John 1:1...
'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men...
..14 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.'
In the following weeks, I want to once again lay the foundation for the necessity of the word of God being built within us.
Using the first chapter of John's Gospel as our primary foundation, I will endeavour to present the viability and reliability of embracing the time-honored discipline of Bible reading. One which I trust you are already practicing and holding fast. It is the preparatory way of God for our tomorrow.
“Get a word, design it, capture everyone's attention so that he who reads may run with it,” encouraged me to begin this Good Word in 2004. Like all beginnings, clarity, and refinement came over the years. This prophetic word, given to me in 1978, was built from Habakkuk 2:4.
I realize the foundation for ministry that I’ve built off of has always been on bringing forth His word and truth in a way that strengthens and encourages another’s personal development in God, an intentional conforming to the image of His dear son, Romans 8:29.
My instruction to ‘Get a word’ was with the understanding that my Good Word was to be discovered and expounded from His, “without him was not anything made that was made”. As a preacher and teacher, my life verse has been built on 2 Timothy 4:2 AMPC, both in practice, preaching and paper.
Herald and preach the Word! Keep your sense of urgency [stand by, be at hand and ready], whether the opportunity seems to be favorable or unfavorable. [Whether it is convenient or inconvenient, whether it is welcome or unwelcome, you as a preacher of the Word are to show people in what way their lives are wrong.] And convince them, rebuking and correcting, warning and urging and encouraging them, being unflagging and inexhaustible in patience and teaching..
This word, of course, heightens an awareness of cultural issues the church is continually addressing. Since culture tends to trump values, a generation that does not value the word within the church can only produce impotence. As new and filled believers, the last instruction Jesus gave to his disciples was to proclaim the gospel. The challenge of remaining faithful to the words of God in the face of those who do not readily receive them does not excuse or eliminate the need for this word to be preached. We are simply unable to grow up into Him in all things without feeding upon this bread of life. His word must be preached.
This book, the Bible, contains God's whole counsel. Whether we understand or hold revelation about every piece it reveals is only a matter of personal growth in our understanding of God's nature and character. As a new believer, I was taught that good always looks good. Yet God's definition of good is not always mine. Where I do not understand his workings, where I hold no revelation regarding the specific word, I am not able to communicate His word accurately.
I was taught to take my bible and read it until revelation came, then pray it until it was established within my heart, and then attend to it on a daily basis so it would define and shape my heart, mind, and choices! ‘The word, still, becomes flesh.’
Holding a foundation of the word is essential to the life we are promised. Psalm 119 rehearses over and over the value and necessity of holding fast to the word of God. The book of Proverbs highlights the wisdom in keeping the word. The building we do must be founded upon His instruction and revelation to sustain us from beginning to end.
Selah.