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Turn in Your Bible to...Any Page!
Turn in Your Bible to...Any Page!
A joke is told about a man who had been very wealthy, but due to a string of bad investments and bad luck, was looking at some hard times ahead.
He went to the preacher for direction, and the preacher said, “Go home, open your Bible at random, stick your finger somewhere on the page, and there will be God’s answer.” Some days later he returned to the preacher looking more depressed than ever. The preacher asked, “Didn’t you do what I advised?”
“Yes, I did just like you told me to do,” the man replied, “but I didn’t like what I found.” “What did you read?”
The man replied, “It said, Chapter 11!”
Obviously, we can’t approach God’s word like a fortune cookie or a Magic 8-ball. We must read all of the Bible to have His complete will on any subject. But, if you turn at random to virtually any page in Scripture, you’re sure to find one or all of the following important things.
Wisdom for Life
Proverbs 9:10 says, “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” The Bible is saturated with the divine wisdom for living the best life possible, and for answering the toughest questions. While philosophers and PhDs struggle to put it all together, students of God’s word enjoy truth from the Creator. “I have more insight than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation” (Psalm 119:99).
When I watch TV, sometimes I feel like the time was well spent, other times I feel like it was wasted. Reading the Bible, however, is never wasted time. I never regret time spent in the word. It always pays off with wisdom for life.
Power for Salvation
Paul said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom 1:16). He told Timothy, “from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 3:15). James exhorted, “receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21).
Every bit of the Bible is inspired (2 Tim. 3:16), the divine work of the Holy Spirit of God (1 Thess. 2:13). It is unchanging, unfading (1 Peter 1:24-25). And those who pursue His word will find there the key to pleasing Him and gaining eternal life. “Long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation” (1 Peter 2:2).
Healing for the Heart
Over and over, the Bible reminds us that Heaven awaits, and that no problem on earth overshadows the glory of that land. The Bible, like life, is punctuated with tragedy. Yet, victory always follows for the faithful (Rev. 2:10). We see our goal shining ahead.
Tools for Decision-Making
“Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). For every moral issue, every question, every decision, direction can be found in the Bible. You never have to walk aimlessly through life if you have made it a habit to read God’s word.
Faith for Difficult Times
Reading of the trials of men like Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Gideon, David, Hezekiah, Nehemiah, Mary, Peter, John, and Paul, and of the victories they accomplished, reminds us of the role of faith when facing obstacles. God stands by the side of His people.
Condemnation of Sin
In 2 Kings 22:11-13, the word of God had been neglected by Israel for decades. A new king, Josiah, found the word of God and read it. “When the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes ... for great is the wrath of the Lord that burns against us, because our fathers have not listened to the words of this book.” Sometimes reading the Bible is not pleasant, but it is always profitable. No one likes to be confronted by his sin. However, since we will be judged by the word of God (John 12:48), it’s important to understand what it says!
Our Savior, Jesus Christ
Mention of Jesus is by no means limited to the New Testament. Jesus claimed of the Old Testament Scriptures, “it is these that testify about Me” (John 5:39). Jesus said, “all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled” (Luke 24:44). Peter preached, “of Him all the prophets bear witness” (Acts 10:43).
From Genesis to Revelation the words of the Bible point to the mission and character of Jesus Christ. The Bible opens with Him in Genesis 1:1 (cf. Heb. 1:2), and the first mention of His saving work is in Genesis 3:15. The Bible closes with His grace, and a plea for His return (Rev. 22:20-21). Even obscure passages, like regulations about animal sacrifices in Leviticus, still foreshadow or prefigure His saving blood. Literally every page in the Bible points somehow to Christ.
—John Guzzetta
