What a privilege and opportunity to attend “Deep — Digging down deep to lay a foundation on the Solid Rock” in West Monroe, LA last week. Feeling extra blessed to hear some speakers I know personally and becoming acquainted with others — all sharing beautiful truths from God’s Word, and terrific suggestions for truly digging deeper into that Word — I’m compelled to share a dozen “takeaways.” All of the speakers’ websites are listed at the conclusion of this post.
1. Celebrate the Book! Without the Word in us, we are dead. We become like dead churches. With the Word in us we are Alive! The Word is the blood flowing through our marrow, and we are thriving.
2. God wrote His book for you personally. It’s His personal diary. Jesus opens it for you and the Holy Spirit makes you understand it.
3. You’ll never put anything in your mouth that tastes better than Scripture. Come to it with expectation of receiving.
4. Read, but also meditate. Take time to think what God is saying to you personally.
5. When reading and studying Scripture, even if you don’t “get it” God’s doing a transformational work. His work is not dependent on our understanding.
6. “Quiet waters run deeper still.” ~~Latin Proverb. In Psalm 23 we ask God to lead us beside still waters — a place to cultivate a deeper relationship with Him.
7. LOOK at God’s Word. LISTEN to what He has to say to you. CHECK what you believe you hear against the commentaries. LOVE God’s Word. It is ultimate Truth. Set apart time each day with Him in His Word and He will sanctify (transform) you.
8. Determine to value God’s Word. Get past the boredom with and drooling in the Word.
9. Our relationship with the Word changes when we decide we need a daily Bible “feeding” instead of daily Bible “reading.” The Word is where life is found, and our lives will transform when we go to it for sustenance.
10. Talk back to God’s Word — It’s living! He’s sitting reading it along with you. Ask Him questions. Listen as He begins to speak back.
11. You can’t go to heaven on someone else’s faith, but you can live by “Grandma’s faith” until you get your own.
12. Zone IN rather than Zone OUT. When you feel the need to take a break for you, take it with God. Every opportunity you grab to get into the Word and take hold of it becomes and opportunity for the Word to be planted in your heart and grab a hold of you.
As promised here are the speakers and their websites:
Dr. Joneal Kirby — Heartfelt Ministries
Miss Kay Robertson — Duck Dynasty
Shellie Rushing Tomlinson — The Belle of All Things Southern
Pat Domangue — OnFire Ministries
Linda Lawson Trimble — Author of “Tru: An American Princess: A Fairy Tale Every Girl Should Read”
April Rodgers — Reflecting Light in Everyday Life (blog)