What I Learned From Twisted Scriptures

_{This is a bonus post in the Twisted Scriptures series, where we look at familiar Bible verses and Christian phrases in their proper context. The original sixteen-part series began May 3, 2026.}

The Twisted Scriptures series began with a simple goal: to look at familiar verses in their original context and understand what they were actually saying.

I expected to learn while researching these posts, but I probably learned more than I anticipated. Writing each one forced me to slow down, read the surrounding verses, compare passages, and examine interpretations I had heard or repeated for years.

I have discovered that studying Scripture carefully is not about proving how much we know. It is about remaining willing to learn.

There were passages in this series that confirmed what I already believed. Others added balance or helped me see a familiar promise more clearly. A few required me to reconsider the way I had explained or applied a verse before.

That is not something to be embarrassed about.

I am a pastor, but I am still a student of the Bible. I expect to remain one for the rest of my life. No matter how many years we have studied Scripture, there will always be more to learn, connections we have not noticed, and assumptions that need to be examined.

First Thessalonians 5:21 says, “Test all things; hold fast what is good.”

The Greek word translated “test” is dokimazō, pronounced dok-im-AD-zo, and written δοκιμάζω. It means to examine, test, prove, or determine whether something is genuine. Paul was not teaching believers to accept every spiritual claim without question. He told them to examine what they heard and hold tightly to what proved true.

That requires both discernment and humility.

Some of the passages we covered may have been difficult because we have held onto a certain meaning for a long time. A verse may have encouraged us during a painful season, been taught by someone we respected, or become part of the way we naturally speak about faith.

When someone explains the context differently, it can feel as though something meaningful is being taken away.

That was never the purpose of this series.

Most of the familiar applications we discussed were not evil, dishonest, or completely useless. They were often sincere attempts to encourage people, express faith, or apply a biblical truth. The issue was usually not that the statement was terrible. It was that the actual passage was saying something fuller, stronger, or more specific.

Understanding the context does not weaken Scripture.

Most of the time, it makes the promise stronger.

Philippians 4:13 is not weaker when we understand that Paul was speaking about strength through hardship. It becomes a promise we can hold onto even when we do not win. Jeremiah 29:11 is not less comforting when we learn that the people had to endure a long exile. It shows us that God remains faithful even when restoration takes longer than we hoped.

The truth of Scripture does not need us to protect it from careful study. It can withstand our questions, our examination, and our willingness to look again.

We should also remember that knowing the proper context is not enough by itself. It is possible to understand a verse correctly and still fail to obey it. Bible knowledge should lead us toward greater humility, faithfulness, love, and submission to Jesus.

The goal is not to become the person who corrects everyone else.

The goal is to become someone who handles God’s Word carefully and allows it to correct us first.

This series may be ending, but the subject is not finished. I have already started collecting ideas for Twisted Scriptures: Part Two.

We may look at what it really means to “quench the Spirit” and whether that verse should be used to stop people from exercising discernment. We may examine “Train up a child in the way he should go” and ask whether Proverbs 22:6 is an absolute guarantee. We may also explore why “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” is about more than education or having enough information.

There are plenty of familiar verses left to examine.

Until then, I hope this series encourages you to keep your Bible open, read beyond the verse being quoted, and remain willing to learn. Do not be afraid when the context challenges something you have believed for a long time.

Truth is not your enemy.

God’s Word is not weakened when we understand it more accurately. It becomes clearer, richer, and more dependable.

I have learned a great deal while researching and writing this series. I hope you have learned with me, and I hope we all remain students of Scripture for as long as God gives us the opportunity.

Bible Promise

Psalm 119:105

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

God’s Word gives dependable light when we approach it with humility, patience, and a willingness to obey.

Reflection Questions

Which passage in this series challenged or strengthened your understanding of Scripture the most?
Are you willing to examine long-held beliefs and allow God’s Word to correct you when necessary?

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Your Word and for every truth You have taught me through this series. Keep me humble, teachable, and willing to examine what I believe. Help me never to use Scripture carelessly or treat Bible knowledge as a reason to feel superior to others. Give me discernment to test what I hear, wisdom to understand the context, and courage to obey what You reveal. Thank You that Your truth is stronger than my assumptions and that understanding Your Word more accurately only makes it more dependable. Help me remain a faithful student of Scripture for the rest of my life.

