And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. (ESV)

 “Now I’m turning you over to God, our marvellous God whose gracious Word can make you into what he wants you to be and give you everything you could possibly need in this community of holy friends. (The Message)

Paul here speaks about the power in the Word of God itself to edify, to build up the church.

Jesus said, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples…” (John 8:31). We cannot grow in godliness apart from God’s Word. At the beginning of a new year, let us commit to living deeply in it; to having it deeply living in us. May we be able to say, and mean, with the psalmist, ”I will not neglect your word” (Ps.119:16).

Selwyn Hughes told a story about being at a conference in a certain place, where he met a man and encouraged him to read his Bible regularly. Later on in the week he came across this same man and asked him, ‘Have you been reading your Bible?’ ‘Oh no sir,’ replied the man. ‘I have found that it has been reading me!’

Remember:

“The Bible is the only book whose author is always with you as you read it.” – AW Tozer…who also said,

“Studying the Bible is spending time with God.” 

PRAYER: ‘Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain.” (Psalm 119:36)