What does this Scripture mean to you? I often said that was one of the most flawed questions to be asked in Christian circles, Bible studies, etc. Why? That question promotes PERSONAL INTERPRETATION without regard to the INTENTION of God when He SPOKE the Word. You see...it was what GOD meant when He SPOKE the Word that matters...not what we WANT it to mean when we HEAR it or READ it. But...there is an even MORE disastrous...yes...DISASTROUS norm that has truly wrought HAVOC in the Church today...a norm which FEW recognize...yet it has truly resulted in the BUTCHERING of Scripture. Even worse...it has led many to UNWITTINGLY distort reality in such a way that some begin to deny that God allows ANY BAD THING to come upon BELIEVERS. Of course...a man named JOB is but one example to be given here. What is this DISASTEROUS norm?? How often do we promote SEARCHING for Scriptures that MEET OUR NEEDS???? Oh...when someone is DOWN...we seek to find a POSITIVE Scripture to lift them up. ANY Scripture is not enough! We must DIG and find that PERFECT, POSITIVE PASSAGE! Can you imagine this scenario: Job sits after having lost his flock and his servants. And...there...the POSITIVE PARADE begins! The well-meaning begin to declare: We are MORE than conquerors! I know the thoughts I have for you...thoughts of good... God will give you back DOUBLE for your TROUBLE! (Yes...not EXACTLY Scripture...is it?!?!) Many even say: Declare the promises of God over your life! Speak faith filled words! Today...we have the Word of God as an example...an ever present help in understanding the UPS...and DOWNS...of life. You see...all the DECLARATIONS in the world would not change Jobs reality. And...unbeknownst to Job and others...things were NOT about to get BETTER! Soon...Job would not hear a Voice from Heaven tell him NOT to BELIEVE a bad report! The bad report that was to come was REALITY: JOBS CHILDREN WERE DEAD! Oh yes...Job would ONE DAY regain so much! But...NOTHING...and no amount of NEW children...could REPLACE the children Job had LOST! Job lived the rest of his life MISSING his deceased children. Pain...heartache...midnight tears...grief...memories of lives lost...wishing for just MOMENTS again. What does all of this matter?!? What is the point here?!? We have made Gods Word SITUATIONAL. If I am sick...let me find those HEALING passages. If I am DEPRESSED...let me find those HAPPY passages. If I am POOR...let me find those MAKE ME RICH AND WEALTHY passages. If I am SINFUL...let me find those GRACE passages. We seek SITUATIONAL words instead of seeking the Word in the midst of our situation! What if Peter sought a word as he was awaiting crucifixion...a word that would promise him that he would not DIE on the cross??? Think about it: Peter would be seeking to hear a LIE...a declaration...a decree...albeit one that CONTRADICTED reality...and in direct opposition to TRUTH! We now go the the Word to GET a word...yet most never go to the Word just to get the Word. We seek PEP TALKS...MOTIVATIONAL WORDS...SPIRITUAL clichés...POSITIVE THINKING. We want ETERNAL LIFE...on earth! We declare that SICKNESS cannot enter our homes...yet it does. We declare that Satan is BOUND...yet he roams free. We declare FAVOR means no lack...yet many who are HOLY go HUNGRY. I learned something MANY years ago: No one who declares that they REFUSE to get sick ever live to be 120...and not ONE faith healer ever goes to St. Jude Childrens Hospital and EMPTIES the beds by his prayer of faith. The truth in all of this? We must seek THE Word...not A word. Every promise in the Book is mine! ... and the Book often declares I will HURT...I will know PAIN...I will go through HEARTACHE...I will deal with SICKNESS...and...I will DIE. The Bible is NOT a SELF-HELP book...it is a SPIRIT-HOLY Book. I need EVERY WORD within its pages...and EVERY TRUTH that it reveals! The day WILL come when TRUTH means more than positive thinking...and it is our WILLINGNESS to ACCEPT that truth that will matter most. There were PROPHETS in the Old Testament that only sought THE GOOD WORD...declaring to Israel every BLESSING of God. The PROBLEM with their DECLARATIONS?? God was NOT the AUTHOR of those declarations! What God spoke was TRUTH...and only TRUTH can bring REDEMPTION... Redemption of LIFE... Redemption of LOVE... Redemption of the SOUL. Seek THE Word...not A word...and let TRUTH speak PEACE...even if DEATH awaits.
Posted on: Sat, 13 Sep 2014 02:18:12 +0000
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