How is your week going? Have you been reading 2 Timothy 3:16 daily to help you commit it to memory? Have you been able to carve out time each day to read God’s Word? I have heard that it takes doing something for 21 days for it to become a habit. Does that sound like another challenge? 🙂 Did you have time to find some verses in the Bible that teach about the Scriptures?

First, let’s talk about strength? What does strength mean to you? How would define strength to someone else? Does it mean being strong? Courage? Force? Endurance? Power? The book of Second Timothy was written by Paul when he was a prisoner. The believers at that point had begun to be unfaithful to God. Paul was concerned that Timothy who was there to help Paul might be frightened by what was happening to the Church. Paul wrote to Timothy to encourage him and to strengthen him with this letter. During this difficult time, the strength of God and the grace of Jesus Christ was apparent. This book continues to be an encouragement today for us.

Here are the four verses that I found, my reflections, and some questions to discuss.

2 Timothy 2:15 – Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
What does it mean to ‘correctly handle’ the word of truth? Can God’s Word be handled incorrectly? How do you handle or manage your use of the Scriptures?

Psalm 1:2 – …but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law both day and night.
Do you delight in the words in your Bible? Do you read and meditate on God’s Word both day and night? Does that mean meditating 24-7? We all have activities to take care. So, how and when do we spend time in the Word? What have you found that works for you? Meditating means more than just reading, doesn’t it? To me, it means taking the time to read and THINK about what you’ve read. To think about how you can use those verses to guide you during your days and nights.

Ephesians 6:17 – Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
I grew up in a time where we “got dressed” when it was time to “go to town” – whether to shop, go out to eat, or go to the doctor. Dressed meant ‘nice’ clothes, brushed hair, and a touch of lipstick. As Christians, we are instructed to take the helmet of salvation and the Word of God. Why is the Word of God considered to be a sword? Can this sword protect you? Can it lead you safely into a battle?

Hebrews 4:2 – For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.
How discouraging to know that there are some who will hear the Good News, but it will not have any value for them! How do we give value to the Good News? We share it! How do you share God’s Word with others? We can share in little ways or on a larger scale. Each time we share, we plant seeds and share God’s Word and love with those around us.

Keep working on your reflections and memorization. Come back on Friday to wrap up this first weekly Strength from the Scriptures study.