All in God’s Word

Without the Word of God we are lost, and without His Son Jesus Christ we will remain so. God’s Holy Word teaches us of life, of Himself, and of His Son Jesus. It gives us His commandments, promises, and His assurance that we are not alone, but it also reveals our deep affliction in sin, and how precarious our life is relative to eternal death. Then, in our darkest hour, and deepest moment of hopelessness, comes Jesus, sent by God’s love, and prophesied of throughout God’s Word… our healer, savior, and redeemer who is the vessel of God’s amazing grace.

Where do we keep God’s Word? Do we keep it in our bedroom next to our bed to read at night? Is it beside that place where we sit to rest so that in the quiet times we can contemplate it? Scripture tells us to keep God’s Word with us always, to bind it to our fingers as if it were our works, and to copy it onto our heart as a scribe might. The Word of God is meant to be with us always.

We read the Bible, and study God’s Word, but is doing so a joy? Reading the Bible can be a daunting task because, depending on the translation, the language can be challenging, the meaning behind certain passages (such as parables and stories) can be difficult to interpret, and quite honestly there are lists, and long genealogies, in the Bible that put many readers off. Let’s be truthful... reading the Bible is not as entertaining as reading “The Arabian Nights”, or “Aesop’s Fables”, but no other book can have such an impact on who we are, thrill us with its revelations, or save our souls. The joy comes when we open our hearts, minds, and souls, to God through His Word.

Are we inclined to believe what men say the truth of God is, and find ourselves unable to fully accept the glory that is Christ, and those things which are spoken by God Himself? Do we lean upon the understanding of others while using the Word of God only where it is convenient for us to do so, and where it justifies what men say, and what they do; not placing God’s Word in its rightful place as the rule by which all men are judged? If this is true about us then we have established ourselves to be gods, and in our minds have subjugated the one true God... we have sinned.

Standing guard over our faith is not an occasional duty, and requires constant attention day and night. It also means that we spend long monotonous hours walking the way, and watching for something out of the ordinary to occur; something good to celebrate, or bad to defend against. If we neglect our watch, we may well find ourselves lost, and many other souls along with us. This is why the military penalty for sleeping on guard duty during wartime is death, or some severe court marshal punishment.  As Christians we are under the constant threat of attack. We are forever at war against sin... be diligent!

People argue that our faith is evolving, and God is changing to accommodate mankind’s changing nature, but is that true? When we look at God, and view our history with Him, have we ever seen Him change, or evolve? Some use the coming of Jesus to argue their point, but if we look at the Bible we see that Messianic Prophecy begins from almost the moment of Adam’s fall, and invalidates this as an argument for change. We change, but God remains the same... truth is always truth, good always good, light is always light, and so forth.

Do we spend our time praying, worshiping God, praising the name of Jesus, and doing the Lord’s will, or is our time and effort directed at arguing over the unfathomable mysteries of faith? The dark one is a shrewd character, and he will redirect our attention from the important matters of God while making us feel like we are pursuing something righteous. As Satan is doing this we are left spitting into the wind... wasting valuable time that could best be spent saving souls, and not driving them away.

As good Christians we know the strength that is gained from reading the Bible each day, but are we truly getting the fullest blessing from our effort? Are we in the habit of rising from bed, praying, reading the Word, and then going about our day thinking we have done what we should? Well, this is like placing an arrow on the bow string, drawing it back, but never letting go. We should take our scripture reading, and meditate on it all the day long... praying intermittently for more understanding. By dwelling on the Word we are letting the arrow go, and allowing it to change who we are inside.

Once we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord we are no longer of this world. This realization can, at once, be joyous, and at the same time... terrifying. Leaving the world behind, this place which is all we have known, is not an easy thing to do, but if we lean on the Word of God we will find His joy in our sanctification, and His truth. So how is it that we can become this new person, and find joy in our separation from all we have known?

Do you trust in the Word of God? Do you believe in it as the rock that you can stand atop forever? From your perch there are you able to see all that He has created, and marvel in amazement at His magnificence, truth, goodness, and love? Do you feel the conviction, dread the wrath, hear the hammer fall on Calvary, and thrill in the grace flowing forth from the risen Christ? This is what the Bible declares to us, and this is our taste of relationship... of God Himself.

Don’t use scripture to build walls for your faith, use it to build a ladder on which you can surmount all obstacles, and reach the crowning glory of salvation and joy. How do you read God’s Holy Word? Do you read it looking at every verse for conviction, a roadblock to a happy life, or as if it were a bit in your mouth? Scripture is for instruction, but that instruction is to bring us love, joy, and into the presence of God; not to be an overbearing misery. How do you chose to approach scripture, and God?

When God sends a messenger to you in times of trouble are you comforted? When an Angel stands beside you and reassures you when you are frightened do you take heart? When you are in a bad spot, and God’s Word leaps from the pages of the Bible telling you not to fear, and that all will be well, do you have faith in that message? What about the whispered words of His will that come when all is well, and the night is still? Are you listening?

Do you like to try new foods, visit new places, meet new people? Well be careful, because such desires for newness and diversity can lead you astray when applied to your faith. Our love for Jesus shouldn’t require us to meet Him like a stranger every day, and we should resist the temptation to change Him in some way each time we visit Him, or redecorate His House every time we enter His door.

Do you believe in the Word of God, and hold it up as the one truth by which you can orient your life, and find your way into eternity with God? This is our key to sanctification and to all the promises for which we long. In the Word of God we find our way towards becoming one with Jesus Christ, and God Himself... do you approach your reading of the Bible, God’s Holy Word, with this understanding?