God's Word refers to the Bible, which we Christians believe is the authoritative Word of God. It contains God's message to humanity, and it reveals his character, his plan for salvation, and his will for our lives. The Bible consists of two main parts: the Old Testament, which tells the story of God's relationship with the Israelites, and the New Testament, which focuses on the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the Christian church.
When we read Rev 1:3 - We see a blessing to the one who reads / hears and takes it to heart and it also warns us “Time is Near”.
Revelation 1:3 (NIV) - 'Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near. '
Origin of God’s Word
Every word in Bible is written by God’s revelation to the prophet thru his Holy Spirit 2 Peter 1:20-21 (NIV) 'Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.'
First Word of God originated to the people of Israel, it was given to Moses as the ten commandments. We read that in Exodus 34:27-28 (NIV) - 'Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” Moses was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant—the Ten Commandments.’
Early Christians followed Moses book of law, it was a scroll available in common places to read. Mostly people would assemble in places to hear the word. They did not have any printed material like we do today
Why God gave us the Word ?
God is blameless and pure. Sin is an enemy to God. He wanted us to have some guidelines to see how we, as humans, can live a life that's sin-free. The word of God is used to teach us how we should live, rebuke us when we go down the wrong path, help correct us to walk according to His will, and train us in the righteousness of God so that we can stay away from sin. 2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV) - 'All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, '
The moment we come into Faith of Christ, the Word of God guides us as imperishable seed 1 Peter 1:23 (NIV) 'For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. '
When we come to Salvation, he gives us his choicest first fruits of Blessing thru word of God to guide us according to his will James 1:18 (NIV) 'He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. '
As we are born from the curse of sin (from Adam), there is nothing that's good in us. God chooses to give His good gifts to us as we read and receive blessings. We receive all good gifts from God. James 1:17 (NIV) - 'Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. '
God word does not change over time, it was the same word for Moses till current day, it will be the same forever. So that why we can trust the word of God Matthew 24:35 (NIV) 'Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. ' 1 Peter 1:25 (NIV) 'but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you.'
Why we should read The Word ?
Many may argue to say, God’s word is not in context of current time and is not relevant to the 21st century. God did not reveal all things, as it says “whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” we have been given what we should read John 21:25 (NIV.) - 'Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.'
Bible is a God breathed word, you cannot just read it like an ordinary Book. If you read the word and not act to the word, you are just deceiving and cheating your own. The Bible say “Do what it says” James 1:22 (NIV) 'Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. '
Our life is not just about the life we live on earth and our earthly needs. There is a greater purpose for us to live in the world: to do the will of God and to understand His will. This can happen only when you read it and start to follow it. Matthew 4:4 (NIV) 'Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” '
We long for blessing, mostly materialistic blessing but God chooses to give us the Spiritual blessings first and the materialistic blessing that we need for our life will follow. The Spiritual blessing comes only when we long to get the righteousness from God. Matthew 5:6 (NIV) ' Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. '
The life on earth is not just to live happily and die, not a life that we live 1 among 100. There is a purpose for each of us for God’s calling. As we seek his will to understand his purpose and seek his righteousness we start to live a righteous life that will pave way to continue our eternal life with Christ Matthew 25:46 (NIV) ' “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”'
How should we read The Word ?
We learnt Why God gave us his word, Why we should read the Word, now we look how we should read the word
We live in a digital world, every thing is on the Go - Mobiles / Tab’s and listen to Bible etc.. All are ok, But Bible calls us to read the word with reverence & fear & trembling Psalms 2:11 (NIV) 'Serve the Lord with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling. ' One of the things I personally recommend is to read a printed Bible, when you take a book you automatically have the respect and reverence. If you read this electronic version, I don’t know what distractions that come your way, secondly the same digital medium (tab / phone) you read / watch many things that are not holy and it does not produce the reverence that God expects from us.
Mediate the word - If you read the word and do nothing, its deceiving yourself is what we saw in James 1:22 (NIV), Meditating the word is not only for pastors or Bible scholars, its a must for all of us as, So how to meditate is explained in Ephesians 1:17 (NIV) 'I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. ' When you read the passage again and again, God will speak thru the Holy Spirit to give you the wisdom and revelation to know him, he will use the word to do as he tells in 2 Timothy 3:16 - “… teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness”
Read like Ezra -
The word says he read it to study it more deeper to understand the word and obey the word Ezra 7:10 (NIV) - 'For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord , and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel. '
Ezra read it from the early morning (daybreak) till Noon, Nehemiah 8:3 (NIV) - 'He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law. '
As starters lets read and meditate for 20 to 30 min at minimum, Grow from there to read it in morning / afternoon and evening so that the word will live in us.
Blessing we Get - Reading The Word of God
We understood how we should read the word of God, as we read we also have a expectation what will we get in return for the time we spend
1. Blessing of God - We are blessed by God that does not dry out, As God blesses us we will share the blessing to others. Psalms 1:2-3 (NIV) 'but whose delight is in the law of the Lord , and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. '
2. Grace and Blessing - Even though we read / mediate and live a righteous life, we still are sinners in God’s eye. The grace of God is given to us to understand the word of God, after which the peace of God fulfils us. 2 Peter 1:2 (NIV) 'Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. '
3. Knowledge of Secrets given to us - God’s word sometimes is very hard to understand with human knowledge, God unlocks his knowledge of Secret for us to understand it so that it may guide us in our life.
Matthew 13:11 (NIV) 'He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. ' God gives us his secrets that even kings / prophets longed to get that in prior generations which will be revealed to you.
Matthew 13:11,16-17 (NIV) 'He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. '
4. God’s word makes us Holy - When we read , it does its action to make us holy and pure Hebrews 4:12 (NIV) 'For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. '
5. We grow from Babes to Adult by getting Solid food from God directly and not being fed by baby food (its a analogy for new born believers to reach to Pastors for everything) Hebrews 5:12,14 (NIV) - 'In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.'
6. We go thru trials and temptations, the word strengths us to make our faith lay like rock as we trust Jesus and his word more than our own strength Matthew 7:25 (NIV) 'The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. '
7. Acts as Belt of Truth in our Spiritual battle against satan in the world - Ephesians 6:17 (NIV) 'Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. '
8. The Word of God has the Power to melt and break things that we struggle against as Satan is fearful of the word of God - Psalms 147:15,18 (NIV) 'He sends his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow. '
Last Days and his Glory
We live in the last days, events surrounding us gives us the warning to turn to God and obey him. While we do turn to God there is a imitator of God who can deceive us to make us believe that we are actually following God but really following the devil. So its one more reason for us to understand the word of God in detail like Ezra so that we are not deceived by Devil
The word describes how the last days will be and how he will want to be exalted and worshiped by proclaiming himself as God - 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 (NIV) 'Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God. '
He will make it so real by his deception that its really from God, Unless you are rooted in God’s knowledge and wisdom, if you are a ordinary Christian who read the word in a casual way - you will be deceived and perish - 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11 (NIV) 'The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. 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 '
Focus on getting holy as the last days are here, you can be holy only if you read and obey the word. 1 Peter 1:22(NIV) 'Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. '
The day is very near as the day will come just a fraction of second with no time to react. So its a warning for us to prepare for his coming 2 Peter 3:10,12 (NIV) 'But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. '
Live a life holy and pleasing to God so that you will be saved in the last day of his coming - 2 Peter 3:11 (NIV) 'Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives '
Don’t take it for granted that we are being told he is coming but the time has not come yet, God is giving his patience for us to get back to Salvation. 2 Peter 3:15 (NIV) 'Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. '
So I say to you Revelation 2:29 (NIV) 'Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'
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