I love the way the NLT bible puts this verse. KEEP AWAY from ANYTHING that MIGHT take God’s place in your heart. This verse shows how important it is to keep God first above everything and to protect ourselves from the world’s distractions or maybe the distraction is even ourself! God’s proper place of order is ABOVE ALL, including our spouses, kids, jobs, or *place something or someone important to you here*. Has there been something you’ve been putting first before your relationship with God? What is your first priority? What way can things be put in proper order? Too much of a good thing can become idolatry. Start with a small amount of time and go to your quiet place and spend time with God. Get an accountability partner if this is something you struggle with. A little encouragement can go a long way!
Also, a really awesome book to go along with today’s devotion is- God’s At War by Kyle Idleman.
I am currently attending a bible study based off of the book: Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by the author, Donald S. Whitney. So far it has been refreshing to hear and do different things to really help with reading God’s word, meditating, therefore being apply to be a doer of the word.
In past posts I really have been pushing to read your bible, meditate on the word, and be a doer of the word. I had one verse in particular stand out to me this morning.
‘For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.”-1 Corinthians 4:20 NLT
When you read this at face value, what do you receive? When you ask Holy Spirit to dig deeper what do you receive?
If you are a visual person like me, I often write notes down or on index cards. In the book listed above it talked about a meditation map. The map looks a little something like the maps we used in school.
You can find blank charts on Google!
Look familiar? Well mine isn’t as neat as this. Not even close, but it really broadened what I understood in the verse and actually made me dive deeper into other scripture I had stored in my memory. Here is my chart:
It’s not the prettiest, but this handy dandy meditation chart really revealed just a couple layers of this verse. The word of God is ALIVE & well!
Yes, you can read one verse of the bible and get a map this big out of it. Have Holy Spirit reveal a deeper meaning to the verse. When we mediate on God’s word, there is a much higher chance of us actually applying it to our lives. This meditation map really helped me since I’m a visual learner. Holy Spirit really revealed to me I haven’t really even begun to dive into the Word of God. There is a much deeper intimacy he wants to have with us.
What are some tools that help you study, meditate, and apply the word of God?
Feel free to share in the comments or email any ideas you have to Tanja.Lunney@gmail.com to be featured in a post!
“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” -Colossians 3:2 KJV
So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective. -Colossians 3:2 MSG
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. -Colossians 3:2 CSB
The KJV uses the word affection set your “affections” on things above (heaven). Affections in Greek using the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance means: phroneó to exercise the mind.
As we continue to read in Colossians it comes to “Let the word of Christdwellin you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the LORD.”-Colossians 3:16
When we look up the word Dwell according to the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance it means to inhabit…so I took this a step further and looked up the word Inhabit in Greek, meaning, oikeo, which means to properly make a home living “at home” because it’s no ones residence.
Are you picking up what God is laying down?
We are called to exercise our mind on the word of God. What this means to meditate on it like it says in Joshua 1:8 and Psalm 1:2. In Psalm 1:2 it actually says that when we mediate on The Word of God that we will be like a tree planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit (love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control) in every season and being prosperous in all we do. We should be breaking the word down into the original language, comparing translations, and praying over it, asking Holy Spirit to give us wisdom and understanding of what he wants to reveal to us. Listen to what Holy Spirit wants to say to you. After your quiet time, continue to meditate on what you read. Ask Holy Spirit to show you where and when to implement what you read. We are called to be doers of the word (James 1:22). God tells us to let his word take home in us. That his word is supposed to take residency not only in our mind, but heart and soul.
If the word of God isn’t in you, then what is taking residency? I know personally I do not want anything other than God taking up my heart and mind. I know from the word of God: “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.” -Matthew 12:30
When we are not dwelling on the Word of God, we are giving the enemy a foothold in our life and residency in our heart. NO THANK-YOU!! You’d be amazed how wonderful it is just to spend time with God. Rebuking the thoughts that aren’t his transforms your whole entire being. I understand life is busy. However, it will always be too busy if you don’t make the time. Have quiet time with God while your using the bathroom instead of scrolling social media or playing words with friends. Nothing is more important than having the Word of God implanted and taking residency in your heart and exercising your mind! It is apart of your armor to fight against the enemy!
