Store Up the Word of God

The scripture is very explicit when it records that the way to prevent ourselves from sinning against God is to store up the Word of God in our hearts. Storing up the Word of God in our hearts would also stop us from wandering away from the commandments of the Lord. Now that is simple enough to understand its implication. It is simple enough for us to take note of. But the problem so often is not in knowing the need to store up the Word of God in our hearts. It is rather what do we mean by storing up the Word of God? How do we store the Word of God in our hearts?

The Sunday School song “read your bible, pray everyday and you’ll grow, grow, grow” is too simplistic. I believe it takes time, effort, and certainly discipline to store up the Word of God in our hearts. Let us just consider the words of Paul to Timothy about “instruction in righteousness.” What do we understand by the word “instruction,” “education,” and “training” in righteousness? Let me make a suggestion here: there can be no instruction, education, and training that bypass the faculty of the mind. So storing up the Word of God in our hearts comes through being instructed in God’s Word. This instruction is gaining knowledge in our mental faculty thus becoming the resource where the Holy Spirit can translate it into our everyday reality!

“Instructing” and “educating” requires learning and studying over time with effort and discipline. We need to study the Word of God. We need to spend time gaining knowledge of God that will bring understanding. I believe that when we do all the studying and learning it is a process of storing up the Word of God in our hearts. It is understanding that will help us to remember – to keep the Word stored up in us.

Consider with me: How could we pray and intercede intelligently and according to the will of God unless we have the Word of God stored up within us? How could we share the gospel with others if there is no understanding of the message of the gospel? How could we give the answer of the hope that is in us if there is nothing within us to give? Let us not despise the careful study of the Word of God. There are a few things to consider very carefully when we study God’s Word.

First, it is more than reading the bible through the year although that is important.

Second, it is more than a devotional approach to God’s Word – a word a day keeps the devil away – although that is important.

Third, it is more than memorizing all the promises of God so that we can draw it out of the chest-box whenever we need though scripture memorization is critically important.

I believe we need to DIG deeply into the Word of God so that we can be theologically sound with a biblical worldview and a truly Christian mind.

Consider Jesus and His temptation in the wilderness. On three occasions the devil tempted Him by telling Him half-truths and part-truths. Jesus was able to detect the sinister motivation of the devil and His response on all occasions was “it is written.” I believe Jesus did not mechanically quote the scriptures. He did not quote the Scriptures just because it is there in God’s Word. I believe He quoted the appropriate text because He understood the meaning, the implication, and the meaning of the text. The Word of God was the sword of the Spirit in the hands of Jesus wielding at the lies of the devil at an appropriate time.

A Break from the Series on Word of God

I know that I have not been blogging for the past one month except uploading the weekly devotion that I did for the church. I have been doing a lot of things but nothing really significance. But I did spent enough time to write articles for INTERFACE, the in-house teaching journal for the church. You can request for it if you want. Write to me at hclin58@gmail.com. I have been doing a lot of re-writing of my sermons into articles. I have completed my first manual entitled: Christian Living in a Changing World, Part I. Some of the articles have been printed in INTERFACE.

I guess my favorite past-time now is to prepare sermons and then turn them into an article for readers who are interested in what I had to say or the insights that I had gleaned from the Bible. The other thing that I am so preoccupied with is to record all my life experiences – good and bad – in writing. I am trying to write the story of my life – not so much as an autobiography – but more so as to preserve it as a legacy for my children. Some of the valuable lessons in life do not come the second time. It should not, especially the ones that brought along pain!!

I will be embarking on my third project in writing a daily devotion. This time Pastor Cheng Kin and myself would be writing a daily devotion based on the Gospel of Luke highlighting on the Life and Ministry of Jesus. I hope we would be able to that. We have only two months to complete the job. It is an ambitious project BUT I think it will worth it all since there will be people who will benefit from the devotional readings. We hope to do a better job.

Well….that’s about all that is happening in my world!! Adious…and God bless.

The Word of God Proves True

Psalm 119 has been an encouraging Psalm that has brought tremendous joy and hope to my life. I have been taking the time to meditate on this passage. What was so encouraging has been the opening of my understanding to see the wonderful relationship between the Word of God and the abundant life that is promised by Jesus! In Psalm 119:73-80, I can sum up THREE ATTRIBUTES of my Father God as firmly stated in the Word of God. It is when I hope in God’s Word that I experience the nature of God in the everyday activities of my life.