I give You all honor, all the glory, and all of the praise. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen & Amen.

It Wasn’t Me, It Was All God

_{This is a bonus post in the Twisted Scriptures series, where we look at familiar Bible verses and Christian phrases in their proper context. The original sixteen-part series began May 3, 2026.}

I have caught myself saying, “It wasn’t me. It was all God.”

Usually, I meant it sincerely. I wanted to give God the glory and make sure no one thought I was taking credit for something He helped me do. I have heard other people say the same thing after singing well, preaching a message, writing something meaningful, finishing a difficult project, or using a gift God placed in their lives.

I understand what we mean when we say it.

We know the gift came from God. We know the opportunity came from God. We know we could not do anything of lasting value without His grace. We do not want appreciation to become pride, so we quickly push the compliment away and say, “It was not me.”

But is that the best way to describe what happened?

First Corinthians 15:10 gives us a better balance. Paul wrote, “By the grace of God I am what I am.” He gave God full credit for the calling, transformation, and grace upon his life. However, in the same verse, he also said, “I labored more abundantly than they all.”

Paul did not deny his effort.

He did not say he had done nothing. He worked, traveled, preached, suffered, studied, prayed, and remained faithful through tremendous hardship. Then he added, “Yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”

The Greek word translated “grace” is charis, pronounced KHAH-rees, and written χάρις. It can mean grace, favor, gift, or gracious enablement. In Paul’s life, grace did not replace effort. Grace empowered it.

That distinction matters.

God called Paul, but Paul still had to answer. God gave him grace, but Paul still had to labor. God opened doors, but Paul still had to walk through them. His work did not compete with the glory of God. His faithful work demonstrated what the grace of God could accomplish through a surrendered person.

The same is true for us.

If you sing well, God gave you the voice, but you may also have spent years learning how to use it. If you speak well, God may have anointed you, but you still studied, prayed, prepared, and learned from your mistakes. If you completed something difficult, God gave strength and opportunity, but you still showed up and did the work.

Acknowledging that is not pride.

Pride says, “I did this by myself, and I am better than everyone else.”

False humility says, “I had nothing to do with this at all.”

Biblical humility says, “God gave me grace, and I faithfully used what He gave me.”

False humility does not necessarily mean someone is lying or being insincere. Most of the time, the person truly wants to honor God. The problem is that denying every part of our contribution can give an incomplete picture of how God works.

God often chooses to work through human obedience, discipline, preparation, personality, creativity, and effort.

When someone offers a sincere compliment, we do not have to lower our head, reject it, or act as though nothing meaningful happened. We can simply say, “Thank you. I am grateful God helped me,” or, “Thank you. I worked hard on that, and I am thankful the Lord used it.”

Gratitude is not arrogance.

There is a difference between being boastful and being excited that something went well. It is okay to be thankful that you preached clearly, sang well, finished the project, helped someone, or handled a difficult moment with wisdom. We can celebrate growth without believing we created the gift ourselves.

Jesus told a parable about servants who were entrusted with talents. The faithful servants did not bury what they received in an attempt to appear humble. They used it, developed it, and produced something with it. Their faithfulness was recognized by the master.

God is glorified when His gifts are used well.

Second Corinthians 3:5 says that our sufficiency is from God. That does not mean we are useless or uninvolved. It means the source of our ability and effectiveness is not independent of Him.

Galatians 2:20 says, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” Paul was not saying that his personality, choices, and responsibility had disappeared. He was describing a life surrendered to Christ and directed by faith.

Giving God glory does not require us to pretend we had no role in what happened.

A healthy view recognizes both grace and responsibility. God calls, anoints, equips, opens doors, and gives strength. We practice, prepare, obey, persevere, and use what He placed in our hands.

It is not all us.

But it is also not God working instead of us.

It is God working in us and through us as we respond faithfully to His grace.

Bible Promise

Philippians 2:13

“For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”

God is at work within you, giving both the desire and the ability to carry out what He has called you to do.

Reflection Questions

Have you ever rejected a sincere compliment because you thought accepting it would take glory away from God?
What gift, ability, or opportunity has God given you that you need to develop and use with greater gratitude and confidence?

