Bible reading is essential to our growth as believers – not because it beats us over the head with our sin. That is the devil’s job and he is good at it. Then the World and the flesh join in with him too.
No – the Bible informs us of the nature and work of Christ in our lives – how to shed the shame, rejection and blame that is the world’s daily diet. Take the topic of abortion.
40,000,000 babies have been aborted in the USA since it was made legal which means all of us know someone, perhaps more than one, who has been there. We know that it leaves scars and that women esp. feel they cannot be forgiven – yet another lie of the devil.
The Bible does two things – it opens up our understanding of God’s unlimited love and available forgiveness and it helps us shed the unloving, unforgiving world which surrounds us.
Once God has forgiven people and they have forgiven themselves, then God can bring peace. The Bible also says that men who procreate children willy-nilly are also held accountable as fathers and they too, as well as mothers, will get to know any lost children in heaven – either an abortion or a miscarriage.
That is one of the best stories in the book – Heaven is for Real. I lost two children – one a miscarriage and the other lived less than 1 day. I often wonder – what are they doing now in heaven? I’ll find out someday.
Sad people who cannot forgive themselves or others easily sink into a depressed stew, or drink or entertainment, when all the while a Bible sits idly by with every answer to every question man has asked.
Satan’s job is not only to accuse; he accuses the brethren night and day, but to tempt and to lie. The Bible specifically tells us not to compare ourselves with others. 2 Corinthians 10:12 “For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.”
Luke 4 1 Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into[a] the wilderness, 2 being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.
3 And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”
4 But Jesus answered him, saying,[b] “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’”[c]
5 Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him[d] all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. 7 Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.”
8 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan![e] For[f] it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’”[g]
9 Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. 10 For it is written: ‘ He shall give His angels charge over you,To keep you,’ 11 and, ‘ In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”[h]
12 And Jesus answered and said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’”[i]
Notice Jesus answered every issue with the written Word of God. So can you. He tried this on Jesus and now he is working on us, often times through TV programs, our coworkers, our friends. But if we look into His word, we see our selves as in a mirror and then can know who we really are and quote it back to him – and yourself when you need to hear it again.
James 1:23-24