AP

2 Timothy 3:16  All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Let us never take for granted how encouraging, comforting and helpful it is for us that the Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to write these words to Timothy, and then to include them as part of his inspired Scriptures for us.  This is especially so today, when we live in an age when we are being constantly and persistently bombarded with ‘voices’ that claim to be ‘truth’ and ‘reliable’ but are not!  Young people, particularly, are easy targets for the purveyors of error through readily available technology that is so effective for their purposes.

How important it is for all of us to ‘own’ Paul’s high view of Scripture for ourselves, and to point young people in our care, and each other, in this same direction.  Paul makes it clear that all Scripture has it’s source in God, the Creator, and therefore we can trust what he has revealed in his Word as absolute truth.  We have no excuse for being confused or uncertain about what is true when we have different opinions putting pressure on us.  “Let God be true, and every man a liar” (Romans 3:4).

God has given us the Scriptures to equip us to be used effectively by him in the outworking of his purposes in his world.  Let us gratefully aknowledge his willingness to condescend to include us in the doing of his work, and so let us be sure to make good and constant use of what he has provided to equip us adequately for this task.  As we read God’s Word each day, let us do so in full awareness of his intended purpose through it: that we will have humble and teachable hearts and minds to respond to his leading; that we will be humble enough to submit to his rebuking us if we get the message wrong and are going the wrong way or when we are being disobedient to his leading; that we will always be open and sensitive to his correcting influence in our lives; and be responsive to the training he gives us through his Word.

“The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul.  The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.  The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart.  The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.  The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever.  The decrees of the LORD are firm, and all of them are righteous.  They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.  By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward” (Psalm 19:7-11).  How we need to be remimded of, and firmly and openly committed to, these truths in our present confused and confusing culture!  Let us not be as confused as Pontius Pilate was about “What is truth?” (John 18:38)

– Bruce Christian