Living
in His Word
So you
must live as God's obedient children. Don't slip back into your old
ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You did not know any
better then. 1 Peter 1:14
Above
all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conduction yourselves in a
manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then whether I come and
see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you re
standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together
for the faith, which is the Good News. Don't be intimidated in any
way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going
to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God
himself. For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting
Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. We re in this
struggle together... in
the midst of it. Philippians 1:26-30
No
matter what we do in life we must be living in His Word in order to
keep our feet on the right path.
We know
that Proverbs 3 tells us to trust in Him, and that He will direct us
where we should go but how will we expect to find that path in the
first place, let alone follow it if we do not keep our hearts and
minds focused on the Word of God daily?
If we
want to live in the Word we must first learn to walk in it.
When we
accepted that Christ was our Lord and Savior we began a journey; we
took the first steps to walk in Him. What we need to know is that we
are not to stop there but to
continue in our walk with Christ, in
obedience to His Word.
Just
think for a moment about a surgeon. If she did not study for years
about the human body she could not cut and remove the bad parts and
help to fix or repair the broken parts in a body.
In the
same way we who are sent out as sharers of the Word, as spiritual
'doctors' we must study to show ourselves approved by God. How else
can we know what God wants for us than to study His Word and see the
truth in it?
We know
that Jesus is the Way the Truth and the Light only because we heard
it spoken to us from someone or from reading it ourselves in His
Word.
If we
did not pick up or listen to a Bible being read, quoted or sang we
would not have heard the Word and we would probably not have known
that God was real. Though there are always the exceptions, most
people find their way to the Truth and saving knowledge of Christ by
going to a church service, listening to radio or online, or even
television studies.
Once we
have taken that first step into the Word then we will find another
steppingstone to walk on.
Soon we
are walking in the Word every day.
So lets
recap that; first we realize that the Word is there, that it is
Truth. Second we accept it as a need in our lives, and Christ in our
lives as well. Third we learn what we need to do is read it, study it
to learn exactly what its all about. What its all about, and we will
find this to be true, is that Christ wants a place in our hearts, in
our minds and in our lives. Once we really get that, then we can find
such wonderful direction for our daily lives, our daily walk; when we
trust God with our lives He will direct our path in His Word.
Wow,
look at all the steps we are taking?
Paul put
it plainly, to die is to be with Christ and to live is to live for
Christ sharing His Word.
In order
to share it we have to know it, to walk in it, to live it.
Know:
begin the study.
Share:
tell someone what you read.
Walk:
live what you read.
Live: go
back to the top, and start again. Each day as you dig in the Word you
will find a nugget to use n that day. Use it to the fullest extent
you can use it for that day. Live it, by your obedience to the Word
showing through in your daily life; like you did when you heard of
the ten commandments; be obedient to the Word of God in faith. Trust
Him to tell you how to live your life, not always when, but how to
behave.
We live
in His Word when we do these steps every day. I have to say the days
when I have not allowed myself to grab a nugget of God's Word before
going on with the tasks on my daily list I have found time to slip
away, anger to rise to the top, frustration to be quick to jump out
and pressures of life to wear me down. Amazing enough the same
situations meet me the next day but I chose to read longer, to really
'meditate on the Word' and apply it to my life. The same things came
at me, the same weights where there but they seemed lighter, the
troubles were thrown at me and I found answers to the needs.
When I
find, and make the path I follow in the Word daily the path is more
clear than ever.
I was
just reminded of the trail in my garden. The winter months it is
clear but not passable due to rain on the clay filled mud, but in the
spring the ground dries and the flowers bloom all over the place and
I can't see the path for the flowers. That is until I begin walking
in it. As I approach the path it may seem blocked by over grown
flowering bushes but as I take each step I can see the path ahead. I
am immersed in blooming and beauty on almost all sides but for the
path below me. That is how I view reading the Bible daily. It is a
walk in my garden, along the path. Step by step growing closer to the
flowers, to the scents and the beauty I can relish in it, bask in it
and really enjoy the creations; but I must follow the path laid out
for me or I will stumble into a bush full of bees and get stung or
other injuries.
God gave
us a Bible to follow for a reason, the same reason my husband put a
path in the garden; that we may walk among the living things; that we
may live in His Word.
Oh, sure
we can stand at the side walk and look at the garden; like the rest
of the world; on the outside looking in. Or we can follow the path
into the Word and enjoy what fragrances Christ gave us, gain
knowledge from the God who created the beauty of His Word just for
us. I should worn you that if you choose to live the Word, your life
will change; the enemy will grow discontented with you and you may
have to keep at the Word daily in order to stay strong enough to do
battle; but as you walk, and live in His Word the Holy Spirit will
guide you through that path that God planned for you to walk on.
Dear
Heavenly Father; Help us all to walk, live and rejoice in Your Word
daily. Help us to share the flowers of Your Garden. In Jesus name,
amen.
Suggested
reading: Philippians 1:1-30, 1 Peter 1:1-25, 1 Peter 2:1-25,
