2 Timothy 3:16, 17
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
There was once a little boy who loved his mother’s strawberry jam. She put it on the top shelf and told him not to get into it while she ran some errands. He resisted for a while, but finally he succumbed.
He put the chair by the counter, climbed up and could just reach his finger into the jam. He enjoyed his illicit treat until he heard his mother coming. He quickly climbed down and was standing there trying to look innocent when she walked in.
His mother said “John, have you been in the strawberry jam?” He looked her right in the eye and said, “No.”
She repeated, “John have you been in the jam?” His eyes fell down to her belt-line, and he said, “No.”
A third time she asked, and this time his eyes fell to her shoes, but he still said, “No.” She asked a fourth time, “John have you been in the jam?”
This time his eyes fell even lower, so low that he looked right in the middle of his shirt and saw a spot of strawberry jam. (Story told by James Boice, at Dallas Seminary.)
That’s how the repeated reading of God’s Word works on us, to bring us to apply it to ourselves.
The first time through we say, “This really applies to that no-good neighbor of mine. I wish he’d read it!”
The second time we say, “This is good stuff for those obnoxious people at church.”
The third time we say, “I wish my wife and kids would read this! It would really improve our family life.”
The fourth time we see the spot on our own shirt and say, “Oh, Lord, I need to deal with my own sin!” The Word reproves us.
Teaching found @ https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-17-why-you-need-bible-2-timothy-316-17
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
There was once a little boy who loved his mother’s strawberry jam. She put it on the top shelf and told him not to get into it while she ran some errands. He resisted for a while, but finally he succumbed.
He put the chair by the counter, climbed up and could just reach his finger into the jam. He enjoyed his illicit treat until he heard his mother coming. He quickly climbed down and was standing there trying to look innocent when she walked in.
His mother said “John, have you been in the strawberry jam?” He looked her right in the eye and said, “No.”
She repeated, “John have you been in the jam?” His eyes fell down to her belt-line, and he said, “No.”
A third time she asked, and this time his eyes fell to her shoes, but he still said, “No.” She asked a fourth time, “John have you been in the jam?”
This time his eyes fell even lower, so low that he looked right in the middle of his shirt and saw a spot of strawberry jam. (Story told by James Boice, at Dallas Seminary.)
That’s how the repeated reading of God’s Word works on us, to bring us to apply it to ourselves.
The first time through we say, “This really applies to that no-good neighbor of mine. I wish he’d read it!”
The second time we say, “This is good stuff for those obnoxious people at church.”
The third time we say, “I wish my wife and kids would read this! It would really improve our family life.”
The fourth time we see the spot on our own shirt and say, “Oh, Lord, I need to deal with my own sin!” The Word reproves us.
Teaching found @ https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-17-why-you-need-bible-2-timothy-316-17
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