Ladies Study on Being Rooted and Grounded in Love: Part 1A

A continuation of our study on being rooted and grounded in love, I shall not be moved.

May God bless us with humble hearts as we study His word.

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I. The KEY to not being moved is to not be moved from our study/knowledge of the scriptures.

You will see us return to this point again and again. All roads lead back to this one. It is a true statement to say that we will be able to overcome and cope with every burden, trial or temptation that comes our way in this old world by turning to God and His word. The apostle Paul writes “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” Colossians 2:6-7

Sadly, on the flip side, we will fail, and end uprooted from our Christianity, if we turn from His word. As the prophet Hosea tells us in Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou has rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.”

Lack of Bible study is a vicious cycle. It’s like any other habit; like trying to eat right, or starting to exercise. The longer you do it, the easier it becomes. The less you study, the less you want to study. It’s called apathy and it’s straight from the devil. Thankfully the more you study the more you want to study and your zeal will be contagious to others. Let's look at some devices the devil uses to dissuade us from study.

A. Satan is the great deceiver and he will tell you at every turn, you don’t have time to study. You are just too busy.

He knows the scriptures, and he is fully aware of the strength we will gain from them. Satan, himself spoke the words “It is written” to Christ in Matthew 4:6 He knows every verse of the Bible inside and out. 2 Timothy 3:15-17 says “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

This scripture is one we are all familiar with…so is the devil.

What about 1 Peter 2:1-3? “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” Yes, Satan knows that one too. Do any of you have any trouble with malice, or deceit, or have you ever struggled with hypocrisy, or know someone who has? Do you always keep your speech pure and kind? God says His word is the cure-all for all of the above. The devil knows you will overcome those nasty little habits if you spend time in God's word.

2Corinthians 4:1-4 spells his plan out very clearly to us. Paul warns, “Therefore seeing we have this ministry as we have received mercy, we faint not; But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

What about Matthew 13:19 where we are told “When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart.” Do you see why he wants you to feel too busy? He knows what's at stake. However God says, “See then that ye walk circumspectly, NOT as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil, wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:15-17 God knows what's at stake too…and it's our souls.

Do you know Psalm 119? You can be sure Satan has that chapter committed to heart, and I have no doubt that it fires him up, no pun intended. Just looking at a few verses we can see why.

Vs 2: “Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.”

Vs 11 “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O LORD, teach me thy statutes.”

Vs 15 “I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.”

Vs. 18 “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.”

Just the beginnings of verses 119:33-38 “ Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes…Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law…Make me to go in the path of thy commandment;…Incline my heart unto thy testimonies…stablish thy word unto thy servant…”

The very words that helped to inspire this lesson “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” Psalm 1:1-3. The key to our success as a Christian is studying and meditating upon his word. We need to remember that all too often being too B.U.S.Y. for God's word, is really us Being Under Satan’s Yoke.

Many of you may already know these scriptures well. You may feel "studied up enough". So let's move on to the next pitfall the devil has dug.

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Point 1B to follow soon. Love to you all!

~m.