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for every gift, ability, opportunity, and measure of grace You have placed in my life. Keep me from pride and from believing I can accomplish anything of lasting value apart from You. At the same time, protect me from false humility that denies the work, growth, and obedience You have produced in me. Help me receive encouragement with gratitude, use my gifts faithfully, and give You glory without pretending that my choices and effort do not matter. Teach me to work hard, remain humble, and celebrate what Your grace accomplishes through a surrendered life.

I give You all honor, all the glory, and all of the praise. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen & Amen.

All Things Work Together for Good

_{This post is part of the Twisted Scriptures series, where we look at familiar Bible verses in their original context and consider what they truly mean. Series started May 3, 2026.}

Romans 8:28 is one of the most comforting promises in Scripture.

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

The verse is often quoted when something painful happens. Sometimes it is used to mean that every bad situation will eventually turn into something pleasant, successful, or easy to understand. We may expect the loss to be replaced, the disappointment to make sense, or the hardship to produce an outcome we can clearly call good.

God can bring beautiful things out of painful circumstances, but that is not the whole meaning of the verse.

Paul did not say that all things are good. Betrayal is not good. Sickness is not good. Grief, injustice, and suffering are not good simply because God is able to work through them. Scripture never asks us to pretend that pain is harmless.

Paul said that God works in all things for good.

The Greek word translated “work together” is synergeō, pronounced soon-er-GEH-oh, and written συνεργέω. It means to work together, cooperate, or contribute toward a result. The verse pictures God actively working through every part of a believer’s life, including circumstances we would never have chosen.

The promise is not that every event will feel good. The promise is that no event is beyond God’s ability to use.

The next verse tells us what “good” means in this passage. Romans 8:29 says that God is shaping believers to be conformed to the image of His Son. The good God is producing is not limited to comfort, financial success, restored plans, or an easier life. His purpose is to make us more like Jesus.

That changes the way we understand the promise.

God may use success to teach us gratitude, but He may also use disappointment to expose pride. He may use an open door to move us forward, or a closed door to protect us from something we cannot see. He may use healing to display His power, or give sustaining grace in a season when healing has not yet come.

None of that means God enjoys our pain or that we should call evil good. It means suffering does not get the final word.

Romans 8 was written in the context of hardship. Paul spoke about suffering, weakness, waiting, groaning, and the hope of future redemption. He did not offer this verse as a shallow answer for people whose lives were falling apart. He offered it as an anchor.

The same God who saves us is still working when we cannot trace what He is doing.

There will be situations we understand later. There may also be things we never fully understand in this life. Faith does not require us to explain every loss. It requires us to trust that God remains present and purposeful even when the outcome is hidden.

We also need to notice who the promise is given to. Paul speaks of those who love God and are called according to His purpose. This is not a general promise that every circumstance automatically leads to a happy ending for everyone. It is a promise rooted in a relationship with God and submission to His purpose.

God’s purpose is larger than the moment we are living in.

He is able to redeem what was meant for harm, restore what has been broken, strengthen faith through suffering, and use even our mistakes after we bring them under His authority. Nothing is wasted when it is placed in His hands.

We may not be able to call every event good, but we can call God good in the middle of every event.

Bible Promise

Romans 8:28

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

God is working through every part of your life to accomplish His purpose and shape you into the image of Christ.

Reflection Questions

Have you ever felt pressured to call a painful situation good before you had time to grieve or understand it?
Where do you need to trust that God is still working, even though you cannot yet see the result?

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You that nothing in my life is beyond Your reach. Help me never to call evil good or pretend that pain does not hurt. At the same time, keep me from believing that hardship has the final word. Work through every success, disappointment, delay, loss, and unanswered question to make me more like Jesus. Give me faith when I cannot understand what You are doing and patience when Your purpose takes longer than I expected. I trust that You are good and that nothing surrendered to You is wasted.

I give You all honor, all the glory, and all of the praise. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen & Amen.

God Will Never Give You More Than You Can Handle

_{This post is part of the Twisted Scriptures series, where we look at familiar Bible verses in their original context and consider what they truly mean. Series started May 3, 2026.}

People often say, “God will never give you more than you can handle.”

It is usually said with good intentions. Someone is facing grief, illness, family trouble, financial pressure, or a season that feels overwhelming, and we want to reassure them that they are strong enough to make it through.

