IT IS WRITTEN

Luke 10:21-24
We get to know and understand things that great spiritual icons from previous generations did not get to know. We sometimes fell jealous about the material possessions of our non-Christian friends. But we must remember that in the Bible we have the greatest of all treasures.

Q. Do you treasure the time that God gives you and the opportunities that you have to study the Bible?

1. IT IS WRITTEN THEREFORE BE ENCOURAGED

Romans 15:1-4
The Scriptures give us encouragement and hope in face of all that we go through, e.g. the challenge of continually changing and growing, the temptations we face daily, etc.

The apostle Peter was humbled when, in Luke 5, after not having caught any fish, he finally gets a big catch from following Jesus' instructions. He recognizes Jesus' lordship.
Q. Are you humbled as you read the Bible?
Q. Do you study the Bible deeply and seek always to get close to God? Our security should not come from our success rate or any perceived popularity, but instead from my walk with God.

Matthew 4:1-4
When you know what is written, you will be safe and secure, needing not fear Satan's schemes.

Matthew 21:1-7
Jesus was confident about what the disciples would find when following his instructions because he knew what was written about that situation.

Matthew 21:12,13
Knowing what is written, Jesus developed deep, bold, even scary conviction.

In the Old Testament, it was the priests who knew the word of God and the people had to come to them in order to hear it. On the early church, it was the apostles who knew Jesus' teachings and the people had to come to them to hear it. Before the invention of the printing press, Bibles were not mass-produced or circulated. Today, though, we have the Bible at our fingertips.

2. IT IS WRITTEN, THEREFORE KEEP THE STRAIGHT PATH

1 Corinthians 10:6-11
God allowed for low points of Israelite history to be written, and not just the successes, so that we would be appropriately warned. Though warnings, may come across as negative in nature, they save us, e.g. "Slippery Road Ahead," "Mind Your Head," etc. Parents constantly warn their children for the good of their children and not with any ill motive.

v.7 Idolatry and pagan revelry.
Q. What have you loved more than or prioritized over God?
Q. Where is your heart?

v. 8 Sexual immorality: God knows our hearts.
Q. How is your purity? Are you indulging in impure reading, TV, movies, websites on the internet, relationships, habits?

v. 12 Be careful and examine yourself. You cannot afford to be careless about your salvation.

It is written, therefore we have every tool available to equip us to be our very best for God always.

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