Word of God

No Private Interpretation

Ken

No private interpretation is the failsafe that prophecy cannot be made to mean simply whatever anyone likes. Failure to observe this prohibition produces all the false doctrine, which embarrasses and divides the Church. Since “no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation” (2Peter 1:20 KJV), then the fulfillment of each of any discussed prophecies is subject to your estimation of whether they have been, are, or will be fulfilled, but most of all, whether the “Spirit of Prophecy” (Revelation 19:10) agrees they have fulfilled their purpose. 

Remember, it doesn’t just apply to the heretical cults damning their way to Hell by deviously misusing the texts; but, it also applies to all those who have ears to hear what the Spirit is speaking to His Church. Your opinion is just as important as the most erudite scholar, since all interpretations are subject to the Author of the Book. Drink of the Water of Life freely for none shall be turned away. Desire deeply to be taught of the Spirit understanding of His Word. Submit wholly to the obedience of your understanding. Refrain from adding to or taking away from the purpose and intent of the text. Allow for none but the Holy Spirit to infallibly interpret the text. Be willing to change, or we can never grow in grace. 

Father, thank you for the light that shines in a dark place. Cause us to value Your words more than our physical food. We would spiritually die without the sustenance of Your Word; so, help us to be numbered among those, who would be willing to physically die for the Testimony of Your Word. Keep all Your daily promises and fulfill your prophecies to us, LORD. Come quickly, in Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen. 

Joy of Our Heart

Ken

God’s words are our unspeakable joy. Are they not? Or, can they be? Even when commanded to bring the difficult message of coming judgment to fellow Judeans, Jeremiah reminded himself of the unwavering joy that comes only by embracing God’s words. “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by Thy name, O LORD God of hosts” (Jeremiah 15:16 KJV). Spirit of God, work to make Your words the joy and rejoicing of my heart. In the film “The Rookie” (2002), Dennis Quaid plays an older baseball rookie (Jimmy Morris) trying to make it into Major League Baseball (MLB) through the minor leagues, but he was getting discouraged. Watching a little league field of young players, he remembers his enjoyment of the game and is inspired to make another (and successful) attempt into the major leagues. The next morning, he announces to his friend, “Brooks, you know what we get to do today? We get to play baseball!” Pray that God’s Spirit would give us that kind of enjoyment in seeking Him, His Word, and His message. 

Word of God: Living and Active

Ken

Abundant, free energy. Who wouldn’t be interested in acquiring? Not fission, fusion, hydrogen, or renewable. The Word of God is alive and powerful. “For the word of God is quick [alive, active], and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder [i.e., fission] of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart [i.e., nano, small]” (Hebrews 4:12 KJV). Even in the native tongue of its present readers and hearers, power courses through the Word of God, as we dwell upon God’s thoughts. We must be far along into the redemptive history of humanity for the Word of God to be so available, yet actively maligned, ignored, undervalued, and misunderstood. The Word of God is the most powerful expression of the deepest truths of our existence. LORD, make us to value Your words as the richest treasure, the pearl of great price, that we would seek it more than the necessary food for our physical bodies. Amen and amen. 

We Practice What We Believe

Ken

In other words, we all demonstrate what we actually believe by the way we act. “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew [shō] me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew [shō] thee my faith by my works” (James 2:18 KJV). There is no mystery about our beliefs, just look at how we act. If you wonder why you don’t have certain results from your beliefs, then you are confused about how you believe. Faith is not simply willing yourself to trust God, but “it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). Faith is not ‘pulling yourself up by your bootstraps’; but, faith is the “gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). And, no, God does not do our believing for us, but He makes our believing “effectual [Greek, energeia, Thayer, in the NT used only of superhuman power, whether of God or the devil]” (3:7), that is, He makes our faith valuable by empowering it. And, you can tell when He is cooperatively empowering us, when the results align with what He reveals in His Word. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16). LORD, empower our believing. Make our simple act of intellectual faith powerful and spiritual. Cause us to evaluate our faith by what You represent in Your Word. Cause us to actively hunger for our faith to look like what we read in Your Word. Make it so that what we believe causes us to act like what we know from Your Word. Grant to us the essential working of Your Spirit that You may conform us to Your Word — not just in letter — but in Spirit and in power. Do all of this, in Jesus’ name. Amen and amen. 

Feed On The Word Of God

Ken

Feed on the Word of God much as you need physical food to survive and thrive. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4 KJV). If our physical body requires food, how can God’s words be optional for our spiritual existence? “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by Thy name, O LORD God of hosts” (Jeremiah 15:16 KJV). God’s Word is not just a physical book or an ebook in digital form. Jesus is the Living Word! You can’t destroy the Word. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1 KJV). Understand and think through the meaning of His words, seeing it is communing with the Living God, our Heavenly Father, the Lord Jesus Christ!

How I Love Thy Law!

Ken

“O how love I Thy law! it is my meditation all the day” (Psalm 119:97 KJV). This is the common preference of the godly. In attempting to faithfully record the actions and words of Jesus, John wrote, “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen” (John 21:25 KJV). They couldn’t write enough, and we can’t read enough of God’s words, because they are more to be desired “than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb” (Psalm 19:10 KJV). It is impossible to overindulge with God’s words. Yahweh wants that kind of relationship with us!

Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt

Ken

Fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD) find us as an any easy target, if we allow someone other than God to define our reality. We like to think ourselves current with the events surrounding us. If an uncontrollable fire drives us into the ocean, as it recently did to many on the island of Maui in Lahaina, Hawaii, we, too, could not but react. Pray for Maui. May God be merciful to all those affected! Our hearts go out to you! But, beyond reasonable measures to prepare for adversity, our greatest resource and defense is confidence in God. “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2Timothy 1:7 KJV). Fear, on the other hand, is a characteristic of hell. “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8 KJV). Faith is confidence in God. “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1 NIV). Faith comes from God’s Spirit working in us as we trust Him, in particular, when believing His Word. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17 KJV). God alone is able to defend us from the triumvirate of fear, uncertainty, and doubt. Trust God, for He is worthy!

Donate to the Red Cross for “Hawaii wildfires” or Hope worldwide for “wildfires on Maui” relief.


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Exquisite Uniqueness of God

Ken

“There is no one like the God of Jeshurun [a poetic name for the people of Israel, meaning ‘upright people’], who rides across the heavens to help you and on the clouds in His majesty” (Deuteronomy 33:26 NIV).

Only God’s wisdom and knowledge are unlimited (Romans 11:33-36).

Only God’s words are unstoppable (Isaiah 55:6-11).

Only God’s Word will be accomplished to the smallest jot and tittle (Matthew 5:16-18).

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