Devotional by Ray Stedman for February 11- Line Upon Line

Topic:Line Upon Line

Whom will he teach knowledge, and to whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, those taken from the breast? For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.
Isaiah 28:9-10 RSV

That is a beautiful description of how the Bible is written. Unlike theological books, there is not a chapter on sin, another on heaven, another on angels, etc. The Bible mixes it all together, interspersing one truth with another, so that a balanced approach to life is given, precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little, there a little.

This verse sets forth the way to avoid being trapped by the seductive lure of the good life, characterized by Ephraim in verses 1-3. Study your Bible! Read what God says. Look at life as he sees it. See through the allurement of the television commercials! Do you sometimes catch yourself wanting more of the luxuries of life, thinking constantly of a new car, a new house, of climbing the corporate ladder? We are constantly besieged by appeals to accumulate the good things of life. This is the spirit of our age. There is great danger in it. Remember how Paul said in Romans 12 that we should not be conformed to this world, but rather be transformed by the renewal of our minds (Romans 12:2). Let your thinking be changed! Let the word of truth transform your view of life so that you see life as it really is. That is the way of deliverance.

Our Lord Jesus put it very beautifully in one verse in the Sermon on the Mount: Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and [then] all these things will be added unto you, (Matthew 6:33). Many Christians have reversed that, giving themselves continually to efforts to get ahead, forgetting that they are to put first the things of God. But we are to forget about status symbols and an accumulation of wealth, and to seek godliness first—concern ourselves with being righteous men and women right where we are. The promise is that then God can trust us with the things of wealth. All these things that the Gentiles seek after, Jesus said, can then be added safely to you, (Matthew 6:32).

Thank you, Father, for your Word. Help me to become obedient to your truth, to be a searcher after the revelation that you have given that I may be effective and powerful in my witness in this world.

Life Application
Is our earthly pilgrimage being transformed by metabolizing God’s Word of Truth day-by-day, step-by-step? Are we finding growing contentment in God’s ‘good things’?