Reading the Bible

More than once, but once just recently, Bro. Rusty got up and talked about how the Lord would wake him up in the night, or early in the morning to read the Bible. Sometimes he does it and sometimes he doesn't.

Well, last night, I went to bed late, but I could NOT go to sleep. I laid there and had different things running through my mind. Eventually I remembered what Bro. Rusty had said, and I thought "maybe I need to go read my Bible," but then I would try to tell myself that what I really needed to do was go to sleep. I eventually did decide to get up and read my Bible. It seems like I always tell myself I should read a chapter or 2 in my Bible every day, but I never do. Here was a perfect opportunity for some uninterrupted Bible reading.

I have slowly been trying to read the New Testament, and last time I left off in Hebrews, so that's what I read. A lot of it didn't really seem to apply to me because it had a lot to do with the changing from the Jewish law to the Christian law, but I decided to read until something caught my attention. It is very interesting how it seems like the times that I take the time to read I find something that really boosts me up, and is just what I need. Here is what I read:

Hebrews 10:22-25:

"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful who promised;)

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works:

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another, and so much the more as ye see the day approaching."

As I was reading this I had to ask myself if I could honesty say that I had a true heart in full assurance of faith; also is my faith unwavering? I really am not sure if my faith was truly tested how I would deal with it. The big thing that caught my attention about this scripture is how we hear the scripture about "forsake not the assembling of ourselves together" a lot. Most of the time I don't think of this scripture as applying to me because I always go to church! But as I read this I thought how I could be (and often am) forsaking assembling myself even when I'm going to church! When I read the scripture around that quote, I could see how most of the time I go to church I'm not fulfilling that scripture because I don't really do anything to help my brethren. I really need to stop just going through the motions and really try to do the works God wants me to do.

Here is some more scripture a little farther down:

Hebrews 10:35-39:

"Cast now away therefore your confidence; which hath great recompense of reward.

For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

For yet a little while, and he that shall come shall come, and will not tarry.

Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

But we are not of them who draw back into perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul."

This scripture brought to mind the scripture: "grow not weary in well doing" I think there is a lot of times that I do grow weary in well doing, so I slack off. Too many time I get caught up in the things of this life and I forget what the true goal is, and how great a thing I would be missing out on if I don't press in. Like this scripture says, God will not tarry. I surely do not want to miss out.

The last part of this scripture brought to mind something that I've been thinking a lot about lately. I think it really hit me after the Brewster camp out. My mom told me that my sister had spoken her first prophesy. I was really pleased for her, but I have to admit I was a little saddened by it too. As I think I've blogged about before, I really struggle with this gift. When I heard my sister had spoken a prophesy I was reminded about the parable of the talents. We've heard it a lot, but I thought about the part where the one talent that was buried was given to the man who had used his talents wisely. Even though I draw back from using my gift, I'm horrified by the thought of the Lord taking it away and giving it to someone else! Because if the Lord can't trust me with this one gift, how will he entrust me with any others? Now when my sister reads this I don't want her to be saddened too, because I believe that the Lord has used her use of this gift to open up my eyes to the ramifications of drawing back from using my gifts. I want the Lord to have pleasure in me, I want to be like the man in the parable who received more gifts after using his original ones wisely.

Anyway, I thought I would share my little time of meditation with all of you. Please pray for me, that I can embrace it all and apply it to my life, and I want to READ MY BIBLE MORE OFTEN!