Look for Yourself
Returning to the Word Scripture Focus:
“Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh.”
— Philippians 3:2 (NIV)
Devotional Thought
No good artist would paint a landscape by copying another person’s painting of it. Each copy loses something — the color fades, the detail softens, the light changes. You can’t capture the full beauty of the scene unless you stand before it yourself.
The same is true of our faith.
Many of us know about God through sermons, books, or devotionals (yes, even this one). But secondhand faith can never replace firsthand encounter. Paul saw this danger in his day — people twisting the message of Christ by adding their own religious brushstrokes.
He warned the Philippians to be careful when voices around them began to “improve” the gospel. What began as truth quickly turned into tradition, and what was meant to be a relationship became a rulebook.
Learning to See the Landscape Again
It’s not that teachers or devotionals are bad. Paul taught, wrote, and mentored believers himself. But his goal was always to point people back to the Source.
God’s Word is living. It’s not a museum exhibit we observe through someone else’s description — it’s a living landscape we walk through ourselves.
When you read the Bible directly, you start to hear His tone, not just the translation. You begin to notice details that no podcast or preacher could point out — how God’s mercy weaves through judgment, how His patience lingers between the lines.
Today’s Challenge
Before you listen to another message or scroll through another quote post, open your Bible.
Just read.
Let the words stand on their own, without commentary or caption. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak.
You may be surprised at how much you’ve been missing by painting from copies.
As Jesus promised:
“When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth.” — John 16:13
The Spirit still does that — personally, powerfully, and patiently — for everyone willing to open the Word.
Reflection Questions – Returning to the Word
- Have I been relying on other people’s interpretations of Scripture instead of reading it myself?
- What happens in my heart when I spend time with the Word before I listen to others explain it?
- What verse or passage could I return to this week with fresh eyes — as if seeing the landscape for the first time?
Prayer
Lord, teach me to return to the Source.
Help me not to depend on secondhand words when You’ve given me Your living Word.
Open my eyes to see what You want to show me, and give me the courage to hear Your truth directly.
In Jesus’ name, amen.📖 Want to go deeper?
Read the full Sword Dispatch article —
“Back to the Source: Paul’s Warning Against Secondhand Faith.”
👉 Read on The Sword Dispatch »