First attribute of God is His Faithfulness. The Psalmist recorded that He fashioned and made us. He gave us understanding so that we can know His commandments. Even when He afflicts us He is showing forth His faithfulness. In Hebrews 12:7 we are told that He only disciplined us because He considered us as His children. We are not illegitimate. We are told from God’s Word in 2^nd Timothy 2:13 that when we are faithless, He remains faithful – for He cannot deny Himself.

Second attribute of God is His Steadfast Love. The steadfast love of the Lord comforts us according to His promises NOT according to our goodness. It is the forbearance of God that leads us to repentance. It is His goodness and steadfast love that leads us to the place of God’s forgiveness.

Third attribute of God is His Mercy. It is in His mercy that we are not consumed but receive life instead. His mercy never comes to an end. It is in His mercy that we did not receive what we deserve, that is, damnation due to sin. The insolent will be put to shame but for us who fear His name He will lift up our heads and we will not be put to shame. His mercy endures forever!

In Lamentations 3:22-23 we read of the same three attribute as mentioned in Psalm 119:73-80: “the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (1) The faithfulness of the Lord is great even when we are faithless. (2) The steadfast love of the Lord is forever available. (3) The mercy of the Lord never comes to an end but is new every morning.

The Word of God proves true (Psalm 18:30) because His way is perfect. He is truly a shield to all who knows how to run to Him and hide in His faithfulness, His steadfast love, and His mercy. I have personally experienced on numerous occasions the faithfulness of God in my life and in my family. I must say that I have been more faithless in more ways than one and yet God remains faithful and merciful. I truly felt His steadfast love even though I don’t deserve it many times. I know I have failed Him many times. I have been found to be disobedient, to be rebellious, and have acted independently of God yet He had never left me nor forsaken me.

I remember vividly one night I took a stroll on a lonely road being upset and angry with myself. I was still in my teens. I had tried to walk uprightly before Him. I had tried to be a good Christian BUT I kept failing so often. I was struggling through some personal issues and I felt that I cannot be spiritual, cannot be a good Christian and that obeying the commandments of the Lord was almost impossible. So on that lonely night I spoke honestly to God. I told Him that I cannot give up knowing that He is real but I cannot live as a Christian because I cannot please Him at all. I was devastated. I was ashamed. I was defeated. I was feeling ashamed and full of guilt and condemnation. After I had poured out everything to Him, almost immediately, I felt His presence and I felt His love. I experienced that very night the love and mercy of God. It was almost like God saying to me that He understood my struggle and if I were to let Him help He will give me the strength. Praise God! His Word proves true. His way is perfect. He is my fortress and my shield.

The Living and Active Word

God’s Word is living power! The Word of God, written and spoken by His Spirit is living and most prevailing, authoritative, and impacting. It is not something that is leftover or in the past, or dead. It is active and penetrating. It is powerful, commanding, and active; it is the force of His will and the gentleness of His rest, and it is open for us to read and adhere to. His Word is the Bible and it is full of power. His Spirit lives in and within its precepts and pages and uses it to use us for Him.

His Word is sharper than the sharpest knife or any instrument of war or cutlery. No tool of man can ever be as penetrating and as useful to open or to divide, display or to mend, to reveal, or to lead as His Word. His written principles will open us up; they will go deep, penetrating us in our innermost areas, revealing all there is and more. God’s love, plan, and Word will cut deep into our lives and will. There are no desires, thoughts, plans, or ideas that are not open to God; there are no deeds He does not know about and no place where we can go to hide from His love or His plan. He will expose us, our sin, and who we really are, and let us know what we can be. He is here with His arms of love and rest, with a plan of hope and a life worth living now and forever more. We can’t hide from His Word or plan, as we are naked before Him. Thus, allow your will to be surrendered to Him, and choose His Way before your way. Know and cling to Him deeply; allow His touch of love to move and shape you. For one day, our time will be up on this earth and we will have to give an account for what we have done with what He has given, how we have allowed His Tool to cut, form, and shape us. Have we let Him form us or have we lived a life of emptiness, selfishness and thus wasted time living for ourselves and ignoring Him? Are we immersed with the rotten fruit of the flesh or infused with His Fruit to be and live a fruitful life?

