Reading God's Word (Rev. 1:3)

SPIRIUTAL DIARY FOR

01/18/2005

 

My Worship Time                  Focus:  Reading God’s Word

 

Bible Reading & Meditation             Reference:  Rev. 1:3

 

            Message of the verse:  3 ¶ Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.  (NAS95)  3 ¶ God blesses the one who reads this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to it and obey what it says. For the time is near when these things will happen.  (NLT)

            The word translated “read” means to read out loud, and thus this book was read out loud to each of the local churches.  The ones who read it and the ones who heard it were blessed, for they were all going through some kind of persecution, and this book would encourage and instruct them as they went through these difficulties.  For Paul wrote to Titus that  the great “hope” of the believer was the coming of the Lord for His Church, and this book goes into details of this.  John writes at the end of this verse that the time is near.  The word translated “near” is translated “close at hand,” in the KJV, and it means close in the original text.  I must admit that I do not full understand this choice of words, yet I do believe it was certainly inspired for use here. 

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  John writes of a special blessing for those who read and hear this letter, and that is consistent with other portions of Scripture, for the believer is to read and study the Word of God each and every day of his life, and by doing this he will be blessed of God.

 

The Word of God was both a challenge and a it was refreshing to my heart as I read and studied it this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  Continue to read and study the Word of God and to think about it, to also trust the Lord with the circumstances of my life that I find myself in each and every day, for He is in control and makes no mistakes.