Back to Basics: The Word!

Last week we looked at the fact that God moves suddenly. Circumstances might be going one way but God can change these circumstances suddenly. We looked at how the 120 were suddenly filled with the Holy Spirit and that day 3000 were added because of it. We saw how God can suddenly calm storms, give us sight when we are bind to the things of God, and change what seems to be impossible situations suddenly. Today we’re going to “step back” to look at what we must do in order to align ourselves for God’s suddenly. It is getting back to the basics of the Word in our hearts. So let’s get into this!

Psalm 119:105–112 (NKJV)

Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. 

I have sworn and confirmed That I will keep Your righteous judgments. 

I am afflicted very much; Revive me, O Lord, according to Your word. 

Accept, I pray, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O Lord, And teach me Your judgments. 

My life is continually in my hand, Yet I do not forget Your law. 

The wicked have laid a snare for me, Yet I have not strayed from Your precepts. 

Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever, For they are the rejoicing of my heart. 

I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes Forever, to the very end.

God’s Word Lights Our Way!

The Word of God is not just a guide, it is what keeps us from getting into ungodly situations. No matter what happens in life, God’s Word keeps us from straying. This passage tells us that not only is the word a light for us to help us “see” as we go along, it also keeps us safe from the snares that happen in our lives.

We have to be doers of the word till the very end. The writer here says that he has inclined his heart to perform the word till the very end. We never stop learning from the word, we never stop doing the word, we never really graduate until we are with Him and I think that even then we will be learning more about Him when we see Him face to face!

2 Timothy 3:16–17 (NLT)

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 

God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

God’s Word Teaches Us!

Nowadays there are so many thoughts on things we face. There are many thoughts on politics, finances, and even health care (funny how times have changed. There was a time when the only commercials for medicine was Alka Seltzer, Bayer, and Tylenol. Now it’s mostly prescription drugs.) There are so many theories of every subject that it is really easy to make wrong decisions. We ourselves can have some wrong thinking based on experience and who we hang with. But God’s word teaches us and corrects us when we are wrong. His word prepares us to do good works for Him.

Hebrews 4:12–13 (NLT)

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. 

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.

God’s Word Changes Us!

The Word of God does spiritual surgery on us all the time. It exposes our innermost thoughts and our desires to show us what we need to change. It is so easy to see and judge the faults of others and to “justify” our own thoughts. We can’t do that when we are in the Word! The Word arrests our thoughts and our intentions exposes them so that we can make the necessary changes needed to line up to His will. The Word calls us on who we really are. Paul said this about himself

Romans 7:18–20 (NLT)

And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 

I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 

But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

Paul knew what he really was because he not only penned the Word, he knew the Word personally!

John 1:1–5 (NLT)

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

He existed in the beginning with God. 

God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. 

The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. 

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

John 1:14 (NLT)

So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

Jesus was The Word Made Flesh!

This is what I mean by Paul knew the Word personally. Jesus is the Living Word. The Word of God reveals the will of God, the characteristics of God, and it definitely reveals everything about the Son of God, because Jesus was the Word made flesh. This alone is an awesome reason to continue to study the word and to become a doer of the word. When we do that we are actually imitators of Jesus!

Paul said to imitate him as he imitates Christ.

1 Corinthians 11:1 (NKJV)

Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

So we get into God’s Word because it lights the path of life that we are on, it teaches us, it changes us and it reveals Jesus because he is the Word made flesh. When we consistently not only study the word, not only do devotions, but we live our lives imitating Christ because we know Him, we live life with knowing that God can do things suddenly in our lives.