Living by the Word of God
Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."
The "Word of God" is living, powerful, eternal and invisible. God saw fit to provide us with a readable version of His Word in the Bible, but the Word of God is not contained within the binding of any book. All the Bibles in the world could be destroyed, and God's Word would not be affected in the least - it would still stand, still exist and still be true.
We call the Bible "God's Word," and it is. But God's Word is not limited to just what is printed in the Bible. Sometimes God speaks into our current situation in life. Throughout the Bible we can read of individuals who besought God on their own behalf or on the behalf of someone else, to change His mind about something He had decided, or else to otherwise intervene to keep things from happening as they seemed decided to happen. For instance, Abraham intervened for Sodom and Gomorrah, that God would not destroy them for the sake of the righteous individuals who lived there. And God relented to Abraham - He said if He found even 10 righteous people there, He would not destroy the cities (Genesis 18:32).
Moses intervened for Israel when God was angry, that God would not destroy them. God did not destroy them. And in the New Testament, various people came to Jesus to ask Him to intervene for their loved ones - to heal them of their diseases or raise them from the dead. And He did.
God still speaks to our situations today. Hebrews 4:15 says, "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." This passage in Hebrews chapter 4 tells us that Jesus became human and can identify with our human situation. Verse 16 encourages us to approach Him when we have needs - it specifically talks about temptations, and says He will help us in our times of need. But James 1:2, 3 also talks about temptations - daily situations in which we have a decision to make: whether to act or react according to God's will or according to our own will. These are "temptations" that come our way every moment of every day, and some of these trials are more difficult than others. When this kind of trial/temptation comes our way, Hebrews 4 tells us to call on the Lord and trust Him to speak His Word into our situation!
We as Christians need to live in relationship with the Lord so that we know what is on His heart and mind - we have to know what His Word is for our situation or we cannot declare or profess it in our lives. I'm not saying "name it and claim it" - I'm saying that we have to know God's Word - written and otherwise - so that we can actively establish His Word in our lives as we live from day to day and from situation to situation.
Let us live as confident citizens of His Kingdom!
"Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." (We will declare it on earth to be so as You have spoken it to be in heaven!)
The "Word of God" is living, powerful, eternal and invisible. God saw fit to provide us with a readable version of His Word in the Bible, but the Word of God is not contained within the binding of any book. All the Bibles in the world could be destroyed, and God's Word would not be affected in the least - it would still stand, still exist and still be true.
We call the Bible "God's Word," and it is. But God's Word is not limited to just what is printed in the Bible. Sometimes God speaks into our current situation in life. Throughout the Bible we can read of individuals who besought God on their own behalf or on the behalf of someone else, to change His mind about something He had decided, or else to otherwise intervene to keep things from happening as they seemed decided to happen. For instance, Abraham intervened for Sodom and Gomorrah, that God would not destroy them for the sake of the righteous individuals who lived there. And God relented to Abraham - He said if He found even 10 righteous people there, He would not destroy the cities (Genesis 18:32).
Moses intervened for Israel when God was angry, that God would not destroy them. God did not destroy them. And in the New Testament, various people came to Jesus to ask Him to intervene for their loved ones - to heal them of their diseases or raise them from the dead. And He did.
God still speaks to our situations today. Hebrews 4:15 says, "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." This passage in Hebrews chapter 4 tells us that Jesus became human and can identify with our human situation. Verse 16 encourages us to approach Him when we have needs - it specifically talks about temptations, and says He will help us in our times of need. But James 1:2, 3 also talks about temptations - daily situations in which we have a decision to make: whether to act or react according to God's will or according to our own will. These are "temptations" that come our way every moment of every day, and some of these trials are more difficult than others. When this kind of trial/temptation comes our way, Hebrews 4 tells us to call on the Lord and trust Him to speak His Word into our situation!
We as Christians need to live in relationship with the Lord so that we know what is on His heart and mind - we have to know what His Word is for our situation or we cannot declare or profess it in our lives. I'm not saying "name it and claim it" - I'm saying that we have to know God's Word - written and otherwise - so that we can actively establish His Word in our lives as we live from day to day and from situation to situation.
Let us live as confident citizens of His Kingdom!
"Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." (We will declare it on earth to be so as You have spoken it to be in heaven!)
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