Let the Text Speak
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." - Psalm 119:105
One of the greatest gifts God has given us is His Word. But that gift can easily be misused when we approach Scripture with our own assumptions instead of letting the text speak for itself.
It is tempting to read modern issues and debates into ancient words. We take a verse like John 14:6, where Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” and we attach it to questions that were not even on the radar in Jesus’ time. But when we do that, we risk missing the heart of what Jesus was really saying.
In Jesus’ world, the focus was not about who had the right beliefs or which religious group was superior. It was about living in a way that reflected God’s love, service, healing, and hope. When Jesus said He was the way, He was pointing to the kind of life that brings people close to God, a life marked by radical love and sacrifice.
The same mistake happens when people use verses to restrict or control others without understanding the cultural and historical context. Ideas like women should not lead or speak in church or that certain outward appearances define holiness come from reading assumptions into the text rather than pulling meaning out of it.
The key is learning to approach Scripture with humility. Ask God to help you hear what He is really saying, not just what you want to find. Slow down. Listen carefully. Let the Word shape you, not the other way around.
When we allow Scripture to speak on its own terms, we create space for God to show us something new. We open ourselves to truth that challenges, corrects, and transforms us.
I want to challenge you as you read your Bible to resist the urge to read your own ideas into it. Simply take a walk through the Word. Let the text do the talking. You will be amazed at what God reveals when you listen with an open heart.
One of the greatest gifts God has given us is His Word. But that gift can easily be misused when we approach Scripture with our own assumptions instead of letting the text speak for itself.
It is tempting to read modern issues and debates into ancient words. We take a verse like John 14:6, where Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” and we attach it to questions that were not even on the radar in Jesus’ time. But when we do that, we risk missing the heart of what Jesus was really saying.
In Jesus’ world, the focus was not about who had the right beliefs or which religious group was superior. It was about living in a way that reflected God’s love, service, healing, and hope. When Jesus said He was the way, He was pointing to the kind of life that brings people close to God, a life marked by radical love and sacrifice.
The same mistake happens when people use verses to restrict or control others without understanding the cultural and historical context. Ideas like women should not lead or speak in church or that certain outward appearances define holiness come from reading assumptions into the text rather than pulling meaning out of it.
The key is learning to approach Scripture with humility. Ask God to help you hear what He is really saying, not just what you want to find. Slow down. Listen carefully. Let the Word shape you, not the other way around.
When we allow Scripture to speak on its own terms, we create space for God to show us something new. We open ourselves to truth that challenges, corrects, and transforms us.
I want to challenge you as you read your Bible to resist the urge to read your own ideas into it. Simply take a walk through the Word. Let the text do the talking. You will be amazed at what God reveals when you listen with an open heart.
Subscribe Now for Free Daily Devotions
Recent
Archive
2025
January
Plenty of RoomThankful for Your SeatWho God Invites to the TableThat’s the PointWe Do Not Have a Monopoly on GodStop Talking So LoudLet God Handle the Guest ListA Long-Awaited ReunionSeeing Jesus for YourselfIn Possession of a Personal PromiseGet in the Right PositionReady to ReceiveAligning Your Life for God's PromiseWaiting with ExpectancyGrounded in PrayerStrength in PrayerPatience Through PrayerStay Focused Through PrayerGod's Conditional PromisesGod’s PriorityGrounded in FaithTrusting God's TimingThe Assurance of God's PromisesIs It Well With Your Soul?Health vs. HealingStewarding Your BodyA Holistic View of SpiritualityGod Cares About Your BodyWhat You Put in MattersNourishing Your SoulThe Power of Prevention
February
The Power of a ComebackHealing from the PastStop Blaming and Start TrustingBury the Past to Claim the FutureFacing Trauma with TruthCelebrate That You SurvivedRepair What is BrokenNothing God Can’t FixDon’t Swing at Bad PitchesStick to God’s PlanDon’t Let Desperation Drive YouShift Your WeightWho Knows Best?A Good Idea Isn’t Always a God IdeaPeace in God’s PlanFinding Purpose in God’s PlanProsperity in God’s PlanTrusting God’s Plan, Pace, and ProcessKnowing When to PivotGod Hasn’t Given Up on YouNext-Level Faith Requires PerseveranceA New Revelation of GodIt’s Not All About YouNext-Level ConnectionsNext-Level CommitmentA Prayer That Moves GodPrayers That Carry a BurdenPray With Boldness
March
A Solid FoundationPositioned for BlessingMarked by LoveTrust God's JudgmentRest in God's DeliveranceLet Go of ControlWhat You Want MostWhy Church Still MattersFaith in the Midst of DisappointmentJoy for the JourneyA Place of SafetyStrength in CommunityPeace in the ChaosThe Purpose of the ValleySeasons ChangeUnshaken in the StormHold OnThe Power of ResilienceNever AloneGod Is Closer Than You ThinkLet Go of WorryLet Go of WorryBelieve Before You SeeResilient FaithHow to Be a Success God's WayTrue Success Starts with the SoulSuccess Through SurrenderCharacter That Speaks for ItselfThe Power of Being RealKeep GrowingSuccess in the Face of Opposition
No Comments