STAY IN THE WORD

07/16/2024

"As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him" (Psalm 18:30).

The Word of God as contained in the Bible is a compendium of sovereign declarations, testimonies, and promises of God to and about His elect and the rest of the world. Sovereign declarations are spiritual laws or unalloyed truths and are responsible for all governance in heaven and on earth. Hebrews 1:3 NIV says, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word…” The reference to “his powerful word” in this verse of scripture refers to a sovereign declaration by which everything on this planet and beyond consists. For example, faith is a law and the moment you engage the law of faith, the invisible things of God can be made to appear. The Bible says of our God that He “…gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did…” (Romans 4:17)

The next component of God’s word is His testimonies or His evidence. And it is interesting how God testifies. God testifies about people and things, not as human reasoning might be able to comprehend. He called Lot, a righteous man, Gideon a man of valor, and Nathaniel a Jew in whom there is no guile when these qualities were not evidence. Why? Because He knows the end of a matter even before it has begun (see Isaiah 46:10). For example, God’s testimony of you is that you are His beloved child (as per Ephesians 5:1) and even when you do not feel loved, His testimony of you stands sure. Psalm 19:7 says, “The Law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.”

Lastly, the Word of God contains promises. These are if/then statements by which God provides for His elect. Now in the New Testament, while sovereign declarations and testimonies take precedence because of the blood sacrifice of Christ, promises can still be enjoyed if you fulfill the requirements to access a promise. In other words, if you do your part, God is faithful to do His. For example, a promise in the Word says, “Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). To delight yourself in the LORD means to get excited about God, His Word, and the Holy Spirit. It is a maintenance of radical thanksgiving and joy in God. And hear me, very few delight themselves in God. How do I know this? Just look at the many who get bogged down by things they shouldn’t.

As you go about your day today, I want you to meditate on Psalm 37:4. Let it soak in your spirit and one thing I am certain about is that it will produce in you what it talks about.

Amen.

Faith-Filled Confession:

I delight myself in the Lord, recalling the wonders of my God. I celebrate His deliverances, provision, and protection. I ponder His love, reflecting on how He has amazed me through the years, and I know today will be a special day of miracles! Hallelujah!

Prayer Direction

• Pray for the peace of the nation

• Pray for ministers who are dealing with chronic depression and frustration 

• Pray for the lost that they will come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. 

One-Year Bible Reading Plan: Psalm 19-21; Acts 19:21-41