You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life. It is these that testify about Me. You are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have eternal life. John 5:39-40

All scripture is inspired by God. It is His revelation. His Spirit illuminates it.

So wonderful is the portal into God’s mind that it is easy for scripture to become the focus.

Jesus reorients me back to Himself. The scriptures are wonderful because they testify about Jesus. When I come to the scriptures, the purpose should be to come to Jesus.

To come to the scriptures, to search them, as an end to itself, may be well intentioned, but is to miss the real purpose. It is to focus on the love letter rather than the lover.

Jesus challenges that I am unwilling to come to Him. Why? Coming to Jesus is to have life.

Am I unwilling because

• I fear judgment? Jesus said coming to Him means life, not judgment.  There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
• I have become infatuated with the scriptures? Remember their purpose – to testify about Jesus.
• I love the intellectual exercise of bible study? This is arrogance. The purpose of bible study is to be changed. To be built up, not puffed up.

Jesus’ call is clear and simple: Come to Me

Every time I am in the scriptures, I should ask: what is the testimony about Jesus in this passage?

And I should never let bible study be a substitute for coming to Jesus.

Jesus said come to me, all you who are burdened and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Jesus bids me to come boldly into the throne room of grace to find help in time of need. Jesus says to come to Him is to have life.

Let me lay aside fear of coming to Jesus, or incomplete measures of searching scriptures for their own sake.  Lord Jesus, I come to you.  Change me.  Let Your abundant life be given to me, and through me to others.  

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