“All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

No one likes to be rebuked. No one likes to be proven wrong. No one likes to be corrected.

Yet, if we want to grow and we want to mature in the faith, that is exactly what we need. Here’s the reason why – because we are all imperfect. We are all sinful and selfish. The only person who doesn’t need rebuking or correction is a perfect person. And since no perfect persons exist, it follows that every one of us needs regularly to be rebuked and corrected.

That’s what God’s word tells us. God’s word is God-breathed and is profitable for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.

So, if you go to a church where you are never rebuked or corrected – something is wrong. If you go to a church where all you get is rebuking and correcting – that would be depressing. But, if they are preaching the word of God, the word of God is teaching, rebuking, correcting selfish sinners to be more like Christ.

So, if your church sometimes says things that you don’t like and you disagree with, thank God for that. If it is from scripture, we are the ones who need adjusting.

Let us all aspire to be trained in God’s word so that we may be thoroughly equipped for every good work!

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11).

It was all the rage back a few decades to ask, “What Would Jesus Do?”

While this was a good sentiment and had disciples consider Jesus in life situations, this is the wrong question for disciples to be asking.

The fundamental problem with asking “What Would Jesus do?” is that it still puts the onus of determining what Jesus would or would not do on the one asking the question.

And that would be fine, if I were fine, if you were fine. But the problem is that we are all selfish, repeat sinners.

When we are asking, “What Would Jesus Do?” we’re assuming that selfish, repeat sinners would know and choose what a holy and perfect God would do. When we are asking this question, we are assuming that our selfishness and sinfulness would not interfere.

That’s the problem.

So, then, what is the solution? God has already told us. It’s all in his word. The question we ought to be asking is, “What has Jesus Said?” or “What has God Already Declared?”

Take the guessing game out. Take the selfish sinner out of the equation. Go to the source – God himself and do what he says.

I want to challenge you to do something today. I am asking that you give yourself thirty minutes. Thirty minutes from your normal routines. Thirty minutes without looking at your phone. Sit down with a good cup of coffee or tea or a drink of your choice. Grab a Bible and a journal. Get quiet. And answer the following questions to do a check up on who you are.

I know. Some of you are saying…”Thirty minutes? Who has thirty minutes?!?!”

Actually you do. You always find time for what is important. And this is important.

Thirty minutes is one sitcom. Thirty minutes…you do that without even knowing it scrolling on FaceBook, Instagram, X, TikTok.

The following questions are from A. W. Tozer. Spend time writing down the answers on a journal or piece of paper. I encourage you to write it out with your own hands instead of typing them. The discipline of slowing down will cause you to think more deeply.

1. What do I want most?
2. What do I think about most?
3. How do I spend your money?
4. How and what do I spend my free time on?
5. Whose company do I enjoy?
6. Who and what do I admire?
7. What do I laugh at?

Do this as a personal exercise about every quarter. You will be better for it.