To view the video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/rJcfSF_IsGw
SHOW NOTES
Welcome to another week of the Hope Rescue Podcast! This week, Tim and Kimberly are answering the question “Do we really need to read the bible?” Tim also adds to the question asking, “Do we need to study the bible?” You go to church on Sundays and listen to Christian podcasts on your way to work. You are still consuming Christian based content, so does it really matter if it’s the bible? Do we really need to read the bible, and if so, do we really need to read it every day? Keep reading (or listening) to find out!
Tim starts by explaining that he and Kimberly are both "Christian Lifers" meaning they grew up in Christian households. Both of their parents were pastors and Kimberly's parents were missionaries in the Philippines and throughout Asia. Kimberly explains that she had a very healthy childhood and her parents were the same behind the pulpit as they were at home. She had great examples to follow as a child, and they helped shape her into the God-fearing woman that she is today. The bible always played a role in her home. Kimberly says that she remembers many mornings waking up to her mother on her knees, either crying or praying, with her bible open on a chair. Kimberly says she knew growing up that the Bible wasn’t just a book they used for their jobs; it was a foundation for their lives. Tim explains that in his home growing up, the bible was critical. Everything surrounded around studying the bible and prayer. It wasn’t just something his parents did for a show; it was their lifestyle. At a young age, Tim's father would gift each of his children a bible, and in the front he wrote "This book will keep you from sin, and sin will keep you from this book."
Today we want to unpack the importance of scripture, and why you should not only be in the Word but also studying, memorizing, and meditating on the Word! Kimberly explains that even when her children were little, she would wake up before them, even if it was just a few minutes of alone time, and get into her Bible. She explains that it started her day off on the right foot and gave her a sturdy foundation for the day.
Tim goes into a small history lesson for us and explains the power of the Reformation in the 16th century. Before the Reformation, pretty much all the Christians in Europe were Roman Catholic. Roman Catholicism was the dominant form of Christianity. During this time, the bible was only available in Latin so people were expected to trust everything their parish priest told them. They had no way to scrutinize what they were being taught and figure out if it was actually biblically accurate. The reformation was initiated and shaped by Martin Luther, who started controversy after emphasizing the verse “The just shall live by faith.” He stressed the theological doctrine "Sola fide" which means by faith alone. In other words, Luther stressed that all sinners will be pardoned based on faith alone, not through their good works. This was controversial because at the time, the Church was incredibly powerful and taught Christians that they had to confess their sins to a priest, that they couldn’t speak to God directly through prayer, and that they could be saved through their good works or by paying a fee. Luther stressed that Christians don't need priests to receive the grace of God. Luther also translated the Bible into German and for the first time ever, non-priests could read the bible for themselves. Hundreds of thousands of people now had access to the Word of God and they could read it, discuss it, and memorize it without the help of a priest. The reformation changed people's way of looking at themselves and the world, it led to wider European literacy, and eventually forced governments to grant religious freedoms.
In today’s world, especially in the United States, we take the bible for granted. There are still many parts of the world that don’t have access to bibles, and many Americans own multiple bibles but aren’t even opening them. Psalm 1 talks about how not to walk under the counsel of ungodly people and how to live a stable life. Psalm 1:1-4 says, "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.” Tim sums these verses up by saying if we want stability in our lives, we need to not only study the Word of God but also meditate on the Word of God. Kimberly emphasizes that scripture says that the man “meditates day and night.” So when we can’t sleep because anxiety is overcoming our minds, we need to meditate on scripture. When we wake up in the mornings, we need to meditate on scripture. When we go about our days, we need to meditate on scripture. Tim says that the word meditate in this passage literally means to ruminate. Cows are ruminants. They chew the cud, swallow it, bring it back up and chew it some more, and each time they do they get something more out of it. So chew on God’s Word. Think about it. Process it.
Matthew 4:4 says, "But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” What would happen if you went a day without eating? A week? A month? As time went on, you would become weaker and weaker. Our bodies need nourishment to survive, and our spiritual lives are the same. Think of God’s Word as your nourishment that you need every single day to become stronger and grow. Kimberly says, “With our physical nourishment, we have to keep on a schedule to keep our energy up and survive. The same goes for our spiritual walk. We have to consume the Word regularly to grow and thrive.”
Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Kimberly says, “When darkness comes into our lives and consumes us, it's hard to see even a few feet down the road. But when we have the Word of God as a lamp to our feet, it sheds light for our next step.”
Tim closes by quoting Hebrews 4:12 which says, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” in summary, if you want to know why you do what you do or think what you think, the Word of God will expose that for you. Tim says, “The Word of God is the primary tool that God gives to us so that we can grow, develop, change, and become the men and women that God wants us to be.” Tim closes by saying, “The bible is like eating food. It is light to our path, a lamp to our feet. It's protection. It's direction. It's everything that we need.”
Thanks for listening! We love you guys!
QUOTES
“If we want stability in our lives, we need to not only study the Word of God but also meditate on the Word of God.” -Tim
“With our physical nourishment, we have to keep on a schedule to keep our energy up and survive. The same goes for our spiritual walk. We have to consume the Word regularly to grow and thrive.” -Kimberly
“When darkness comes into our lives and consumes us, it's hard to see even a few feet down the road. But when we have the Word of God as a lamp to our feet, it sheds light for our next step.” -Kimberly
“God already factored in your education and intelligence when he called you and planned your unique purpose for your life.” -Kimberly
“The Word of God is the primary tool that God gives to us so that we can grow, develop, change, and become the men and women that God wants us to be.” -Tim
“The bible is like eating food. It is light to our path, a lamp to our feet. It's protection. It's direction. It's everything that we need.” -Tim
REFERENCED SCRIPTURE
Psalm 1:1-4 "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.”
Matthew 4:4 "But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
