To Live by Every Word that Comes from the Mouth of God...
O Word of God incarnate,
O Wisdom from on high,
O Truth unchanged, unchanging,
O Light of our dark sky,
We praise Thee for the radiance
That from the hallowed page,
A lantern to our footsteps,
Shines on from age to age.
William W. How
1823-1897
One of the biggest blessings of blogging has been to participate in link-up parties with other brothers and sisters-in-the-Lord. I always come away from visiting blogs and reading posts encouraged, convicted, and spurred on; gaining new wisdom and insights, and receiving wonderful recommendations and suggestions; truly edified.
What a blessing it is to experience my first Advent as a blogger and to be able to take in the rich and meaningful posts of sweet Christians who share their desire to place Christ first over all the busyness of Christmas preparations; spurring their readers on to do the same.
I have recently read several posts with wonderful book recommendations for the Advent season, one of which was John Piper's, The Dawning of Indestructible Joy. I downloaded a copy to my Kindle app, and I'm so happy I did!
You know that a Christian living book is going to be good when you even draw lessons from the preface! This was indeed the case with The Dawning of Indestructible Joy. John Piper begins with John 1:14-16
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
After which John Piper describes a "Holy Spirit soaking" where he was profoundly effected by this verse with new wonder - the fullness of God supplying grace upon grace coming from the Word that was with God and was God...
I then found myself pondering the Word...
There are so many aspects to the Word of God; it is truth; it is unfailing; it is all powerful; and it is eternal.
The more I thought about the Word, I felt a stirring and excitement about the freedom that is found in God's Word; a freedom that I was losing sight of...
A freedom that comes from remembering that...
God's Word was Jesus!
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:1
And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
John 17:5
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14
Oh to be mindful of Who the Word was every time I read Scripture!
"By presenting Jesus Christ as the Word through which all things were created, John is saying that God chose Jesus as His messenger/messiah to tell us about God. He is the revealer of God."
Carey Kinsolving
When I read my Bible, sometimes it becomes so familiar that I don't have in the forefront of my mind that they are the very Words of God - they are God! Of course, I know indeed they are, but am I actually reading them as if they are!
All Scripture is breathed out by God
2 Timothy 3:16
When we receive a letter from a dear friend, we soak in every word, hearing their voice in our mind's ear, seeing them in our mind's eye, they feel close and we feel connected.
Yet I confess, that because I have not seen God in front of me or audibly heard Him speak, it can be hard to comprehend that His Holy Word is no different then that handwritten letter from a close friend - with a very real Person behind the pen...
Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed;
blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed".
John 20:29
The reality is, this side of Heaven, the only way we can know God is through His Word. The more we read the Word, meditating on the fact that the Word was God and the Word reveals God, the more we will see and hear Him...
And a freedom that comes from remembering that...
And a freedom that comes from remembering that...
God's Word is life!
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Matthew 4:4
The Words that I speak, they are spirit and they are life
John 6:63
Set your heart unto all the Words...for it is not a vain thing for you; it is your life
Deuteronomy 32:46-47
Often times, I can hear the Still Small Voice asking me if I am living life abundantly - a life abundant in Christ...
I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
John 10:10
The answer sadly is no...
Too often I let my thorny cares, worries, unmet expectations, and my own desires rule my life. Doesn't sound very abundant does it?...
"Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them...
...As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world... choke the word, and it proves unfruitful."
Matthew 13:7,22
These Words from Matthew sting and convict...
I myself have planted these thorns, the very thorns that are choking out the Word, the abundant life that Christ came to give...
My time in the Word is rich and rewarding. The Holy Spirit illuminates new insights that I receive with excitement. But too often and too easily I forget those things I received with great joy, the worries and the distractions of the day stealing away the abundant life - the Word I had received earlier...
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.
James 1:23-24
But what if I looked intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abided by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, oh how the Lord would bless me {James 1:25} to yield fruit and have His abundant life!
"Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty...
...As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who HEARS THE WORD AND UNDERSTANDS IT. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
Matthew 13:3, 23
My cares and worries, my unmet expectations and selfish desires all have their answer in the Word made flesh, the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last. He who knows the beginning from the end, who still sits on the throne, whose plans are perfect, and who has a perfect plan for me which comes from His loving hand.
Filtering every situation touching my life through the Word of God...
Believing and trusting all the promises of God...
Living by every Word that comes from the mouth of God...
Oh what peace and joy would be mine! Oh what freedom I would experience!
A life lived testifying to God's life-giving Word.
Oh how God would be glorified!
Heavenly Father, Please move in me to live by every Word that comes from Your mouth. Help me to filter every interaction, every situation, every thought, every worry, every unmet expectation, and every selfish desire through Your Word. Holy Spirit help me to take up the Sword of the Spirit every hour of every day, that I may experience anew the fullness of God and receive grace upon grace...
