What I Read Today:
2 Timothy 3; John 14; Hosea 8; Psalm 21; 2 Kings 22; Genesis 24
How does the word of God affect us? Does it lift us up? Does it convict us? Does it lead our lives? Exactly how does the word of God really affect us?
In 2 Kings 22, we meet King Josiah. He was only eight years old when he became king. Now at 26, he’s cleaning up the mess that his predecessors have left him. God’s house is in a state of ruin. But he’ll soon find that not only was God’s physical house in need of repair, but God’s spiritual house was also in worse shape. The nation had fallen away from God. They no longer even remembered who God was or what he looked like. They paid lip service to his worship, but it had no effect on their lives.
Then, someone finds the scriptures in the temple. A dust-covered copy that hadn’t been used for some time. How in the world could the word of God not be used in the temple? Isn’t that what’s happening today? So focused on glitzy worship and flashy spiritual entertainment are we missing what the word of God says? Are we listening to what the word of God says anymore? Flashy worship songs and feel-good sermons have replaced the true message of the Gospel.
When the words are read, they cut straight to Josiah’s heart.
It’s funny how that works. When we use the word of God and preach it, people’s hearts change. Our spiritual lives, become about more than feelings.
We’ve stopped relying on the word of God. We need to get back to the basics.