The Importance of God's Word in Unsettling Times

There are so many reasons that God's Word is vital in times of trouble. But before I begin my reasons why, we need to examine the exegesis of what we mean by "God's Word". And naturally, we Christians understand the Bible to be God's Word to us; His expressed [or written] message to mankind. "Word" in Greek is Logos and implies the Divine reason/thought that gives the cosmos its form and order. That's what the Bible means when it says in John 1:1-2, In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. The "He" in this passage is telling us that Jesus is also "the Word"; He represents and embodies the complete message of God to all men. 

So, here we have the idea that both Jesus and the Bible are God's Word. They are connected because the Bible is literally all about Jesus -- if you diligently read it and study it, you will find Him on every page. Paul gives us the duality of that concept when he says, "I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known". 

In other words, Paul is telling Believers that it is his job to make the word (Jesus) known to them as the message from God to mankind. He can accomplish that through teaching from the collection of writings that scholars most commonly accept as written, [beginning with Genesis], around 1400 B.C. until Malachi was written, approximately 450 B.C. -- what we know as the Old Testament. That is the written word of God.

But Paul also wants them to understand that the Word of God encompasses more than what's written on the page. God had been speaking into mankind for centuries, revealing Himself in various ways -- in His creation; through the prophets He called into service; through Scripture [of course], and now the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ. But by the time that Paul is teaching this truth, Jesus has been crucified and risen. So, Paul wants it clearly understood that God continues to reveal Himself through the Holy Spirit, who will teach us a deeper understanding of what is written on the pages of Scripture. That concept sees the Word of God, as spiritually revealed, or the Rhema Word.

It is an utterance from God to the heart of the receiver via the Holy Spirit, as in John 14:26: But when the Father sends the Spirit of Holiness, the One like Me who sets you free, He will teach you all things in My name. And He will inspire you to remember every word that I’ve told you. In addition, we can see the activity of the Holy Spirit in Hebrews 4:12, For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  Although the Lord is no longer on the earth, He is still the Word and works through the Holy Spirit, who is living and active in us; separating our soul and flesh from our spirit, and discerning the condition of our heart, that we might clearly hear Jesus and obey His commandments.   

To summarize, Logos is a theological term with a clear reference to Jesus as the Word in the Bible. Rhema is a spiritual encounter with the Word, whereby the principles of the Bible are communicated directly to the heart and spirit of the Believer. The problem is that much of the Church doesn't recognize the Rhema Word or hunger for it. And of course, the Rhema Word must coincide with what is revealed about the Logos in the Bible. I do not believe God or Jesus will speak a word to our hearts or spirits that contradicts His Word in the Bible, but I certainly believe They have a desire to illuminate the Word to those who will receive it.

So why have I taken such pains to elucidate the fullness of this term "Word of God"?  It's so that as we traverse these difficult times in the modern world, we know how to engage and bind ourselves to the Word of God, in all its fullness; to remain grounded and connected to our lifeline [both the Bible and Jesus] when confronted with conflict and dangerous situations. It is important to understand how to do that. 

So, I invite you to consider the following passage in the Bible. I think it expresses much better than I can, what I am talking about ... For we did not receive the spirit of this world system but the Spirit of God, so that we might come to understand and experience all that grace has lavished upon us. And we articulate these realities with the words imparted to us by the Spirit and not with the words taught by human wisdom. We join together Spirit-revealed truths with Spirit-revealed words.  Someone living on an entirely human level rejects the revelations of God’s Spirit, for they make no sense to him. He can’t understand the revelations of the Spirit because they are only discovered by the illumination of the Spirit. Those who live in the Spirit are able to carefully evaluate all things, and they are subject to the scrutiny of no one but God (1 Corinthians 2:12-15, The Passion Translation).  

To us in the 21st Century, this should tell us that there is a valid connection between revelation from God (Spirit-revealed truths) and the Bible (Spirit-revealed words). They are meant to work together to bring us into greater intimacy with the Father and to guide us to not only fulfill our purpose for the Kingdom that Jesus came to establish, but defend it against the spiritual forces that want to obstruct it. And here's an amazing truth that we need to be exceedingly grateful for ... the heroes of the Old Testament had access to the Holy Spirit when God sent Him upon them, but we have been blessed that the Holy Spirit is with us always, living inside us! 

I recently read an interesting article on kingdom citizens.org. Consider that Daniel, in his service to God, did not have the Holy Spirit's presence in him. But he did make obedience to God's Word his fundamental guide. Even when King Darius decreed that no man could pray to any other god but him, Daniel continued to remain obedient to God's command that "You shall have no other gods before Me", by praying towards Jerusalem three times a day. He is an example that no conflict, no law or decree can change the truth of God's Word. Daniel presents a pretty good challenge to the 21st Century believer. If he was willing to stake his life on following God's commands -- no matter what -- and without the Holy Spirit as guide and counselor inside him, how much more should we be able to stand and occupy in times of trouble? 

