Make God’s Word Personal

I'm not afraid of the devil. The devil can handle me - he's got judo I never heard of. But he can't handle the One to whom I'm joined; he can't handle the One to whom I'm united; he can't handle the One whose nature dwells in my nature.  A. W. Tozer

I read about a way of Bible study that makes God’s Word personal.  When you read Scripture replace all of the nouns and pronouns with I, me or your name.  What I have learned from this is that it makes the Bible’s words more personal.  It also shows me where I need improvement.  The third thing it does is it makes me focus on me and what I need to work on instead of trying to fix someone else.

Proverbs 2:1-5

          If I receive His words, and treasure His commands within me, so that I incline my ear to wisdom and apply my heart to understanding; Yes, if I cry out for understanding, If I seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then I will understand the fear of the Lord, and I will find the knowledge of God.   

Proverbs 2:10-12

          When wisdom enters my heart, and knowledge is pleasant to my soul, discretion will preserve me; understanding will keep me, to deliver me from the way of evil from the man who speaks perverse things.

Proverbs 3:5-6

          Trust in the Lord with all my heart, and lean not on my own understanding; in all my ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct my paths.

Hebrews 13:5-6

          Let my conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as I have.  For He himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  So I may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper, I will not fear.  What can man do to me?”

1 Corinthians 13:4-5

          My love should suffer long and be kind; my love does not envy; does not parade itself and is not puffed up; my love should not behave rudely, not seek its own, not be provoked, and think no evil.

If I put myself in the place of the Scriptures that give me guidance on how to live a Christian life, then I will become more like Him.

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, help me to read the Scripture in the context of me.  I know I need to work on me.  If I replace the instructions You give us with me’s; I will better understand what needs to be fixed in me and look less at what needs to be fixed in someone else.  Help me to get the plank out of my own eye before I try to remove the speck from another’s.      

Scripture: “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.  Matthew 7:1-5