The other night as I was watching Andy Rooney’s final 60 Minutes sign off there were a couple of things he said which really got me thinking. The first was something along the lines that there is no lack of subject matter with which to write about.

That interested me as a writer. Although I have no problem writing an entire book, in fact I write at least five days a week, to write a quarterly newsletter or to write a weekly blog is something I struggle with. Mostly because for the newsletter it must be short and to the point to keep a reader’s interest and there are just way too many stories to tell about our trips to Bulgaria, so which do I share? (See the statement “there is no lack of subject matter” is obviously true here.) While on the other hand, writing a blog to keep in touch with my readers is something I struggle with as well. Mostly because I just want to write books. I don’t want to stop and figure out what other subject matter to write about. This is why Rooney’s statement caught my interest.

As you know, as Christians, we need to take time daily to read God’s Word. As we do this, there truly is no lack of subject matter to be found within His Word. In fact, just the other day as I was reading Ezekiel chapter 33 a passage really encouraged me. It was then that I got the idea for a blog. Well, between this idea for a blog post and Rooney’s parting words another idea began to form.

As a Bible teacher I want to encourage you to read God’s Word daily. Yet, what is even more important is for you to grow from what you read. You see, I have learned in my years of daily devotions that it doesn’t matter how many times I read the Bible; what is important is: how many times something from the Bible pierced my heart and changed my life.

With this said, let’s go on a yearlong adventure together. As we do, I will share how God speaks to my heart through the reading of His Word and in what way He challenged me to apply what I read. And if you so desire you can share via a comment how God spoke to your heart and how you applied His Word to your life. Together may we help encourage others to read and apply God’s Word as well. Therefore, I will commit, to the best of my ability, to post a weekly blog (for a total of 52 weeks) from my daily devotions.

Another thing that Rooney said which I enjoyed was, “I probably haven’t said anything here that you didn’t already know or have already thought.” Although I didn’t watch Rooney on a weekly basis, whenever I did see him I always enjoyed his cute little grumpy commentaries on everyday life and many times seemingly unimportant topics. And although I probably won’t write about anything you don’t already know or haven’t already thought about, my goal in sharing these devotions will be not only to encourage you to see how God is speaking to you personally through your own daily reading of the Word, but also to equip you to apply His Word to your life so that your life will be changed. Proverbs 3:6 says:

In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your path.

As we acknowledge Him through the reading and applying of His Word, He will direct our paths and our lives will be changed!

You see, it doesn’t matter how fast you read through the Bible, or how many times you have read it, or even how many verses you have memorized. What matters is: how many times God spoke to your heart through what you read and how many times you allowed it to change your life. That’s what matters; that is what is life changing; that is what will help you become all that God created you to be. Never forget, you are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which He prepared in advance for you to do (see Ephesians 2:10). This is who you are in Christ. Because you are His work of art, He desires you to grow and mature. It is only through the reading and applying of His Word that you can fulfill His desire for your life. This is when your life will have true meaning.

What are you waiting for? I’m looking forward to this yearlong adventure. Don’t forget to share how God is speaking to you through His Word. And I look forward to hearing how you applied His Word to your life. Perhaps by your comments it can help other readers to grow in their relationship with the Lord as well. Feel free to leave a comment or even ask a question. God bless!