(Quoted from Dr. Richard J. Krejcir, “Into Thy Word”

http://www.intothyword.org/apps/articles/default.asp?articleid=42466&columnid=3803)

Reflection on Psalm 119:89-96 brings up the following thoughts:

1. The Word of God is Firmly Fixed as Seen in His Creation. Your faithfulness endures to all generations; you have established the earth, and it stands fast. By your appointment they stand this day, for all things are your servants. (Verse 90, 91).
2. The Word of God is Firmly Fixed as Seen in His Covenant. If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life. I am yours; save me, for I have sought your precepts. The wicked lie in wait to destroy me, but I consider your testimonies.(Verses 92-95).
3. The Word of God is Firmly Fixed as Seen in His Commandment. I have seen a limit to all perfection, but your commandment is exceedingly broad (Verse 96).

Profitable, Competent & Equipped

Paul’s mandate is for us to remain faithful to the Holy Scriptures. It is supremely valuable for our life of faith. TWO REASONS were given:
First, all scripture is absolutely trustworthy; it is the inspiration of God, it is God-breathed. Peter said that men wrote the Holy Scriptures as they were moved by the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 1:21). In Proverbs 30:5 we are told that every Word of God is pure – is trustworthy. Check out Psalm 19:7-9 – The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.

Second, all scripture is spiritually profitable. Paul lists FOUR different functions of the word of God with each having a contribution toward spiritual profit in our lives. (a) He said to young Timothy that the Word of God is profitable for doctrine. The CONTENT of God’s Word is important and profitable. The Word is our light to life, unto which we’ll do well to take heed as a light that shines in a dark place.” (2 Peter 1:19) It instructs us as a master-teacher, showing us the path of life. (b) The Word of God is profitable for reproof. We can call that CONVICTION – to rebuke another, with such effectual wielding of the victorious arms of truth, and to bring him, if not always to a confession, yet at least to a conviction of sin. (c) The Word of God is profitable for CORRECTION – restore to an upright state. (d) The Word of God is profitable for CHARACTER building – instruction in righteousness. The Word of God was not given simply to increase our knowledge but mostly to infect our character and conduct.

So what is the intended purpose of Word of God for us? Well, Paul said “that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work (1^st Timothy 3:17). When we break these words of Paul into simple and logical fashion he had this to say about the intended purpose of God’s Word in our lives: (a) COMPETENT – fit, sufficient, complete, and able to meet all the demands. The full counsel of God’s Word enables the man of God to meet all demands which may be required of him. (b) EQUIPPED. Another translation said “thoroughly equipped” – completely outfitted, fully furnished or supplied.

Note that all this is for every good work – not many, or most but every good work! This verse is crucial for determining how to find God’s will for our individual life. Man is to live “by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4) and the Great Commission involves “…teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you…” When we leave God’s Word aside and seek to determine His will through other means, then we are turning our backs on Him before He has finished speaking to us!

The Psalmist (Psalms 119:105-112) gave us some of the purpose of God’s Word. First, God’s Word is a lamp unto our feet – enough to show you where your next step should be without stumbling – and a light unto your path – enough to give you the assurance that you are going on a right path. Second, when we are down and out, severely afflicted, the Word of God will give us life; will give us comfort and hope. Third, the Word of God will keep US from the snare of the evil one – keep us away from falling into deception. Fourth, the Word of God will bring joy as we come to understand the testimonies of the unfailing Word of God.

Constant Practice of the Word

The author of the epistle of Hebrews lamented the fact that his readers had ‘become dull of hearing’ (Hebrews 5:11). The author had wanted to tell them more about the eternal salvation that Jesus had accomplished. But he was not able to elaborate farther because it would involve a lot of explanation in order for his readers to understand. He was concerned that at a stage when they should be able to teach others the truths of God they still needed someone to teach them the elementary truths.

What are these elementary truths? Hebrews 6:1-2 answers that question. They are matters to do with repentance from dead works, faith in God, instruction about baptisms or cleansing rites, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. I wonder how many of us reading this now would say we have no idea what they are about nor what would be the significance of these elementary truths.

