The Bible Part 4
11 Tim 3v16, 17
All scripture is God -breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Recap of the Bible part 1,2 and 3.
We have looked at the indestructibility of the Bible, and man's disregard for it.
We saw contrasts between the Bible and the Quran, attacks on the Bible by liberals & alternatives/ additions.
We looked at how the canon of Scripture was established.
We also saw the need for not only revelation, but also illumination and appropriation.
We compared the New Testament with contemporary literature and looked at the reliability of Old Testament manuscripts.
We then looked at what we were using God’s Word for: To try tell the future, to argue, to judge others or as we should, for self-examination.
What are you doing with God’s Word
Are you using the Bible to try get God to do what you want?
Matthew 4:5,6.
This type of manipulation is not new, Satan used it in his temptation of Jesus in the wilderness when he said “it is written”.
Are you using the “it is written” line on God?
My testimony: how the Lord reminded me of this scripture when I fell and hit my Face on the rocks
What are you doing with God’s Word
Matthew 4:5,6.
Then the Devil took him to the holy City and had him stand on the highest point of the Temple. If you are the Son of God he said, throw yourself down.
For it is written: “He will command his angels concerning you and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”
Jesus answered him, it is also written: “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”
What are you doing with God’s Word?
Psalm 91:11-12.
He will give his angels charge over thee lest thou dash thy foot against a stone,
Luke 4:29,30.
At Nazareth this was a Rhema as they wanted to throw Jesus off the cliff, but at Gethsemane God the Father’s will was revealed to Jesus in prayer, {and that was his death and suffering}, that ALL Scripture could be fulfilled.
Have other used God’s Word on you in times of trial and sickness.
Personal note.
Sometimes well meaning people will share their Theology with you when you are going through difficult times, Job’s friends did it and our friends at times may do the same.
Galatians 4:13-14.
As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the Gospel to you. Even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself.
I’ve heard of instances where renown USA preachers would send their wives to SA for surgery like hysterectomies as they were afraid some of their own Theology would be thrown back at them.
The Logos and Rhema.
Rhema Wikipeadia:
An utterance or thing said.
Rhema is the revealed word of God as an utterance from God to the heart of the believer.
You read a scripture that perhaps you have read many times before and yet some how it suddenly takes on a new meaning and becomes alive to you.
What are you doing with God’s Word?
Luke 4:29,30.
They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.
Here at Nazareth we see the protection Jesus enjoyed, but this scripture was not a Rhema at Gethsemane as the Father’s will was plainly shown after Jesus agonised in prayer.
He suffered that All Scripture could be fulfilled.
How many of you have complained that you haven’t suffered enough?
John 16:33. Jesus said “In this world you shall have tribulation, but take heart, I have overcome the world”
How is that for a Scripture to name and claim?
Do you embrace “ALL” of God’s Word?
Philippians1:21.
For me to live is
Christ, to die is gain.
Philippians 3:7-11.
But whatever was
to my profit I now
consider loss for the sake of Christ…for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.. I want to know the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death…
The cost of Apostleship.
Most of the Apostles were martyred and Jesus warned them ahead of time that they would be hated and persecuted, yet some in modern times have preached that Christians don’t need to suffer.
Rev 12: 11. They overcame Satan by the *Blood of the Lamb (overcome accusations)
*Word of their testimony
*they did not their lives so much as to shrink from death.
11 Corinthians 12:12.
The things that mark an Apostle signs wonders and miracles were done amongst you were done with great perseverance.
BUT WE LIVE IN THE DAY AND AGE OF THE PROMISE BOX CHRISTIAN, WHERE ONLY SELECTED SCRIPTURES ARE EMBRACED AND CELEBRATED, MANY ARE IGNORED.
What are you doing with God’s Word.
Matthew 26:52-54.
Put your sword back in it’s place…..do you think I cannot call on my Father and He will at once put at my disposal more than 12 legions of angels. But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way… But this all has taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.
Luke 22:53.
Every day I was with you in the Temple courts and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour- when darkness reigns.
Remember Job!!
What are you doing with God’s Word
John the Baptist got offended with Jesus because of his own understanding of God’s Word.
Remember John was the one who had announced Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. John 1:29.
Matthew 11:2-6.
When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples to ask him, “are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.”
What are you doing with God’s Word?
Did John have reason to be offended?
Isaiah 61:1. The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners..
Jesus stood up in the Synagogue in Nazareth and read this very passage.
Luke 4:17-21. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me ……Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.
Yet Jesus didn’t open the prison door for John and not too long afterwards John was beheaded and his head was brought out on a platter!! Matt14:10
Does your “Theology” question God’s love?
Romans 8:35-39.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword. As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
There is an “It is written” to counter the nonsense that is preached from some pulpits based on an “It is written”, but it’s your responsibility to get to know God’s Word.
John Huss was burnt at the stake and died singing a hymn.
God’s Word is the standard of Judgement.
Isaiah 55:10-11.
As the rain and the snow come down from Heaven…So is my Word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
God’s Word not returning to Him void (empty) does not mean that everyone who hears it will repent… (Rain is a blessing but can sometimes be a Judgement)
John 12:47-50.
Disobey the Word of God and it will be your Judge.
God’s Word the standard of Judgement.
John 12:47-50.
As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So what I say is just what the Father has told me to say.
What are you doing with God’s Word?
Matthew 7:24-27.
Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, yet it did not fall, because it had it’s foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, the winds blew and beat against that house and it fell with a great crash.
Hearers and doers of God’s Word.
James 1:22-25.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it- he will be blessed in what he does.
Hearers and doers of God’s Word.
There is a difference between hearing God’s Word physically and spiritually.
Mark 6:18-20.
For John had been saying to Herod “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John , he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him.
Herod liked to listen to John
(but he didn’t hear) subsequently when Jesus stood before Herod he didn’t say a word.
Hearers and doers of God’s Word.
Luke 23:8-9.
When Herod saw Jesus he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle. He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer.
Are you listening but not doing?
Hearers and doers of God’s Word.
Ezekiel 33:30-33.
As for you son of man, your countrymen are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, “Come and hear the message that has come from the Lord.”
My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice.
With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice.
When all this comes true- and it surely will- they will know that a prophet has been among them.
Hearers and doers of God’s Word.
We have already discussed the “The use it or lose it principle of God’s Word” in Mark 4 in addition,
We are warned of the danger of not loving God’s Word
11 Thessalonians 2:10-12.
..They perish because they refused to love the Truth and so be saved.
For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the Truth but have delighted in wickedness.
Romans 1:25.
They exchanged the Truth of God’s Word for a lie.
What are you doing with God’s Word?
Tithing is another classic example of man’s unregenerate heart.
I’ve heard some Christians try to wriggle out of the command to tithe, and it is once again an area where we are tempted to exchange the Truth for a lie.
Malachi 3:8-10.
Says such a person is robbing God. (Remember tithing pre-dated the Law of Moses)
If we can do it with one teaching, we can do it with another especially if we are not sincerely wanting God’s perfect will but trying to find Scripture to justify us doing what we really want.
The knowledge comes with the doing.
In the following passage we see that there must first be a willingness and choice on our part to do what God wants and only then do we have confirmation that it is his will
( If you have no desire or intention to do God’s will then why should He reveal it to you)
John 7:17.
Jesus says “If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.
God’s Word has been given to us to sanctify us.
Sanctification is not been Holier than thou, it is been set apart for the Lord.
John 17:14.
I have given them your Word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.
My prayer is not that you would take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one….
Sanctify them by the Truth; your Word is Truth.
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