The saying is often connected to 1 Corinthians 10:13:

“God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able.”

However, Paul was not promising that life would never become more difficult than we could handle. He was specifically talking about temptation.

The Greek word translated “temptation” is peirasmos, pronounced pie-rahs-MOSS, and written πειρασμός. It can describe a temptation, test, or trial. In this passage, the surrounding verses focus on Israel’s disobedience and warn believers not to fall into idolatry, immorality, complaining, and other sins.

Paul’s point was that temptation is never irresistible.

God will not allow us to be placed in a situation where sin is our only possible choice. He remains faithful and provides a way to endure temptation without surrendering to it. We may feel intense pressure, but we are never forced to disobey God.

That is a powerful promise, but it is not the same as saying every burden will remain within our personal strength.

In fact, Paul described a season when he and his companions were burdened beyond their own ability. In 2 Corinthians 1:8–9, he said they were “burdened beyond measure, above strength,” and even despaired of life. Paul did not say they discovered hidden strength within themselves. He said the experience taught them not to trust in themselves, but in God who raises the dead.

Sometimes life does give us more than we can handle.

There are losses we cannot carry by determination alone. There are diagnoses, betrayals, responsibilities, and seasons of grief that reveal the limits of our strength. Telling someone they should be able to handle it may leave them feeling guilty when they are already exhausted.

The good news is not that we will always be strong enough.

The good news is that God is faithful when we are not.

When a burden is beyond us, we can lean on Christ, ask others for help, receive prayer, seek wise support, and admit that we are struggling. Depending on God is not failure. It is often exactly what hardship is teaching us to do.

Paul heard the Lord say, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” God did not always remove the pressure, but He gave Paul grace within it.

There is a difference between temptation and suffering. In temptation, God provides a way to remain obedient. In suffering, He may allow us to reach the end of ourselves so we learn the strength of His presence.

We should never use 1 Corinthians 10:13 to tell hurting people that they ought to be handling their pain better. The verse is not a command to appear strong. It is a promise that when temptation comes, God will remain faithful and sin will not be our only option.

You may face more than you can handle by yourself, but you will never face it without access to the grace of God.

Bible Promise

1 Corinthians 10:13

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

God will always provide a way for you to remain faithful when temptation comes.

Reflection Questions

Have you ever felt guilty because a burden seemed greater than your ability to handle it?
Where do you need to stop depending only on your own strength and begin receiving God’s grace and the help of others?

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for remaining faithful in every temptation and every trial. Help me recognize the way of escape when I am pressured to sin, and give me courage to choose obedience. When life becomes more than I can carry alone, keep me from pretending that I am stronger than I am. Teach me to depend on Your grace, receive help from others, and trust Your strength in my weakness. Remind me that needing You is not failure and that I never have to face hardship alone.

I give You all honor, all the glory, and all of the praise. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen & Amen.

Money Is the Root of All Evil

_{This post is part of the Twisted Scriptures series, where we look at familiar Bible verses in their original context and consider what they truly mean. Series started May 3, 2026.}

You have probably heard someone say, “Money is the root of all evil.”

It sounds biblical, but that is not what the Bible actually says.

First Timothy 6:10 says, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” Paul did not say money itself is evil. He warned about what happens when money becomes an object of love, trust, and pursuit.

Money is a tool. It can be used to feed a family, help someone in need, support ministry, create opportunities, or provide stability. The same money can also be used selfishly, dishonestly, or carelessly. The problem is not the existence of money. The problem is the place it holds in the heart.

The Greek word translated “love of money” is philargyria, pronounced fil-ar-goo-REE-ah, and written φιλαργυρία. It describes an affection for money, greediness, or the desire to possess more. Paul was not warning against earning, saving, planning, or having resources. He was warning against a heart that becomes attached to wealth.

The wording of the verse also matters. Paul said the love of money is “a root of all kinds of evil,” not the single root behind every evil action. Pride, jealousy, lust, bitterness, hatred, and many other sins can grow from different desires. Still, the love of money has produced an enormous amount of harm.

People have lied for it, betrayed friends for it, neglected their families for it, and compromised their faith for it. Some have gained more than they ever expected and still discovered that it was not enough.

That is because greed rarely announces itself as greed.