That is precisely the point that the author of Hebrews was trying to get at. Many of us have not gone very far in our understanding of the basic truths of the Christian faith. So we become easily influenced or disturbed when someone comes along declaring some new understanding or fresh revelations that they have received from God. Or we get perturbed by what someone claimed to be a truth of scripture because we are not sure if that is exactly how the scripture is meant to be understood. Or we are unsure about what is the right thing to do in a given situation.

Our memory verse for this week tells us that, “everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child…” What is this ‘milk’? 1 Peter 2:1-3 (week 5 memory verse) talks about the ‘pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation’ – if this ‘spiritual milk’ is that which will enable us to grow into a fuller experience of salvation, and since we were saved through our putting our faith in the word that was preached to us, then the ‘spiritual milk’ must also have to do with the word of God. It is that particular word of God that spoke to us of God’s grace, and mercy, that first made the Lord so attractive to us that it drew us to yield our lives to Him.

‘Milk’ is that aspect of God’s word which we find easy to understand. It is that which brings comfort to us or cause our troubled hearts to be at peace. But if we only want the ‘milk’ – the ‘comfort me’ message, Hebrews 5:13 says that we will remain unskilled in matters related to righteousness, unskilled in discovering what is the right thing to do.

Conversely, Hebrews 5:14 speak of another type of believer. This one is seen as a mature person and the mark of his/her maturity is the ability to discern good from evil. The verse actually says that this person’s ‘powers of discernment’ has been trained by ‘constant practice to distinguish good from evil.’ Such a person feeds on ‘solid food’.

Some parts of the Bible may be hard to understand and often we tend to shy away from reading them. But for the person who is constantly working at discerning good from evil, the ‘hard to understand’ passages become a resource from which he/she could draw on to form a yardstick for discerning what is good or evil. The author of Hebrews said that it’s by the constant use of this ‘solid food’, this word of God, that the person is able to distinguish good from evil.

We are meant to constantly live out the word of God in our lives, constantly use it as our guide for living, for discovering what is good and what is evil. In this way we are training our discerning power.

What would be the result of our failure to do so? I believe Hebrews 6:4-8 speaks of those who have failed to constantly practice the word of God in their lives. The end result is that of falling away to the point of no return. This is the worst scenario of what could happen to one who neglects God’s word. There is no anchor for their soul and temptation will soon over power them so that where once they had proclaim the goodness of God, now they turned away and ‘crucify the Son of God’ anew. Sad to say, there may be no returning for such as these.

May we take heed and be forewarned. So let us work at hiding the word of God in our hearts and living by them, and in the process training ourselves to discern what is truly good and what is evil.

by Pastor Cheng Kin

Long for the Pure Spiritual Milk

We need to fill our hearts and minds with the WORD OF GOD. We have to desire – a decision of the will, the heart and the mind. It does not fall on our laps. But when we desire his Word we will grow into maturity – come into freedom, that is, the true rest found in him. There’s a famous saying that goes like this: “If you will APPLY God will SUPPLY.”

To “DESIRE” simply means to yearn, to intensely crave possessions, to long for greatly. And when we think of the pure milk immediately what comes to mind is uncontaminated milk. And when the milk is uncontaminated and pure it is fresh milk!! We need to yearn, crave intensely, long for greatly the Word of God daily. We need to feed on his Word. Never live on yesterday’s revelation!

James said that in order for God’s Word to produce its proper effect in us there are two basic conditions: First, we must receive it with meekness, that is, with proper attitude of heart and mind. Second, we must be doers of the Word, not just hearers only. We must apply it in a practical way in our daily lives. (James 1:21-22). James then went on to compare the operation of God’s Word to a mirror. Normal mirror shows our external, physical features. God’s Word reveals our inward spiritual nature and condition.

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:18). We must come to the Word of God with unveiled face; no ulterior motive, no preconceived idea, and a prejudiced view but with openness so that God can reveal himself clearly through his Word to us. When we come with that attitude we come ready to be transformed by his Word through the power of the Spirit of God. This transformation, Paul said, is the mirror-image of Jesus in us which is the glory of God upon our lives!

