(2Peter 3:18) But = grow in grace = and = in knowledge = of our = Lord and Savior = Jesus Christ. = To Him = be the glory, = both now = and = to the day of eternity. Amen & Amen!
When I started this… yesterday, I thought to add this caveat. Suppose you have left off, for some reason, and want to start again? Did you know that God, the God of the Bible is waiting for you to come to the end of yourself? Simply start again… almost like you do when you over eat for the holidays and then need to ‘diet’ to regain your optimum weight. God is patient and will meet you where you are now. Just a short recap if you are beginning again. The Bible, is the Final and Only Authority for those that are Born Again… by the Holy Spirit of God.
(1Peter 2:2-3) desire = the sincere milk = of the Word, = as newborn babies, = so that you = may grow [up] = by it;
(1Pet 2:3) if truly = you = have tasted = that the Lord = is gracious.
God does ‘not’ want… spiritual babies! Can you just imagine, a 35-year old man, sitting in his diaper, sucking on his pacifier, in a Church service…? If that ‘word picture’ doesn’t sake you, noting will. That would be an absurdity! But in reality, many fit that pattern spiritually. Say it isn’t so…? May I simply ask, “How long have you known Christ Jesus as your Savior?” … “____-years…? Have you ‘read & study’ His Word, “Daily” and are you able to share the ‘Gospel’ with others? Surely you share your ‘entertainment’ with others, which is temporal. Why not then… the spiritual food from the Bible…?
http://truth459.blogspot.com/2009/08/isnt-it-about-time-101.html
(2Corinthians 4:16) For this cause = we do ‘not’ faint; = but though = our outward man = perishes, = yet = the ‘inward’ man = is being renewed = “day by day”.
Surely you would ‘not’ miss… a meal or some desert, would you? You make it a priority to eat at least three or more times a day. Why not then take the ‘same care’ of your Spiritual Body… and its feeding with the Spiritual Food of the Word of God…? Many take the time to make plans for a vacation or a trip abroad. Yet do you take the same ‘tenacious’ care for your ‘Soul?’ We are exposed to the garbage of this world all day long. But when do you meet with Jesus in His Word, and cleanse our… ‘Stinking Worldly References’… we have been exposed to, by the Media?
(Proverbs 28:13) He who = covers his sins = shall not be blessed; = but = whoever = confesses = and = forsakes [leaves] them = shall have mercy.
(John 15:1-2-3) I [Jesus] = am the True Vine, = and = My Father [God] = is the Vinedresser.
(John 15:2) Every branch = in Me = that does not bear fruit, = He takes away. = And every one = that bears fruit, = He prunes it = so that it = may bring forth = more fruit.
(John 15:3) Now = you = are ‘clean’ = through the Word = which = I = have spoken = to you.
If you do not… “Read & Study”… the Word of God, the Bible, how then are you to grow spiritually? You cannot get what you need just by going to Church and religious activities. Remember I said in the last part, that the Life of Christ… has to be “in your heart” and ‘not only’ in your head? You can choose to be like the Pharisees… and have the Word in your head only. Making the Word of God a part of your heart… can be demonstrated by your obedience to the Word. Here in America there is the wrong concept of Believing without Obeying. Say it isn’t so…? Why then are there more divorces among Christians than among the Un-Saved…? And then adulterous remarriages… see “Mark 10:11-12!”
(James 1:22) Keep on being = ‘Doers of the Word’, = and = ‘Not’ = merely hearers = who = Deceive Themselves.
(John 15:9-10) As the Father [God] = has loved Me [Jesus], = so I have = loved you; = continue in My love.
(John 15:10) If = you keep = My commandments, = you shall abide = in My love, = even as = I have kept = My Father's commandments = and = abide in = His love.
Perhaps now is the time… to ask you, “Do you Love Jesus?” How then do you demonstrate that love for Him? Perhaps a better question… “Do you Love His Word… as much as you Love Him?” Knowing the Word of God… as Jesus is the Living Word, ‘that was made flesh and dwelt among us’… is knowing Christ Jesus. He never violated His Word, because of His Love for His Father. We too show our love for Christ Jesus just as He showed His Love for His Father, in doing what the Father said. Jesus spoke “Only” what the Father told Him to speak.
(John 12:44-to-50) But = Jesus = cried out and said, = He who = believes on Me = ‘does not’ = believe on Me = but on Him = Who sent Me.
(John 12:45) And he who = sees Me [Jesus] = sees Him [God] = who sent Me.
(John 12:46) I have come = as a Light = into the world, = so that whoever = believes on Me = should ‘not’ = remain in darkness.
(John 12:47) And if = any one = hears = My Words = and = does ‘not’ believe, = I do not = judge him, = for = I do not come [this time] = to judge the world, = but to = save the world.
(John 12:48) He who = rejects Me = and = does ‘not’ = receive My Words = has one = who judges him; = “The Word” = that I have spoken, = the same = shall judge him = in the = “last day”.
(John 12:49) For = I [Jesus] = have not spoken = of Myself, = but = the Father [God] = Who sent Me = gave Me = “a command”, = ‘what’ = I should “say”, = and = ‘what’ = I should “speak”.
(John 12:50) And = I know that = His command = is life everlasting. = Therefore = whatever I speak, = even as the Father [God] = said to Me [Jesus], = so I speak.
