‘As the deer pants for streams of water so my soul pants for you, O God’. (Psalm 42:1)Theres nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or anothershowing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live Gods way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us. (2 Timothy 3:16 The Message)
I recently came across a song by Don Francisco entitled Everybody else but me. Here are the lyrics:
Way back there in Jesus’ time; the Pharisees walked so proud
They thought that they had the way to God; they prayed their prayers out loud
But Jesus said they had hell to pay; for the pretence and the games they’d play
I’m glad that’s not like us today; we wouldn’t act like that
Everybody else but me, Everybody else but me
He was talking to the hypocrite and Pharisee
Everybody else but me
I went to church one day last month, the preacher he preached real good
Talked about ‘true’ commitment; New Testament brotherhood
Talked about watching the things we say; the gossip that can wound and slay
I sure wish Joe had been there that day; cause he really needed to hear it
When Jesus made disciples; he told them what they had to do
He said take up your cross and follow me; deny yourself and you’ll be free
But he meant those guys back in Galilee; that was just for them back then
Everybody else but me; everybody else but me
He was talking to those people back in Galilee
Anybody else but me
When I heard this song it made me think how true it is that we can read the Bible or hear a sermon and feel that this is for everybody else, anybody, but me.
Just think how life-changing it could be if the next time you read a Scripture or heard a message from the pulpit that you thought that this was for you rather than someone else.
Oops, there I go, saying that that Bible verse, that message is for you, when I should be thinking its for me.
Its easily done, isnt it?
I know that I need to be more open to what the Holy Spirit is saying to me through the Scripture and messages He has inspired.
Of course the Bible and messages preached from it will be relevant to other people, but I need to personally reflect on how these things apply in my life; what action do I need to take and what changes do I need to make.
I need to do this if Jesus Christ is to be my overriding passion – How about you?
Prayer
Father, please help me to be sensitive to what you want to teach me. Help me to be responsive to your written and spoken Word, and may Jesus, the Word personified, be the centre of my life.
Amen.
Have a good week applying the Word to yourself,
Pastor Barry