In Jesus Precious Name, Amen
If you missed last week's daily features, you can click on the links below: :-)
You might find me on these link-ups:
Grace & Truth Link-up, Woman to Woman Ministries, Growing in Grace Link-up, 3DLessonsLif4e, Livefree Thursday,Everyday Jesus, SDG Gathering, Inspire Me Monday Titus 2 Tuesday, A Wise Women Builds Her Home, A Look at the Book, Sunday Stillness, The Weekend Brew, Spiritual Sundays, Soul Survival, Give Me Grace, A Little R&R, Testimony Tuesday, Women with Intention Wednesdays, Still Saturday, Good Morning Mondays, Tell His Story, Faith & Fellowship Blog Hop, Motivate and Rejuvenate Mondays, Be Salty, Monday's Musings, The Art of Home-Making Monday, Tuesday Talk, Waiting on Wednesday,Dance with Jesus, Reflect His Love and Glory Friend Sharpens Friend Link-Up, Words of Comfort Link-up, Wholehearted Wednesdays. Tell it to Me Tuesday, Faithful at Home Fridays, Faith 'N Friends, TGI Saturdays
Grace & Truth Link-up, Woman to Woman Ministries, Growing in Grace Link-up, 3DLessonsLif4e, Livefree Thursday,Everyday Jesus, SDG Gathering, Inspire Me Monday Titus 2 Tuesday, A Wise Women Builds Her Home, A Look at the Book, Sunday Stillness, The Weekend Brew, Spiritual Sundays, Soul Survival, Give Me Grace, A Little R&R, Testimony Tuesday, Women with Intention Wednesdays, Still Saturday, Good Morning Mondays, Tell His Story, Faith & Fellowship Blog Hop, Motivate and Rejuvenate Mondays, Be Salty, Monday's Musings, The Art of Home-Making Monday, Tuesday Talk, Waiting on Wednesday,Dance with Jesus, Reflect His Love and Glory Friend Sharpens Friend Link-Up, Words of Comfort Link-up, Wholehearted Wednesdays. Tell it to Me Tuesday, Faithful at Home Fridays, Faith 'N Friends, TGI Saturdays
Oh, praise God! What a wonderful post! Yes, if only we could learn to live that abundant life, and as you said, it comes through leaning more and more into His Word. It truly IS alive, and it is relevant...to our day and times, and to every problem we face. I am learning that more and more the longer I walk this Christian pathway. Regardless what I am facing, I am finding that my problems can be solved and direction can be found on the pages of His Word. And to think that THE WORD became flesh and dwelled among those like us! God, in the flesh, walking among men, showing His true personality and self. And how blessed we are that the pure, unadulterated Word has been preserved and handed down to us to read!!!!! The red letters are most precious to me, though I love it all...but can you imagine that we have the actual words of The Word recorded, so we can turn to them time after time? Oh, I do love Him and His Word, and I love and appreciate you, dear friend, and so appreciate this post. I leave here encouraged and refreshed, as always. :)
ReplyDeleteCheryl, Oh how your must please our Heavenly Father! Your posts and your comments are filled to the brim with your love for Jesus. It is contagious! I always appreciate your thoughtful comments on all my posts.
DeleteMuch love and blessings to you!
What an inspiring and encouraging post. And oh how I recognize your struggles. I was thinking just recently how lately I've been reading the Word, but without the intent and wonder of a while back...I love what you say about seeing Scripture as Our personable God speaking to us...I have experienced it like this because I have intently sought God in His Word...but have let my mind be filled with other things lately. Thank you for this pertinent reminder of what really truly matters. (Visiting as your neighbor at Jennifer's #TellHisStory)
ReplyDeleteAnna, Thank you so much for your kind words.
DeleteThank you so much for sharing your own heart.
You are very welcome. Thank you for visiting! :-)
What a wonderful and uplifting post! And so glad you enjoyed John Piper's advent book! I just finished it and was so encouraged by it. I love how he points to the Savior on every page. Your post here has done the same.
ReplyDeleteGod bless and Merry Christmas! : )
Cathy, Thank you for your kind and encouraging words. They mean so much!
DeleteAnd thank you so much for sharing about how John Piper's book has impacted you.
Blessings and a Merry Christmas to you too!
This was a very uplifting and convicting post. Thank you especially for the reminder that we need to be reading God's Word with the knowledge that it is God's Word, His very words, written for us. In busyness, I often take that for granted, but our time in the Bible is precious and powerful. Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteMeredith, Praising God for His leading as I wrote this post.
DeleteThank you for sharing your own story here.
Blessings,
Karen, I love this enthusiastic and joyful expression of love for God--the Word made flesh Who dwells among us...you are such a wonderful encourager to your fellow bloggers...we all appreciate you so much! Many blessings for a very Merry Christmas ❤️
ReplyDeleteBeth, Thank you so much for your kind words. They mean so much. :-)
DeleteYou always bless me with your visits. :-) Merry Christmas to you too!
Happy Advent and best wishes to you and yours.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Same to you Victor!
DeleteMay God bless you and your family. :-)