March 26, 2021
God’s Got the Power
Mary Southerland
Today’s Truth
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly … Colossians 3:16, NIV).
Friend to Friend
The lakes in Florida are beautiful, but relatively shallow. Over the years, they fill up with the silt and mire that wash off the shore. In time, they accumulate two to three feet of mire and decaying vegetation at the bottom. That mire soon begins to deprive the lake, plants and fish of valuable oxygen. The lakes eventually die. In order to halt this process, the lakes must be drained periodically to expose the mire. Workers then come in and dredge the mire – restoring the lake bottom to its original condition. The lake water can then be raised. The lake, its vegetation and fish are soon thriving again.
Our lives are much the same. To experience God’s peace, we need to regularly expose and eliminate the "mire" of sin in our lives. The more we seek God, the stronger our peace will grow. When we have a personal relationship with God, we also have access to all of God’s power and all of God’s peace. How much power we receive from Him and how much peace we experience in Him depends upon how right our relationship is with Him. A right relationship with God depends on how much time we spend in His Word.
Colossians 3:16 (NIV) “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…”
In this verse, “dwell” means “to feel at home.” I love this truth! The Apostle Paul is conveying the idea that God’s Word should be such a natural part of our lives that it comfortably dwells with us and feels at home in us.
Our greatest source of power comes from knowing, embracing, and applying the Word of God.
“For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are” (Hebrews 4:12, NLT).
God’s Word cuts away sin and heals the deepest wounds as it guides, directs, and dispels darkness. How many times we have been through the Bible is not nearly as important as how many times the Bible has been through us.
If you visit Yellowstone National Park, one of the park rangers will hand you a piece of paper that warns, "Do Not Feed the Bears." When a ranger was asked what was so bad about feeding the bears, he answered, "You have only a small part of the picture." The ranger went on to describe how, during the fall and winter months, when few people visit the park, the park service personnel have to carry away the bodies of dead bears – bears who can no longer feed themselves.
We must develop the discipline of reading and studying the Bible on our own. That discipline will uncover the very heart of God and lead us to discover His plan for our lives. The Bible is God’s blueprint for a life of victory and peace. When we fail to plug the Word of God into our lives, we become a target for the schemes of the enemy. Christians who do not know how to feed themselves the Word of God tend to struggle with fear and anxiety. A steady diet of truth will produce a life of peace.
Let’s Pray
Father, I confess to You that I do not treasure Your Word like I should. Please forgive me when I do not spend enough time reading, studying, and meditating on the truths in the Bible. Help me learn how to feed myself and grow in my walk with You. I want Bible study to become a habit in my life. Please give me a new hunger and fresh thirst for scripture. Teach me how to learn and live in it.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
Is Bible study a habit in your life?
Do you know and apply the Bible each day?
What step(s) do you need to take to make Bible study a daily priority?
Make a plan for implementing those steps.
More from the Girlfriends
I have been a Christian for many years but being consistent in Bible study and prayer is still a struggle at times. It is easy to be discouraged and want to give up 
when the struggle is hard. Don’t do it! That is exactly what the enemy wants you to do. He knows the power of God’s Word and shudders when a child of God lives out the truths found in the Bible. If you fail, begin again! God will honor your heart. Need help? Get Mary’s book, How to Study the Bible.
Be sure to check out the FREE MP3s on Mary’s website and connect with Mary through email (mary@marysoutherland.com) or on Facebook.
Need prayer? Contact our Prayer Team Director, Ginger Meador, at gjmeador@comcast.net.
© 2021 by Mary Southerland. All rights reserved.