😱Are you committing Bible Study Adultery?

The only teacher you need is the Holy Spirit. Do you believe this verse? Or do you just believe and obey what the commanding voices in your life have said?
It’s time to get to know Scripture for yourself… just between you, the Word, and the Holy Spirit. That’s it.
It’s a big deal in the Bible Challenge to say no to commentaries & study Bible notes. This verse I shared is what drives me to unadulterated time with my Bible.

I get a lot of commentary in life. I chat doctrine with people, I read books, I listen to sermons. I get a lot of input on the thoughts, convictions, and doctrines of others. But when I sit down to read my Bible Challenge portion each day, no one else is allowed in with their views for that time I’m spending with the Holy Spirit who’s anointing teaches me what I need to know. We don’t need a third wheel for our Bible time. We just need the mind of Christ free to lead us to what we need to learn.

Many of you are following commanding people with their commanding doctrines & rules with no ability to defend your (their) stance from Scripture. Many of you follow a way of thinking & obey certain folks not veering from it because you fear the backlash from those commanding presences in your life. It’s time for the desert island approach again! It’s time to ask yourself, ‘If I had never met so-n-so would I read my Bible and come to THAT conclusion?’ Ask the Holy Spirit to show you wondrous things from your Bible time. He’s quite capable to teach you all you need to know even if you never pick up a commentary again and ignore all your so-n-so’s for a while. 😅👊🏻😎

~Shannon

We know that the Old Testament saints were required to perform sacrifices as part of their obedience & worship… those sacrifices were all pictures of what Christ saved us from and a hands-on constant reminder of our dependence on Christ’s work.

As I read Daniel 3 again today I realized God didn’t want an animal sacrifice this time. It wasn’t a sheep or a bull that was going to cover what was necessary for the true worship of almighty God in these circumstances.

It’s easy to feel godly as you perfectly execute the letter of the law when it only requires your animal to be placed on the altar, the animal’s blood pouring out, not yours. The animal’s flesh licked by the flames, not your own.

What about when God asks you to take it to a whole new level? We know who we truly treasure and worship then. That moment when you have to choose whether you’ll climb on the altar yourself or not, because there’s no animal in sight to cover this sacrifice for you. God wants you. All of you.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego didn’t choose a lesser sacrifice. Self-preservation wasn’t what God was asking for. They gave Him their reasonable and acceptable sacrifice (Romans 12:1), the ultimate form of worship.

For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. ~Psalm 51:16,17

~Shannon

Scripture has a way of cutting to the chase. It’s necessary many times when us humans enter that hazy valley of hard circumstance, to be shaken back to reality.

🤷‍♀️Did Christ die so I could do ‘that’?
🤷‍♀️Can I do ‘this’ in the name of the One who bought me with His blood.
🤷‍♀️Did Christ take God’s wrath on Himself for ‘this’?
🤷‍♀️Is what I’m choosing to do a glorification of His saving grace?

This is our encouragement for us who claim Christ:
‘Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.’ Col.3:23,24

~Shannon