WHY WE MUST LET THE WORD WORK IN US
I have recently written six blogs on “Searching the Scriptures”, and these last two Sundays have preached a mini series on the same topic at our local church. This truth has begun to grip my heart and somehow feel I will spending more time on this important topic, firstly for myself, and then for my readers.
As a teenager I was asked the question by my Pastor “Was I reading my Bible regularly” I at least was honest and said no, I don’t have “time”, but I do pray!!! She immediately said, we need to do both. I didn’t really understand what she meant, and I think it was quite some years before the truth really dawned on me.
Although there has never been such an availability of Bible translations and paraphrases, there has never been a generation where there is such Biblical illiteracy amongst Christians. I am sure one reason is the lack of Biblical Discipleship, but even with Discipleship we live in a time of constant distractions, and speaking personally, a lack of discipline and laziness.
A favourite verse of mine is 1 Peter 1:23 NKJV having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, The MESSAGE says Your new life is not like your old life. Your old birth came from mortal sperm; your new birth comes from God’s living Word. Just think: a life conceived by God himself! The Greek word for seed is sperma as the paraphrase indicates,
IT IS THE WORD OF GOD THAT CAUSES US TO BE BORN AGAIN
Common sense would suggest that now we are born again we need to continue to receive the Word of God into our lives. Peter tells us that spiritual conception took place when we received the Word, and just like a foetus in a mother’s womb, for nine months it is being fed so that a healthy baby can be born, and then must have a good diet to see it grows to maturity so we need to learn to daily feed on the bread of life so that we will grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Yes, so many Believers are suffering desperately with SPIRITUAL ANOREXIA NERVOSA and are simply starving and desperately in need of life support, seemingly one step away from completely backsliding!!!!!
As I was talking my daily walk this morning the Lord dropped a verse into my heart Psalm 119:130 NKJV The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.
The AMPLIFIED expresses it this way The entrance and unfolding of Your words give light; their unfolding gives understanding (discernment and comprehension) to the simple.
The Apostle Peter tells us that when the Word of God enters, we were born again, here the Psalmist tells us, I believe after we have prepared our hearts in prayer, that each time, we meditate on the Word of God, light and revelation comes, that is the spiritual food we need daily to grow to maturity, this simple Believer needs all the help and understanding he can get.
I began to think about the word entrance, and realised that it is one thing to enter, it is another for the Word to take up its abode in us, that is why says in Colossians 3:16 NKJV Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. The AMPLIFIED expresses it this way, Let the word [spoken by] Christ (the Messiah) have its home [in your hearts and minds] and dwell in you in [all its] richness, as you teach and admonish and train one another in all insight and intelligence and wisdom [in spiritual things, and as you sing] psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody to God with [His] grace in your hearts. The MESSAGE SAYS let the Word of Christ—the Message—HAVE THE RUN OF THE HOUSE. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God.
One picture (type) of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament is that of water, and just as a seed needs to be watered, we must let the Holy Spirit so water the Word as it comes as light to us that is causes the WORD TO HAVE THE RUN OF THE HOUSE, so we let the Word so work in us, that we grow and mature.
Paul also says we need to “water” the Word in us by singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace, and much thankfulness to the Lord for His goodness and blessings to us, and encouraging, exhorting, each other to keep hungering after God and His Word.
WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT THE WORD OF GOD?
The writer of the Book of Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 4:16 NKJV For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. The AMPLIFIED expresses it this way For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart. The MESSAGE gives us some more to think about. God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey.
The God who is living and powerful and lives in His Word, wants to work through His Word, to make us like Jesus. Let us co-operate with Him, and by His grace become the person He wants us to be Amen
