October 29, 2014 RECEIVING THE MESSAGE
Thessalonians 2:11-13: “..just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. And for this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received from us the word of God’s message, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.” In the first two chapters of Thessalonians we see where both Paul and the believers he was writing to were undergoing persecution for their faith and Paul was writing to express his thankfulness to God and to them for their faithfulness in receiving the gospel. Even during persecution and difficulty, the Thessalonians were walking in a manner worthy of God. The key to waking in a manner that pleases God is receiving the word as the word of God. To say that we believe the bible to be the word of God places great accountability on us. How could one hold in his hand a book containing the word of God-the God who created the universe-and not be greatly impacted by it? Paul proclaimed the gospel everywhere he traveled and many heard the message, but it is obvious that many did not receive the messages as being from God. If there was anything that blessed Paul, it was seeing the gospel received and lived out. The word of God is living and powerful and we must be on guard, not letting familiarity with the word lessen its intended impact. Indeed, we are blessed to have the word of God in written form. When received, the message, or word from God, transforms us, it ushers in new life, it gives hope, it gives instruction for living, it defeats our enemy, it corrects, it gives wisdom, it gives meaning and purpose to life, it describes body life, it reveals our gifting, it guides, it reveals the purposes of God, it gives us a future, it comforts, and it abides forever! As we come to understand that we find true life through His word, we then desire the word. In 1 Peter 2:2 we find the exhortation: “like newborn babes, long for the pure word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.” For believers, there is a growing or maturing process, and we grow and mature by receiving God’s word and by giving expression, or applying His word. His word is not theory, but reality. His word contains the truth and anything contrary to His word is a lie. So, let us “long for the pure milk of the word”, let us receive the word as from God and let us apply the word to every aspect of our lives. His word will “perform its work” in us if are one who believes His word and that we can be sure of.
Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
Blessings,
Buddy
Thessalonians 2:11-13: “..just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. And for this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received from us the word of God’s message, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.” In the first two chapters of Thessalonians we see where both Paul and the believers he was writing to were undergoing persecution for their faith and Paul was writing to express his thankfulness to God and to them for their faithfulness in receiving the gospel. Even during persecution and difficulty, the Thessalonians were walking in a manner worthy of God. The key to waking in a manner that pleases God is receiving the word as the word of God. To say that we believe the bible to be the word of God places great accountability on us. How could one hold in his hand a book containing the word of God-the God who created the universe-and not be greatly impacted by it? Paul proclaimed the gospel everywhere he traveled and many heard the message, but it is obvious that many did not receive the messages as being from God. If there was anything that blessed Paul, it was seeing the gospel received and lived out. The word of God is living and powerful and we must be on guard, not letting familiarity with the word lessen its intended impact. Indeed, we are blessed to have the word of God in written form. When received, the message, or word from God, transforms us, it ushers in new life, it gives hope, it gives instruction for living, it defeats our enemy, it corrects, it gives wisdom, it gives meaning and purpose to life, it describes body life, it reveals our gifting, it guides, it reveals the purposes of God, it gives us a future, it comforts, and it abides forever! As we come to understand that we find true life through His word, we then desire the word. In 1 Peter 2:2 we find the exhortation: “like newborn babes, long for the pure word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.” For believers, there is a growing or maturing process, and we grow and mature by receiving God’s word and by giving expression, or applying His word. His word is not theory, but reality. His word contains the truth and anything contrary to His word is a lie. So, let us “long for the pure milk of the word”, let us receive the word as from God and let us apply the word to every aspect of our lives. His word will “perform its work” in us if are one who believes His word and that we can be sure of.
Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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