In the New Testament, the Disciples Peter and John also show us who and what should take priority in our lives. Just like Daniel, they ran up against man-made laws; laws that forbid them to teach about Jesus. They had a decision to make! Would they choose man's law over the truth they knew of the Word -- that He had died for our sins and rose to sit at the right hand of the Father to intercede on our behalf? Or would they continue to witness about the Word, and listen to the Holy Spirit, who teaches us and reveals the power of the Gospel? "We ought to obey God rather than men" was their answer -- not to be rebellious and sow discord and chaos into the society, but to remain obedient to God's law, when man's law went against it.

As our spirits become increasingly aware that conflict is on the rise and may become unavoidable, I know it will not be easy. In our flesh, the Enemy will attack us with fear, doubt, anxiety, and unbelief. But I want to encourage you to make the Word of God your foundation in the midst of the uncertainty, confusion, and disorder. We're already seeing, that in so many areas, wrong is now right; bad is now good. Like Daniel and Peter and John, ask yourself, What does God call me to do in this situation, according to the Bible? What am I hearing from the Holy Spirit?  When you know the Word, both in Scripture form, and in your personal, intimate relationship with Jesus the Word, you will find that you have a foundation to stand on; one that strengthens you, gives you strategies, and provides stability in unsettling times. We will overcome!

#understandingtheword #whatislogosword #whatisrhemaword #kingdomcitizens #obeyGodorobeyman #holyspiritinus #holyspiritinoldtestament #holyspirit  #weoughttoobeyGod #Jesusistheword #revelationofthebible #spiritrevealedtruth #danielsobedienceinthebible

Isaiah 55:11    "So shall My Word be that goes out from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it".

     

   

The Word of God Is Worth Dying For!

I know ... that's a pretty extreme statement, but let me give you the context in which I am making it. As I have stated numerous times, how we interpret the Bible is important to receiving the true revelation of God. Jesus tells us in Matthew 4:4 that we are to live by every word that comes from the mouth of God, and we know that Jesus only said [and did] what the Father told Him. So, it must be inferred that the words Jesus used had great significance and were spoken with purpose. 

And that's why I have continually persisted in making an issue of words like "Ekklesia" and "Kingdom", and have challenged the modern Church's understandings and teachings. Please indulge me a moment as I reiterate just how important our understanding is, and the value of it. 

That word ... ekklesia ... had tremendous import when Jesus used it in Matthew 16:18. Most Bible translations tell us that He said, "on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it". Only He didn't say "Church", He said "Ekklesia". It is important that you know that this word has been used over 100 times in the New Testament and has always meant an assembly of God’s People. That is how it is understood in the Greek language; it is a Greek word. It means that men assembled at the main gate of the city, where government business was discussed and decisions were made on how to run the affairs of the people. It is a word describing government -- not to be used in regards to religion. 

The word "Church" comes from the Greek word kyriake, or kyriakon, meaning "gathering place, assembly dedicated to the Lord" -- in other words, a building; a place. Jesus was very deliberate in using the word Ekklesia, because He knew what its specific meaning was: ek, meaning "out of", and klesis, meaning "a calling". Therefore, I think we can establish that Jesus came to build a government of His Father's Kingdom on earth, not a religion.   

But I don't want to belabor the differences between the two words; I have covered that ground multiple times. Instead, I ask you to think about this: If the word was deliberately told to Jesus by the Father, and Jesus specifically used it during His ministry, shouldn't we hold to their precise use of the word that describes how we are to conduct the affairs of the Kingdom of God on the earth? And shouldn't it be so important to us that we guard its use fervently and with prejudice?

I deliberately used the title for this blog because I want you to perceive how lax we have become in interpreting the Word of God. Jeremiah 2:11-13 comes to mind ... My people have exchanged their Glory (the true God) for that [man-made idol] which does not benefit [them]. Be appalled, O heavens, at this; Be shocked and shudder with horror [at the behavior of the people],” says the Lord. For My people have committed two evils: They have abandoned (rejected) Me, the Fountain of Living Water, and they have carved out their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water. 

This begs the question ... If we do not see that Jesus never intended to build a Church, but rather an Ekklesia -- have we established church buildings as religious idols that are broken and unable to hold the weight and substance of God's Truth? Unless we receive a revelation and re-establish exactly what Jesus intended to build in Matthew 16, we are in danger of building upon the wrong foundation; one that will not withstand what is prophesied to come in the Word. It will not only fail to hold water, but it will crumble at the first onslaught of the kingdom of darkness. 