It often sounds responsible at first. We tell ourselves we are only trying to get ahead, build security, or provide a better life. Those can be good goals, but they become dangerous when money begins to control our choices, determine our worth, or replace our dependence on God.

Paul’s warning came in a larger discussion about contentment. He wrote that godliness with contentment is great gain. We brought nothing into this world, and we will carry nothing out of it. When our basic needs are met, we should learn to recognize God’s provision instead of allowing desire to grow without limit.

Contentment does not mean laziness or a lack of ambition. It means money is no longer allowed to decide whether we have peace.

A person can have very little money and still love it. Another person can have great wealth and hold it with an open hand. The condition of the heart cannot be measured by the size of a bank account alone.

Jesus taught that where our treasure is, our heart will be also. What we value will eventually shape our attention, decisions, and priorities. Money becomes dangerous when it promises what only God can provide: security, identity, peace, and lasting satisfaction.

Scripture does not teach that poverty makes someone holy or that wealth makes someone sinful. It teaches us to be faithful with whatever God has placed in our hands.

Money should serve the purposes of God. It should never take the place of God.

Bible Promise

Matthew 6:33

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

When God’s kingdom comes first, you can trust Him to provide what you truly need.

Reflection Questions

Has money become too closely connected to your sense of security, success, or personal worth?
Is there a financial decision you need to bring under God’s authority instead of allowing fear or greed to guide it?

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for every provision and resource You have placed in my hands. Help me use money wisely without allowing it to control my heart. Keep me from greed, fear, dishonesty, and the constant desire for more. Teach me to be content without becoming careless and generous without seeking recognition. Let my security rest in You instead of what I own, and help every financial decision reflect Your wisdom and priorities.

I give You all honor, all the glory, and all of the praise. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen & Amen.

I Can Do All Things

_{This post is part of the Twisted Scriptures series, where we look at familiar Bible verses in their original context and consider what they truly mean. Series started May 3, 2026.}

Philippians 4:13 is one of the most quoted verses in the Bible.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

It appears on shirts, coffee mugs, athletic gear, and social media posts. Most of the time, it is used to mean that with enough faith, determination, and help from God, we can accomplish anything we set our minds to.

That sounds encouraging, but it is not exactly what Paul was saying.

Paul was not writing about chasing a dream, winning a competition, receiving a promotion, or accomplishing a personal goal. He was writing from a place of hardship. In the verses leading up to Philippians 4:13, Paul explained that he had learned how to live with plenty and how to live with little. He knew what it was like to be full, and he knew what it was like to be hungry.

The Greek word translated “strengthens” is endynamoō, pronounced en-doo-nam-OH-oh, and written ἐνδυναμόω. It means to empower, strengthen, or make strong. Paul was saying that Christ gave him the strength to remain faithful in every kind of circumstance.

That changes the way we read the verse.

Philippians 4:13 is not a promise that we can accomplish anything we desire. It is a promise that Christ will give us strength to endure whatever obedience requires. Sometimes Christ strengthens us to move forward, and other times He strengthens us to wait. He may give us strength to succeed, but He also gives us strength to remain faithful when things do not go the way we hoped.

Paul had learned contentment because his confidence was not tied to his circumstances. His peace did not depend on comfort, success, or having everything he wanted. Christ was enough when life was easy, and Christ was enough when life was hard.

There is nothing wrong with quoting Philippians 4:13 before a difficult task. We simply need to remember what kind of strength Paul was talking about. This verse is less about achieving the impossible and more about remaining faithful when life becomes difficult.

You may not be able to control what happens next, but through Christ, you can remain steady. You can obey when it costs you something, endure disappointment without giving up on God, and remain faithful when your circumstances are not what you hoped they would be.

That is the strength Paul was talking about.

Bible Promise

Philippians 4:13

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Christ will give you the strength to remain faithful in every circumstance He allows you to face.

Reflection Questions

Have you ever used Philippians 4:13 as a promise of success rather than a promise of strength?
Where do you need Christ’s strength to remain faithful right now?

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for being my strength in every circumstance. Help me not to measure Your faithfulness by whether life goes the way I want it to go. Teach me to be content when I have plenty and when I have little. Give me strength to obey, endure, wait, and remain faithful no matter what I face. Let my confidence rest in Christ instead of my circumstances.