“For the light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18). The exhortation here is very clear. We are to look at things that are not just of this world which is temporary. Our great concern should be on things which are eternal – that which is spiritual, unseen. The glory of God in our lives is one of them. That is the reason why we need to pay heed to the Word and the work of God in our lives. We should not be overly concerned with the light affliction, the worldly pain and concerns, the weights that so easily beset us BUT fixed our eyes on him. In him we will find our eternal weight of glory. In him we live and move and have our being.

“By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.” (Hebrews 11:27). Moses’ testimony has always been that his relationship with God was a face to face relationship. He saw the invisible God and he walked with the invisible God.

Today we can do the same. His face is being revealed to us through the Word of God. His Word is like a mirror; enter in and we will see the face of the invisible Father who is rich in mercy and compassion towards his creation. Come to the Word of God and discover the wonder of God and the wondrous beauty of his love.

Quote: “We have to learn to acquire the taste of God’s goodness in his word by reason of frequent and consistent use.”

Feeding On The Word

SCRIPTURE PASSAGE/S

Please take time to read these passages: John 8 & 15; Proverbs 30:5-8

THINKING ALOUD
The word of Agur (Proverbs 30:7) cries out to the Lord for two things; one is that he willbe removed far from falsehood and lying, and two. is that he wants neither poverty nor riches. His cry is for the Lord to feed him with only what is needful.

We need to pray this prayer for ourselves too. We are living in a world where mankind by large has lost his ability to distinguish his right hand from his left, and has lost his sense of reasoning between truth and reality. In the midst of exalting reason and self, many have left God out of the equation. The moral decline due in large proportion to the reasoning away of God and the coming of age of liberty and freedom has brought more despair and despondency than what it thought was freedom. Freedom and liberty from believing in absolute truth and then latching on to relativity has cast off moral restraint and has breed violence, rebellion, and anarchy instead. What freedom is that when the very freedom sought after brought about evil and suffering? Humanity has fallen into the bottomless abyss of sin and degradation; the lurking nightmarish depression of a hurting, lost and confused humanity is seen at every corner, and the cesspool of carnality has reached its peak. It looks like we are in a God-forsaken world. Is that true? No, in reality, we are living in a God-rejecter world!!

We are living among people who have a worldview where the lies of the devil have taken prominence. We need to be aware of its impact in the church too lest we should be consumed in deceit and fall prey to the lies of the devil too. The bible says it explicitly that when the devil tells lies he speaks his native language! That’s the reason why Agur wrote in the book of Proverbs that he seeks God’s deliverance from falsehood and lying. It is the same with us today; seek God to feed us with His Truth, that which is needful for us so that we will not fall prey to falsehood and lying.

One of the most challenging questions of all time for Christians today is this: Do I really believe what I believe is really real? Do I take seriously the truth claims in the Word of God? Do I really live it and act upon it?
In CLASS 201 – Discovering Spiritual Maturity there is a section on having time with God’s Word. Let me just briefly mentioned here for you. We are called to HEAR, READ, MEMORIZE, MEDITATE, and APPLY God’s Word as a daily discipline in our lives.

1. Hear the Word of God – listening to sermons, bible teachings, and bible classes
2. Read the Word of God – read it aloud, read it systematically, and read from different translations
3. Memorize the Word of God. There are many Scripture Memory Systems that you can follow and use.
4. Meditate on God’s Word – Picture it! Visualize the scene in your mind. Pronounce it! Say the verse aloud, each time emphasizing a different word. Paraphrase it! Rewrite the verse in your own words. Personalize it! Replace the pronouns or people in the verse with your own name. Pray it! Turn the verse into a prayer and say it back to God. Probe it! Ask questions like, is there any sins to confess, promise to claim, attitude to change, command to keep, example to follow, prayer to pray, error to avoid, truth to believe, and something to thank God for?
5. Apply God’s Word – what does it mean for me today?

MEMORY VERSE
Proverbs 30:8 - Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me

LIFE APPLICATION
Self-deception is living life outside of reality – believing and acting like someone you are not. Self-deception causes people to justify open sin and rebellion. They simply lined up scriptures, “leadings”, circumstances, and counsel from other Christians to agree with their predetermined ideas to justify their position. The tragedy is, they actually believe that they are right. Riches can give us false pride. On the reverse poverty can give us false humility. The best is to follow Paul’s principle of living: “In whatever state I am to be content.”

