Awaken The Sleeper!
Digging Deeper
Speak Word of God
The Word of God is God’s revelation of himself and His plan for the reconciliation of mankind. In its written form, the Bible was “breathed out” by God, carrying His authority, power and purpose. The Word, with God before the creation of the heaven and earth, also became flesh – the Creator dwelling amongst His created. You cannot separate the written word of God from the living God. Hebrews 4:12 declares: “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
From the beginning when God spoke the universe and all that is in it into existence, the Word of God displays a unique unity. Containing 1,189 chapter and roughly 31,102 verses, collectively written over 1,500 years by 40+ authors in three languages, Scripture itself testifies to its own nature, function and power. 2 Timothy 3:16 records: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” Studying the Bible is the primary way you learn God’s truth to grow in wisdom. 2 Timothy 2:15 commands: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”
God’s Word is permanent and authoritative. In Matthew 5:18, Jesus speaks to the permanence of Scripture: “For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” Jesus also spoke to the authoritative nature of Scripture as well as to its life-giving qualities when He responded to Satan’s temptation. Matthew 4:4 records: ““It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” To further punctuate the authority of God’s Word, Galatians 1:8 announces a severe warning: “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! “
Not only does Scripture train you in the knowledge of God, it also confronts your sin and convicts your heart. Isaiah 55:10-11 declares: “As the rain and the come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” The Word of God is the seed that produces spiritual birth and growth. 1 Peter 1:23 describes believers as those who: “have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”
The Bible also tells us in John 1:14: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Christ Jesus, who created all with the Father, came to live out the scripture through his sinless life and to fulfill the prophets through His death and resurrection. Atoning for the sins of all mankind, bearing the Father’s wrath you and I deserved, Christ ascended to the right hand of God. As with the Father, not wanting to lose any, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to comfort, guide and empower all believers.
Scripture provides everything needed for faith and godliness as it is empowered by the Holy Spirit. Romans 12:2 commands: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Colossians 3:16 reinforces this: “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom.” Teaching one another and building one another up in the Word of God produces a progressive transformation for both teacher and student. 2 Corinthians 3:18 describes it as “being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
Let not your study and teaching stop there; obey it consistently. James 1:22-25 warns: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”
Christ commanded: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” Mark 16:15. 2 Timothy 4:2 echoes Christ’s command: “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.” Your proper response to the word of God is to receive it humbly, study it diligently, obey it consistently and proclaim it boldly. When you treasure it and meditate on it, you experience its transformative power. When you share it, you enable someone else to build their life on its unshakable foundation with Christ its cornerstone. When everything else crumbles, Isaiah 40:8 reassures: “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”
Do you speak God’s Word?
Someone’s eternity depends on it!
Awaken the sleeper!