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”-Ephesians 6:10-17
If you are struggling with getting in your word, ask Holy Spirit to help you. Take reading the word at his pace, not what you think you should be reading at. When you have Holy Spirit direct what you are reading and meditating on you know it will be perfect for you at this very moment! If you have any questions feel free to message me, comment, or email me! I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to be engaged in your word and to continually think upon heavenly things.
Would you go into a war without protection or your weapon? No…I wouldn’t either. Then how come it is so easy for us to go to battle without our Spiritual Armor & Weapon? It instructs us in Galatians 6:11 “Put on the full armor of God [for His precepts are like the splendid armor of a heavily-armed soldier], so that you may be able to [successfully] stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil.” EPHESIANS 6:11 AMP
Therefore, put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger], and having done everything [that the crisis demands], to stand firm [in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious]. So stand firm and hold your ground, having tightened the wide band of truth (personal integrity, moral courage) around your waist and having put on the breastplate of righteousness (an upright heart), and having strapped on your feet the gospel of peace in preparation [to face the enemy with firm-footed stability and the readiness produced by the good news]. Above all, lift up the [protective] shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one . And take the helmet of salvation , and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. EPHESIANS 6:13-17 AMP
Not only reading, but applying the word of God to your life is what protects you. I’m not saying that life will be perfect…But when we know the Truth of God’s Word we can recognize the lies of satan.
God’s word is full of promises. Things we need to pray for. Im happy to say God doesn’t break promises either! When we don’t read our word, we lack wisdom and understanding of what is going on in the spiritual realm, how we can put God above everything else, and really love our neighbors. The list goes on, your bible is your instruction manual to life!
I have heard many times that people do not have time to read scripture. I know it can be difficult. Why wouldn’t satan want to stop you from spending time with God? Am I calling your kids, husband, work, ect., satan? Of course not. But when you put God above all else, your life will improve, including those relationships.
When we read our word diligently and pray those promises, they come to life because God watches over his word. The possibilities are endless!“But Jesus looked at them and said, “With people [as far as it depends on them] it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” MATTHEW 19:26 AMP
I don’t know your life…I don’t know what your mornings look like…However, I know that I want to be equipped with my armor in the morning to fight the battles that might transpire for me. I am not a morning person. So, when I first began really diving into the word first thing in the morning it was difficult. I would get distracted, be so tired my eyes wouldn’t stay open, or not wake up in time. I got really frustrated, really fast! I recognized that it was satan wanting to stunt my relationship with Abba. NOT TODAY SATAN. I asked God, “God I’m really having a hard time spending time with you in the morning, will you please limit my distractions? It says in your word that I need my armor, please wake me up refreshed, focused, and ready to retain and put into practice what I read.” Next morning, I woke up early, without an alarm! (Very rare with the shift I used to work!)
God wants to spend time with you! He wants you to be a doer of the word and light of the world. If you’re struggling getting in the word, you’re not alone! I will be putting up more helpful tips and reasons why it is important to read scripture.
I hope you all have a wonderful day! & if we don’t talk before then, a very Merry CHRISTmas!
Recently, I’ve been hearing how “proud” people are of me and how much “I’ve changed”, how “different” I am, how much “healthier”, etc. I thank every single one of you for the kind words, but can I just say, it’s not me. It’s being in the Presence of God that has brought me to where I am today. Studying God’s word, speaking it over my life through prayer, applying it to my life, and praising God through every circumstance is what has gotten me here. Spending time with God has broke me free of baggage of the past, healed me of Bipolar Disorder, broke off the bondage of addiction, and brought me to know pure love. These are just some of the wonderful things. While I appreciate the compliments so much, please give credit where it is due. Don’t take my posts, blogs, and experiences at face value. Experience God for yourself.
Also, if you would like to watch a wonderful sermon today, I placed a link below:
