Today's Devotional

June 13, 2003

Subject:  Mighty In The Scriptures

Acts 18:24-25 -  "And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.  This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John."

A few years back, I was involved in a game of Taboo.  It's a word game where you are required to guess what the person is trying to get you to say, but you can't use key (taboo) words identified on a small card.  We were split into two teams and when the other team was giving out their clues, a friend of mine used this line as a clue, "Carlen bases his whole life on it."  Immediately, the other players on their team trying to guess the answer shouted, "the bible!" and that was the right answer.  To me that was so cool that I had that type of testimony, but deep in my mind I knew and God knew that I didn't and still don't know enough of God's Word.

The description of Apollos is the testimony that I'd like to have before God and man.  The bible says that he was "mighty in the scriptures."  Now that is some testimony to have before God.  Is God saying that about you?  When I think about how small little changes in life cut down on my bible reading time and how it often falls off without me noticing, I don't believe that He is saying it about me.  However, I daily endeavor to change that.  This is the only way that we can truly be instructed of the Lord as Apollos was; speaking and teaching of the Lord.

When your mouth is open, do people hear scriptures, something that sounds like the word of God or do they hear the world, your God? Only by opening The Book, reading and heeding the message contained therein, can we be mighty in the scriptures.

Carlen