I give You all honor, all the glory, and all of the praise. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen & Amen.

Twisted Scriptures

Most Christians have heard a Bible verse quoted in a way that sounded right but did not quite match what the passage was actually saying.

Sometimes a few words are pulled from a verse and repeated so often that the shortened version becomes more familiar than the Scripture itself. Other times, a promise given in a specific situation is treated as though it guarantees the same outcome for every person. The words may be biblical, but the meaning can slowly become disconnected from the context.

That is how Scripture gets twisted.

Twisting Scripture does not always begin with bad intentions. Many verses are misused because people are trying to encourage someone, explain a difficult situation, or express something they genuinely believe. A familiar saying gets repeated, passed along, and eventually accepted without anyone stopping to read the verses around it.

I have done this myself. I have heard my children do it, and I have heard friends do it. Sometimes we repeat something because it is what we were taught. Sometimes we remember part of a verse but forget the setting around it. Other times, we hold onto an interpretation because it helped us through a difficult season.

None of us handles Scripture perfectly.

I am still learning too. I have studied the Bible for years, but I still see things I missed before, discover where I made assumptions, and find passages that make me stop and reconsider what I thought I understood. I am and always will be a student of the Bible.

That is one reason I value the example of the Bereans in Acts 17. They listened carefully to what Paul taught, but they also searched the Scriptures daily to see whether those things were true. They were not criticized for asking questions or checking what they heard. Scripture calls them noble for doing it.

The problem is not that we have ever misunderstood a verse. The problem begins when we refuse to examine what we believe.

Second Timothy 2:15 tells us to be diligent in rightly dividing the word of truth. The Greek word translated “rightly dividing” is orthotomeō, pronounced or-thot-oh-MEH-oh, and written ὀρθοτομέω. It carries the idea of cutting straight or handling something correctly. Paul was telling Timothy to treat Scripture carefully and accurately rather than bending it to fit a preferred message.

That does not mean every Bible study needs to become complicated. Most of the time, a verse becomes clearer when we simply slow down, read what comes before and after it, notice who is speaking, and ask why the words were originally given.

Context does not weaken Scripture. It reveals its strength.

Philippians 4:13 becomes more meaningful when we understand that Paul was writing about contentment in hardship. Jeremiah 29:11 becomes stronger when we realize the promise was given to people facing a long exile. Matthew 18:20 carries greater weight when we see that Jesus was speaking about accountability and restoration.

The true meaning is often better than the version we have repeated.

This series is not meant to criticize people for quoting familiar verses or to take away promises that have encouraged them. It is not written from the position that I have everything figured out and everyone else needs correction. It is an invitation for all of us, myself included, to return to the passage and let Scripture speak for itself.

We should never be afraid of context because truth does not need to be protected from careful reading. We also need humility. It is easy to notice when someone else has misunderstood a verse while overlooking the places where our own assumptions have shaped what we believe.

God’s Word is not ours to reshape. We are the ones who should be shaped by it.

This series will include sixteen posts published from May through the end of July. Each post will examine a familiar verse or statement that is often shortened, misquoted, or separated from its original setting. We will look at what the passage actually says, consider why it was written, and talk about how its true meaning applies to our lives today.

Some of these posts may confirm the way you have always understood a passage. Others may challenge an interpretation you have heard for years. I expect to keep learning as we go, and I hope we can approach each one with open Bibles and teachable hearts.

The purpose is not to make Scripture harder to use. It is to help us trust it enough to use it correctly.

Bible Promise

Psalm 119:130

“The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.”

God’s Word brings light when we approach it with humility and allow it to speak for itself.

Reflection Questions

Have you ever discovered that a familiar Bible verse meant something different in its original context?
Are you willing to remain a student of Scripture and let God’s Word correct your assumptions?

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for giving me Your Word and for using it to teach, correct, encourage, and guide me. Help me approach Scripture with humility and handle it carefully. Forgive me for the times I have repeated something without understanding its context or allowed my assumptions to shape what I believed. Keep me teachable and willing to examine everything by Your Word. Give me wisdom to understand what You have spoken and courage to change when Your truth corrects me. Let this series deepen my trust in the Bible and help me remain a faithful student of Your Word.

I give You all honor, all the glory, and all of the praise. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen & Amen.