Rightly dividing the word of truth

 

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

 

By God’s grace, I was rightly dividing the word of truth before I understood what this means. Rightly dividing the word of truth is how you study to show yourself approved unto God. If your not rightly dividing the word of truth then you're only reading the Bible. God is always speaking to you when you read His word. His Holy Spirit is quietly guiding you, even your hands and fingers, to the pages He wills, as well as your spirit to what He wants to tell you. I believe God is in such control of us and our lives that there is not a time we open the Bible that He is not telling us something He wants us to know.

 

Adrian Rogers once said, in referring to how He was led to a verse, that he opened the Bible and pointed his finger at the page then looked at the verse where his finger landed, for God to speak to him (and I think it’s reasonable to assume that he did this often). I open the Bible many times and it’s where my eyes go that God speaks to me, or that page or possibly that book (usually not that broad though), as you have to seek His will in faith to know what He is saying. Many times I don’t know right away what God is saying. I have to look intently at His word seeking His direction. Sometimes I understand right away and sometimes it may be months for me to understand one verse. This is studying His word as you are letting Him have control of where you go in His word.

 

Another way to study is to read the Bible from cover to cover. I am for the first time doing this, and have been for several months, as of the writing of this page, but I have noticed that even that is timed in God’s plan for my life. How I get to a certain book as I am there in my life. It’s amazing. I have seen myself in many books of the Bible, living out part of my life as Israel or as a prophet or as a wretched sinner or noticing, had I acted accordingly, as a parable said, I would not have had such a fall (not from grace).

 

I made the mistake of Samson, "Get her for me, for she looks good to me." Learned how placing trust in others can be a snare. How a covenant can be a snare. I journeyed to a far off land as the prodigal son (and returned to the Lord God). I have experienced many things that David did, because of my great sins. I experienced the evil day. Heeded the Words of Jesus. I had, as God’s chosen people, an Exodus by night, terrors, a wilderness wandering… and eventually into the promised land. Many Christians experience these things in their spirit. I experienced them in my life (though I did not see all that was happening) and with much physical labor. I believe this happened to chastise me, prune me back, purify me and to teach me how to walk by faith and to better understand God’s word.

 

I got a little off the subject but my experiences have really helped me rightly divide the word of God with God’s Holy Spirit leading me in His word with His voice speaking to me. You cannot rightly divide the word of God without His Holy Spirit leading you.

 

Having had these experiences I better see how the Bible overlaps and how individual people can even have experiences as a nation, a city and as people in scripture and much more (such as parables where you may be a plant, etc.). I thought of this last night, and it seems to fit well here: Experience without recognizing God’s hand is a wasted trip. I think God gave me those words, because I don’t think I’m that bright.

 

God has shown me by speaking to me through specific verses in His word, that they are perfectly tuned to what I experienced or am experiencing, or what He wants to teach me and He leads me from that verse to another and then maybe to even another. I see how this verse says what the other said but more detailed or how this verse sums up another or how these verses go together to make a statement or how even this half of this verse is so extremely deep and comforting that I cry because I am there, in Christ’s hands.

 

How God speaks to me with a verse from here and a verse from there and how He guides me and comforts me. It’s Holy and indescribable. His Spirit helps me see things when I read the Word, like how God is not speaking of me here in this one verse but rather, He is speaking to me of those who are against me. I know I am His so I do not apply (because the verse is not directed to me) certain words of His to myself. They are about others. I see how this or that is what I experienced and how this happens now, not just in the future or how what happened long ago also happens now. I saw how I did this or that and how I failed here and there just as this person in God’s word did also. How even when His face seemed hidden (and may have been), He was still there watching over me and leading me and protecting me. But, I trusted the Lord in this valley and He delivered me by His grace and great love. How great is His Name! I see myself living in His word, in places, and the comfort He gives me, because I truly lived it, is indescribable. I identify with His word. I was there and I am there.

 

I am nothing great. I exist because of God’s great mercy. I, of myself, am but a worm. But, I am something in Jesus. What that is, it’s for Him to say, because I consider myself nothing and I humbly kneel in praise to the Lord my God who has delivered me from my enemies. Oh, if you only knew the terrors that are out there that God, in His Great Grace, protects you from every second, you would plead, “oh Father forgive me!”

 

Thank You God. For everything! Thank you Jesus, my Lord and Savior, the Shepherd and Guardian of my soul.

 

 

Come to Jesus and live!