All I Need

DEVOTION
2 TIMOTHY
ALL I NEED
2 Tim 3:16-17
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
NIV
Amen. The age old argument that the Bible was written by man is so totally bogus in light of this truth. Of course that argument comes from the premise there is no God, or at least their refusal to acknowledge God is. I have to do both, acknowledge he is and that all of the Bible that was indeed penned my man, was inspired by God. Surely he may not have actually dictated each specific word written down, but he did in fact inspire those concepts and truths which men over the ages of time recorded under his direction and accumulated into one complete record which he designed and desired for others like me to be able to know all about him from that recorded history of his relationship with his creation. This word of his surely is the one true source for teaching. I must learn, keep learning all my life. I do not think I will ever stop learning from his word. He is forever teaching me. I am not always so excited about being rebuked by his word, although I know I need it from time to time. I need to be set straight and corrected as to how I am supposed to behave and response in situations. I know I need that, for I continue to fail to live up one hundred percent to his standard. So I must continue to learn, accept the rebuke and the correction from the word of God in my life. I also now his word trains me in righteousness. His word gives me the insights into what his desire for my life is. It guides me into his ways. But I have to continue to be in training. I do not think anyone every finishes training. I certainly cannot say that I have finished and now I am completely thoroughly righteous, as far as how I live. I know all my righteousness before God is due to Jesus, for he is my righteousness, but as far as the virtue of right living, I must continue to train. All of this is necessary in order that I might be fully equipped to do his work here where he has brought me. If I were not open to his teaching, his rebuking, his correction in my life and if I were not open to his training I would not be ready nor able to accomplish the task he has set before me. But praise God, I believe with all my heart I am open, maybe not so much to what men say he says, but what he actually does say and speak into my heart and mind. Can he speak to me through others? Sure, but no matter what they say, I am obligated to measure their words against what God has said. I must filter all I hear from men with the word of God. His word is surely breathed by him, and that is all I need.