In reading these verses… one can see just how important the Word of God is to the ‘True Believer!’ Without the Word of God… we do not know… what God has for us or what He wants us to do. Many times people know more about “Sports”, “Hobbies”, “Entertainment” and the like… than they do about the Word of God. What does that say about our… priorities in this life? Perhaps you know who won the ‘World Series’ or even the ‘Super Bowl?’ But do you know what the Word of God says about ‘any’ particular subject? Is there even enough… “Evidence”… ‘To convict you as a Born Again Christian…?”
(2Timothy 2:15) Study earnestly = to present yourself = approved to God, = a workman = that does ‘not’ need = to be ‘ashamed’, = rightly dividing = the Word of Truth.
(2Timothy 3:16-17) All Scripture = is God-breathed, = and = is profitable = for doctrine, = for reproof, = for correction, = for instruction in righteousness,
(2Tim 3:17) that = the man of God = may be perfected, = thoroughly furnished = to every good work.
I must confess… the more of the Word of God I know, the less I think I know! If you have used a computer with DOS commands… you know how much easier it is with Windows. In the same way; the more we know about the Word of God… the more suited we are for our Lord’s Work. We are mature enough, to not only share our faith, but why we believe what we believe about The Bible. We then can ‘defend’ the Faith spoken about in its pages. We do not defend a Denomination or a particular Church. We defend the Word of the Lord using the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God.
(Ephesians 6:17) And take = the helmet of salvation, = and = the sword of the Spirit, = which is = “The Word of God”,
(Revelation 19:13) And = He [Jesus] = had been clothed = in a garment = dipped in blood, = and = His Name = is called = “The Word of God”.
(John 1:14) And = the “Word” [Jesus] = became flesh, = and = tabernacled [lived] = among us. = And we beheld = His glory, = the glory as of = the only begotten = of the Father [God], = full = of Grace = and = of Truth.
Do you now see… how very important it is that you, know the Word of God… in your ‘heart & mind?’ It is the Word of God, that feeds our souls and changes, our point of human reference, to that of God. It will ‘not’ come easy because of our flesh. It will take discipline, perhaps a discipline that you never had before. Simply ask Jesus, “Lord…Help me to know Your Word… so that I may be your servant!”
(1Corinthians 9:27) But I = buffet [discipline] = my body, = and = lead it captive, = lest proclaiming = to others = I myself = might be = disqualified [for service].
(1Corinthians 16:13) Watch! = Stand fast = in the faith! = Be men! = Be strong!
(2Timothy 2:3-4-5) Therefore = endure hardness, = as a good ‘soldier’ = of Jesus Christ.
(2Tim 2:4) No one = who wars [for God’s Truth] = tangles with the affairs = of this life, = that he = may please Him [Jesus] = Who chose him [you] = to be a soldier.
(2Tim 2:5) And also = if anyone competes, = he is not crowned = ‘unless’ = he competes lawfully [according to the Word].
So where does this leave one…? Perhaps up to this point, you have never really thought about these facts. Did you know that you were a “Soldier for Christ?” As a veteran, I know firsthand what it means to be a soldier. All your rights are gone and you become a slave… to the Mission. Maybe you did not know, but everywhere in the New Testament the word, ‘Servant’ is used… it means, in the original NT Greek… “Bond Slave!” Remember the movie, “Ben Hur?’ In that move the statement was made… “You live to serve the ship!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGSzePqtGBc&feature=related
(Jeremiah 23:29) Is not = My Word = like a ‘fire?’ = Says Jehovah [God]; = and = like a ‘hammer’ = that breaks the rock = in pieces?
(Hebrews 4:12-13) For = the Word of God = is ‘living’ = and = ‘powerful’ = and = ‘sharper’ than = any two-edged sword, = piercing even = to the dividing apart = of soul and spirit, = and of = the joints and marrow, = and is = a ‘discerner’ of = the ‘thoughts and intents’ = of the heart.
(Heb 4:13) Neither is there = any creature = that is not manifest = in His sight, = but = ‘all’ things = are naked and opened = to the eyes of Him = with Whom = we have to do.
About now… if you have never looked at the Word of God like this, your eyes are opened to what “Authority & Power’… The Word of God has! It goes right to the Heart of every one and no one is excluded! Why do you think that so many… have disdain… for the Holy Word of God? No one will stand against its authority. Look again at “Hebrews 4:13”… and tell me if there in anyone exempt from its authority…? Absolutely None…! But now that you have seen this… where do you begin…?
http://truth459.blogspot.com/2010/01/manna-101blog.html
(Matthew 24:35) The heaven = and the earth = shall pass away, = but = My Words = shall ‘not’ = pass away.
(Mark 13:31) Heaven and earth = shall pass away, = but = My Words = shall ‘not’ = pass away.
(Luke 21:33) The heaven and the earth = shall pass away, = but = My Words = shall ‘not’ = pass away.
(Matthew 5:13) “You” = are the salt = of the earth, = but if the salt = loses its savor, = with what = shall it be salted? = It is ‘no’ longer = good for anything, = but to be thrown out = and = to be trodden underfoot = by men.
Continued next part – 301.
Before you study... the Word of God… You must First… Prepare Your Heart! See “2Chronicles 12:14”. Perhaps, ask Jesus, where He wants you to start in His Word, The Bible…?
(Psalms 119:18) Open my eyes, = so that I = may behold = wonderful things = out of = Your Law [Word].
Thank you for Your EAR! [Job 12:11] Roger //Email// atruth459@yahoo.com
Home Page: http://truth459.blogspot.com/
Ende…!
