go Lord? Only you have the words of eternal life." 

I encourage you today to do what I did back then and commit to reading just one verse a day. As I did that, God was faithful to open the word up to me and give understanding to me. 

If you get nothing else from this blog entry, I hope you get this....

The Bible is NOT an intellectual book. Its a spiritual book and Jesus said it's meaning is hidden to those who trust in their intellect. It's revealed to the tender in heart who humble themselves and cry to God to understand it's meaning.

In this coming year, God wants to speak to you. Are you willing in the privacy of your own life to commit to know Jesus and to seek Him? Commit to understanding His word and obeying what light He gives you. Just start with one verse a day, like I did and God is faithful to counsel you and bring understanding. His word and His Holy Spirit are our counselors and He wants you to walk in liberty and freedom.

How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered!
 How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit!

 When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away
Through my groaning all day long.
 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summerSelah.
 I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I did not hide;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”;
And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.
 Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found;
Surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him.
 You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble;
You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.

 I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with My eye upon you.

Psalm 32:1-8

For further study consider this podcast;