by Rick Warren
"All scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right." (2 Timothy 3:16 NLT)
One night after teaching at a pastor's conference, my family decided to go to the beach at about 9 p.m. — that's typical for the Warrens. So there we were at Capistrano Beach, frolicking in the ocean, and having fun. Then someone in our family saw this little sign that was posted in the sand that said, "Contaminated water. Stay out." That sign represented an authority and very clearly told us, "Don't you dare put even a toe in this water!"
Why was that sign posted? To ruin my fun? To make my life a big bummer? No! It was there for my own health. How should I react to that authority?
I could reject that authority and say, "This is a stupid sign! I know better than this sign, so I'm going to go ahead and play in the water anyway."
Or I could say, "This sign is out of date. It was for another time and another age. And it really doesn't apply to me because it's out of date, I'm sure."
Or I could say, "This sign doesn't really mean what it says. When it says 'Stay out,' that's just someone's interpretation. I interpret the words 'Stay out' as meaning 'Go right ahead!'"
Or I could say, "I'm sure God would want me to ignore this sign, because God wants me to have fun."
Throughout the Bible, God says things like "Don't have premarital sex." You may say, "That's out of date. That's wrong. I don't like it. That's your interpretation," but it's still the truth. Why was the sign set up there on the beach? To keep me from disease, from danger, and possibly even death. It was for my own benefit.
The Bible is filled with all kinds of rules and commands. Why? Because God is a loving God. Everything that's in the Bible is not there to make your life miserable; it's there to protect you. It's there for your health. It's there for your good. A loving God who knows more than you gave you the rules for life. If you ignore them, you only get hurt.
The Bible says, "All scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right" (2 Timothy 3:16 NLT). God's Word is your signpost for life.
In fact, making God's Word the authority of your life is a stress reliever, because if you don't have an authority in your life, you're going to listen to all kinds of conflicting opinions. One day you'll decide this, another day you'll decide that, and then one day you can't decide, and indecision causes stress. But if you decide that God's Word is going to be the authority of your life, it simplifies your decision-making.
Talk It Over
"All scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right." (2 Timothy 3:16 NLT)
One night after teaching at a pastor's conference, my family decided to go to the beach at about 9 p.m. — that's typical for the Warrens. So there we were at Capistrano Beach, frolicking in the ocean, and having fun. Then someone in our family saw this little sign that was posted in the sand that said, "Contaminated water. Stay out." That sign represented an authority and very clearly told us, "Don't you dare put even a toe in this water!"
Why was that sign posted? To ruin my fun? To make my life a big bummer? No! It was there for my own health. How should I react to that authority?
I could reject that authority and say, "This is a stupid sign! I know better than this sign, so I'm going to go ahead and play in the water anyway."
Or I could say, "This sign is out of date. It was for another time and another age. And it really doesn't apply to me because it's out of date, I'm sure."
Or I could say, "This sign doesn't really mean what it says. When it says 'Stay out,' that's just someone's interpretation. I interpret the words 'Stay out' as meaning 'Go right ahead!'"
Or I could say, "I'm sure God would want me to ignore this sign, because God wants me to have fun."
Throughout the Bible, God says things like "Don't have premarital sex." You may say, "That's out of date. That's wrong. I don't like it. That's your interpretation," but it's still the truth. Why was the sign set up there on the beach? To keep me from disease, from danger, and possibly even death. It was for my own benefit.
The Bible is filled with all kinds of rules and commands. Why? Because God is a loving God. Everything that's in the Bible is not there to make your life miserable; it's there to protect you. It's there for your health. It's there for your good. A loving God who knows more than you gave you the rules for life. If you ignore them, you only get hurt.
The Bible says, "All scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right" (2 Timothy 3:16 NLT). God's Word is your signpost for life.
In fact, making God's Word the authority of your life is a stress reliever, because if you don't have an authority in your life, you're going to listen to all kinds of conflicting opinions. One day you'll decide this, another day you'll decide that, and then one day you can't decide, and indecision causes stress. But if you decide that God's Word is going to be the authority of your life, it simplifies your decision-making.
Talk It Over
- How would you describe your attitude toward the Bible?
- What is the evidence in your life that God's Word is your authority for how you live?
- Describe a time in your life when you followed God's leading from his Word and as a result felt relief from stress or pressure.
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