A Neglected Treasure

Verse of the day: Exodus 32:15-16 And Moses turned and went down from the mountain, and the two tablets of the Testimony were in his hand. The tablets were written on both sides; on the one side and on the other they were written. 16 Now the tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God engraved on the tablets.

As Moses descends Mount Sinai, he brings with Him the Tablets containing the Ten Commandments that were written with God’s very own hand. What a magnificent treasure he carried at that very moment. Can any of us imagine having God personally hand us His Word, etched by His own hand? How much would we treasure it? Many of us would say that it would be the most valuable thing we own. Well, let me ask, “Do we treasure our Bibles as much as we would if we possessed those two tablets?” The fact of the matter is that we not only have possession of those Ten Commandments, but we possess the entire Word of God, as He revealed it to us. Yet, I am saddened to think that we do not value God’s Word as we should; for if we did, we would certainly spend more time reading and studying it. We would treasure it, know where it is at all times, and even keep it available to us at always, regardless of where we are. The truth is that just as God etched His commands on those tablets, He has breathed every word of the Scriptures we hold today. Contrary to what scoffers and unbelievers say about the Bible being filled with fairy tales, and men’s ideas and stories, the Bible was inspired by God, or God-breathed. It did not originate with man. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 clearly tells us, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Peter 1:20-21 also confirms, “knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” All the answers we need concerning life are found in the pages of our Bible. In His Word we find the answer to eternal life, Jesus Christ. We can learn who our Heavenly Father is, who the Holy Spirit is, and what roles they played in bringing us peace with God and eternal life. The entire Word is profitable, not because it came with man’s answers to life, but because God Himself is its Author. The Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3 that it is profitable in establishing our belief system. What are we to believe about God and man? 2 Corinthians 5:16-17 tells us that because we are new creatures in Christ, we no longer view God and man from the perspective of the flesh. We have a new outlook on life. We are to renew our minds (Romans 12:2). How? By the Holy Spirit working in us, using the Word of God, to change our thinking. Not only is it profitable for what we believe, but it is what the Holy Spirit uses to convict us of sin so that we will come to repentance and confession. It then helps us to get back on the right path, and guides us on how to stay on that path. Psalm 119:105 reads, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” For those of us who have been born again believers for some time, we should no longer be babes in our knowledge and understanding of God’s Word, and who God is. The writer of Hebrews put it best, in Hebrews 5:12-14, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” We are no longer to be children, tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine, and deceitfulness of men (Ephesians 4:14). How much we treasure God’s perfect Word will be evident by how much time we spend in it, and how much effort we put into living it (James 1:22-25).

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).