In previous episodes, we discussed the purpose of studying the Scriptures: not merely to accumulate Bible knowledge, but to lead us into the very presence of the triune Godhead. Certainly, we are to apply our mind (our intellect) to read, study, and meditate on the Scriptures. Yet these activities are not the end – they are the means to the end, which is a divine encounter with Jesus. These times of being in His presence are what renews our minds, and changes our lives.
Today I want us to explore more about how this changes our lives, and what our lives as children of God should be like. As in previous episodes, I will quote some excerpts from an article by Bill Johnson on this topic:
“It is important, then, to understand the learning process involved in studying Scripture. Our spirit is where the Holy Spirit dwells. No matter what our minds happen to believe, our spirits are ready to receive great things from God. Our spirits were created to embrace things that our heads cannot, and lead us where our logic would never dare to go. [For example,] no one ever attributes the traits of courage and valor to intellect or the strength of human reasoning. Courage rises up from within and exerts influence over the mind, sometimes against apparent logic. In the same way, true faith rises from within and exerts influence over the mind. Faith does not come from our understanding. We do not believe because we understand; we understand because we believe.”
Johnson then goes on to say that, when our study of Scripture leads us to times in the presence of Jesus, we begin to experience true kingdom living:
“Reading about miracles in the Bible can be inspiring; seeing and [being a part of] miracles through the power of the Holy Spirit is life-changing. This is the essence of Jesus’ desire, that we seek Him and pray, ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven’ (Matthew 6:10).
“Studying Scripture in this way changes everything – our expectations for the future, the way we see the Father, the way we see people, the way we see our destiny, the way we approach problems, the way we celebrate and worship. Nothing will drive you deeper into the written Word of God than the hunger to know Him and His magnificent lifestyle available to all believers.”
“The inheritance [of the believer] is living by the presence of God, not just principles. To live by kingdom principles only is to desire a kingdom without a king. Yet we are invited to know the Author of the Book, not just concepts and teachings… Jesus told His followers, ‘Lift up your eyes” (John 4:35). Why? Because when we see things from His vantage point, we operate from a superior reality, a superior world – the one God operates from. The renewed mind elevates us, from being people who are married to concepts, to being people who embrace the experience of the gospel. The renewed mind enables us to prove, to put on display, to ‘approve the things that are excellent’ (Philemon 1:10). We can’t approve of a movie we have not seen or a meal we have not eaten. Through our personal experience, we help bring others into the same experience. It is called kingdom living.”
I would add here that I devoted all of Episode 23 in Season 1 to this process of renewing the mind. I used a personal experience as a word picture for the renovation and metamorphosis that God does of our minds and hearts, as described in Romans 12:2. If you have not already done so, I encourage you to listen to Season 1 Episode 23.
Johnson concludes with an encouraging word about studying the Scriptures:
“[The biblical way of studying Scripture] is life-transforming and never dull. We are always learning more through “Aha!” moments in study and subsequent experiences. If the phrase Bible study has ever struck boredom in your heart, it never should again, because it’s not just reading stories confined to a page. It’s a story we are invited to join and live, supernaturally… Ultimately, that is the goal of studying Scripture.”
This brings to mind a song by Chuck Sugar entitled “Mrs. Phillip’s Prayer” that we often sang at Young Life meetings when I was in high school. There is a link in the show notes for the song. These are the words of the chorus:
Our life is a Bible for some folks to see,
I wonder just what they are reading in me.
Are they reading God’s mercy and love in my life?
Or do they read pain and jealousy, envy, and strife?
Oh, I wonder just what they are reading in me.
The apostle Paul, in writing to the church in Corinth, had a similar message. He commended the believers there for living in such a way that their lives were a reflection of Christ – a letter from Christ to be read by the unbelievers around them:
2 Corinthians 3:2-3 NIV You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. (3) You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
I am challenging myself to live in this way – that, as I study the Scriptures, my heart (not just my head) will be transformed, as I spend time with Jesus. And that I will have the living message of hope in Christ written on my heart, and displayed in my thoughts, words, and deeds, for everyone to see. Will you join me in this challenge?
Today, I encourage you to “Reflect on This.”
Link to the song “Mrs. Phillip’s Prayer” by Chuck Sugar: