Living the Bible as it Lives in Me

The Bible is alive—the living Word of God. Yet, how does it live in me? And how do I live it?

I wanna take Your word and shine it all around

But first help me just to live it Lord

In his day, Christian singer and songwriter, Keith Green, was considered a man of No Compromise (album title and book about his life).

So these lyrics from his song, Oh Lord, You’re Beautiful, carry a powerful message.

Perhaps we also desire to shine God’s Word all around. Maybe we want to live a life of no compromise.

The only way to strive for this kind of life? The Word living in us and us living the Word.

Living Scripture in our daily lives equates with a life of no compromise. Because our goals, desires, values, morals, decisions, relationships, lifestyle, worldview, heart, mind, and so on, stay bent toward scriptural truths.

Then, we really live the Bible that lives in us.

Here are some ways to L.I.V.E. God’s Word.

L-Lighting Our Path With God’s Word Helps Live it

Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Verse 130 continues, “The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.”

Even though we may not carry lamps to see where we’re going, we’re all familiar with needing light to find our way in the darkness. Whether it’s a candle, flashlight, or nightlight, they dispel enough of the dark to keep us from tripping.

Likewise, lighting our path with the Word keeps us from spiritually tripping. Through understanding, it drives away the darkness of the evil one, deception, and false beliefs.

“Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’” (John 8:12).

When we follow the light of the world, Jesus, the path leads to the light of life—living the Word.

I-Inviting Scripture to Change Us Helps Live it

“…when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

Once we hear, receive, and believe the Word; it’s at work in us, it changes and transforms us. Then, we live it.

2 Timothy 3:16 states, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”

Notice this verse doesn’t say some Scripture is good for you to live a pleasing life to the Lord. No, “all” Scripture, the whole counsel of God from Genesis to Revelation.

And it’s breathed out (living), and profitable in living the Christian faith. Because it trains us in righteousness.

V-Valuing God’s Truth in Every Area of Life Helps Live it

Looking again at Psalm 119, here are some ways the truth of the Word lives in us and we live it.

We are not put to shame (verse 6), keeps our way pure (verse 9), no sin against God (verse 11), counsels (verse 24), gives life (verse 25), strengthens (verse 28), leads (verse 35), helps us trust (verse 42), gives hope (verse 43), good judgment and knowledge (verse 66), a blameless heart (verse 80), held back from evil ways (verse 101), steady steps (verse 133), truth (verse 160), and great peace (verse 165).

Let’s not be Sunday only Christians. Instead, let’s apply the Bible to every part of life: how we stand before God, interact with others, and how we live.

E-Establishing biblical Principles as a Way of Life Helps Live it

James 1:19-25:

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.

But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.”

The Bible lives in us as the implanted Word. We live the Bible as a doer of the Word who acts on the perfect law of liberty.

Finally, let’s remember the only way for the Bible to live in us and us to live the Bible is by reading and meditating on God’s Word.

Featured image by Aaron Burden on Unsplash