When one uses the Key of keys that unlocks the gate to the Kingdom of God and becomes a child of the King, it is the start of a totally new life, a new way of seeing the world, a new way of being. The question that we have to ask is, how does one act and react as a new being indwelt with the Living God, Himself (John14:20)? It is not an automatic reflexive life in which we become God’s robots. Rather it is like being in the armed forces. Before anyone in the armed services is thrust into combat, they have to undergo training, rehearsal, and dress parades. They have to learn to work with others in a very coordinated way. They have to develop skills with their weapons. And they have to obey their commanders. Furthermore, everyone who enters the armed services is given a series of “manuals” that they have to read and re-read until they know the contents backwards and forwards. This assures that everyone is “on the same page” when it comes to being a functional member of the service.

God’s children have a manual, too. It is the Bible. The Bible is not just a collection of historical notes, stories of ancient lives, and guidelines for living the “good life.” The Bible is the instruction manual for the children of God. Here’s how Paul described the scriptures to Timothy, Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God’s will in thought, purpose, and action), So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work (2Tim. 3:16-17).

Notice the following points. First, the Bible is “God-breathed.” This means that those who wrote the Bible were guided by the Holy Spirit, so that they wrote what God wanted written. Second, the Scriptures (the Bible) is not just a book about God, it was given to us as our instruction manual so that we can understand how to live as God’s child. Third, when we live the way God’s intends for us, we will be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work. That’s quite a statement.

Jesus, being also God, clearly understood the need to study the Bible. So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free (John 31-32). Again, look closely at what is being said. First, “if,” the conditional word upon which all eternity hangs. Guess who it’s up to? Yup, it’s up to us. As we’ve noted, everything, and that means everything, is our choice (Deut 30:19, Josh. 24:15).

Second, if we really dig in and stay with the study of the Word, then we really are disciples of Jesus. A disciple is one who is disciplined—one who is willing, able, and determined to accomplish the task. In this case, it means reading, studying, meditating, and acting on God’s Word so that our lives are transformed, renewed, strengthened, and built up in the ways of our Father. God told us, My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts (Isa. 55:8-9).

He never said that we can’t think His thoughts and act as He acts, He just said that His thoughts and His ways are higher than those of the human condition without God. In fact, the very reason that he guided the writing of the Scriptures was so that we could have His thoughts and understand His ways, and then act upon them. That’s why Paul also told Timothy, Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth (2Tim 2:15).

The Scriptures stand as the Word of Truth, the Word of God, the very essence of Who God is and what He wants for us. Peter, who walked with Jesus, talked with Jesus, rubbed shoulders with Him, ate with Him, and saw His eternal glory not once, but twice (Mark 9:2-3, Luke 24:50-52), wrote that even though he had been with Jesus on the most personal of terms and knew Him the way few others every have or ever will, that even though he had heard God’s voice from Heaven saying, This is My beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased and delight (2Peter 1:17), that even after all that he had experienced of God dwelling in a human body, even after his experience at the tomb when he met the risen Christ, even then he says, we have the prophetic word [made] firmer still. You will do well to pay close attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dismal (squalid and dark) place, until the day breaks through [the gloom] and the Morning Star rises comes into being) in your hearts. [Yet] first [you must] understand this, that no prophecy of Scripture is [a matter] of any personal or private or special interpretation (loosening, solving). For no prophecy ever originated because some man willed it [to do so—it never came by human impulse], but men spoke from God who were borne along (moved and impelled) by the Holy Spirit (2Peter 1:19-21). For Peter, the Scriptures were the “last word.” They not only tell about Jesus, they are His representative for all humanity for all time. It is through the Scriptures that we come to know God and develop our trust in Him (Rom. 10:17)

Third, when we spend the time, reading, studying, analyzing, praying about, meditating, discussing, and digging deep into God’s Word, we find God right there with us, helping us, encouraging us, and building up our understanding so that we can be all the he intends us to be. Jesus tells the story of a man who gave money to his servants and then went on a journey. When the man came back, he asked each of his servants what they had done with the money. The first servant had used it to earn ten times as much as he had been given, the second had earned five times as much as the money he had been given. The third, however, has hidden the money he was given, and had not earned anything with it. The angry master took away the money that was given to the third servant and gave it to the first servant. Then Jesus tells the moral of the story: I tell you that to everyone who gets and has will more be given, but from the man who does not get and does not have, even what he has will be taken away (Luke 19:26).

By this he meant that once we enter the Kingdom of God, we are expected to grow in wisdom and understanding and use it to help others. If we abandon God’s Word, and fail to be disciplined about our involvement with God in His Word, then even the knowledge that we have gained will slip away. And God has told us most clearly that My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hos. 4:6a).  Satan is ever ready to help us give up our study. Every trying to draw us away from God’s teachings. Ever eager to dissuade us that we must exercise the knowledge that we have. Every striving to pull us away from the Truth and draw us back into slavery to his ways. We beat the lusting desires of the Evil One to rule our lives by remaining disciplined to the studying God’s Word If we are disciplined, Jesus goes on the say in John 8:32, then we will know the truth and it will set us free. Free from the cloying stench that is the way of the Evil One, so that we may dance in the Light and Love of God’s eternal Kingdom.

Key Verse: 2Tim 3:16

Associated Verses: Hos. 4:6, John 8:31-32, 2Tim. 3:16, and 2Peter 1:18-21.

Using the Key: “Loving Father, I ask that You help me today and every day to live a life of discipline in You. Not a harsh, ascetic life, but one of joy and celebration of who I am in Christ Jesus. I want to be all that I can be for You, gracious King, and I ask You to help me as I read and study Your Word so that I can become all that You intend, to Your honor and glory. Thank You Lord. In Jesus’ name, it is so.”