The answer to all kinds of false beliefs and perspectives is to ask God to feed us with the food (TRUTHS) that we need. There are two important things to note:

1. Do not neglect to hear, read, memorize, meditate, and apply the Word of God
2. Do not hear and read everything out there in the marketplace of ideas. Not all reading materials and audio messages are beneficial, in fact, they may lead you astray.

PERSONAL PRAYER
Father, deliver me from all falsehood and lying. Feed me with the food that is needful for me. Remind me to hear, to read, to memorize, to meditate, and to apply your Word on a daily basis. Lord, I need your strength and wisdom to be able to be disciplined, to develop the habit of a quiet time with you. Please give me the courage and the strength to apply your Word in my life. Thank you.

A Confession

There are many struggles in my life BUT I think the toughest that I am facing right now is to make sense of the changes that are evident in my thinking and my worldview. My interest has also changed tremendously. I know that things changes in our lives as we grow older. Some things fade away and some things become clearer. I learned from MLM that this phase of life is called convergence.

Much as I know that I am paid to be a pastor BUT I found no more energy in visitation, in counselling, and the kind of pastoral care that I use to do years ago. In fact, in all honesty, I have been struggling in doing all this for a long time now. It is not that I dislike meeting people. I love people. I love to visit family. I love to spend time with people. It’s the phase in my life that I prefer to be alone more than with people. I know it sounds selfish and weird.

This is a personal struggle. I constantly refuse to take up any position in the church. I constantly reject any suggestions for me to take a more active role in the church. Not only did I not have the energy to do it but really, I don’t even have the frame of mind to do it. I can’t be a good pastor – the one that is expected of me. I have somehow lost the motivation. Why? Because I found myself moving more and more away from the way typical church function. I have many unanswered questions. It is not that the church I am serving in is wrong in what she is doing. I think she is doing great. It is me that is struggling with some of the ideals, the ethos – maybe I have shifted away from many of the shared values and have a very different perspective altogether.

I no longer finds it appealing and appetizing with the kind of ministry going on in the church – moving in the things of the spirit, the supernatural, healing and deliverance. I have not stopped believing in it. I am proud of the legacy but somehow I stop chasing it anymore. Honestly, I am now more critical and I am very aware of it. Honestly, I no longer know how to preach a “feel good” sermon – “come to Jesus, all is fine” sermon and being truthful to my own beliefs. I don’t assume that I am on a right track. I really don’t know how to go back to the good old days of preaching a sermon with lots of testimonies, stories, and whipping up lots of inspiration that appeal to the emotion anymore. I can preach it but I found myself being untrue to my own personal convictions. I wish I could do that BUT I have moved away from that. My conviction is so different now.

A couple of days ago I saw my write-up on my personal spiritual journey that I did sometime back. It was part of my assignment. It was interesting to read what I had written. Perhaps that is the reason for some of the unsettledness in my spirit ……

Since young I have always been a dreamer and an idealist. I have dream many dreams and some of it I have seen it come to past but there are still many that have remained just dreams (in fact, some are bordering on fantasies now).

Looking back at my life and ministry for the past 23 years I have enjoyed pastoring; caring for people, and attending to the flock have all been rich experiences. As a person I have also grown both mentally, relationally, and spiritually. At the time of writing my spiritual journey I felt being stirred once again by a deep passion that has been residing in my heart and spirit for a long time now. I have often in my prayer time with the Lord spoke about the time of release and a time of new beginning in a new direction for me.

I have constantly placed before me this vision of seeing many young people who are seeking for truth, who are seeking for an answer to their confusion, and who are lost coming to a safe place where they can engage and dialogue and in the process help them find their way to God. The safe place is a place where they feel the freedom to explore without afraid of being misunderstood, a place where they can engage with philosophical issues bothering them without being called queer, and a place where the “outcast” of society and the church can call a home where there is love and healing. I would love to build a sanctuary – a safe haven – for the many young people who are lost; the many who could not distinguished their right hand from their left.

That’s my dream, that’s what I am praying that God would take me to the next level and I would love to be able to impart into lives the word of God and to see transformation taking place right before my eyes. I often prayed that God would allow me to take this journey for the rest of my life.

