Believe it or not

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV)

It is so hard sometimes to believe EVERY word of Scripture. Some of it I really don't understand because there are some hard things in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament. My pastor, Perry Noble, tells us that if I find something that doesn't make sense or seems to be a contradiction the problem is not with God or with the Bible. The problem is with me and my understanding of who God is or what His purpose is.

Another thing my pastor says regularly is, "Read the Bible; do what it says." As followers of Jesus Christ that should be a no brainer. But we don't always live like that. We allow the cares and passions of the world to overtake our lives and we give in to worldly pursuits.

We want to bask in the love and salvation of God but don't want to go and make disciples. We want to love our friends at church but can't seem to love our "enemies" and those who are far from God. We want to sing holy, holy, holy on Sunday and then profane the names of God and Jesus through out the week by using them as exclamations of surprise or disdain.

The problem is we like the parts that make us feel all warm and fuzzy inside but don't care much for the parts that should be shaping our attitudes toward those all around us. We don't much like the parts that require sacrifice or danger or being uncomfortable. We don't like being in situations where we have to trust God and not ourselves.

There is great cost in being a disciple of Jesus Christ. "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will save it." Luke 9:23-24 (ESV)

But God tells us in the passage from 2 Timothy that if we read and study the Scripture we will be fully equipped for every task God sets before us. Do you believe it? Yes or no? There is no room for maybe or sort of or some of it. Either you do or you don't.