Why Scripture Will Unlock And Energize Your Inner World
I've spent lots of articles explaining the what and how of Scripture, but why does it matter to begin with. Let's see what Jesus says about the power of the Bible for your inner world.
You simultaneously live in two realities. The first is what we easily see with our eyes, feel on our skin, taste in our mouths. It is the physical world around us. It is the car speeding by as you walk down the sidewalk, the baseball whizzing by your head, or the bite of Thai duck stir fry from your favorite restaurant.
The second is no less real but often underappreciated. It is the unseen life within the “real” world. This world is both in you and around you.
It is a spiritual world that is as true as what you can see and feel. This has been called the garden of your soul. It is the reality where Jesus said no moth, rust, or man can destroy.1
How do you grow this inner world?
Most of us spend our lives planting, cultivating, and growing the first reality, but we only give the second world our less-than-best effort. If you care to improve your spiritual world, what do you do?
This month, I’m answering this question.
My challenge for you this month is to begin enhancing the things that grow your spiritual life and possibly add more. I came across this quote recently, and it perfectly describes the importance of beginning now—no matter where you are in this process.
The best time to plant an oak tree was twenty-five years ago.
The second best time is today.
-James Carville
Now is the time to plant, cultivate, and grow your inner world. In the last two weeks, I’ve given two steps—intentionality and community. Today, I’ll go to the one you may have thought about immediately: scripture.
Why Scripture Grows Your Inner World
Over the past year, I’ve written a lot about the Bible. I shared how to take the basic steps to understand the Bible, how the context of Scripture is vital to a deeper understanding of the Bible, and five different examples of themes the authors of the Bible used to express their thoughts. Looking back, I realize I took for granted that you know WHY the Bible matters to us as followers of Jesus.
Today, I will share three reasons why the Bible matters to your inner world.
1. Jesus believed in the Bible.
Jesus believed in the power of the Bible.
Of course, Jesus’ Bible was the Old Testament, so he referred to and quoted the Old Testament consistently throughout his ministry on earth. In the four Gospels, Jesus quotes the Old Testament dozens of times. Of the 1800 verses in these four Gospels that record the words of Jesus, 180 of those verses are a direct quote or reference to the Old Testament. 2
Jesus knew power was in the Word of God, so he used it.
The best example of Jesus's use of Scripture was when Satan tempted him in the wilderness. Over the course of 40 days, Jesus was tempted in an intense and personal way three different times by Lucifer himself. In each of those times, Jesus quoted Scripture to Satan to repel these attacks on his soul. Jesus knew Scripture and recognized its power to repel his enemy's attacks.
This may sound too simplistic, but if Jesus believed in the power of the Bible, shouldn’t we?
2. Scripture sustains you.
The Gospel of Matthew records Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness. Satan’s first attack tempts Jesus to turn stones into bread. After 40 days of fasting, this was a true test. However, Jesus’ reply (using Scripture) tells us the power of God’s Word.
But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say,
‘People do not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” -Matthew 4:4 NLT
As followers of Jesus, we understand that the Bible is the Word of God, and as Jesus says, the Word of God is like a spiritual meal for you. I’m not a nutrition expert, but I know protein is the power source for a good workout. Scripture is a power source for your daily life. It powers your spiritual world.
Sustenance is what matters.
One of the struggles you will face as you read the Bible is that some days will be richer than others. Sometimes, when you open the Bible, it will seem to be alive, with the words jumping off the page at you. But other days (and sometimes for days or weeks in a row), it will be dry, slow, or confusing. I recently heard an illustration that helped me with this frustrating sense of reading Scripture.
Referring back to the meal analogy, some days may be like an amazing steak dinner. Cooked just right with the perfect sides, every bite is the best you’ve ever had. But most days will be basic—a ham sandwich or a protein bar. It sustains you, but it isn’t as rich or memorable. Sustenance is your goal, not a gourmet meal.
It is God’s Word that will sustain you today.
3. Scripture lights your way.
Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the bible with 176 verses (when I was in junior high, my Christian school bible teacher gave every kid the option to memorize this entire chapter for a two-semester ‘A.’ One kid took him up. The kid was flunking the class until part way through the year when he stayed after class to recite this entire chapter. No more homework or tests that year. Crazy).
Psalm 119 is broken up into sub-chapters of 8 verses. Each subchapter restates the same thing — the importance of God’s law (Scripture). Over and over, the author expresses in slightly different ways how he relies on God’s Word to lead, guide, and sustain him. In one of these subchapters, the author begins with this:
Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path. -Psalm 119:105
In the next seven verses, he explains how Scripture leads and guides his life. Note that the light on the path is moment by moment. It is more like a spotlight than a floodlight. Each step is reliant on the light right in front of it. The implication is that we need God’s Word today for today. I need it tomorrow for tomorrow. It builds on itself and grows over time, but I need God’s Word for what I walk through today.
If you want to grow your inner world, you need the Word of God. You need to study it alone and with others.
From the Why to the What
My encouragement for you today is two-fold:
Create a regular habit of reading the Bible.
Deepen your ability to understand the Bible.
Finally, here are some resources to get you down that road:
4 Tips to Understand the Bible
Themes in Scripture Series
Matthew 10:28, Matthew 6:19-24