The Word of Life

SCRIPTURE PASSAGE/S

Please take time to read these passages: 1 John 1; John 1:1-14

THINKING ALOUD

The Apostle John was describing Jesus Christ, the very Word of Life. He was there and he was with the Son of God; ate with him, journeyed with him, heard his voice and teaching, and saw the life changing miracles and healings taking place right before his very eyes. When John wrote the letter of 1st John, he was an old man. He was the last one of the disciples still alive. See how he reminisced about his Master and Saviour. See the intimacy in his language as he described his Lord.

Let us take a little time to discover what he had heard, seen and touched concerning Jesus the Word of life.

HEARD. It is not a case of hearing about him or heard what others said about him. When John said that “we have heard” he meant the words of Jesus – the amazing teaching, the profound answers that he gave to the Pharisees and Scribes, and the mysteries that surround his words like the parables. Likewise, the record of all that he had spoken is found in the Bible. We would do well to search it out and in reading the account and the words of Jesus may we hear him speaks once again into our hearts. Some of the things that still amazed me about the sayings of Jesus are: “Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly,” “Love one another so that the world will know that you are my disciples,” and “Let not your heart be troubled, believe in God believe also in me. I go to my Father’s house and prepare a place for you.” Wow…John must have had those words ringing when he said that “which we have heard!!”

SEEN. John went on to say that it is not only that which we have heard but also seen with our eyes. I believe he was referring to the miracles, the healings, and all the deliverances from demonic possession that was taking place. Just imagine yourself in John’s shoes – water turning into wine, the lame walk, the blind see, the deaf spoke, the dead raised, and demons coming out of a lunatic and he became completely whole again. Just think about it. John was relating that this Jesus is still alive, he is the Word of life and he will send his Word to heal and to deliver. Today, we can still have the miracles, we can still have the healings, and the deliverances because Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

LOOK UPON. I think John went very deep into describing his Master. He was saying that what Jesus spoke was amazing and dumb-founding at times. He was saying that what the disciples had seen – the works of Jesus – were equally amazing and dumb-founding. Now he continued to say that this Jesus in close proximity was good, gentle, loving, compassionate, and forgiving. He was describing Jesus whom they looked upon as the Word of life. In him we have life and life more abundantly. Remember John was the only disciple at the foot of the cross with Mary, Jesus’ mother. He could still hear the gentle voice of the Saviour calling to him to care for his mother. Even in the most painful moments Jesus showed what love is all about.

TOUCHED. Many people have touched Jesus and he has touched many people too. But for John he was really close to his Master and he had such intimacy with him. The Bible tells us that John was the disciple who laid his head on the bosom of the Lord. In fact, John himself said in his gospel account of the life of Jesus Christ that he was the disciple whom Jesus loved. He did not only hear his Master’s teaching, saw his Master’s healing hands at work, or looked upon his Master’s love, care and compassion that gave life BUT he was so close to the Lord he could hear the Lord’s heartbeat.

Today we can find the same place that John was in. We need to recognise Jesus is more than our Saviour; he is our Lord, our friend and we can hear, see, look upon and touched him. We can experience life through Jesus Christ who first and foremost delivers us from sin and death. He is awesome!

MEMORY VERSE

1 John 1:1 – That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life.

LIFE APPLICATION

The Bible is a handbook on life of faith, godly living, and truths of God for right living, salvation and the mandate of the Kingdom of God. There is no substitute for daily reading and consistent study of God’s word if we want to be able to experientially handle the word of life.

Start today. Set aside time for a personal devotion with your Heavenly Father. Here are some suggestions for you to get started using the Lord’s Prayer as a model:

1. Start with praise
2. Pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven in the very circumstances that you are in.
3. Ask God for your daily provision
4. Confess any sin so that you will receive forgiveness
5. Forgive others
6. Pray for God’s protection

Next, read the Word of God. There are many devotional guides that you can use to help you read systematically and consistently through the Bible in a year.

PERSONAL PRAYER

Father, I worship you for who you are; you are great, gracious, and most wonderful. Your name is worthy to be honoured and praised! Father God, I pray that your will for my life will not only be established but that it be known to me clearly. In my daily walk of faith provide for my needs and feed me with spiritual insights that I may be able to live according to your will today. Please forgive me of all my sins and help me forgive others who have offended me and cause hurt to me. I ask for the Lord’s protection in my going out and my coming in from this day forth. Thank you Father for the Word of Life!