I don’t know exactly where I read it, but I’ll never forget it. The comment went like this, “When you are reading the Bible, read it with self exposure in mind.” That phrase has been a positive contributing factor to how the Word has continued to be practical and personal to me almost on a daily basis. I’m ready to share a thought with you that may have the delightful same result of changing the way you read the Word. I believe it has the ability to turn your daily “devos” into a daily delight. I’m going to put 3 words together - here we go,
“Sayings, Ways, and *Say-sos.”
This is how I want us to approach the Word. Jesus is famously known for what we inaccurately call the “Sermon on the Mount.” I say inaccurate because Jesus did not title what He said on a grassy slope that day, a sermon. He actually called them His Sayings. Sure beats a sermon. I mean seriously, who wants a sermon? I remember hearing the snarky definition of a sermon years ago. A sermon is answering questions no one is asking. Not so with Jesus. He was never answering questions no one was asking. He was always answering questions that were deep in people’s hearts. His answers showed up in the form of a saying, or more accurately, Sayings.
“Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like” - Luke 6:47 NKJV
Jesus goes on to say that the person who hears His Sayings and does them is like a person who built his house upon a rock. Assimilating the Sayings of Jesus into your life and style will help you build your house of faith on solid ground.
Ways – the ways of God are always harder to see than the acts of God. A case and point, the Israelites knew the acts of God, but scripture tells us Moses knew the ways of God.
“He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.” – Psalm 103:7
Do we want to know the ways of God? Seeing the acts of God can be viewed by the masses, but the ways of God are found by people who have a kingly heart. It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; it is the glory of a king to search it out. Do you have a kingly heart?
Say-sos – these are the positive comments that come out of our mouths on a daily basis because of what the Lord has done on our behalf. Our hearts are revealed by our tongues aren’t they?
“Let the redeemed of the Lord say so” Psalm 107:2 NKJV
I guarantee you, if you will approach the Word with Sayings, Ways, and Say-so’s in mind the Word will become much easier to digest – more absorbable so to speak. According to the medical industry cheap vitamins are harder to absorb. Let not your heart be cheap.
Gregg Johnson
J12 Founder
Say-so
noun, plural: say-sos
1. one's personal statement or assertion.
2. final authority; directing influence.
3. an authoritative statement.