Does the modern Church even know the history of how the Word came to the common man? Do we understand that for centuries, the people were not even allowed access to the Word? That it was only for the powerful controlling State? Are you aware of a man named William Tyndale and that he published the first New Testament in the English language, making it available to the common man? If you don't know his name, you should, because he was willing to die to protect the Word. 

In 2017, I wrote a blog post titled, My Passion For the Bible, and related the history of the various versions and interpretations of the Bible that have come down through the centuries. I'm going to share a portion of William Tyndale's story, but if you're interested in a more comprehensive history of the English Bible's timeline, I refer you to this link. But it is Tyndale's testimony that is most relevant to today's post. 

William Tyndale was the first man to ever print the New Testament in the English language. He translated it from the original Greek into English in 1526. Tyndale had been forced to flee England because of the wide-spread rumor that his English New Testament project was underway, causing inquisitors and bounty hunters to be constantly on his trail to arrest him and prevent him from completing his project. Both of the "state" churches -- the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church -- were angry with Tyndale for lots of reasons, but mainly because he translated the Greek word "ekklesia" as an assembly [a governing body of God's Word], which would show the people that they were God's assembly and under His direction, not the State's. 

While the Tyndale Bibles were burned as soon as the Bishop could confiscate them, copies trickled through to the public, and actually ended up in the bedroom of King Henry VIII. The more the King and Bishop resisted its distribution, the more fascinated the public at large became. The church declared it contained thousands of errors as they torched hundreds of New Testaments confiscated by the clergy, while in fact, they burned them because they could find no errors at all. One risked death by burning if caught in mere possession of Tyndale's forbidden books.  

In fact, Tyndale was eventually arrested and imprisoned because he refused to change the translation of ekklesia to anything but a governing assembly. That's how dedicated he was to maintaining the truth and authenticity of God's Word. Today, there are only two known copies left of Tyndale’s 1525-26 First Edition. Any copies printed prior to 1570 are extremely valuable. Tyndale's flight was an inspiration to freedom-loving Englishmen who drew courage from the 11 years that he was hunted. In the end, Tyndale was caught: betrayed by an Englishman that he had befriended. Tyndale was incarcerated for 500 days before he was strangled and burned at the stake in 1536. Tyndale’s last words were, "Oh Lord, open the King of England’s eyes". 

So, you can see why Tyndale's translation, using the word ekklesia in its Greek meaning, would be such a threat to the rulers who controlled the State religions? Jesus claimed He was a King, bringing a government from Heaven that called people to obedience to that system of laws and commandments; encouraging an assembly of Believers to carry out their specific instructions and duties to Heaven. Now, in the 21st Century, as Believers, shouldn't we be asking ourselves if we are still honoring the responsibilities of an ekklesia? Does it even matter to you whether you identify as part of the Ekklesia or the Church? 

Sadly, I am discerning that the word Ekklesia has become one of the latest fashionable icons of Church-y language. But I don't see any change in the actions of the leaders of modern Christianity. The Church still looks like the Church. It is still walking in compromise with the world and the State. It may be using a lot of words to express opposition, but it is not doing anything to oppose the world's approval of abortion; transgender manipulation of children; sex trafficking; crime; corruption; and all the other wicked displays of Satan's presence in our culture. Do you see any William Tyndale's who are willing to give up their lives for the sake of defending the truth or authenticity of the Word?

I believe that we modern Christians sometimes get so caught up in our denominational doctrine that we quote Scripture without really understanding its true meaning, or how it reveals God's heart, or His purpose and plan for us as His representatives. But the Word of God as revealed to man has remained unchanged from generation to generation, no matter how hard the Enemy has tried to corrupt it.  

History shows us that God has always used men who were willing to die to see that His Word stayed verifiable and authentic. He has preserved His Word as a means to know Him and to worship Him. And just as He inspired the original writers to represent Him accurately, He can inspire us, who are sincerely seeking Him, to receive His true revelation.  No matter what translation of the Bible you are reading, I recommend that you compare and contrast versions in your never-ending journey to know the God we serve. The journey His Word has taken to get to us in the 21st Century is nothing less than miraculous. It has survived for over 3400 years, and neither man nor devil has been able to destroy it.  May it forever be a lamp to our feet, and a light to our path!

#bibletranslations #biblicalmeaningofekklesia #ekklesiaversuschurch #godsauthenticrevelation #williamtyndale #wordofgodisworthdyingfor #onthisrockIwillbuildmychurch #onthisrockIwillbuildmyekklesia #churchandstate

Isaiah 40:8   "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God will stand forever."