The Enduring Word

Luke 16:17

It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.

If you’ve studied the Bible, you may have noticed that there are a lot of places where God said something would happen, and then later a different place in the Bible shows that it did happen. God isn’t into gambling. If he says something is going to happen, it’s truly a sure thing. So when God tells us he loves us, we don’t have to wonder if that’s true. When Jesus says he’s preparing a place for us, don’t say, “Really?” Instead, say, “What color are the walls?”

God wants us to believe what he says. This is also stated in Matthew 5:18, “For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.”

Through the ages, God’s word has proven to our ancestors that though our technology changes from ark to chariot to car to jet, he’s always with us, providing solutions to our problems. God has given us promises in the Bible that many of us don’t take seriously enough. Why? I don’t know. Maybe because we’re trying to see how much we can accomplish without God’s help. I have kids in school who come to me, asking for help when they need to figure out what to do next. God waits for us to come to him, asking for help too. We’re his kids. And he has all the answers.

The same words Moses wrote so many years ago still apply to us today. We have the same wisdom God gave to Solomon because Solomon wrote down much of it for us to read. Should we tell God that the Bible available to us today is antiquated and useless? Just because it was written a very long time ago, doesn’t mean it’s powerless. The age of the text doesn’t give it power. And there’s no expiration date.

The reason God’s words have endured  is because God said them. If I made a promise that my neighbor would give you twenty dollars, you wouldn’t expect to receive that money like you would if my neighbor made that promise himself. God has made promises to us that he backs up with his presence and his power.

God’s word endures because God endures. God’s word is powerful because God is powerful. God’s word is true because God is truth.

The Word of God

Jeremiah 8:8

How can you say, “We are wise, for we have the law of the Lord,” when actually the lying pen of the scribes has handled it falsely?

When we hold up our Bibles and declare to the world that we have wisdom, but we don’t spend time in prayer or give to the orphans and widows or spend time just worshipping the Lord, we deceive ourselves. How can we say we have wisdom when we don’t spend time getting to know God? He is the one who gives us wisdom. Without a close relationship with God, our wisdom is foolishness.  

This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord.     Jeremiah 9:23-24

Anyone can read the Bible. Those who read and believe what God says about himself are on the right path. You can only act on belief in God if you have belief in God.

If you ever find yourself studying the Bible in your own intellect, not asking God for wisdom, take a step back and reconnect with God. I’ve done that. I’ve tried to figure out things on my own, but nothing was making sense. I had to set my Bible study aside for a moment and find out what God wanted me to do instead. Sometimes he asks us to pray for others or take action to help others.

It’s best to start our Bible reading time with a reconnecting, a time of heart-to-heart with God. Then we’ll be ready to stop and listen when we notice he’s trying to whisper something into our hearts. God can help us navigate the wisdom in the Bible when we stop shoving him away and start paying attention to his subtle guidance.

His word is truth. Always. But anyone can take truth and twist it to deceive others. Our relationship with God will strengthen our ability to see the truth when others try to distract and deceive us. It’s not the Bible we should believe in, but the God of the Bible.

Without the Lord, there is no word of the Lord.

Warm Hearts

Ezekiel 36:26

I will give you an undivided heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

This section of scripture is basically a love letter from God to his people. He reminds them that their sins have not gone unnoticed, but they are still his people. They should be ashamed for their conduct, but they will see that God will make his people as numerous as sheep.

He loves us.

How often have you felt the arms of God wrapped around you to comfort you? Have you seen the glint of love in the eyes of God, not with your physical eye, but with your spirit?

God wants us to know that we are his, and we are loved.

Yes, we’ve all made mistakes. We’ve all been selfish and lazy and cold-hearted. But God has a good plan in mind for every one of us. He doesn’t sleep. He’s not lazy. He keeps after us to drive us to do his will.

If you’ve been feeling the pressure to do something good for someone else, but your selfishness is fighting against it, relax and let the selfishness go. Tell your selfishness, “You’re fired.” It never did anything good for you.

That divided heart hosts a battle between laziness and godliness. Those in the world look to God’s people for an example of God’s love. If we don’t show it, who will? We are the ones God wants to use to bring comfort and blessing to the broken hearted. But not if we’re full of ourselves. Not if we’re nursing our cold, stony hearts. How is he going to work alongside his people if his people don’t show up for work?

“And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Jesus said that to his disciples (Mark 11:25) after they discovered that a fig tree that Jesus had cursed had withered. They never expected to see its branches so withered the next morning after Jesus cursed it. Jesus emphasized the importance of knowing, believing, and speaking God’s will.

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:22-24)

In a few other places in the Bible, God links the reciprocity of forgiveness. He wants to hear from us, but our prayers are sometimes hindered by our unforgiveness. This heart of stone keeps us from seeing more of God’s will being done in our lives. 

Coldness is a temporary problem. We can be warmed up. Our ice can melt. Take a look at your surroundings. Are you surrounding yourself with cold friends and following cold-hearted customs? Do you need to re-think your traditions?

Invest in warm friendships. If you don’t have any, make some. If you have some, have you been diligent to maintain those friendships?

Treat God’s word with greater respect. You can invite someone to do a Bible study with you. You can start a personal mission centered around being an available warm friend to your neighbors.

Ask God what he’s designed you to do. Whatever it is, it’s based in his love. And remember, his fiery love is powerful enough to melt the coldest of icebergs.

Something Cold

Matthew 10:42

And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.  

How can something cold be warm?

Sometimes cold can be bad. A cold woman can be unforgiving and harsh. She can be indifferent and unkind. This is the kind of woman who inspires pity by her spiteful ways. She makes you feel the goosebumps of a bitter cold wind, even on a hot day.

Sometimes cold can be good. A cup of cold water sometimes feels like a warm hug A child who comes inside with a sweaty face, having played outside in the August heat for an hour, wants to cool his hands and throat with a cold glass of water. A cup of water to the dry and thirsty is a welcomed gift. It freshens and refuels the body.

Your generosity towards others makes them feel warm inside. When you volunteer to help out in a school or local charity, your attitude of warmth makes people feel loved. You can plant a seed of warmth and watch it turn into a beautiful harvest right before your eyes.

While you’re considering how to affect your community with the warmth of God’s love, you can find something cold and make it feel warm. Enjoy!

Being Warm

Matthew 24:12 

Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.

Some of us are starting to grab a jacket before we head outside in the morning. Not all of us. I’m still in short-sleeve shirts. It’ll be a while before I need a jacket. But for some, October marks a change in the weather. People are starting to use the word COLD for something besides describing how they like their lemonade.

One thing I’m fairly sure of is that when I get to Heaven, I won’t need a parka. Heaven will be perfect. No need to wipe sweat off your forehead. No need to wrap up in a blanket. No one will be too hot or too cold. People will be as warm as the love in their hugs.

When I read about how Jesus treated people, the warmth comes through very well. He healed people with a genuine, full-hearted love. He had a warmth that penetrated the coldest of hearts around him. People saw his warmth and either hated him or loved him for it.

While we’re going through a change in seasons, let every cold day remind us to be warm like Jesus. We can be generous, thoughtful, and kind to others. We can be ready to forgive when we start our day. We won’t wait until others have offended us. Was it Vince Lombardi who said, “The best defense is a good offense”? We’ll let love be our offensive strategy and our automatic response.

Do you want generosity and mercy to be your legacy?